The mud volcanoes are among the most famous worth-seeing places in Buzau County. Some of them generate mud lava, while others bring about small, harmless explosions, imitating on a small scale the volcano eruptions of Hawaii or Stromboli, according to https://tinutulbuzaului.org/.

In the central part of the Curvature Carpathians, on the Berca and Scortoasa communes territory, nature has gifted the hills of Buzau with a special phenomenon, known as the Mud Volcanoes. The beauty of this natural landscape is fascinating, and the presence of apparently lifeless lands and volcanic cones bringing to the surface the cold and black lava most often resembles extraterrestrial landscapes, the aforementioned source says.

This phenomenon occurs due to the deep gas emanations that push the subterraneous waters forth with the accumulation of clay from the rocks encountered on the way. Thus mud is created generating permanent eruptions, forming on the surface cones and small craters.

The mud volcanoes are the most representatives volcanoes of this type in Romania and due to their activity and shapes were declared nature monument in 1924, according to https://cjbuzau.ro/. There is also a local legend telling the genesis of the Mud Volcanoes. Legend has it that Arbanas hero goes to battle against a dragon that was ravaging the land. Frightened with the hero's courage and wounded during their fight, the dragon withdraws to his hiding at Berca and stays there forever. The dry and cracked land is said to be the dragon's skin and the boiling bubbles are said to be releasing the beast's blood.

The Mud Volcanoes are grouped in four areas: Fierbatori, Paclele Mari, Paclele Mici and Beciu, according to https://tinutulbuzaului.org/ website. The place called Fierbatori is to the north of Berca and has circular-like craters, with liquid mud. Gas coming out to the surface agitate the mud, creating a boiling effect. Paclele Mari is in the centre of Berca depression, on an arid plateau, round shaped, with sludgy mud, with oil traces surfacing there. The mud volcanoes at Paclele Mici are not so high, except for a prominent, high cone, in the central part of the plateau, with two active craters of large dimensions in its superior part. In Beciu, the volcanoes cover a small area, near the Beciu-Arbanati road.

In drought periods, salt crusts are formed round these volcanoes, lacking any kind of vegetation. This smudgy lava comes from the dissolution of marl and clay encountered by the surfacing water, pushed by gas. A special kind of vegetation has developed round them, which, over time, has adapted to the saline level, https://iturist.ro/ website explains.

Locals say the mud volcanoes are different each time, both due to the continuously changing geography of the area and to the strange, unique relief. The craters thrusting mud jets create the illusion of cosmic space, admired by tourists.

For a travel to the moon-like land of the mud volcanoes, visitors must cross 18 km from DN 10 Buzau national road to Satuc, then 8 km on Satuc - Berca - Joseni - Policiori County Road, then 5 km on Policiori - Paclele Mici Communal Road, turn left, and arrive at Paclele Mici after 3 km more, then Paclele Mari, at 1 km of distance away, according to https://experientebuzau.com/. AGERPRES (RO - Documentary - Marina Badulescu; editor: Ruxandra Bratu; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)