Dniester canyon

Dniester canyon is a national park located in the West side of Ukraine and intersects with its four areas: Ternopol, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnitsky and Chernivtsi. The canyon is recognized as the largest not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe, its length is 250 km, the banks in places reach a height of 250 meters. According to the results of online voting in 2008, the Dniester Canyon took its place of honor among the 7 wonders of Ukraine. It arose naturally, thanks to the geographical structure of the area, as well as soil erosion processes.

Dniester Canyon National Park was founded in 2010. In 1990, the landscape park « Dniester canyon » was organized on this territory, but in the late 90s it was on the verge of destruction. The official creation of the national natural park « Dniester canyon » was hindered by some society interested in shadow land privatization. And until that time, the forest was actively cut here, quarries were being developed, river gravel was illegally mined.

The relief of the Dniester canyon is peculiar and unique, the river flows through the canyon-like valley, while forming fantastic bends. On its lands there are more than 100 monuments of living and inanimate nature of world significance, unique standards of exfoliated rocks have been preserved here.

A considerable number of rare plants, animals and birds can be found in the Dniester territories. The warm climate in Dniester Park distinguishes this area from other regions of the country. The walls of the canyon delay solar heat, so there is almost no rainfall in summer, and in spring the natural world comes to life a few weeks earlier than in the rest of the territory.

The plant world of the Dniester canyon is represented by oak forests with a admixture of ash, maple, coffin, linden and birch. Now on the slopes of the river 65 species of rare plants are growing, among which 21 species are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 2 – in the European Security List. The fauna is represented by many animals where you can meet the huge insect of the Olen bug. Here ondatra, badger, marten, affection, ermine and many other four-legged feel great.

In coastal villages you can find cultural monuments of peoples who inhabited this territory in different years, including caves, which were the housing of monks of rocky monasteries. In the village of Beremyany there is one of the attractions - the Red Mountain. According to legend, the Turks executed the peasants here. On the particularly steep banks of the Dniester there are also detachment, on which centuries-old fossils have been preserved, the age of which is at least 500 million years. The 16-meter Jurinsky waterfall, which is a little away from the river, also kills this area. It is the largest lowland waterfall in Ukraine.

Also in the park there is the Rusilov cascade of waterfalls, the height of which reaches 12 meters, and the length of the cascade is 2 km. The unique sight of – small waterfalls – "Girl's Tears", which flow along the dense green mossed rocks of the Dniester Canyon, it and both banks of the canyon can be viewed by boat, which are rented here.