Vânătările Ponorului — Attraction in Sălciua

📍Vanatarile Ponorului Reserve is located at the southwestern edge of the Bedeleu limestone peak in the Trascăului Mountains at the confluence of Ponorului, Poienii and Seacă valleys. Administratively, it is divided between Vale în Jos village, Ponor commune and Dumești village, Sălciua commune, Alba county.

ℹ️Vanatarile Ponorului Poljie -Poljie, is a term that refers to an exocarstic relief, a wide depression drained underground with a flat bottom on which a network of water flows permanently or temporarily. In heavy rains the water cannot be drained quickly and a temporary lake is formed. It is a Slovenian word and means plain.

Vanatarile Ponor Reserve meets all the conditions to be called poljie. It is a wide depression of over 150 km² well populated (Vale în Jos, Brădești, Valea Poienii villages). It is drained underground, the three streams that join here are lost in the limestone massif and cross it through the Huda lui Papară cave. It has a relatively flat bottom on which a network of water is constantly flowing. In heavy rains, water cannot be drained quickly either due to high flow or due to clogging of the ponor with materials brought by water, wood or haystacks. The temporary lake that forms eventually breaks the dam formed and the high flow of water produces frequent floods in Huda lui Paparâ and Valea Morilor. This strange phenomenon could not be explained in the past and gave rise to legends with sholomani, giant dragons that live in Huda lui Papară. These solomonas bathe in the lakes of the cave and the discharging water causes floods. Even a trade in this sense was born, Solomonians, brave men who entered the cave in search of and drive away...

Easily accesible by foot but also cars can get very close by, the Vanatari are spectacular for kids and adults alike. The markings can get confusing right close to them but they are visible from the distance. If you choose to hike from Huda lui Papara cave (Sub Piatra village) it will take you lesa then an hour with a scenic hike through the forest. The waterfall is beautiful, there is a little belvedere platform. Exploring the lower part is a must and I have even taken a dip in the natural part that is formed by the stream flowing through this mini canyon. Great...

It's a beautiful place where you can relax and enjoy nature, but there is only one thing missing: currently there is no water falling from the cliffs, it is completely dried out. I don't know exactly why, maybe too little rain, or something happened to the water course... This is the first time I see the waterfall dried out, I hope to see water falling again in...