Bulgaria's Yantra River tells stories: kayaking among rock wonders and green tunnels

published on 11/19/24 1:55 PM

View of Yantra River

Photo: Veneta Nikolova

The Yantra River rises in the Balkan Mountains at 1,220 metres above sea level and descends northwards, meandering through picturesque valleys and gorges in central northern Bulgaria, crossing the towns of Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo. Shortly before it flows into the Danube, in the area of the villages of Belyanovo and Novgrad, like a talented sculptor, the river moulds before our stunned eyes meanders and a deep canyon lined with caves and inaccessible crevices.

The place is a magnet for nature lovers, photographers and kayaking fans from all over Bulgaria. The kayaking season doesn't end until mid-December, and starts with groups of enthusiasts descending the river as early as January.

"In the late autumn and winter you can see very large flocks of birds, including pelicans, and rags of fog are creeping low over the water and it is very beautiful," says Sasho Popov, chairman of the Prista Tourist Society, which organises kayaking adventures in the area.

Sasho Popov giving instructions for a group of beginners

It turns out that the Yantra River is also suitable for beginners:

"We give short instructions and people get in the boats and go. The river is good, cozy. It envelops people with its atmosphere and they feel part of the landscape, of all this abundance... There are trees on both sides and you're like in a green tunnel. You find yourself into an isolated world with many birds and animals and you sink inside nature. There may be settlements around, roads, but they remain out of sight, out of our hearing. And we move only along this green street called Yantra."

Watch the video report from our journey in the canyon of the Yantra River and the Polomie area. For translation adjust the settings:

The river routes vary in length. The shortest one starts from the bivouac at the village of Belyanovo. The route is approximately 8 km long and in its last section enters the relatively calmer waters of the Danube with the final stop at the village of Krivina.

The most popular route, however, is a two-day one with the starting point being the famous bridge of Kolyo Ficheto in the town of Byała. Along the way, travellers usually spend the night in the village of Belyanovo:

The Kolyo Ficheto Bridge in the town of Byala, where the two-day water route starts

"Interestingly, in this part of the Yantra River there are high cliffs on one bank, reaching up to 40-50 m. And this rock wall is "embedded" directly into the water below", says Sasho Popov. "These rocks are limestone, they have been eroded by the water. They have an interesting structure with caves, with niches... And in some of them hermit monks in the Middle Ages carved rock cells. There were rock churches, rock monasteries. They are difficult to access, you need mountaineering equipment to penetrate them. But near the village of Belyanovo you can see a rock church from the 12th century, which has been improved for tourism purposes."

Tourists from all over Bulgaria, and lately foreigners, wishing to experience the paradisiacal beauty of this little-known place, have been turning to the Prista Tourist Society. "We have our own boats, paddles, life jackets and most importantly - instructors and captains - people with the right to guide, who can lead groups with kayaks," explains Sasho Popov and adds:

"And it becomes a combination - we have sport and tourism activity related to rowing. We have beautiful landscapes like in the paintings of the impressionists, of Claude Monet. We have history - the monastic cloisters in the cliffs. We have ornithology, because this green curtain on both sides of the river attracts many waterfowl - grey heron, cormorants, mallards. I've also seen storks, osprey, etc. There are legends of huge fish living in the underwater cavities here. Right where the rock reaches the water there are underwater niches where huge catfish used to hide and fishermen, when they catch a catfish, tell stories for years," says Sasho Popov in conclusion.