{{Coord|42.711936|24.924440|display=title}} {{Infobox waterfall | name = Raysko Praskalo | alt_name = Райско пръскало | photo = Raysko Praskalo, Bulgaria 022.jpg | photo_caption = View to the waterfall from Ray mountain refuge | location = Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria | type = Plunge | height = 124.5 | height_longest = | number_drops = 1 | average_flow = | world_rank = }}
'''Raysko Praskalo''' ({{Langx|bg|Райско пръскало}}, "Heavenly Sprinkler"), 124.5 m in height, is the highest permanent waterfall in Bulgaria and probably in the Balkan Peninsula. It is a popular tourist destination.<ref>At 141 m, Vrachanska Skaklya is higher, but impermanent and Korab Falls in North Macedonia may be higher depending on its exact height (100 to 138 m) and permanence.</ref><ref name="national park">{{cite web |url=https://visitcentralbalkan.net/%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA%D1%8A%D1%82/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B8/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B4-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%BF%D1%80%D1%8A%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE-1.htm|title=Raysko Praskalo Waterfall|website=Official Site of the Balkan Mountains National Park|accessdate=9 August 2025}}</ref> The waterfall is among the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria of the Bulgarian Tourist Union.<ref name="raysko praskalo">{{cite web|url= https://www.btsbg.org/100nto/priroden-fenomen-raysko-prskalo |title= Raysko Praskalo |website=Official Site of Bulgarian Tourist Union|access-date=9 August 2025}}</ref>
== Geography == It is situated at an altitude of 1,700 m under Botev Peak (2,376 m) in the central section of the Balkan Mountains. The waterfall lies in the Dzhendema Reserve of the Central Balkan National Park and has been declared a natural landmark in 1965. The nearest town is Kalofer at 11 km to the south; in clear weather it can be seen from the town. Administratively, it is part of Plovdiv Province.<ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 234">{{harvnb|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980|p=234}}</ref><ref name="Encyclopaedia Bulgaria 291">{{harvnb|Encyclopaedia Bulgaria, Volume V|1986|pp=291–292}}</ref>
Raysko Praskalo takes water from the snow drifts on Botev Peak and forms the river Praskalska which is a tributary to the Byala рeka, itself a left tributary of the Stryama of the Maritsa drainage. After flowing southeast for some 500–600 m along the gentle grassy slope of the summit, the Praskalska reaches the upper edge of a rocky escarpment of sheer cliffs, called the Paradise Rocks, where it plunges into the abyss of the Southern Dzhendem. The flow of fall is at its peak during summer.<ref name="raysko praskalo"/><ref name="Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria 234"/><ref name="Encyclopaedia Bulgaria 291"/>
On the foothills of Raysko Praskalo at an altitude of 1,435 m is located the 120-bed Ray mountain refuge which is the starting point for the tourist trails to the waterfall. Its surrounding are dramatic, with sheer rocks, caves, meadows, and other waterfalls. The cliffs attract many rock climbing enthusiasts, while the waterfall itself is a popular destination for recreational tourism.<ref name="national park"/><ref name="raysko praskalo"/><ref name="Encyclopaedia Bulgaria 291"/>
== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed"> File:Райското пръскало Балкан.jpg File:Raysko Praskalo, Bulgaria 003.jpg File:Staraplanina-krassiu.jpg File:Raysko Praskalo.jpg File:Raysko Praskalo close up.jpg </gallery>
==See also== * List of waterfalls
== Citations == {{Reflist}}
== References == * {{cite book | ref={{harvid|Encyclopaedia Bulgaria, Volume V|1986}} | title = Енциклопедия България. Том V. П-Р | trans-title = Encyclopaedia Bulgaria. Volume V. P-R | last = Георгиев (Georgiev) | first = Владимир (Vladimir) | others = и колектив | year = 1986 | language = bg | publisher = Издателство на БАН (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Press) | location = София (Sofia) }} * {{cite book | ref={{harvid|Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria|1980}} | title = Географски речник на България | trans-title = Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria | last1 = Мичев (Michev) | first1 = Николай (Nikolay) | last2 = Михайлов (Mihaylov) | first2 = Цветко (Tsvetko) | last3 = Вапцаров (Vaptsarov) | first3 = Иван (Ivan) | last4 = Кираджиев (Kiradzhiev) | first4 = Светлин (Svetlin) | chapter = | year = 1980 | language = Bulgarian | publisher = Наука и култура (Nauka i kultura) | location = София (Sofia) | isbn = }}
== External links == {{Commons category|Raysko Praskalo}} * {{cite web |url= http://www.raiskotopraskalo.com/|title= Raysko Praskalo Site|language=Bulgarian|accessdate=2 February 2015}}
Category:Waterfalls of Bulgaria Category:Balkan mountains Category:Landforms of Plovdiv Province