Scarisoara Karstic Complex includes the biggest ice cave in Romania - Scarisoara Cave (Little Ladder Cave) - which is 700 meters long and extends on a level difference of 105 m with 3 entrances. The cave's main entry is situated at 1,165 m of altitude and is among the few ice caves in the world at such a low altitude. The glacier is supposed to be around 3,000 years old, it contains over 75,000 cubic feet of ice on a thickness of about 26 m. This ice never melts, not even in summer - this is why the visitors are advised to wear warm clothes. The cave's entrance is through a vertical tunnel with a depth of 48 m and a diameter of around 60 m. The tunnel is equipped with metal stairs to facilitate the access for tourists.

The cave is divided into several sectors with different names. This way, after entering the cave, visitors access the "Great Hall" and then move to the "Church" where they can admire more than 100 stalagmite-like ice formations. One can reach the Great Reserve through a 70 m gallery or the Small Reserve, but visiting is only permitted for scientific purposes with special authorization from the Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology of Cluj Napoca. The deepest gallery of the cave (105 m) is called the Maxim Pop Gallery.

Sanziana Cathedral and the Palace are the other sections of Scarisoara Cave and they are ice-free. Scarisoara Cave is home to bats and 2-3 mm beetles named Pholeuon prozerpinae glaciale. A skeleton of "Rupicapra" (goat's ancestor) was discovered in the Grand Reserve. The cave was researched in 1938 by the great Romanian speleologist Emil Racovita who declared it speleological reserve (the first one in the country).

You can only get guided tours of the cave (a 5 Ron fee in 2007). Groups of 20-50 persons can only access the cave at fixed hours: 9 am, 10.20 am, 11.40 am, 1 pm, 2.20 pm, 3.40 pm, 5 pm.

You can reach Scarisoara Cave from the center of Garda de Sus on a gravel road that climbs up to 200 m from the cave, but it is only accessible by SUV-type cars, with an elevated enough body, being ina pretty bad condition. Also some locals may transport you to the cave during summer time and by horse-drawn sled in winter. You will have to negotiate the amount of money with them.

From the center of Garda de Sus you can follow the red cross markings and reach the cave in 2-3 h. The route is relatively undemanding, but might pose problems to those less fit or healthy.