Dniester Canyon

Dniester Canyon
Дністровський каньйон
Dniester landscape in West Ukraine
Location	Ukraine
Geography
Population centers	Borshchiv Raion, Buchach Raion, Zalishchyky Raion, Monastyryska Raion

Dniester Canyon – the Dniester River canyon, located at the territory of Dniester River Valley in Ukraine. On February 3, 2010, the Regional landscape park "Dnister Canyon" was promoted to the status of the National Nature Park.

The Dniester River is the second largest and the most ecologically clean river in Ukraine. Canyon is partly flooded by reservoir waters. Its depth reaches near fifty meters at its maximum. Dniester Canyon is 250 km (160 mi) river segment from the mouth of Zolota Lypa River to the mouth of Zbruch. Here Dniester flows in a canyon valley with depth 80–200 m (260–660 ft). The canyon nature is original and unique. Geological, botanical, archaeological, hydrological sights form unique landscapes here. In separate places, there are areas with valuable arboreal or shrub breeds, age-old and exotic things trees.

Dniester Canyon is the most interesting and the most picturesque area of the Dniester River. The steep canyon slopes are of limestone and the nature of the area is particularly beautiful, as it was chosen as one of 7 natural wonders of Ukraine.

The Dniester slopes are covered with a lot of rare plants and are a house for hundreds of types of animals and birds.

The Dniester canyon is an original open-air-museum, where the best creations of living and lifeless nature are collected in virgin and harmonious combination. Within the canyon there are more than ten karst caves and grottoes. The whimsical view of such caves from the river reach level especially impresses, and small waterfalls of so-called "maiden's tears", which run along copse thick bryophyte rocks, present spectacle of a unique beauty.

The most valuable and picturesque part of the whole Dniester is the 250 km-stretch from the mouth of the river Zolota Lypa to the mouth of the river Zbruch, which is called the Dnister Canyon. The nature of the Dniester Canyon is specific and original. These are first of all picturesque landscapes and their versatility which impart contribute to the originality of these routes. The steep rocky or wooden banks with the heights to 200 m (660 ft), unique travertine rocks and geological exfoliation, caves and grottoes with signs of human settlement upon them, waterfalls, picturesque islands, monuments of nature, history, architecture, ethnography – all these can be seen miles and miles. And all this is a wild and virginal nature which gives a perfect possibility to plunge into the world of silence and calmness.