Autumn brought so much magic to Kaya Bunar that it looked like it was taken from one of Tolkien`s books
Arriving at Hotnishky, the village where Kaya Bunar Waterfall and trail is, I could never imagine that such karstic landform could exist in its vicinity. Bohot river dissolved little by little the limestone and created a beautiful canyon ending with a 30 m water falling in a natural pool. The lush green waterfall and the turquoise water of the pool could give you the impression that you might be in some exotic place. It would not be too far from the truth because the waterfall is the starting point of a stunning canyon.
Kaya Bunar Eco Trail is not very long, only 1,5 km, but it is intense. So much beauty concentrated on such a small area. The path is going up on the steep rock on the left side of the waterfall. steps were carved in the rock and wooden railings were added. Once you are up, you feel like just landing in the fairies land.
A series of wooden footbridges and ladders are guiding you through the canyon following the winding river upstream. I was so fascinated how the autumn colours were adding some dramatic effect to the steep narrow canyon and the unusual colour of the river. The scenery gave me the feeling like I was in one of “ The Lord of the Rings“ scenes combined with a harmonious Japanese Garden. I am not sure that when Tolkien wrote his books, this is what he dad in mind. But, my overactive imagination felt like entering the Middle-Earth. Visiting that place filled my heart with gladness. The beauty of nature can be so addictive.
But people were attracted by this place since 7000 years ago. The ruins of a village and the cemetery was discovered close to the canyon. Many gold pieces of jewellery were found in the tombs. Nowadays it is a destination for weekends. During the summer people are coming to bathe in the natural pool and some to enjoy the scenic trail. The path is pretty narrow and does not allow travellers to pass simultaneously in both directions.
Kaya Bunar Eco trail is 15 km from Veliko Tarnovo and another few km from a spectacular canyon, Emen. There are not too many signs to indicate the directions so look for Kaya Bunar Waterfall/ Hotnishki Vododpadi or Eco Trail/ Hotnishki Ekopateka. Every minute spent there is worth it because nature does what it does best, make us happy enabling us to forget about anything else.
