Romania hiking tour

Let's hit the road to the trailhead at Zarnesti Gorges! Our journey begins with a gentle hike through a narrow limestone canyon, a former cave whose ceiling collapsed millions of years ago, creating the breathtaking Zarnesti Gorges.After about 3 hours of hiking, we'll arrive at Curmatura chalet where we'll indulge in a hearty lunch on the terrace surrounded by stunning jagged peaks and fairy-tale meadows. On our way down we'll follow a different route facing the dramatic western ridge of Bucegi National ParkHead back to our cozy lodge in Bran for a well-deserved overnight stayDistance 13 km, ascent 600 Meters, descent 600 meters – Duration about 5 hours

We drive just 10 minutes to the head of the trail, where our gentle ascent begins alongside charming households filled with grazing sheep, chickens, and cows. After only 45 minutes, we'll arrive at the tiniest and most remote village, Maguricea. Here, houses sit atop the mountains without roads, and some even without electricity, yet people have lived there for centuries.Two more hours later, we'll reach today's highest point where we will enjoy our picnic lunch surrounded by fabulous viewsAs we make our way down, we'll explore the scenic Magura Village and later visit Bran Castle in the afternoon. This medieval masterpiece was built in the 14th century and witnessed countless battles during its 600-year existence. You'll also learn how Bram Stocker chose this castle to be the home of the terrifying Count Dracula! What an adventure! Finally, we'll transfer back to our cozy lodge in Bran to rest and recount the day's eventsDistance 10 km, ascent 300 Meters, descent 300 meters – Duration about 5 hours

Today we'll take it a bit easier We will explore the medieval city of Brasov. As a young fugitive prince, Dracula spent several years in Brasov, an important community whose support was crucial to his return to the throne of the neighboring country, Wallachia (at that time Wallachia and Transylvania were separate countries) Enjoy a guided walk through this 13th century Saxon city. The main highlight is the Council Square, the Gothic Black Church – blackened by a fire more than 300 years ago – and the “Rope Street” – one of the narrowest streets in Europe. Outside of the city walls, we get to the Black Tower for an amazing panorama over the old Brasov.Hike to the top of Mount Tampa – a 2.5 hours trail starting from the historic center of Brasov. At the top, you will get an amazing view over the medieval town 200 meters below your feet.Explore the 13th-century, mountaintop fortress at Rasnov Fortress. One of the most spectacular strongholds of Transylvania, built in the 13 Th century by the Teutonic Knights, Rasnov Fortress is one of the top 10 snow castles in the world according to Conde Nast TravelerThe fortress was enlarged by the villagers of Rasnov and it became a small walled city protecting the villagers from the invaders. The villagers had to build an impressive 480 feet deep well, to get the vital water needed during prolonged sieges, weeks or months long. The construction took 17 years of hard labor, under precarious conditions.Return for the night at Bran

The trail starts at 1100 meters altitude up to the scenic Strunga saddle at 1900 meters altitude. At this point, we cross the former border between Transylvania and Wallachia. World War 1 trenches are still visible here as this spot was heavily disputed by the Romanian and German armies This is a good spot to take out our lunch box and enjoy the scenery. We continue around the back of a jagged ridge then start our descend through a small smoothed opening in the ridge. The descent gets steeper as we approach the bottom of the valley but nothing dangerous.Return to the lodge for the night Distance 18 Km Ascent 850 Meters Descent 850 Meters Duration 6.5 Hours

If your return flight is in the afternoon, we can pack another short hike in the morning to the scenic village of Fundata, for a last epic view of the Carpathian mountainsTransfer back to Bucharest Airport or a hotel in Bucharest.Please allow a 3-hour drive from Bran to Bucharest airport if you plan to fly out the same day