Burbun Waterfall (Khmelnitsky region)

Burbun Falls was not originally familiar to me. Moreover, I had never even heard of it. Just one of the evenings in Kamyanets-Podilskyi, I entered in my phone the query “What to see in the vicinity” and in addition to quite hackneyed places like Khotyn Fortress, I suddenly found several waterfalls. And who doesn’t know – this is my weakness.

Not thinking long, we decided to go on a trip to the waterfalls the next day. The first one on the way was Malijevica and the next one was Burbun. It was the one I was most eager to get to, as the photo reminded me of the Plitvice Lakes, which I had long dreamed of (and visited in 2023 while traveling in Croatia).

My impressions of Burbun Falls

The road here is typical for any sightseeing in Ukraine: at first you drive to some large settlement on a decent road, and then very slowly and carefully, on the actual off-road crawl at a speed of about 10 km/h.

That’s what was happening here, too. At one point I just left the road and drove for about 5 kilometers on the dirt next to the remains of asphalt. It was much calmer and safer. Paradoxically, but the fact is that if you do not have a four-wheel drive car, it is better to go off-road. You can get stuck of course, but the car will be intact and can be pushed.

The last 100 meters we drove just on the field. I recommend you to walk the rest of the way from Lysets village.

As is often the case, the approach or approach to the waterfall is from above. That’s why it seems that you have come to the wrong place. Everywhere you look there are fields and only the sound of water tells you that you are on the right path.

Carefully, so as not to fall down, we start descending to the final point of our route. We come to the Bobravka brook. It is so small that a five-year-old child can cross it and you can’t even imagine that it forms the beauty and splendor that awaits you ahead.

And by the way, I noticed that the green grass that grows along the creek turns red when in the water. I wonder why? I had never seen this before near waterfalls (although at that time I hadn’t seen so many of them, if you don’t count the waterfall near Volnyansky in the Zaporozhye region).

After going around the waterfall in a circle, we came to the steps carved in the ground, thanks to which we descended, as if in a fairy tale, into a parallel reality. Here we instantly forgot about the sizzling heat and unpleasant wind that reigned above. Calmness and silence are your main friends in this place.

A small stream, falling from a height of 5 meters, formed a beautiful lake below. The color of the water in it reminds of the beautiful Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. Everything around is overgrown with greenery and the stones are covered with moss.

You can go behind the water jets of the waterfall, or go to the other side of the lake and soak on a wooden platform. There is a place for shashliks and picnics, the main thing is that there are no people here except you. The place is incredibly beautiful and the only thing that leaves it so unpopular is the complexity of logistics. As I have already said, getting here even with your own car is a quest.

I recommend you to visit it. It is a real gem of Khmelnitsky region and without it I can’t call a trip to these parts complete.

The trip can be combined with other attractions nearby, as the journey is long and tedious due to the poor road surface.

How to get to the Burbun waterfall

By car

The best way to get here is by car. Ideally, a four-wheel drive vehicle with high ground clearance. You can also drive a passenger car, but you should not feel sorry for it: you will have to drive off the remnants of the road on the ground, so as not to damage the underbody and tires. I strongly recommend to have a spare tire and a repair kit with you, as the chances of cutting a tire are high.

No matter where you are coming from – avoid the road T2317 Kamyanets-Podilskyi – Staraya Ushitsa. This is probably the worst highway in Ukraine today.

First you need to get to the town of Dunayevtsy in Khmelnytsky region, and then on the road T2303 move towards Velikiy Zhvanchyk. About halfway along the road there will be a turn to the village of Lysets. You need to drive to it.
It would be better to leave the car in the village itself, but you can get closer. I left my car on the outskirts of the village, in the steppe on an off-road road. Coordinates for orientation – 48.79938232849412, 27.003659232567163

Waterfall coordinates – 48.80347424763319, 27.00641935056318

By public transport

Getting to the Burbun waterfall by public transportation is a very nontrivial task. The easiest option is to take a bus to Stara Ushitsa in Khmelnytskyi, or catch it in Dunayivtsi. Then ask to be dropped off at the turn to the village Lysets and walk the remaining distance. As an option also consider searching for fellow travelers on BlaBlaCar.

In theory, there could be a bus directly to Lysets from Dunajevci, but there is no information about it anywhere.