Tupavica Waterfall - The natural jewel of Stara Planina

Stara Planina is a true masterpiece of nature. The characteristic valleys, which rise towards the mountain peaks, are decorated with numerous small streams, which merge downstream to form larger watercourses. Untouched nature and breathtaking landscapes have made Stara Planina a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers in general. Almost 5 months of snow a year enable the great potential of the mountain for winter tourism.

However, the main attraction of the „Old Mountian“ (Stara Planina) and the reason for this text are its waterfalls and a real gem among them - the Tupavica waterfall.

How to reach Tupavica Waterfall

Not far from the village of Dojkicni on „Old Mountain“ (Stara Planina), is the Tupavica waterfall. Unlike other Stara Planina waterfalls, Tupavica is very easily accessible. The waterfall is a little more than 5 km away from the village Dojkinci, or 4.5 km from the mountain lodge. The waterfall can be reached by a well-marked forest path, and for that walk, you will need to take about an hour and a half. The waterfall itself is located at 1050m above sea level.

Tupavica1

Mixapirgossi -CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41115078

Characteristics of Tupavica waterfall

Tupavica Waterfall is 15 meters high and it is located on the stream „Medjudolski dol“, at the altitude of 1050 meters. With its height, it does not rank among the highest waterfalls in Serbia, but it is considered one of the most attractive waterfalls. When we talk about Tupavica, we are talking about the unofficially most beautiful waterfall in Serbia and, according to the Tourist Organization of Pirot, one of the most photographed waterfalls.

If you visit the waterfall in the warmer part of the year, especially if the year is dry, the waterfall is smaller than usual. You will be able to witness a magnificent scene where clear and cold waterfalls from a height of about 15 meters over the red rocks.

Vodopad Tupavica

Geograf208 - CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80802894

During spring and summer, optimal conditions are created for the waterfall to show itself in its full splendor and beauty, when waterfalls descend through a sandstone cliff. The waterfalls of „Old Mountain“ are known for being a tourist attraction not only in the spring and summer but also in the winter days when the waterfalls freeze and fascinating ice formations form - true masterpieces of nature.

Waterfall Tupavica

DjordjeMarkovic - CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62497773

What else to see

Stara Planina has a rich water potential and with a branched and developed hydrography has enabled the development of lush and diverse flora, while providing refuge to diverse wildlife. The old mountain is characterized by numerous valleys that rise towards the peaks and almost through each of the mentioned valleys flows a small stream that merges downstream into larger streams, which then form rivers. Most streams are of the torrent type and carry a lot of material with them.

Stara planina is about 330 km away from Belgrade, or 70 km from Nis. It is part of a larger mountain range of the Carpathian-Balkan arc. Although most of it is located in Bulgaria and in our country (Serbia), you can set out to conquer one of the peaks with a spectacular view. The highest peak is Midzor with a height of 2169, followed by Dupljak with a height of 2032 m and Tri ččuke with a height of 1937 m. It is interesting for Midzor that it represents the natural border with Bulgaria and there is a border stone on it. It is quite easy to get to Midzor because the road is quite flat and "gentle".

Stara Planina is equipped with a modern cable car system and has a solid accommodation capacity. For years, it has been a mountain with extremely great potential for winter tourism (during the winter season, up to 1,500 skiers per hour are transported by cable cars).

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