# Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Oltenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/oltenia) › [Mehedinți County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/mehedinti) › [Dubova](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/dubova)

> The narrowest stretch of the Danube Gorge, between Dubova and Ogradena: the river squeezes between limestone walls, with Serbia on the far bank, seen by boat or from Ciucaru Mare.

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**At a glance:** Gorges and canyons in Dubova, Mehedinți County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 3½ – 4 hours. Information verified on 30 September 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily open 24 hours — A natural area with free access at all times. Boat trips follow the operators' hours: in Dubova, boats leave daily, usually between 09:00 and 18:00, and shared trips set off once at least 6 people have gathered. Check directly with the operator, especially outside the summer season.
- **Ticket:** Free — free access; boat trips are paid
- **Visit duration:** 3½ – 4 hours — boat ~1 h + Ciucaru Mare ~2 h
- **With kids:** Yes — life jackets on the boats
- **Best season:** May – October — boat trips in summer
- **Address:** DN57, between Dubova and Ogradena; the Ciucaru Mare viewpoint, on the trail from the edge of Dubova towards Svinița, Dubova, Mehedinți County
- **Coordinates:** 44.605, 22.2641
- **Website:** https://www.pnportiledefier.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cazanele_Dun%C4%83rii
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12366685
- **Categories:** [Gorges and canyons](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/chei-si-defilee), [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcuri-nationale-si-rezervatii)

## About Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)

The Cazane (the "Cauldrons") are the tightest part of the gorge by which the Danube cuts through the Carpathians, on the border between Romania and Serbia. They are about 9 km long in all and made up of two narrows: the Great Cauldrons (Cazanele Mari), almost 4 km long, between the Ciucaru Mare massif on the Romanian bank and Veliki Štrbac on the Serbian side, and the Small Cauldrons (Cazanele Mici), about 1.4 km long, between Ciucaru Mic and Mali Štrbac. In between, the river widens into Dubova Bay. In the Great Cauldrons the Danube narrows to about 150 m, and the water is very deep.

The name comes from the whirlpools that made the water look as if it were boiling, back when the river rushed through here among the rocks. After the Iron Gates I dam was completed in 1972, the water level rose and the current calmed. The Cazane have been a nature reserve since 1980 and are part of Iron Gates Natural Park; rare sub-Mediterranean plants grow on the sunny slopes, among them the yellow Cazane tulip.

### What you can see

The best way to see the Cazane is by boat: trips leave from Dubova, Eșelnița and Orșova and pass the face of Decebalus, carved into the rock at Mraconia Bay, Mraconia Monastery, rebuilt by the water after 1993, and the Small and Great Cauldrons. At the foot of the Ciucaru Mare cliff open Ponicova Cave, the largest in the gorge, with more than 1.6 km of passages, and Veterani Cave, once used as a fortification. On the Serbian bank you can see the Tabula Traiana, the Roman plaque commemorating the road built by Trajan.

On land, the best view is from Ciucaru Mare, at 318 m: a short trail starts at the edge of Dubova, climbs to the viewpoint above the Great Cauldrons and then to the one over Dubova Bay and the Small Cauldrons.

### Good to know

The Cazane are a natural area, with no entrance ticket and no opening hours. Boat trips and cave visits are only run by local operators.

## Don't miss

- The viewpoint on Ciucaru Mare, looking down on the Great Cauldrons, with Serbia on the far bank.
- The boat trip through the Great Cauldrons, beneath the limestone walls of Ciucaru Mare.
- The face of Decebalus, carved into the rock at Mraconia Bay, seen from the water.
- The entrance to Ponicova Cave, from the Danube, by boat from Dubova.
- Mraconia Monastery, on the shore of the bay, by the DN57.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the Cazane lie on the DN57, the Danube Gorge road, which starts in Orșova (DN6/E70). From Orșova you pass through Eșelnița, Mraconia Monastery and the face of Decebalus, through the Small Cauldrons, and reach Dubova after about 25 km; the Great Cauldrons begin just past the village. From Drobeta-Turnu Severin add ~30 km to Orșova, and from Timișoara it is ~200 km on the DN6. The Ciucaru Mare trail starts at the edge of Dubova towards Svinița, on the left of the road, marked with a yellow triangle.

**Public transport:** a few minibuses run along the DN57 between Orșova and Moldova Nouă, stopping at Eșelnița and Dubova; the timetable changes, so check it first. Orșova has a railway station on the Bucharest – Timișoara line. Boat operators in Orșova and Eșelnița take you to the Cazane without a car.

### Where to park

You park along the DN57 and in the wider spots in Dubova, next to the pontoons where the boats leave, and at Mraconia Monastery. There is little room at the start of the Ciucaru Mare trail; do not leave the car on the road or on bends. On summer weekends the spaces by the pontoons fill up quickly.

### Fees & discounts

There is no entrance ticket to the Cazane. Boat trips are paid to the operators: in Dubova, the one-hour shared trip (Decebalus, Mraconia, the Small and Great Cauldrons, Ponicova) costs ~50 lei per person, a private boat ~300 lei (4 people) or ~400 lei; children up to 7 go free and those aged 8–12 get 50% off. Extensions to the Tabula Traiana (~15 lei) and Veterani Cave (~10 lei) are paid separately. From Eșelnița, the trip of about 2 hours costs ~70 lei per person. Prices change often; confirm them at the pontoons.

### Rules

You are in Iron Gates Natural Park: stay on marked trails, wear closed shoes, do not pick plants, leave no litter and light no fires outside designated places. In the caves, bring a head torch and keep quiet so as not to disturb the bats. Alcohol is not allowed on the boats or on the trails; wear the life jacket the operator gives you. Commercial filming and photography need the park's approval.

### Facilities

Guesthouses, terraces and fish restaurants in Dubova and Eșelnița · pontoons with boat trips in Dubova, Eșelnița and Orșova · petrol stations, shops and railway station in Orșova · no public toilets at the viewpoint; at terraces and guesthouses

## Details

- **Protected area type:** nature reserve
- **Part of:** Iron Gates Natural Park
- **Length:** 9 km
- **Maximum altitude:** 318 m
- **Watercourse:** Danube
- **Accessible by car:** Yes

## Frequently asked questions about Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)

**How much is a ticket to Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)?**

Admission to Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) is free (free access; boat trips are paid). There is no entrance ticket to the Cazane. Boat trips are paid to the operators: in Dubova, the one-hour shared trip (Decebalus, Mraconia, the Small and Great Cauldrons, Ponicova) costs ~50 lei per person, a private boat ~300 lei (4 people) or ~400 lei; children up to 7 go free and those aged 8–12 get 50% off. Extensions to the Tabula Traiana (~15 lei) and Veterani Cave (~10 lei) are paid separately. From Eșelnița, the trip of about 2 hours costs ~70 lei per person. Prices change often; confirm them at the pontoons.

**What are the opening hours of Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)?**

Opening hours at Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării): daily open 24 hours. A natural area with free access at all times. Boat trips follow the operators' hours: in Dubova, boats leave daily, usually between 09:00 and 18:00, and shared trips set off once at least 6 people have gathered. Check directly with the operator, especially outside the summer season.

**How long does a visit to Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) take?**

A visit to Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) takes about 3½ – 4 hours (boat ~1 h + Ciucaru Mare ~2 h).

**Can you visit Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) with kids?**

Yes, Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) is suitable for children (life jackets on the boats).

**How do I get to Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)?**

Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării) is located at DN57, between Dubova and Ogradena; the Ciucaru Mare viewpoint, on the trail from the edge of Dubova towards Svinița, Dubova, Mehedinți County. By car: the Cazane lie on the DN57, the Danube Gorge road, which starts in Orșova (DN6/E70). From Orșova you pass through Eșelnița, Mraconia Monastery and the face of Decebalus, through the Small Cauldrons, and reach Dubova after about 25 km; the Great Cauldrons begin just past the village. From Drobeta-Turnu Severin add ~30 km to Orșova, and from Timișoara it is ~200 km on the DN6. The Ciucaru Mare trail starts at the edge of Dubova towards Svinița, on the left of the road, marked with a yellow triangle. Public transport: a few minibuses run along the DN57 between Orșova and Moldova Nouă, stopping at Eșelnița and Dubova; the timetable changes, so check it first. Orșova has a railway station on the Bucharest – Timișoara line. Boat operators in Orșova and Eșelnița take you to the Cazane without a car.

**When is the best time to visit Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)?**

The best season for Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării): May – October (boat trips in summer).

## Nearby attractions

- [Danube Gorge Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumul-clisurii-dunarii) — Scenic roads · Mehedinți County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 100 · 6 km
  The DN57 runs about 100 km along the Danube from Orșova to Moldova Nouă, through the Great and Small Cauldrons, past the rock face of Decebalus, with Serbia on the far bank.
- [Rock Sculpture of Decebalus](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/chipul-lui-decebal) — Monuments and historic sites · Eșelnița, MH · Free · ½ – 1 hours · Top 100 · 6 km
  The face of the Dacian king Decebalus, carved between 1994 and 2004 into a 55 m rock at the mouth of the Mraconia, on the Romanian bank of the Danube: the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.
- [Băile Herculane](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/baile-herculane) — Resorts and thermal baths · Băile Herculane, CS · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 100 · 45 km
  Romania's oldest spa resort, recorded as early as AD 153, in the Cerna valley: hot sulphur springs, a Habsburg old town around the Hercules statue and free thermal tubs on the riverbank.
- [Cerna Valley Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumul-vaii-cernei) — Scenic roads · Caraș-Severin County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours · 54 km
  The DN67D links Baia de Aramă to Băile Herculane in about 65 km: it climbs to the Arșasca saddle at ~900 m and drops down the Cerna Valley, between limestone walls, through Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park.
- [Vânturătoarea Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-vanturatoarea) — Waterfalls · Băile Herculane, CS · Free · 2½ – 3 hours · 57 km
  A two-tier waterfall of about 50 m in the Cerna Mountains, with Romania's longest free drop (~40 m), above Lake Prisaca; reached by a steep 1.5 km path from the Cerna valley road, 13 km from Băile Herculane.
- [Bigăr Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-bigar) — Waterfalls · Bozovici, CS · ~12 lei · 45 min · Top 100 · 66 km
  The moss-covered tufa waterfall in the Miniș gorge, exactly on the 45th parallel and once famous worldwide; it partly collapsed in 2021 and is regenerating naturally, a few steps from the DN57B road.

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Last updated: 30 September 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania