Day 4: A meeting with the bisons at “Padurea Domneasca” Nature Reserve
You will start the day by travelling to “Padurea Domneasca” (Royal Forest) Nature Reserve, which is the largest nature reserve of scientific interest in Moldova, found in the prairies of the middle Prut River. Along the Prut River, which covers a vast area, a forest with trees specific for this type of environment such as willows, oaks, poplars, beech trees, etc. could be found.
The secular oaks cover a total area of 108 ha and exceed the age of 200 years, some of them reaching a height of 30-35 m. The fauna of the reserve is rich and varied, consisting of many species of mammalians, reptiles and amphibians and birds. The flock of herons that live in the reserve do not have their nests in the bushes or rushes, but in the trees distributed on a large area. The locals call this place the "Land of herons", a true paradise for these birds, included in the Red Book of Moldova. At the Bisons’ Refuge you will see a small herd of bisons. The bison is an impressive animal that can reach 3.5 m in length and is considered the toughest wild terrestrial mammal on the territory of Europe.
In the afternoon, you will have lunch at the Ecotourism guesthouse “La Fontal”, a place to relax for the tourists who visit “Padurea Domneasca” Nature Reserve.
The journey will continue to “Suta de Movile” (A Hundred Mounds) Landscape Reserve located near the Prut River, between Branesti and Cobani villages. This unique landscape situated on the slope of the Prut Valley, has a length of 8 km and a width of 2.3-1.7 km and its originality is due to the set of relief microforms - over 3500 mounds, mostly elongated with steep slopes and heights from 1.5 m to 30 m. The first documented mention of this geological phenomenon was made in 1716 in the book “Descriptio Moldoviae” written by Dimitrie Cantemir who named it as “Centum Monticulli” (A Hundred Mounds).
Next, you will travel to “Cheile Butesti” gorge dug by the Camenca River on a reef with a length of more than 2 km and a width of 125 m, which is located in the south of Butesti village. This geological formation, formed 15 to 20 million years ago in the warm tropical waters of the Sarmatian Sea and the Tortonic Sea from skeletons of corals, mollusks, shells, algae, animals and marine organisms.
After visiting “Cheile Butesti” gorge, you will return to Chisinau, where you will have dinner at the restaurant.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Royal Forest Nature Reserve,
A Hundred Mounds Landscape Reserve,
Cheile Butesti gorge