Central Ukraine is usually flat. So when the road leads to Buki, your mind freezes for a second.
Rocks. A gorge. Water flowing between the granite.
It’s as if someone accidentally placed a piece of the Carpathians in the middle of Cherkasy Oblast. But this is no mistake — it is the Hirsky Tikych River, which has been methodically “gnawing” through Precambrian granite for several million years.
General Information
| What? | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Buky Canyon (formerly known as Antonivski Rocks) |
| Location | Buky, Uman District, Cherkasy Oblast |
| River | Hirskyi Tikych (Southern Bug River Basin) |
| Length | ~1.55 miles (2.5 km) |
| Width | ~262.5 feet (80 meters) |
| Height of the cliffs | up to 98.4 feet (30 meters) |
| Area | 198 acres (80 hectares) ((ature reserve) |
| The age of granite | ~2 billion years (Proterozoic Era) |
| Status | Natural landmark of local significance (since 1972) |
How different this is from Cherkasy Region
According to one theory, Buki got its name from the beech trees that once grew on these banks — the forests of the Polish magnates, the Kalynovskys, who founded a settlement here in the first half of the 16th century. The geology here is the ancient Ukrainian Crystalline Shield, one of the oldest geological formations in Eurasia. The granite over which the Hirsky Tikych flows formed approximately 2 billion years ago — during the Proterozoic era.
Erosion continued for millions of years. The river methodically eroded cracks in the crystalline shield, deepened the riverbed, and created a natural corridor — 80 meters wide and up to 30 meters high. The result is called “Little Switzerland.”
Route: What’s Inside
The starting point is the dam of the former Buky Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Buky is known for being the site of Ukraine’s first hydroelectric power plant, built here on the Hirsky Tikych River. Today, only ruins remain of the power plant, but they are open to visitors. The building itself has been preserved.
The Vir Waterfall is located near the dam. It is the first notable point along the route.
The “heart” of the canyon — where the cliffs reach 25–30 meters. A favorite spot for rock climbers, swimmers, and picnickers. There is a spring with drinking water here. The right bank features Rodionov Rock, named after the prominent Ukrainian geologist and petrographer Serhii Rodionov (there is also a local legend that it was named in honor of a Cossack who died on this rock).
“Butske Stonehenge” is a 15-ton granite boulder hanging over the edge of the cliff. You can walk past it and get a sense of its scale.
The rock shaped like a human head is one of several rocks featuring striking natural “portraits.”
The IS-8 tank on a pedestal marks the symbolic end of the main route.
Beyond that lies the “wild route” for another ~1.5 km, where the trails are overgrown and frequented mainly by fishermen and die-hard hikers.
Rafting and Rock Climbing
Buky is one of the few lowland rafting centers in Ukraine.
Rafting: April–May and September–November, when the Hirsky Tikych River is at its fullest. At this time, the river behaves almost like a mountain river—with rapids, cascades, and a fast current between boulders.
Rock climbing: almost year-round. But experts warn: rock climbing damages the granite surface—treat nature with respect.
The TV series ‘Cossacks’ (2019) filmed a scene here featuring the initiation rites of the Cossack cadets—one of the episodes. At that time, they also built a distinctive wooden bridge in the middle of the canyon.
How to incorporate it into your itinerary
It’s convenient to combine Buky with:
- The Shuvalov Palace in Talne (~35 km)—together, this offers “nature + architecture” in a single day
- Korsun and Lebedinsky Park (~50 km)
- Uman (~40 km) and “Sofiyivka” — if you want a longer route through Cherkasy Oblast
The Buky Canyon is a natural complement to the “Natural Anomalies of Ukraine” route.
Practical Information
- Admission: free
- Rafting: organized tours — look for local companies
- Cliffs: accessible, but proceed with caution
- Spring in the “heart” of the canyon — drinking water
- Tents: camping spots available along the canyon
- Time for exploration: 1.5–3 hours (main route); 4–5 hours including the “wild” section
- There is a town called Buky in the Kyiv region — don’t confuse the two! The Buky Canyon is in the Cherkasy region.
How to get there
- From Kyiv: ~180 km via Highway M05 (Odesa Highway) to Uman, then turn toward Mankivka and Buky
- From Cherkasy: ~85 km via Zvenyhorodka or Shpola
- From Vinnytsia: ~160 km via Haisyn or Uman
- Public transportation: from Kyiv, take a bus to Zhashkiv or Mankivka; then take local transport or a taxi
Little-known facts
- The former name — “Antonivski Rocks” — comes from the Antonivka farmstead, where the geological fault begins.
- Ukraine’s first hydroelectric power plant — the G.I. Petrovsky Buky HPP—stood on Mount Tikych in Buky.
- “Buky Stonehenge” is real: a 15-ton boulder hangs over the canyon’s cliff edge.
- One of the rocks is shaped like a human head — everyone who makes it to the “heart” of the canyon recognizes it.
- The granite here is 40 times older than the dinosaurs — 2 billion years versus 65 million years.
- On summer weekends, it gets crowded here — come in the morning or on weekdays.
Conclusion
Buky Canyon is proof that you don’t have to go to the mountains to experience rocks and a river.
Sometimes all it takes is the persistence of water. And two billion years.
