Mount Dunavka

Dunavka is the highest summit of the Syniak mountain massif, 1,018 m high. Syniak is part of the Vyhorlat-Gutin volcanic ridge and lies within the Mukachevo, Svaliava and (partly) Perechyn districts of Zakarpattia Oblast, on the right bank of the Latorytsia river. The nearest settlement to the summit is the village of Syniak (about 3.8 km in a straight line), with Pavlovo a little further.

The massif stretches 18–20 km from west to east and 22 km from north to south. To the east it borders the Svaliava basin, to the west the Makovytsia ridge. Most heights here are 900–1,000 m: besides Dunavka there are Serednii Verkh, Solochynskyi Dil, Plishka and Obavskyi Kamin. The crests are mostly sharp, in places dome-shaped, and the steep slopes are cut by small river valleys and ravines.

How to get there

Our site does not yet have a marked route to Dunavka itself. The most convenient start is the spa village of Syniak, from where paths and forest roads lead to the surrounding summits of the massif. Download a track and an offline map before you go — the slopes are densely forested, so there are few landmarks on the way.

Water, shelter and safety

Our map shows no springs or huts within 2.5 km of the summit, so bring water with you. The best place to stay is the village of Syniak with its spa facilities. The slopes of the massif are steep; after heavy rain landslides and floods occur here, so it is better not to go out in bad weather. In an emergency call 112 or 101 — the mountain rescue units of Zakarpattia work around the clock.

Interesting facts

• The Syniak massif is built of effusive (volcanic) and flysch rocks.
• Oak and beech forests grow up to 600 m, above them beech forests with a small admixture of conifers.
• The natural mineral waters of the massif are used by the Syniak and Karpaty climatic and balneological spas.
• The Syniak Regional Landscape Park was created here; protected sites include the Blue Lake, the Syniak sphagnum bog and the Skakalo waterfall.

Photos: MSha, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.