“Synevyr” national natural park was founded on January 5, 1989. This mountain region of Transcarpathians is unique not only for its beauty but also for its scientific value, organization of recreational activity and carrying out scientific investigations and spreading ecological knowledge.
Geographical position and nature. The park covers an area of 40.4 thousand hectares and is situated in the central part of Ukrainian Carpathians, in the mountain ridge of Watershed Gorgans, the lowlands of Verkhovyna and the midlands of Polonyna. The highest summit here is Strymba mountain (1719 m).
The park’s territory completely occupies the upper reaches of Tereblia river. Here, at an altitude of 989 m above sea level the biggest in Ukrainian Carpathians Synevyr lake is situated, which depth is 22 m and from which the name of the national park comes. Many legends and interesting stories that guides and local dwellers would tell you are bound with this lake. And no wonder, because owing to its unforgettable beauty the lake became an extremely popular place of pilgrimage for tourists from many countries. In winter it’s difficult to get around without snow shoes because the snow cover is over 50 cm thick and stays for 100-110 days.
Flora of the national park counts circa 1040 species. The most interesting is the “Gluhania” botanical reserve (23 hectares) of the largest highland sphagnum bog in the Gorgans. Mixed coniferous and beech-woods and fir-woods dominate the park, among which despite the long-standing human activity native or close to them phytocenoses forest is retained, dominate in the park.
The widely-distributed species of animals are brown bear, wolf, wild boar, lynx, martens, otter, badger and stoat. Carpathian deer, roes and squirrels are frequent. In mountain rivers there are trout, grayling, loach and other fish.
If you would like to have pleasant rest, admire the virgin mountain nature scenery, feel the delight of transparent forest air, coloured with delicate
aroma of fir needles and Polonyna herbs, then the five-hour car trip to “Synevyr” national park from Lviv or the four-hour trip from Uzhgorod and Ivano-Frankivsk will not be boring as the road passes by mountain views, murmuring streams and over steep passes. If you decide to travel by public transport you have to get to the picturesque town of Mizhgirya, which is a district centre of the Transcarpathians, where you can take a regular bus to Synevyr, Synevyrska Poliana or Kolochava villages that are situated on the territory of the national park. But if you want to rest avoiding unnecessary troubles then contact the touristic agencies.
Contact:
Mr.Myron TSYUBYK, Director
Synevyr National Park
Synevyr, Mizhgirs’ky rayon
Zakarpats’ka oblast
295320, Ukraine
Tel: (03146) 9-11-50, 9-34-18
Carpathian School, Doroshenka 41-21, Lviv 290000, Ukraine
Tel: (380 322) 79 43 38. E-mail: ksh@carpathian.uar.net