This route is a cluttered tour through areas of extremely beautiful scenery.

The route passes through: Orşova – Eşelniţa – Dubova – Ciucarul Mare Peak – Orşova

We leave from Orsova in the morning on DN57 and follow the national road down to the Danube, passing through Eşelnita. The road to Dubova village is absolutely wonderful, with dreamy landscapes along the Danube. We pass through the area of the statue of Decebal’s face and then we reach Dubova, where we can rest and relax. There are several guesthouses in the area where we can serve something to eat and drink.

We leave Dubova and at the same time DN57 and start the mountain route and the climb of 1,420 m. The climb takes us on a visible path and we make our way through the rather arid vegetation characteristic of the area. Careful! Due to this warm arid climate and rocky relief, vines are quite common on this route!

The hike ends when we reach the viewpoint, a place where we are met by a breathtaking view: from here on the Ciucarul Mare, you can admire the Danube boilers in all their natural splendor. The Boiler Zone is formed by the Danube as it passes through the Carpathian Mountains. On the Romanian side, on Ciucarul Mare Peak, we can admire the massive rocky massif Veliki Strbac on the Serbian side.

The area is an indescribable beauty. Wherever you look, the landscapes invite you to admire and take a lot of photos.

Also from here on the Ciucarul Mare can be seen Dubova Gulf, with spectacular landscapes. The Dubova Bay is the place where the Danube pulls its soul after it has crawled through the Mari Cazanele Strait.

The Ciucarul Mare Peak is located in the Almăjului Mountains, in the Porţile de Fier Natural Park.

This is one of the most beautiful cycling routes in the Danube area

The Danube’s Cauldrons have two bottlenecks – the Big Boilers and the Small Boilers. They are certainly the most impressive part of the Danube Gorge.

Prior to the construction of the Iron Gates Dam (Iron Gate Barrier) in this area, the entire flow of the Danube flowed through the narrow bed creating cataracts. The waters created choices that seemed to boil, hence the name of boilers.

The Danube’s Cauldrons are included in the Iron Gates Natural Park. The park’s symbols are the towers of Tricle, the Cazane’s tulip and the fossils of an ammonite. Of course, they refer to the three characteristics of the park: historical, botanical and geological.

The Danube’s Cauldrons Region is one of the 18 natural protected areas of the Portile de Fier Natural Park.

The entire area of the Danube’s Cauldrons, between the confluence of the Danube with the Plavisevita and Ogradena streams, measures 9 km.

The location is located in the Danube Gorge in the Danube boilers area, on the Mracuna Valley (which means „hidden place” or „dark water”) where an ancient monastery existed until 1967.

During the construction of the „Iron Gates I” hydroelectric power station, the monastery was sacrificed because the basin flooded the ruins of the place, swallowing them entirely, so it was named by the locals „the underwater monastery.” When the water level descends, the ancient ruins of the monastery can be seen with the naked eye.

Over the centuries, it was also known as the Monastery of the Danube Valley or the Old Ogradena Monastery, a village in Mehedinţi County that was also flooded by the waters of the Danube Basin.

In 1931 the monastery was rebuilt and, due to the intense activity of the monk Alexe Udrea, was tiled in 1947 only to be destroyed again in 1967 by the Danube’s waters as the Iron Gates rose. In 1993, Metropolitan Nestor Vorniceanu began the second reconstruction of the monastery patronized by St. Archangels Michael and Gavriil and the Holy Trinity. The works were completed in 1999-2000.

The church is built in the shape of a cross and is divided into an altar, nave, pro-nave and an open portal. The structure of the building is made of brick walls.

This face with a 40-meter-high stone beard, overlooking the Danube River, looks like something coming directly from the fictional Middle Earth of British writer J.R.R. Tolkien. In reality, however, it is the recent creation of a Romanian businessman.

This monumental portrait of Decebal is the original idea of Joseph Constantin Dragan, a businessman and historian.

It is situated on the Romanian side of the Danube, right across Tabula Traiana, a memorial of the Romans conquest of Dacia.

At its 40 meters, it is the highest rock sculpture in Europe and lasted 10 years (from 1994 to 2004) for a team of 12 sculptors to complete it.

A series of two-story galleries, totaling more than 1,600 meters in length, form one of the most interesting and, surprisingly, one of the least known caves in Romania.

Ponicova cave has three entrances. At the main one can be reached; the second is located at the main entrance, on the vertical limestone wall, accessible by booster in the forest above. The third is both entry and exit, depending on how you look at things, opening up into the wide left bank of the Great Casinos of the Danube.

A short climb on a muddy slope leads to a series of labyrinthical galleries and rooms filled with delicate cave formations.

It has everything cave lovers hope to find – huge stalactites and stalagmites, columns, narrow tunnels, mound holes, chandeliers, rock formations and terraced cave pools. And a lot of bats.

Address: Bulevardul 1 Decembrie 1918 9, Orsova 225200

Address: Strada Alexandru Vlahuţă 10, Orşova 225200

Phone: 0764 351 314

Address: Strada Crizantemelor, Orşova 225200

Phone: 0732 311 001

The „Danube On 2 Wheels” Project is co-financed by the European Union though the European Regional Development Fund, within the INTERREG V-A Romania – Bulgaria Programme.
The total eligible value of the project is EUR 497.713,26, of which EUR 423.056,25 represents the value of the European Union contribution through the European Regional Development Fund.

The content of this website does not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union. The initiators of the site are the sole responsibles for the information provided through the site.
www.interregrobg.eu

Orşova – Ciucaru Mare route

Touristic objectives in area

Danube’s Cauldrons

Mraconia Monastery

The rock sculpture of Decebalus

Ponicoava Cave

Orsova Accommodation

Dunavis Hotel

Luppo Restaurant

Do you want more details?

Do you have a question ?
0371.015.145

Level – Beginners / Medium
Duration – 1 day
Distance – 52 km
Total vertical climb – 1,420 m
Surface – asphalt / mountain road
Bicycle Type – Race / MTB

Mehedinti
newpixel.ro

BeginnersSend a message