# Nera Gorge

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Banat](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/banat) › [Caraș-Severin County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/caras-severin) › [Sasca Montană](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/sasca-montana)

> Romania's longest gorge, almost 20 km between Șopotu Nou and Sasca Română, with the Devil's Lake, tunnels cut into the rock and a trail crossed by no road at all.

**At a glance:** Gorges and canyons in Sasca Montană, Caraș-Severin County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: ~12 lei. The visit takes 2½ – 3 hours. Information verified on 20 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily open 24 hours — The gorge is in the open air, with no opening hours; for the long trail set off early so that you have daylight to the end. When the water is high, in spring or after rain, the ford cannot be crossed: ask the park authority (0255 206 108) about the state of the trail. The hours of the ticket points are not published.
- **Ticket:** ~12 lei — €2 + VAT; reduced €1 + VAT
- **Visit duration:** 2½ – 3 hours — La Tunele, there and back
- **With kids:** Yes — only the tunnels section
- **Best season:** May – October — not when the water is high
- **Address:** Sasca Română, at the suspension footbridge over the Nera, at the village end of the trail through the gorge, Sasca Montană, Caraș-Severin County
- **Coordinates:** 44.8998, 21.7214
- **Phone:** +40 255 206 108
- **Website:** https://www.cheilenereibeusnita.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheile_Nerei_-_Beu%C8%99ni%C8%9Ba
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12723948
- **Categories:** [Gorges and canyons](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/chei-si-defilee), [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcuri-nationale-si-rezervatii)

## About Nera Gorge

The Nera Gorge (Cheile Nerei) was cut by the Nera river into the limestone of the southern Anina Mountains, along almost 20 km between Șopotu Nou and Sasca Română, in Caraș-Severin County. It is considered the longest gorge in the country and no road runs through it, so it can only be explored on foot. It belongs to the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița nature reserve, the strict protection zone of the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park, managed by Romsilva; the park's beech forests have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2017.

The valley has a climate with sub-Mediterranean influences: wild lilac and manna ash grow on the slopes, among screes and vertical walls rising straight out of the water, known locally as "cârșe". Along the gorge there are dozens of caves, among them Peștera Dubova, the longest in the gorge (380 m), Peștera Voinii and the Vât Caves, where fossils of mammals that died out after the last ice age have been found.

### What you can see

From Sasca Română, the trail crosses the Nera on a wooden suspension footbridge and climbs to "La Tunele", a series of short tunnels cut into the rock, linked by narrow terraces above the river, as far as Podul Beiului. Further on, the red-stripe trail follows the river past Cantonul Damian, beneath the "La Cârlige" cliffs and the Turnul Mare al Begului, with a ford crossing, to the Devil's Lake (Lacul Dracului). The lake, on the left bank of the Nera, formed when the roof of a cave collapsed: it covers about 700 m² and is 12 m deep, with blue-green water beneath a rock wall.

### Good to know

The full Șopotu Nou – Cheile Nerei – Podul Bei – Sasca Română trail is 24 km long and takes around 9 hours, according to the park authority. In places the path is cut into the rock and secured with cables, and the ford cannot be crossed when the water is high: ask the park authority about the state of the trail before you set off. It is not a route for small children or for anyone not used to long hikes; the park authority recommends a night in a tent at Cantonul Damian or doing it in sections.

## Don't miss

- The wooden suspension footbridge over the Nera, at the entrance to the gorge from Sasca Română.
- The tunnels of "La Tunele", cut into the rock above the river between Sasca Română and Podul Beiului.
- The Devil's Lake, formed when the roof of a cave collapsed, 12 m deep.
- The clearings at Cantonul Damian, the only camping spot in the gorge, for tents.
- The limestone walls of "La Cârlige", rising straight out of the Nera.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the western entrance is in Sasca Română, 2.3 km from the centre of Sasca Montană commune, on the county road. It is ~29 km from Oravița (~35 min), ~80 km from Reșița (~1h30) and ~136 km from Timișoara (~2h20), on the DN59 and DN57 to Oravița. Podul Beiului is reached by car on a different road, ~16 km via Potoc. The eastern end of the trail is at Șopotu Nou, and the Devil's Lake can also be reached from the DJ 571B, from Poiana Logor (between Cărbunari and Stăncilova), on the blue-stripe trail (8 km, ~3 hours, with a steep descent).

**Public transport:** no regular services to Sasca Română are known. The nearest you can get by train or bus is Oravița, ~29 km away, from where you need a car. For the full trail, between Șopotu Nou and Sasca Română, you need organised transport at one of the two ends.

### Where to park

You park in Sasca Română, near the suspension footbridge, and at Podul Beiului, next to the park's information point. Parking charges are not published by the park authority. On the park's forest roads vehicles are allowed only on the designated routes, and cars may be left only in the designated places.

### Fees & discounts

Entry to the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park is paid (official website): adults €2 + VAT (~12 lei), pupils, students and pensioners €1 + VAT. Pay in cash at the information points at Podul Beiului and the Bigăr Waterfall or by text message to 7494, on the day of the visit (code NERA1 for one adult, NERA2 or NERA4 for 2 or 4 adults, RNERA1 for the reduced rate); keep the confirmation message for the whole visit. Camping at Cantonul Damian has a combined visiting and camping rate.

### Rules

Keep to the marked trails and do not roll stones: you are in the park's strict protection zone. Wear hiking boots and long trousers, and take water and food for the whole day; the sections with cables call for care, and the ford is not crossed when the water is high. Watch out for vipers on the sunny paths. Swimming in the Devil's Lake and boats on the lake are banned; rafting and kayaking on the Nera are allowed only with the park authority's consent. Dogs only on a lead, fires only in the designated places, tents only at Cantonul Damian; children under 14 enter only with an adult.

### Facilities

Park information and ticket point at Podul Beiului · tent camping at Cantonul Damian · no toilets, no shop and no safe drinking water in the gorge · guesthouses in Sasca Română and Sasca Montană · weak or no mobile signal in the gorge · the trail is not suitable for pushchairs

## Details

- **Protected area type:** nature reserve
- **Part of:** Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park
- **Length:** 20 km
- **Watercourse:** the Nera river
- **Accessible by car:** No

## Frequently asked questions about Nera Gorge

**How much is a ticket to Nera Gorge?**

A ticket to Nera Gorge costs ~12 lei (€2 + VAT; reduced €1 + VAT). Entry to the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park is paid (official website): adults €2 + VAT (~12 lei), pupils, students and pensioners €1 + VAT. Pay in cash at the information points at Podul Beiului and the Bigăr Waterfall or by text message to 7494, on the day of the visit (code NERA1 for one adult, NERA2 or NERA4 for 2 or 4 adults, RNERA1 for the reduced rate); keep the confirmation message for the whole visit. Camping at Cantonul Damian has a combined visiting and camping rate.

**What are the opening hours of Nera Gorge?**

Opening hours at Nera Gorge: daily open 24 hours. The gorge is in the open air, with no opening hours; for the long trail set off early so that you have daylight to the end. When the water is high, in spring or after rain, the ford cannot be crossed: ask the park authority (0255 206 108) about the state of the trail. The hours of the ticket points are not published.

**How long does a visit to Nera Gorge take?**

A visit to Nera Gorge takes about 2½ – 3 hours (La Tunele, there and back).

**Can you visit Nera Gorge with kids?**

Yes, Nera Gorge is suitable for children (only the tunnels section).

**How do I get to Nera Gorge?**

Nera Gorge is located at Sasca Română, at the suspension footbridge over the Nera, at the village end of the trail through the gorge, Sasca Montană, Caraș-Severin County. By car: the western entrance is in Sasca Română, 2.3 km from the centre of Sasca Montană commune, on the county road. It is ~29 km from Oravița (~35 min), ~80 km from Reșița (~1h30) and ~136 km from Timișoara (~2h20), on the DN59 and DN57 to Oravița. Podul Beiului is reached by car on a different road, ~16 km via Potoc. The eastern end of the trail is at Șopotu Nou, and the Devil's Lake can also be reached from the DJ 571B, from Poiana Logor (between Cărbunari and Stăncilova), on the blue-stripe trail (8 km, ~3 hours, with a steep descent). Public transport: no regular services to Sasca Română are known. The nearest you can get by train or bus is Oravița, ~29 km away, from where you need a car. For the full trail, between Șopotu Nou and Sasca Română, you need organised transport at one of the two ends.

**When is the best time to visit Nera Gorge?**

The best season for Nera Gorge: May – October (not when the water is high).

## Nearby attractions

- [Ochiul Beiului Lake](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/lacul-ochiul-beiului) — Lakes · Caraș-Severin County · ~12 lei · 2½ – 3 hours · 9 km
  A small karst lake with turquoise water clear to the bottom, fed by a spring beneath it and hidden in the forest of the Bei valley, in the Cheile Nerei – Beușnița National Park.
- [Beușnița Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-beusnita) — Waterfalls · Caraș-Severin County · ~12 lei · 2½ – 3 hours · Top 100 · 10 km
  A moss-clad tufa waterfall whose water fans out in dozens of threads over green steps, in the beech forest of the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park, an hour's walk beyond Ochiul Beiului Lake.
- [Bigăr Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-bigar) — Waterfalls · Bozovici, CS · ~12 lei · 45 min · Top 100 · 29 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.
- [Comarnic Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-comarnic) — Caves · Iabalcea, CS · 35 lei · 1½ – 2 hours · 46 km
  A wild, unlit cave in the Anina Mountains with more than 6 km of passages on three levels, 1,750 m of which you explore with a helmet and head torch, led by the national park's rangers.
- [Transsemenic](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transsemenic) — Scenic roads · Caraș-Severin County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours · 59 km
  County road DJ582 crosses the Semenic Mountains for 58 km, from Reșița through Văliug and the Prislop Pass to Slatina-Timiș, past mountain lakes, pastures and the villages of Gărâna and Brebu Nou.
- [Lake Trei Ape](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/lacul-trei-ape) — Lakes · Brebu Nou, CS · Free · 1 – 1½ hours · 63 km
  A 53-hectare reservoir in the Semenic Mountains, at 837 m, ringed by spruce and beech right beside the Transsemenic road; in summer it is the mountain Banat's spot for swimming, boating and camping.

---

Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cheile-nerei
Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/cheile-nerei.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/cheile-nerei.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/cheile-nerei.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/cheile-nerei.md
Last updated: 20 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania