Distance to the objective: 12 km (E00) 

In the spectacular rift downstream Ardeu village, where the attractiveness of the calcareous rocks over the water is more illustrative than anywhere else, Ardeu river, as powerful as Cib goes through the second gap sector of the Ardeu Gap, which is only 500 m long. Althou the dimension of the gap is really modest, the form exhibits truly amazing genesis and evolution particularities, completely different from the other gaps in the region. The uniqueness comes from the transversal profile broadness, “U” shaped with really narrow arms, so that in the upper parts, where the flow of the river is reduced, it manages to water the entire water bed.The walls that encloses the gap are vertical, the right wall being 200 m height and the left one a little smaller. From a plane perspective, the gap has a heel plate shape. No matter the reduced dimensions, the attractiveness of Ardeului Gap is really amazing. 

Besides the height of the right wall, another important feature of the gap is the somptuous entrance in the Coapta Sârbilor Cave (51 m long), well masked by a dense wall of trees. The pit (career) on the edge of the gap could completely ruin the tourism potential, but exploitation was  stopped because of the archeological discoveries in the area. Thus, Ardeului Gap represents a unique example illustrating the water predilection to run through calcareous rocks, even when softer rocks are around. 

The way to go if you want to visit the gap starts from Geoagiu-Balșa road, from where Cetățuia hill starts, after 200 m from the road we follow the river course, downstream or upstream, from one end to the other end of the gap. Because even when the water flow is really low, the water bed is flooded, when crossing the gap, unavoidably, one should pass through water.