Actovsky Canyon

Actovsky Canyon

Aktovsky Canyon is a canyon on the Mertvovod River, which is located near the village of Aktovo in Ukraine. The canyon takes just downstream from the village of Petropavlovka. Its depth reaches 50 meters and its total area is 250 hectares. It is a unique combination of plant life with an ensemble of sheer cliffs and granite boulders.

General information

Aktovsky Canyon is a unique complex of forest and aquatic ecosystems with an ensemble of cliffs and granite boulders, the only one in Europe, which by its geological and landscape indicators in miniature with great accuracy in the time of formation resembles the famous canyons of North America.

This place is also called “Devil’s Canyon” or “Little Crimea”, by analogy with the more popular among tourists Big Crimean Canyon. The unique natural conditions contribute to the formation of ecosystems uncharacteristic of the area.

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For example, in the Aktovsky Canyon grows mountain tulip, and in a strictly limited area. A special mystical halo is created by the fact that many rituals of ancient tribes were held in these places. Most of the Scythian kings are buried in the valley. This fact was mentioned in the works of Aristotle.

Tourists are attracted here by the bizarre ornate channel of the Mertvovod (from the high concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the water), steep walls, remarkable beauty of granite-basalt rocks (up to 125 m high) and unique natural beauty. The difficult terrain prevents rafting on the river, but it is attractive for extreme sports fans, rock climbers and mountaineers.

The natural complex of the Aktovsky Canyon, as well as all the banks of the Mertvovod is part of the regional landscape park “Granite-Steppe Pobuzhye”, created in 1994 by the Nikolaev Regional Council.

Sometimes you get the impression that no man has ever set foot here. Mighty rocks, trees and the cries of birds – everything is just as it was thousands of years ago. During an hour’s walk through the cañon you will not meet a single living soul. Tourist infrastructure is absent, so if you move on your own transport, and prefer a comfortable rest, you need to take care of it in advance, because the nearest benefits of civilization are in the city of Voznesensk. This place will be especially interesting for fans of landscape photography. After all, the landscapes here are simply mesmerizing, not at all like the traditional Ukrainian steppes.