WJ Tested: Cruising the Iron Gates on the Danube River

WJ Tested: Cruising the Iron Gates on the Danube River

Uniworld River Princess Eastern Explorer River Cruise Through Serbia and Romania

Day 7:
We love cruising days! We especially love them when the weather is cooperating – warm and sunny, with a slight breeze – so a day of scenic cruising the Danube River with Serbia on one side and Romania on the other was idyllic.

The section we cruised through all morning is known as the Iron Gates and it provides some of the most impressive scenery along the entire Danube (another of our favorite stretches is through Austria’s Wachau Valley).

Did You Know?… Danube River:

• Is the second longest river in Europe (Volga is the longest)
• Flows through or touches 10 countries – Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova
• Flows from the Black Forest in Bavaria to the Black Sea
• Covers a distance of over 2800 km/1800 miles
• Is important to trans-European transportation

Passengers interested in viewing Uniworld River Princess go through the locks (there are only 4 on this itinerary) were up and on deck just after 6:00 a.m. where we witnessed the approach to Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Dam and the journey through the 2-step lock.

Did You Know?… Iron Gates:

• Is a gorge on the Danube between Romania and Serbia – forming a natural border between the two countries
• Separates the southern Carpathian Mountains from the northwestern foothills of the Balkan Mountains
• At its narrowest point, an Orthodox monastery is perched on the Romanian shore
• Two dams have been constructed in this stretch of the river
• A lock is located at each end of the Iron Gates

Between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. River Princess continued to cruise the Danube, now through the Small Kazan and Great Kazan section of the Iron Gates. During this time Cruise Manager Heiner Schmidt gave commentary from the bridge, explaining the sights along the river as we came upon them.

Did You Know?… Great Kazan:

• Kazan means reservoir
• Narrowest gorge on the Danube – 153 meters
• You can view a Roman plaque to commemorate Roman Emperor Trajan on the Serbian bank
  

  Decebalus Statue Carved into Rock in Romania

Did You Know?… Small Kazan:

• On the Romanian bank, Decebalus is carved into the rock
• The Decebalus carving is the largest in Europe – 40 meters high
• The cliffs scale to 500 meters
  

  Yugoslav Forces Used This Cave to Hide from the Germans in WWII

If You Go:

• Serbia Tourism
• Romania Tourism
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
• Uniworld Imperial Capitals of Europe

Continue Reading WAVEJourney’s Uniworld Eastern Europe Explorer River Cruise Review:

Cruise Overview | Bucharest | Peles Castle | Bran Castle | Bucharest City Tour | Uniworld River Princess | Giurgiu: Embarkation | Rousse to Varna & the Black Sea | Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi | Captain’s Welcome Gala | Vidin, Belogradchik & Baba Vida Fortress | Iron Gates | Donji Milanovac | Viminacium Archaeological Site | Sava River | Belgrade City Tour | Deck Dining | Vukovar & Osijek | Cruising the Danube to Budapest | Budapest City Tour | Budapest Parliament Building Guided Tour | Gabcikovo Hydroelectric Dam and Lock | Bratislava City Tour | Captain’s Farewell Dinner | Vienna City Tour |

Notes: WAVEJourney travelled from Bucharest to Vienna as guests of Uniworld River Cruise Collection from July 25 to August 8, 2012.