Ukraine's only geyser: exploring unique places in the country

If you dream of seeing real geysers, you don't have to go to Iceland or New Zealand to do so. You can save time and money and support Ukrainian tourism by visiting Zakarpattia. There, near the village of Vuchkove in Mizhhiria, you will find a spring with mineral water bubbling up from the ground.

What is known about the geyser

The jet comes out of the ground every two hours, reaching 4-6 meters. You can admire this spectacle for 10 minutes, but, in fact, the frequency and duration depends on the season.

The water used to be hot but now it is cold and salty, with a red tint and rich in iron and calcium. According to locals, you can not only wash yourself from the spring but also drink it as it is good for the gastrointestinal tract. Once upon a time, even deer came here for a healing drink.

Foresters say that until the 90s of the 20th century, the geyser was gushing to a height of 5-7 meters four times a day. But 30 years ago, the works for building a sanatorium began in the Petrovets tract, where the spring is located, disturbing the water flow in the process. As a result, all the water "went down the drain" and stopped flowing with precise regularity. Now, to determine the time of discharge, you need to take into account the season and weather and listen to the characteristic sound. But it is definitely worth the wait because there is no other such natural wonder in Ukraine.

Everything for tourists

Due to its uniqueness, the geyser attracts thousands of tourists traveling to Zakarpattia every year. The locals understand this, so they try to make the location attractive to visitors: they have installed gazebos and cafes near the source, and regularly clean up the garbage left by visitors.

If you decide to admire the geyser, you can find it using tourist signs or you can just ask the locals as they will be happy to tell you how to get to the "fountain" (this is how they call the geyser).

You can get to this natural wonder by car or bus from Uzhhorod and Mizhhiria. Look for a point in the Petrovets tract between the villages of Zaperedillia and Vuchkove. By the way, the world's only monument to the Carpathian bee (Apis mellifera) is located nearby.

What else to see in Mizhhiria?

This region is very popular among tourists because of its European atmosphere and plenty of entertainment. Whether you like culture, history, or just nature, this part of Zakarpattia has something to please you with.

• Synevyr Lake and Park

Every Ukrainian should see it at least once in their life. The mountainous reservoir is located at an altitude of about 1 kilometer on the Tereblia River, its area is almost 7 hectares, and its depth is from 10 to 22 meters.

The lake was formed more than 10,000 years ago due to landslides that blocked the river valley. As a result, a hollow was formed, which was gradually filled by 3 mountain streams. Nowadays, several species of trout live in Synevyr.

• Shypit Waterfall

An incredibly beautiful waterfall that starts from an underground spring on the slope of Mount Velykyi Verkh. It descends from a height of almost 15 meters. Its highest point is located on the top of Stiy, almost 1700 meters above sea level.

We are sure that everyone who sees the Shypit waterfall at least once will never forget it.

• Brown bear rehabilitation center

The Synevyr National Park is home to Ukraine's only and Europe's largest brown bear rehabilitation center. The reserve is located 4 kilometers from the lake and covers 12 hectares.

Currently, the center is home to 30 animals that are being helped to adapt to life in the wild. To do this, for example, the staff hide food, encouraging the bears to look for it.

The largest resident of the center is Diuri, a male bear weighing almost 400 kg. He was taken from Rakhiv, where he was entertaining tourists. The animal was eating only waste, which affected his health. However, now the bear receives about 20 kilograms of food and 10 liters of water daily.

• Kolochava village museum

The Kolochava museum is home to 10 residential and outbuildings that belonged to locals in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now there are museum exhibits that you can see to get to know the Transcarpathian way of life.

Here you will see a smithy, a weaving house, a school, a Hungarian gendarmerie, a sheep farming school, the Shvegan Bird Park with a collection of exotic birds, a saffron valley, and 20 interesting sculptures.

• Oak

This is not just a tree but a natural monument that is 500 years old. You can find it on the way to Synevyr at 132 Shevchenko Street.

The Carpathians have something to surprise us even if it seems that we already know everything about them. The nature of our mountains is beautiful at any time of the year, so we recommend visiting them not only in winter for skiing but also in spring to admire the beauty that comes to life.

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