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Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei)

Lepșa, Romania
Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei)Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei) — 2Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei) — 3Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei) — 4Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei) — 5

Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei, also called Săritoarea Putnei) is on the Putna river near the village of Lepșa in Tulnici commune, Vrancea County. It is a nature reserve of national importance (geological and landscape) inside the Putna–Vrancea Natural Park.

It is not a vertical drop but a long rock chute: according to the Romanian Wikipedia the waterfall is about 80 m long and the water gathers below in a pool about 12 m deep. The sources give no figure for the height of the fall.

What to see

The value of the place is not only the present waterfall. About 250 m downstream, on the left bank, an abandoned waterfall hangs above the river: tectonic movement made part of the old riverbed collapse and the Putna cut its present course.

The waterfall was declared a natural monument in 1973, when the first visitor facilities were built. The Romanian Wikipedia notes that heavy visiting has destroyed most of the rock plants here, including edelweiss. So keep to the paths and pick nothing.

How to get there

The waterfall is right beside road DN2D, about 3 km from Lepșa (as described in the Romanian press). Laid-out paths lead from an improvised parking area to the foot. By car you come from Focșani through Vidra and Tulnici.

Season and safety

The place is accessible all year and is at its best in spring and after rain. The rocks above the chute are smooth and wet: the press has reported a fatal fall in the waterfall area, so stay behind the railings and do not approach the edge for a photograph. Swimming in the pool is dangerous because of its depth and current.

Bears live in the Romanian Carpathians: stay on the marked path, talk as you walk and leave no food or litter; near sheepfolds do not run from the shepherd dogs — stop and calmly walk around the flock. Mountain rescue (Salvamont): national dispatch 0SALVAMONT — 0725 826 668 or 112; the service's advice for hikers is at salvamontromania.ro.

Photos: Utilizator:Țetcu Mircea Rareș at ro.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Porubne – Siret — road and pedestrian, 24/7
  • Diakivtsi – Racovăț — road and pedestrian, 24/7 No freight traffic.
  • Krasnoilsk – Vicovu de Sus — road and pedestrian, 08:00–20:00 Cars up to 3.5 t and pedestrians only; not 24/7.
  • Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației — road and pedestrian, 24/7 Passenger traffic only: vehicles up to 3.5 t with up to 9 seats, pedestrians.
  • Diakove – Halmeu — road, 24/7 No pedestrian crossing.

By car

Chernivtsi – Brașov ≈395 km, ≈7 h 03 min (via Diakivtsi – Racovăț); Rakhiv – Brașov ≈419 km, ≈7 h 24 min (via Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației); Uzhhorod – Brașov ≈522 km, ≈8 h 39 min (via Diakove – Halmeu). Times without border queues, our road routing (GraphHopper, OSM).

Checked 03.11.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

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Location on the map

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Wildlife nearby

All
White-throated dipperIn season nowWhite-throated dipperCinclus cinclusA bird of mountain streams with a white 'bib' that dives and runs along the bottom against the current. It can be seen all year round.
Red squirrelRed squirrelSciurus vulgarisA common inhabitant of the Carpathian forests. Many squirrels here have dark, almost black fur with a white belly.
European beechEuropean beechFagus sylvaticaA tree with light gray smooth bark that forms the Carpathian primeval forests — a UNESCO World Heritage site. It grows up to a height of about 1400 m.
Eurasian nuthatchIn season nowEurasian nuthatchSitta europaeaThe only bird in our forests that descends the trunk headfirst. It whistles loudly in old forests and muds the entrance to its hole.
Common hazelEdibleCommon hazelCorylus avellanaA bush of Common hazel. It flowers with catkins as early as March, and the nuts ripen in August; it grows in the underbrush of deciduous and mixed forests.
Fire salamanderRed Data Book of UkraineFire salamanderSalamandra salamandraThe black salamander with yellow spots emerges in the beech forests of the Carpathians after rain. It is a vulnerable species listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

Based on naturalists’ records nearby (GBIF, iNaturalist), matched by altitude, habitat and season. Sightings are not guaranteed.

Nearby attractions

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Craft nearby

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Covasna: resort of a thousand springs, mofettes and heart careWater parks & thermal poolsCovasna: resort of a thousand springs, mofettes and heart careCovasna34 km from Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei)Covasna is a spa town in Covasna County, at the south-eastern edge of the Eastern Carpathians, where the mountains bend round in the Curvature Carpathians.Târgu Ocna Salt Mine: breathing therapy 240 m undergroundWater parks & thermal poolsTârgu Ocna Salt Mine: breathing therapy 240 m undergroundTârgu Ocna40 km from Putna Waterfall (Cascada Putnei)The Târgu Ocna Salt Mine (Salina Târgu Ocna) is one of Romania's oldest and the country's third-largest salt mine.