About Berca Mud Volcanoes
At a glance: National parks and reserves in Berca, Buzău County. Opening hours: daily 08:00 – 20:00. Ticket: 4 lei. The visit takes 1 – 1½ hours. Information verified on 8 October 2026.
Beneath the hills around Berca, gases from deep underground, mostly methane, rise through layers of clay and salty water and carry cold mud to the surface, sometimes mixed with traces of crude oil. The mud dries at the mouth of the crater and, layer upon layer, builds up into cones, while on the slopes it spreads out in grey streams and cracked plates. Almost nothing grows here because the ground is too salty, and these "bad lands", as the locals call them, look like the set of another planet.
The area was declared a natural monument as early as 1924 and is now a mixed geological and botanical nature reserve, within the UNESCO Buzău Land Geopark. Two rare halophytic plants, protected by law, live on the salty ground: Nitraria schoberi and a saltbush species (Obione verrucifera).
The reserve has two separate plateaus about 1.5 km apart, each with its own entrance. Pâclele Mari, of almost 20 ha, is a round plateau where the activity is most visible: numerous active cones of 2–3 m, with thick mud, and old dried-out cones of 6–8 m. Pâclele Mici is smaller and has fewer, lower cones, but in the middle of the plateau rises a tall cone with two large active craters. Each looks different, so both are worth seeing.
What you can see
You walk on marked paths among cones and craters where the mud bubbles, gas rises and the mud slowly runs down the slopes. At Pâclele Mici you walk ~500 m uphill on the Aleea Vulcanilor ("Volcano Alley"), a path with information panels about the phenomenon, up to the plateau. On dry summer days the mud dries at the surface and the cones show best; after rain the path turns slippery and access is closed.
Good to know
The reserve can be visited only in dry weather and closes on rainy days. From October 2026 the county roads DJ 102F and DJ 220A, between Sătuc and the reserve gate, are being rebuilt, in works expected to last about two and a half years. Two other mud sites, Fierbătorile de la Berca and the ones at Beciu, are separate places, free and without facilities, and are not part of the two plateaus on this page.
- The tall cone at Pâclele Mici, with two large active craters at its top, in the middle of the plateau.
- The round plateau at Pâclele Mari, of ~20 ha, with numerous active cones of 2–3 m and old, dried-out cones of up to 8 m.
- The streams of grey mud that run down the slopes and dry into cracked plates, like ground from another planet.
- The Aleea Vulcanilor, the ~500 m path with information panels that climbs towards the Pâclele Mici plateau.
- Nitraria schoberi, a rare plant that grows only on the salty ground around the volcanoes.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Buzău drive ~20 km on the DN 10 (Buzău–Brașov) to Sătuc, in Berca commune, then another ~20 km on the DJ 102F through Berca to the reserve; about 40 km and ~45–60 minutes from Buzău in all, and ~150 km from Bucharest (2½ hours). Follow the signs for "Vulcanii Noroioși": Pâclele Mici and Pâclele Mari have separate entrances and car parks, ~1.5 km apart, on the road that climbs towards the plateaus. The last kilometres have been bumpy; since October 2026 the road is under works, so you may meet traffic restrictions.
Public transport: there is no practical public transport to the reserve. Visitors without a car take the train to Buzău, then a taxi or a rental car.
- Where to park
At Pâclele Mari there are two car parks, one with a small fee at the entrance and a free one lower down the road. At Pâclele Mici the car park is next to the campsite, at the start of the Aleea Vulcanilor. Some guides report a parking fee of ~5 lei, in cash; we found no official tariff.
- Fees & discounts
The visiting fee published by the Buzău County Council is 4 lei for adults, 2 lei for students and 1 leu for pupils; the custodian confirmed in August 2025 that the prices have not changed since 2005. The ticket is bought at the entrance, probably separately for each of the two plateaus. Travel guides say you can pay only in cash, so bring coins and small notes. Fierbătorile de la Berca and the ones at Beciu are free.
- Rules
The reserve is closed on rainy days and when the ground is very wet. Stay on the marked paths and keep away from the craters: the edges can give way and the mud splashes. Do not step into the mud or bathe in it, do not take mud or crusts home, and do not touch or climb the cones. Do not come in white or good shoes: the salty mud does not wash out easily. Pets are not allowed in the reserve. Smoking, alcohol and litter are banned. Flying a drone in a protected area needs the administrator's consent, so ask for it beforehand.
- Facilities
Access ramp for people with disabilities at the entrance · souvenirs at the entrance · campsite and accommodation nearby · no shade or water on the plateaus, bring water and a hat · variable mobile signal
Frequently asked questions about Berca Mud Volcanoes
- How much is a ticket to Berca Mud Volcanoes?
- A ticket to Berca Mud Volcanoes costs 4 lei (2 lei students, 1 leu pupils). The visiting fee published by the Buzău County Council is 4 lei for adults, 2 lei for students and 1 leu for pupils; the custodian confirmed in August 2025 that the prices have not changed since 2005. The ticket is bought at the entrance, probably separately for each of the two plateaus. Travel guides say you can pay only in cash, so bring coins and small notes. Fierbătorile de la Berca and the ones at Beciu are free.
- What are the opening hours of Berca Mud Volcanoes?
- Opening hours at Berca Mud Volcanoes: daily 08:00 – 20:00. Open daily, 08:00–20:00 in the summer season and 08:00–16:00 in the winter season (the Buzău County Council does not give the dates when the hours change). On rainy days the reserve is closed and cannot be visited. For up-to-date information, the reserve's custodian answers at the phone number below.
- How long does a visit to Berca Mud Volcanoes take?
- A visit to Berca Mud Volcanoes takes about 1 – 1½ hours (both plateaus, ~45 min each).
- Can you visit Berca Mud Volcanoes with kids?
- Yes, Berca Mud Volcanoes is suitable for children (short paths, no shade).
- Where can I park at Berca Mud Volcanoes?
- There is paid parking at Berca Mud Volcanoes (small fee, free spaces too). At Pâclele Mari there are two car parks, one with a small fee at the entrance and a free one lower down the road. At Pâclele Mici the car park is next to the campsite, at the start of the Aleea Vulcanilor. Some guides report a parking fee of ~5 lei, in cash; we found no official tariff.
- How do I get to Berca Mud Volcanoes?
- Berca Mud Volcanoes is located at DJ 102F towards Pâclele, the car park at the reserve entrance (Pâclele Mici); Pâclele Mari has another entrance, ~1.5 km away, Berca, Buzău County. By car: from Buzău drive ~20 km on the DN 10 (Buzău–Brașov) to Sătuc, in Berca commune, then another ~20 km on the DJ 102F through Berca to the reserve; about 40 km and ~45–60 minutes from Buzău in all, and ~150 km from Bucharest (2½ hours). Follow the signs for "Vulcanii Noroioși": Pâclele Mici and Pâclele Mari have separate entrances and car parks, ~1.5 km apart, on the road that climbs towards the plateaus. The last kilometres have been bumpy; since October 2026 the road is under works, so you may meet traffic restrictions. Public transport: there is no practical public transport to the reserve. Visitors without a car take the train to Buzău, then a taxi or a rental car.
- When is the best time to visit Berca Mud Volcanoes?
- The best season for Berca Mud Volcanoes: April – October (dry weather only).
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