Tulnici: Nature Park, Waterfalls and Lepșa Monastery

Nature

Putna-Vrancea Nature Park offers opportunities for relaxation and tourism. Bears, wolves, lynxes, and otters are found within its territory. The nature park therefore combines designated opportunities for spending time outdoors with wildlife that explicitly includes four large mammal species.

Further destinations: Valea Neagră, Vidra, Vulcăneasa, Golești, Soveja, Focşani, Odobești, Nănești

Cascada Putnei is located in the administrative area of Tulnici commune, near the village of Lepșa. The waterfall area is classified as a nature reserve of national interest. The “PinePit from Tulnici” is also part of the natural environment of Vrancea County and is listed among the protected natural monuments. The two names therefore represent different forms of protected landscape within the commune and its wider surroundings.

Waterfalls and Trails

Cascada Din Horn reaches a height of almost 25 meters. From Tulnici, the route first follows a local road and then continues along a 16-kilometer forest road. Eleven kilometers of this forest road are passable by a vehicle with higher ground clearance as far as the vicinity of the Alunu forestry district. Access is therefore divided into separate sections: the road section is followed by the longer stretch through the forest.

A hiking trail marked with a red triangle runs through Cheile Tișiței Nature Reserve. The circular route through the protected area is approximately 7 kilometers long and takes 5–6 hours round trip. The approximate distance remains just as relevant as the stated time span; the trail is described as a hike lasting several hours. Both the marked route and the circular trail format are part of the trail information for Cheile Tișiței. A longer time window should therefore be planned for this circular route, while the route to Cascada Din Horn is characterized by the sequence of a local road followed by a forest road.

Culture

The wooden church “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” stands within the Lepșa monastery grounds. It is considered a local architectural monument and was built between 1930 and 1936. Lepșa Monastery itself was founded as a skete as early as 1774. The same monastery grounds thus bring together the wooden church’s more recent construction date and the monastery’s older founding history.

Tulnici commune offers interactive virtual tours of cultural, religious, and educational sites in its area. The destinations included in these tours include Biserica Tulnici. The tours therefore cover several types of sites and include not only the church but also cultural and educational locations.

The museum in Tulnici opened the previous year and has more than 150 traditional costumes. The collection combines a clearly stated quantity with a focus on traditional garments handed down through the generations. In this way, the museum complements the churches, monastery, and virtual tours with its own collection of traditional costumes.

When planning a trip around Tulnici, a holiday apartment can be included in the search as local accommodation if a stay directly in the commune is intended.

For the main travel overview: Vrancea.