Trip to Iron Gates Natural Park

Trip to the

"Iron Gates Natural Park"

Iron Gates Natural Park is situated in south-western part of Romania, at the border with Republic of Serbia, covering about 115.655 ha.

It is a distinct presence of Romania’s map of protected areas and the place where the Danube forms its longest defile and most spectacular gorges. The landscape it creates is one of the Romania’s main natural attraction. It has a unique mix of biodiversity, geological attractions, traditional villages and multicultural heritage. It’s also a favorite place for many aquatic birds that lives in the park or migrate here for the mild winters, the area ot the Iron Gates being inluded on the RAMSAR list of wetlands of international importance.

Ranger-guided hike on limestone plateau Ciucaru Mare

Ciucaru Mare Hill (318 m) is the most representative form of relief with a vertical cliff which marks off the Danube river.

The access to Ciucarul Mare is directly from DN 57, approx. 100 m from the City Hall of Dubova. Route length is around 5 km and it can be done in 2 hours. The route is well marked with yellow triangle and is accessible all year round. At the beginning of the route, is a gentle slope through the forest and after 1 kilometer follows a halt arranged by the Iron Gates Natural Park. From here we will follow the route through the woods until we reach the plateau. From the belvedere points, made up of limestone rocks, we can admire the Great Gorges and Veliki Strbac peak, on the Serbian side of the Danube.

Time: 2 h. Difficulty - easy.

Our guide

Amalia Raluca Dumbrava - Biologist at the "Iron Gates" Natural Park

The theme of the outdoor education activity which took place during the hike:

The biodiversity in the Natural Reserve Great Gorges, identifying the native plant species and invasive species

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Motorboat cruise in the Great and Small Boilers

On the territory of the Iron Gates Natural Park , the Danube forms the longest defile of Europe (134 km) and in its narrowest sector, creates the spectacular Great and Small Danube Gorges or Boilers. The Danube Gorges lies between Romania to the north and Serbia to the south. At this point, the river separates the southern Carpathian Mountains from the northwestern foothills of the Balkan Mountains.

Before the Iron Gate Dam was built, the flow of the Danube was higher, and the water pressed by the rocky walls seemed to be boiling, so this gave the name of Boilers.

Great Boilers of the Danube lies between Dubova docks and Plavisevita, has a length of 3,8 km and a width of 200-350 m, consist of Ciucarul Mare Hill (318 m), whose sharps walls border the left side of the river and Stirbatul Mare Hill (768 m) located in Serbia. Great and Small Boilers are separated by a semicircular bay, Dubova docks.

Small Gorges of the Danube, with 3,6 km long and 150-350 m wide, lies between Dubova docks and Ogradena and consist of Ciucarul Mic Hill (313 m) and Stirbatul Mic Hill (626 m) located in Serbia.

Danube Gorges area has a well represented karst topography, both by exokarstic forms (lapiezuri, sinkholes, uvale) and endokarstic forms (caves, potholes).