Крушунски водопад

Крушунска бигорна каскада - Krušunskite Vodopadi - Krushuna - Krusunski Waterfalls


Useful Information

photography
Krushuna, Bulgaria. Public Domain.
photography
Krushuna, Bulgaria. Public Domain.
Location: Near the village of Krushuna, Letnitsa Municipality.
34 km from the city of Lovech. From Pleven 35 south 30 km to Lowetsch, turn left on 301 to Alexandrovo, turn right, through the village to Krushuna. In the city center turn right and follow road to the end. Parking at the spa, 10 minutes walk.
(43.243056, 25.033333)
Open: no restrictions.
[2020]
Fee: Adults BGN 2, Children (7-16) BGN 1, Children (0-6) free, Students BGN 1, Disabled free.
Parking BGN 2.
[2020]
Classification: KarstKarst Spring KarstTufa Deposits KarstSinter Terraces
Light: n/a
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Krushuna Falls, ул. Крушунски водопад 25, 5561 Krushuna, Tel: +359-88-633-1800.
Association "Devetaki plateau", Bulgaria Blvd. 19, Letnitsa 5570, Tel: +359-888-397432. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

photography
Krushuna, Bulgaria. Public Domain.
photography
Krushuna, Bulgaria. Public Domain.

Крушунски водопад (Krushuna Waterfalls) is a series of rimstone pools which form numerous small waterfalls. The limestone rich water of the река Пройновска (Proinovska River) has the typical turquoise color. A footpath along the pools leads to the spring of the limestone rich water, a water-filled karst cave named Крушунската пещера (Krushuna Cave). The river is named Пройновска (Proynovska river). The 15 m high Пръскалото (Praskaloto, Splash) is the first waterfall in the series and is also the highest one. Another waterfall is called Malkata Maara. Quite spectacular is the turquise Синия вир (Blue Whirlpool) and the waterfalls forming the pool. All those falls together are called Крушунски водопад (Krushuna Falls). To the right is a side valley with the Водопад "Зелената скала" (Green Rock Waterfall). Krushuna Waterfalls are the largest travertine or tufa cascades in Bulgaria.

There is a spa in front of the waterfalls, the road ends at the parking lot of this spa (parking fee). From here it's a 400 m/10 minutes walk to the waterfalls. At the foot of the waterfalls is a chapel, a hotel with wellness, a guest house and a restaurant. Such sights are normally free, but it seems the trails along the waterfalls were declared an eco-trail and there is now a fee. It is famous for being the shortest eco-trail in Bulgaria. Also, despite being one of the most spectacular tourist sites in the area, it is not signposted, at least it was not a few years ago. Probably its better by now, as several sites in the area were modernized lately by the Association "Devetaki plateau".

Krushuna waterfalls are located on the northern slope of the Деветашко плато (Devetashko plateau), a karst area rich in karst features. In the area two more locations with such rimstone pools exist, but both are much less spectacular. There are also several wild caves in the vicinity, for example Маарата (Maarata), Урушка Маара (Urushka Maara), and Бонинска пещера (Boninska Cave). Maara means cave, and the area is named Maarata, the "cavernous area", with more than 30 known caves.

The name Krushuna is from the 13-14th century Hesychast Krushuna Monastery, dating from the Second Bulgarian Empire. Its remains can be found nearby. The building were erected with the porous tufa, which is easy to handle and when it is dry it is quite stable and a good insulator. Some small tufa caves were inhabited by Christian hermits practicing Hesychasm, an Eastern Orthdox mystical tradition of prayer in solitude and seclusion.