Raysko Praskalo

42°42′43″N 24°55′28″E / 42.711936°N 24.924440°E / 42.711936; 24.924440

Raysko Praskalo
Райско пръскало
View to the waterfall from Ray mountain refuge
LocationBalkan Mountains, Bulgaria
TypePlunge
Total height124.5
Number of drops1

Raysko Praskalo (Bulgarian: Райско пръскало, "Heavenly Sprinkler"), 124.5 m in height, is the highest permanent waterfall in Bulgaria and probably in the Balkan Peninsula. It is a popular tourist destination.[1][2] The waterfall is among the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria of the Bulgarian Tourist Union.[3]

Geography

It is situated at an altitude of 1,700 m under Botev Peak (2,376 m) in the central section of the Balkan Mountains. The waterfall lies in the Dzhendema Reserve of the Central Balkan National Park and has been declared a natural landmark in 1965. The nearest town is Kalofer at 11 km to the south; in clear weather it can be seen from the town. Administratively, it is part of Plovdiv Province.[4][5]

Raysko Praskalo takes water from the snow drifts on Botev Peak and forms the river Praskalska which is a tributary to the Byala рeka, itself a left tributary of the Stryama of the Maritsa drainage. After flowing southeast for some 500–600 m along the gentle grassy slope of the summit, the Praskalska reaches the upper edge of a rocky escarpment of sheer cliffs, called the Paradise Rocks, where it plunges into the abyss of the Southern Dzhendem. The flow of fall is at its peak during summer.[3][4][5]

On the foothills of Raysko Praskalo at an altitude of 1,435 m is located the 120-bed Ray mountain refuge which is the starting point for the tourist trails to the waterfall. Its surrounding are dramatic, with sheer rocks, caves, meadows, and other waterfalls. The cliffs attract many rock climbing enthusiasts, while the waterfall itself is a popular destination for recreational tourism.[2][3][5]

See also

Citations

  1. ^ At 141 m, Vrachanska Skaklya is higher, but impermanent and Korab Falls in North Macedonia may be higher depending on its exact height (100 to 138 m) and permanence.
  2. ^ a b "Raysko Praskalo Waterfall". Official Site of the Balkan Mountains National Park. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Raysko Praskalo". Official Site of Bulgarian Tourist Union. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 1980, p. 234
  5. ^ a b c Encyclopaedia Bulgaria, Volume V 1986, pp. 291–292

References

  • Георгиев (Georgiev), Владимир (Vladimir) (1986). Енциклопедия България. Том V. П-Р [Encyclopaedia Bulgaria. Volume V. P-R] (in Bulgarian). и колектив. София (Sofia): Издателство на БАН (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Press).
  • Мичев (Michev), Николай (Nikolay); Михайлов (Mihaylov), Цветко (Tsvetko); Вапцаров (Vaptsarov), Иван (Ivan); Кираджиев (Kiradzhiev), Светлин (Svetlin) (1980). Географски речник на България [Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria] (in Bulgarian). София (Sofia): Наука и култура (Nauka i kultura).
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