Description of the attraction
Kleptuza is a famous karst spring in the Bulgarian city of Velingrad; the park in which it is located also bears this name. It is located on the right bank of the Chepinskaya River in the Chepino quarter of Velingrad, on a mountain slope between the ridge of the watershed and the Tsyganskaya gully. The area is under state protection, its area is about 412 hectares. Kleptuza is located at a distance of about 130 km from Sofia, 85 km from Plovdiv.
A unique karst spring, which is called a miracle of nature and many legends and stories are associated with it, is located in the north of the Kleptuza Natural Park, from which it beats up to 1180 liters of water per second at a constant temperature. Two artificial lakes, which are located in the Kleptuza park, are fed by the water of the spring. They are a popular recreation area for residents of Velingrad, as well as for guests of the resort town. There is a pedal boat rental service and many restaurants.
In the Kleptuza park, there are relict black pines, which are on average 100-160 years old, as well as shrub and woody species that are rare for this region. In addition, there are over 260 species of herbaceous plants.
Many tourist and eco-paths start from the park, which are called health routes, leading to the area of Harmanite, Brezi, Sivata voda and others.
Kleptuza Park was organized with the help of Chepino residents, private funds of the former rural community were used to create the first lake in 1933. The administration of the territory continues to develop the infrastructure of the park - entertainment facilities, areas for recreation and children's leisure are being built.
