Hiking and Culture Short Break
Northern Romania
5 Days Tour
This tour is made especially for nature enthusiasts and hikers passionate for less beaten trails and solitary routes. The hiking holiday takes place in Rodnei National Park in Maramures.
The highest mountains of the Maramures region, Rodna Mountains, are the eastern end of an outlying arm of the Carpathians. This arm of the Carpathians has had the effect of isolating Maramures from the rest of Romania, and indeed the world. Maramures was never part of the Roman Imperial province of Dacia. Most subsequent invasions have passed it by, leaving its population little changed in millennia. Consequently, this is a region that has a greater tendency to maintain traditional ways than any other region of Romania. Apart from this, from the point of view of attractive countryside, the lowland landscapes of the Iza and Viseu Valleys are hard to beat anywhere. This national park shelters iconic mammals like the brown bear and the mysterious lynx, rare birds, and more than one thousand plant species.
Spend with a local guide 5 days of a responsible hiking holiday in one of the most beautiful natural parks of Romania.
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Day 2
Hiking Day - Pietrosul Rodnei Peak
Time: 7 - 8 hours
Distance: 15 Km
Altitude gain: + 1500 meters
Difficulty: Medium
The most famous and tallest peak in the area, Pietrosul Rodnei, has a height of 2303 meters and gives an open view of the surrounding mountains and valleys as it is the first landform in the chain.
We wake up at 7 o'clock in the morning.
After having breakfast, around 8 o'clock we'll start hiking. The hike is totally manageable for anyone until reaching the Meteorological Weather Station located at about 2000m. This part of the road has a length of about 4.5 kilometers and an altitude gain of 800 meters. It should take 2 hours to do.
Our first long stop will be at the Glacier Lake, where we will have a picnic and we will rest our feet.
We will continue to Pietrosu Peak. The path to the peak is constantly zig-zags until the top witch makes it challenging but accessible.
The final ascent is made on rock carved stairs that make it even easier. We will enjoy the view and have a well-earned rest after which we will start descending on the same path in order to reach our accommodation.
The hosts will wait for us with a romanian traditional dinner.
Equipment
Day 1
Road and Accommodation
Upon your arrival Your Curly Guide and your bus driver will wait for you at the airport (with a traditional welcome drink ) or they can pick you up from your hotel in Cluj-Napoca or Oradea.
We will travel by our bus to Borsa town where our accommodation is located at a family-run guesthouse or pension, with rooms having outstanding views of the mountains.
At dinner we will organize a BBQ and a campfire where Curly Guide will inform you about the activities of the next days and the rules of the national park.
Day 3
Vaser Valley Railway " MOCANITA "
We wake up at 8 am, we will have breakfast. Afterwards we will start our journey by minibus to Viseul de Sus. The trip takes 30 min.
At 9 am we will take the Mocanita steam train.
Vişeu de Sus departure 09:00
Paltin (km 21.6) Arrival approx. 11:00
Vişeu de Sus Arrival approx. 15:30
Paltin Station is the turning point for the regular steam trains. During a
longer stop (1-2 hours), passengers can make use of the catering service provided by the CFF team. Plenty of covered and open-air seating is available.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we will return to Borsa .
The hosts will wait for us with traditional romanian food. We will eat and spend nice time together.
Time: 5 hours
Distance: 15 Km
Difficulty: Medium
Day 4
Hiking Day - The largest waterfall in Romania and Stiol Lake
We wake up at 9 am and after having breakfast we will go by minibus to the chairlift in Borsa.
The chairlift will take us up close to the Horses Waterfall. After a 30 minute hike, we reach this beautiful waterfall. The waterfall is 90 meters high. The water gathers in something similar to a pool on top of the mountain and from there it falls on the limestone mountain side, known as Horses Bridge and falls in several stages making it the biggest waterfall in Romania. After enjoying the Horses Waterfall, we will continue our hiking on an easy route to Lake Stiol.
In the evening we will eat at a traditional restaurant in Borsa, Maramures.
Equipment
Day 5
Horseback riding day
Breakfast starts at 8 am.
On the last day of the tour we will travel to Budesti village. Budesti is home to one of the wooden churches on the UNESCO World Heritage list where we will see the chain mail and helmet that belonged to Pintea Viteazul, a true ''Robin Hood" from Maramures.
In Budesti we will have an initiation horseback riding tour :) fallowed by a delicious traditional Romanian lunch and a meeting with the locals.
After all these days of adventure, we will talk about the wonderful places we've been, about the next adventures which we plan and we will leave the Natural Park with a smile on our face and with a story that your future nephew wants to hear about it :)
Your Curly Guide and you buss driver will take you back to your accommodation or airport in Cluj Napoca or Oradea.
Ambur Staab
