If your’re the kind of tourist who would rely on McDonald’s for a meal and need a bar nearby, Yana Moyseeva kindly asks you to stop reading now. Otherwise, please go on.
Frankly, I am not sure if I should be writing about this place; it’s precisely its lack of popularity that makes it special. But it would simply be selfish to keep it’s magic just to myself. So, trusting that you will also treat it with respect, here it comes.
The waterfalls at the village of Kroushouna are, without exaggeration, one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen in Bulgaria, or in any other country I have visited. No asphalt – only paths. No lifts – only old simple metal bridges and staircases where absolutely needed. No noise – just birdsong and the sound of water falling.
Kroushouna is a place not only for nature lovers. It is also for those who like getting their hands dirty, their trainers muddy. It is a place for explorers who take a chance to walk off the main path and see what’s beyond. The waterfalls take their name from the off-the-beaten-track village of Kroushouna, 34 km east of Lovech, at the border of the Dunavska Ravnina (Danube plain) and the Stara Planina Mountain, one of the most heavily carsted regions in the country.
My friend and I wanted to make a weekend trip to Kroushouna. Our idea was to visit as many sights as possible along the way, all the while keeping our eyes on the frosting on the cake – Kroushouna.
From Sofia, we hit the northern Hemus Highway. First stop ?the Troyan Monastery, the third largest in Bulgaria and definitely one of the most picturesque and best preserved.
Next, we saw the Devetashka cave, a few km north-east of Lovech. Badly signposted, but probably for the best, the path to the cave is on the right side of the river and is surrounded by green forests and cliffs. The entire walk to and back from the cave takes about an hour, and the surrounding scenery makes it a truly joyful experience.
There are three interesting facts about the Devetashka cave. It has the largest entrance in Europe; in the past it was the state reserve’s secret depot for petrol products; and it has two large openings towards the sky, which combined with the overall substantial height of the cave, really make you feel small and insignificant.
At last, our final stop: the village of Kroushouna. It’s as if time has stopped here. And nowhere else in Bulgaria can you see such turquoise gorges (due to the high concentration of lime in the water) as you can at the Kroushouna waterfalls. The entire walk takes about an hour and a half, but the experience is bound to make you disinclined to look at your watch.
There are several caves nearby, but they are all accessible to speleologists only. The Boninska cave is one. It has the largest underground lake in Bulgaria, 800 m. Too bad it not suitable for just anyone. The carst waterfalls and river are one-of-a-kind in the country, which make me wonder how this place still manages to stay unnoticed by compilers of major tourist brochures.
It is already early evening. Sleeping in the region is difficult, as there are no hotels in Kroushouna, only a few typical village houses, where you could spend the night at a nominal fee. Contacts for such places can be found on the internet. But be prepared to have to use outdoor long-drop toilets. Possibly a better alternative is the town of Lovech, which has some hotels.
On the second day, make an early start. Back near to Yablanitsa, there are two more sights that should be visited – the Syeva Dupka cave, where you have a guide and the walk takes about 40 minutes, and the Glozhenski Monastery, attractive for its location right on the top of a mountain hill.
So, meet you there!
