Spring is already here, so is the warm weather! The trees start flowering and the Spring Mood is officially ON. The nature is waking up after the long winter and it’s time for us to do it too. For this reason I will share with you an idea for a Weekend Getaway!
The destinations are:
Geopark Iskar/Panega – Prohodna cave – Saeva Dupka cave – Krushuna Falls
If you are living in Sofia or near it, you can start first by visiting Geopark Iskar-Panega, located near Lukovit.
You can take a long walk in the Geopark and enjoy the beautiful nature around you. This place has two parts – the Karlukovo Karst Complex, that lies in the valley of Iskar River and the Roadside Landscape Park “Panega”, that lies in the valley of Zlatna Panega River. The trail runs along both sides of the river, so you’ll see a several wooden bridges over the water. On the photo you see the most attractive of them:
You don’t have to worry if you get tired during the walk, because there are places where you can relax. You will also find a lot of picnic spots with benches, picnic tables and fireplaces, where you can even have a barbecue – so don’t forget the food!
Next stop is Prohodna cave, located very close to the Geopark Iskar-Panega.
Prohodna is carst cave and it’s 262 metres (860 ft) long – this makes it the longest cave passage in Bulgaria. Prohodna is famous with it’s two equal-sized holes in the ceiling of its middle chamber that look like eyes – that’s why they call this cave “The Eyes of God“:
It has two opposite lying entraces, known as the Small Entrance and the Big Entrance. The Small is 35 metres (115 ft) high and the Big reaches 45 metres (148 ft).
The size of the Big Entrance makes it suitable for bungee jumping and it is among the popular spots in Bulgaria for that activity.
The other cave you can visit is Saeva Dupka, located near the village Brestnica, Lovech Province.
It is different from Prohodna, because it’s located underground. It’s 205 metres long and it’s very interesting fact that in 70 metres underground the cave there is a flowing river. It’s estimated that this cave is about 3 million years old, which is really a lot of time! It has five halls and it’s one of the most beautiful caves in Bulgaria, because of it’s unique formations – you can see stalactites, stalagmites, helicates and dendrites. Saeva Dupka is also unique for it’s colors – green, brown and white.
P.S. A little advice from me – if you’re visiting Saeva Dupka, don’t forget your jackets, because the temperature is 7-11°C.
And the last landmark I suggest you to visit is Krushuna Falls, located near the village of Krushuna, Letnitsa Municipality, 34 km from Lovech.
Krushuna falls are actually a series of waterfalls. Unfortunately, after an accident with fallen stones in 2015, a big part of the waterfalls is closed now and it’s no longer available for tourists. Nevertheless, you can still see a lot of this beautiful place and enjoy the art of Mother Earth.
P.S. All photos in this article are taken by me – I am not praising myself, haha :).