Domogled – Cerna Valley National Park

Domogled – Cerna Valley National Park is a protected area located on the administrative territory of Caras-Severin County and Mehedinti County in the South-Western side of Romania. The National Park stretches across Cerna Mountains and Godeanu Mountains on the right side and Vâlcan Mountains and Mehedin?i Mountains on the left side. Domogled Cerna Valley founded in 1990 with an area of 61,211 hectares was declared protected area on March 6, 2000.

The National Park is characterized by an impressive floristic diversity, due to the complexity of climatic conditions and physical and geographical aspects. The scenery found along the valley is gorgeous, being dominated by towering massifs like Godeanu, Cerna Mountains, Mehedinti and Vâlcan Mountains that watch over the Cerna river basin. Limestone formations combine here with rigid rocks and rich vegetation, creating a rare natural phenomenon that must be preserved.

Besides the variety of landforms, another remarkable aspect of the national park is the lepidoptere fauna, the insects found in this natural area representing 45pc of the lepidoptere fauna around the country. Wild mammal species live here, species such as the brown bear and lynx, reptiles, birds, many species of bats, fish and more.

Domogled is nationally and even internationally recognized, due to thermal caves found in this area: Adam’s Cave, where numerous colonies of bats live, steam grotto, hot steam coming out of cracks, with a strong smell of sulfur or Cave Ion Barzoni.

You can also find near the National Park Domogled numerous tourist attractions, which deserve to be mentioned: Prisaca Lake, Vanturatoarea Falls or Herculane Resort, famous for its thermal springs and treatments performed here.