Nera Gorges and Beușnița Falls

The Nera cuts a gorge more than twenty kilometres long through the limestone of the Banat, and the through-route along it is one of the finest low-altitude walks in Romania: a full day of narrow ledges, footbridges, tunnels and river crossings, with the water an intense green in the deeper pools. Above the gorge lie the two features that fill most photographs of the area. The Ochiul Beiului is a small spring-fed lake of extraordinary blue-green clarity that never freezes, and a short walk beyond it the Beușnița waterfall falls over a shoulder of tufa, the porous rock deposited by the calcium-rich water, so the whole face is upholstered in moss and dripping ferns. The area is protected as the Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park and holds a warm-climate flora similar to the Cerna valley, with thick beech forest, some of it old growth.

What you actually see

• The gorge traverse - a long day through narrows, tunnels and river crossings.
• Ochiul Beiului - a small spring lake of vivid blue-green water.
• Beușnița waterfall - water spilling over a moss-covered tufa shoulder.
• Beech forest - extensive and in places very old, on the slopes above.

When to go

April to October. Spring gives the strongest flow at Beușnița and the best forest colour; by August the fall can be modest. The gorge route needs low water, so avoid it after heavy rain, when crossings become dangerous.

Honest expectations

The full gorge walk is long, unshaded in places, and involves wading and exposed ledges with occasional cables; people underestimate it and finish in the dark. Access roads are rough and the trailheads are far from anywhere. Beușnița is much smaller than photographs suggest, and social media has made both it and Ochiul Beiului crowded in summer. Camping is restricted within the park.

Nearby

Bigăr waterfall lies to the east; the Danube gorge and Iron Gates are south.