Categories
Central and Eastern Europe Europe Ukraine

The Carpathians

Stories and Photos from my travels to Ukrainian Carpathians.

Destination 》Europe 》Central and Eastern Europe  》Ukraine 》The Carpathians

Year Visited: 2018 – August

I visited the Ukrainian Carpathians during my five plus months backpacking journey across Central and Eastern Europe. The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are third-longest European mountain range forming an arc throughout Central and Eastern Europe. The 1500 km long range stretches through Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Serbia and Romania. Ukrainian Carpathian mountains are located to the southwest corner of Ukraine which borders with Romania and Poland.

I visited Ukrainian Carpathians as a day trip from a beautiful historical city of Lviv. Ukrainian Carpathian mountains are blessed with wonderful nature, peaceful mountain lakes, flowing streams, roaring rivers, stunning waterfalls, dense hilly forests and fresh mountain air. Along the way you will pass through magnificent wooden Tserkvas (Church) and colorful wooden houses.

Since June 2007, the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, situated in the Eastern Carpathians, has become a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

The first stop was the Shypit waterfall, located on the Pylypets River, about 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) from the village of Pylypets.

A very happy pig, I guess he is getting enough to eat!
Many Restaurants and souvenir shops on the way to the Waterfall.
One of the many rest areas along the hike.
A vendor selling home made Local Wine.
A newly built wooden chapel.
Along the hike, near a stream, an unknown artists created magnificent work of Balancing stones
Amazing balancing act
And Finally the 14 meter high waterfall.

The second stop was Pylypets ski-resort, took Chair lift cable cars to top of Gymba mountain for amazing view of surrounding countryside.

A view from the top of Gymba mountain.
Pylypets, a ski-resort town from the Gymba mountain.

The third stop was Lake Synevyr, the largest lake in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains. The Lake is a part of the National natural preserve “Synevyr”, which was established in 1989. The lake was created in the post-Ice Age period (around ten thousand years ago) due to a powerful earthquake-induced tectonic shift.

Above the lake one can see two tall fabulous figures, Syn and Vir, Lovers who once lived in these places. According to local legend, the lake appeared out of the tears of count’s daughter Syn, because her love, the Verkhovynian cowboy Vir, was killed by the order of the count, her father.
Because of a beautiful legendary belief behind the formation of the lake, this place is favorite among lovers and they come here to take their love vows.

Pictures below are of the magnificent wooden Tserkvas (Church) and colorful wooden houses of Carpathians.

A typical wooden Tserkvas (Church) of Carpathians.
A typical wooden Tserkvas (Church) of Carpathians.
A typical wooden Tserkvas (Church) of Carpathians.
A typical wooden Tserkvas (Church) of Carpathians.
A typical wooden Tserkvas (Church) of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.
Typical wooden houses of Carpathians.

After a wonderful day in The Carpathians, we returned back to Lviv, a UNESCO World Heritage city.

Window on The World's avatar

By Window on The World

In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...

One reply on “The Carpathians”

Leave a comment