Cascada Cailor

Cascada Cailor falls in a series of steps down the lip of a glacial cirque above Borșa, and at around ninety metres of total drop it is among the highest waterfalls in Romania, though it is a staircase of cascades rather than a single plunge. The name comes from a local story about horses that fell from the cliffs above while grazing. Getting there is unusually easy for a mountain waterfall: a chairlift lifts you from the tourist complex at Borșa most of the way up, and a marked path contours around to the viewpoint in twenty minutes or so, which is why the falls see far more visitors than anything else in the Rodna range. Walkers continue past it to the Știol saddle and the ridge above, where the high pastures of the national park open up. Flow varies enormously with the season and reduces to a thin trickle in a dry August.

What you actually see

• The tiered cascade - a staircase of falls down the cirque step.
• The chairlift approach - the easy way up from the Borșa complex.
• The viewpoint terrace - the standard photo spot facing the falls.
• The onward path - to Știol and the high pastures of the Rodna ridge.

When to go

May and June for the strongest flow from snowmelt, when the falls are at their best; late summer often leaves them thin. Autumn adds colour to the surrounding forest. The chairlift does not run every day outside the main season, so check before relying on it.

Honest expectations

In a dry spell the waterfall is genuinely disappointing, which is the single most common complaint here. The path is muddy and slippery after rain, and the viewpoint area is worn and littered on busy weekends. The Borșa complex itself is a tired ski resort with limited charm. Walking up rather than taking the lift adds a steep hour each way.

Nearby

Prislop Pass is a short drive east; the Vaser valley steam railway runs from Vișeu de Sus.