Lotrișor Waterfall

Lotrișor Waterfall lies in Vâlcea County, in the Cozia National Park, on the Lotrișor stream, a tributary of the Olt descending from the Căpățânii Mountains, in the area of the Olt Gorge, at almost equal distance from the resort of Călimănești-Căciulata and the town of Brezoi. The fall is about 30 metres high, at an altitude between 485 and 515 metres, the water tumbling in steps over moss-covered rocks. The waterfall has a feature that makes it unique in Romania: it is the only fall in the country whose waters pass, before plunging, through a tunnel about 20 metres long cut into the rock. In fact, Lotrișor Waterfall is an artificial one, created in 1970–1971, when the forest road in the area was rebuilt and the stream, which frequently flooded the route, was diverted through a tunnel — resulting in the present spectacular fall. The waterfall, together with the tunnel, is designated a protected area within the park. Access to the waterfall is on foot only, along an easy forest road of about 2.5 km, covered in 30–40 minutes from a car park — a route suitable for the whole family, including children. The path follows the stream and crosses a quiet forest in the Cozia National Park, passing through the spectacular Lotrișor Gorges, a narrow canyon with rock walls reaching 300–400 metres in height and narrowing in places to just a few metres. Lotrișor Waterfall is worth visiting for the beauty of the falls, for the uniqueness of its tunnel and for the wild scenery of the gorges, being especially photogenic in autumn, in the colours of the forest, and in winter, when it freezes into fairy-tale shapes.