Hiking trails in the canyon of the Matuzka River, to the lookouts and waterfalls in Guamka

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

Southwest of Guamka is a wooded mountain range through which the Matuzka river passes through the gorge. The area has several hiking trails and a dirt road for logging trucks and off-road vehicles, and together they make it possible to visit several natural attractions at once in the form of a one-day hiking route or trekking for several days. This territory is not a protected area, there are no special rules and entrance fees for visiting it. However, once again I want to remind you that you can not leave behind garbage, break trees, light fires in such places. Try to leave nature untouched and clean.

So far, there are no well-equipped trails for mass tourists, but if you have experience of day hikes on mountain and forest trails, good walking shoes, and a desire to see new places that have not yet been trampled by mass tourists, then you will definitely like it here. If you are not ready for hiking routes of higher than average complexity, then some of these attractions can be visited with a jeep tour from Guamka, but they can not get anywhere, and on foot you will see much more.

To go along these routes on foot, it is best to use the help of a local guide-guide, but there are no such group tours, you will have to look for individual support on the spot. But without much difficulty, you can walk along the trails yourself, for which you can use applications like Organic Maps, OSM, Oruxmaps, ViewRanger and others like that are where most of the trails are marked, including in this area. Almost all trails are accessible without special climbing equipment, but it is advisable to have trekking poles, trekking shoes, water, snacks. In some areas there are very steep descents/ascents, and a climbing rope will not interfere with their passage, otherwise you will have to climb, clinging to roots and trunks. In some places there are already pre-laid static ropes and cables, but there are few of them.

You can build the route of your hiking trip yourself using maps. And here is a brief overview of the attractions in this place, which will help you plan the route. For each attraction, the position on the map is indicated and briefly about the way to get there. They are also marked on the maps in the mentioned apps:

• Matuzka Canyon observation deck and chicken and cockerel observation deck. These are the highest points, offering excellent, but not panoramic views of the gorge and neighboring mountains. Both points are a few dozen meters from each other, connected by a well-visible path at the same height. This is the most popular place where they take jeeps during the tour. On foot, it is easiest to get to it on a dirt road, and then from the dirt road the last 600 meters and 50 meters up through the forest on the tracks of jeeps. The entire route from the village only to the observation points will take 3-4 hours round trip (view of the canyon on the map, observation chicken and rooster on the map).

• Waterfall and font "bath of youth". One of the most famous places, but, unfortunately, in fact in the summer there is nothing to do here: the waterfall dries up, and the natural pool (font) is filled from a thin stream, and sometimes even turns into a puddle. Spring and summer are much better. Jeeps can't get here, only on foot. It is best to go here by the shortest way from the village, first on a dirt road for cars, and then along the trail. If you decide to go here along the path from the lookouts to Matuzka and "chicken and cockerel", you will have to overcome very steep descents and ascents, sometimes just dangerous (waterfall and Font on the map).

• Waterfalls on the Matuzka River. Several waterfalls are located in the gorge on the river, but in the summer the river dries up. You can see them only after heavy rains, or in spring and autumn. Unfortunately, there is no good path along the river to the waterfalls, you have to move over stones or wade along the river. In general, this route is not for everyone. If you still decide to go through it, it is best to start from the waterfall and the font "bath of youth" upstream. You will need to walk about 400 meters and 130 meters up along the river and waterfalls, and you can return through the observation decks to Matuzka and "chicken and cockerel" (waterfall on the Matuzka River on the map).

• A large grotto and a grotto with a window. Two Grottoes are located near the lookouts on Matuzka and "chicken and cockerel", but you have to overcome a steep descent along a well-visible path with loose stones. The grottoes are large, you can even accommodate with a tent. One of the grottoes has a wooden table (large grotto on the map, grotto with a window on the map).

• Observation "Carpet". This observation deck offers a great view of Guamka and its surroundings from a height of 200 meters. Under the lookout in the rock there is a grotto. You can get to it in two ways. Before reaching the railway station in the Guam gorge along the stream there is a steep path up, in some places you have to hold on to the ropes to climb. But it is much easier to go along a dirt road, and at one of the turns to the observation walk only 50 meters along a relatively gentle path (observation deck on the map).