Råggejávrrerájgge
Råggejávrrerájgge (RJR) is a 580 m deep limestone cave and is the world’s second deepest inter-connecting cave (the difference in height between the two entrances) and Northern Europe’s deepest karst cave. The mapped length of the cave tunnel is 1.9 km.
The tour starts with a hike up to the mountain lake of Råggejávrre on the plateau around 650 above the Hellemofjord. The river then disappears down into the mountain and we will follow it. Råggejávrrerájgge is a limestone cave that has been eroded by this underground river. Straight from the cave’s upper entrance, you will pass through a series of vertical shafts and horizontal galleries.
The longest abseil is around 150 m with several planned rope changes en route. This part of the cave is known as “Storstupet” (The Big Shaft). There is one mid-air rope change, which is the most technically demanding aspect of the entire tour.
“Knivgangen” (The Razor Passage) has a vertical height of around 100 m. Participants move down through a narrow passage. Many regard this as the highlight of the cave tour. You have close contact with the mountain throughout the descent of “Knivgangen”, and you need to use the cave’s ceiling and walls in order to make your way down.
“Litjstupet” (The Little Shaft) provides an abseil of around 50 m without any contact with the mountainside – the tour’s loftiest abseiling experience! After descending “Litjstupet”, you remove your caving equipment and walk for around an hour to the cave’s Mistral entrance (around 80 m above sea level). We experience the narrowest passages on the entire tour on the stretch between “Litjstupet” and the cave entrance. There are several places where you will have to remove your pack and squeeze your way through narrow passages.
The duration of this tour is around 12 hours, including the boat ride from Hellandsberg (Drag), although the actual caving excursion takes around seven hours depending on participant numbers.
Previous climbing/caving experience is not required as you will receive tuition on the use of equipment. As a minimum, all participants must have an average level of fitness.
