La Grotta dell’Orso – Valle Intelvi

March 4, 2024

Written by admin

The Bear's Cave is located in Italian territory, a few hundred meters from the summit of Monte Generoso. It can be reached on foot along the path that starts from Orimento or by going up near the Monte Generoso Railway station (CH). Located on the eastern side of the mountain, the cave has for millennia guarded an important deposit consisting of a good number of finds from the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus), which lived in the area and has been extinct for around 20,000 years. The Bear's Cave was discovered in 1988 by two speleologists from the Ticino Section, belonging to the Swiss Speleology Association, who, traveling through the area in summer, identified the opening. At the time of discovery, before the interventions to facilitate access for tourist purposes which took place in 1998, the Cave consisted of a narrow initial tunnel, approximately 25 meters long, through which one accessed a first room ("Saletta"). from which, through a narrow and difficult siphon, after about 70 meters you reached a larger room ("Terminal Room") inside which the first cave bear finds (Ursus spelaeus) were found which gave the decisive impulse for the execution of the first paleontological excavations (1991). The first studies relating to finds of Ursus spelaeus and Ursus arctos collected on the surface took place in 1989. Given the stability and safety of the Cave, tourists were allowed to visit the cavity following an excavation which involved it from the entrance to at the beginning of the “Terminal Hall”. Paleontological material was also found here which attests to the presence of other animal species such as the wolf, the moose, the brown bear, the megacer deer and small mammals; finally, the discovery of flint artefacts testifies to the sporadic presence of Neanderthal man on this site. The Bear Cave, whose internal temperature is between eight and ten degrees centigrade, can now be visited in the summer months with a guide. Inside you can see the reconstruction of the skeleton of a "cave" bear and several bones found: mandibles, skulls, tibias, humeri, teeth; finally, thanks to the support of augmented reality, visitors will be able to live a real prehistoric experience!!!

The revaluation of the cave is part of a project financed by Interreg, an operation co-financed by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund, the Italian State, the Swiss Confederation and the Cantons as part of the Interreg VA Italy-Switzerland Cooperation Programme.

To book the visit: https://www.mendrisiottoturismo.ch/it/commons/details/La-Grotta-dell-Orso/14911.html

Visit the dedicated Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/grottadellorso/

Method of access to the Cave:

PREZZI GROTTA STAGIONE 2026

➢ ADULTO 12 €
➢ BAMBINI FINO A 5 ANNI GRATUITO
➢ BAMBINI DAI 6 AI 12 ANNI 5 €
➢ OCCHIALINO 3D SU RICHIESTA O DISPONIBILE IN DATE PARTICOLARI +3 €
➢ RIDOTTO 10 €:

13-17 ANNI
OVER 65
STUDENTI TESSERATI FINO AI 30 ANNI

GRUPPI E SCUOLE

(non previsti occhialini 3D)

➢ GRUPPI SOPRA I 15 PARTECIPANTI (INCLUSA GUIDA) 10 €
➢ SCUOLE PRIMARIE E SECONDARIE PRIMO GRADO 5 €
(gratuito insegnante ogni 15 alunni)

➢ SCUOLE SECONDARIE SECONDO GRADO 10 €
(gratuito insegnante ogni 15 alunni)

– It is recommended to bring a jacket or other covering clothing with you.
– In case of bad weather the site will not be usable.

Il Comune di Centro Valle Intelvi ha organizzato un servizio di bus navetta per raggiungere la frazione di Orimento. Da giugno a settembre, è possibile lasciare la propria auto a San Fedele o Casasco e, con la navetta, raggiungere Orimento, per poi avventurarsi a piedi verso la Grotta dell’Orso. Tranquillo perché poi la navetta vi attende per riportarvi all’auto! Che aspettate, lasciate fare al Comune di Centro Valle Intelvi.

🐻 IN GITA ALLA GROTTA DELL’ORSO!

Stai cercando la prossima avventura nella natura? Raggiungere la Grotta dell’Orso (Loc. Orimento) non è mai stato così facile e comodo grazie alla Navetta Estiva! 🚌

Dimentica lo stress del parcheggio e goditi il viaggio. Ecco tutto quello che devi sapere: