Itinerary: 8 Day Romania Self Guided Walk.
Day 1: Bucharest – Brasov
Arrive in Bucharest, the capital of Romania and start your transfer to Brasov. Brasov is accessable from Bucharest by train (approx 2hrs) or a private transfer can be arranged. Brasov was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, it exudes a distinct medieval ambience. Visit the medieval fortress, the Black Church and stroll the beautiful streets of the old town. Optional visit (minimum 4 people) of Rhein Azuga Cellar 1892, former Supplier of Romania’s Royal Court. Here you can discover the story of an exceptional sparkling wine that holds the secrets of the traditional method and will impress you with quality and freshness (wine tasting not included, €25 pp).
Accommodation in Brasov.
Day 2: Bran Castle – Rural villages, local foods and a gentle trail.
Today you will visit Bran Castle (Dracula Fame) and afterwards transferred to Magura village, where you will be staying.
Today you do a gentle and very nice walk crossing the beautiful mountain villages Magura and Pestera (on a wide road, about 3 hours, approx. 8 – 9 km. There is an option to visit the oldest guesthouse in the National Park (depending of availability) for a cheese tasting and/or an eco lunch – it costs around €10.
Experience the traditional Transylvanian way of life on a gentle walk to the rural villages of Magura (“Small Hill”) and Pestera (“The Cave”) and learn about a way of life that’s slowly disappearing. Nestled in the Piatra Craiului National Park Mountains in the Southern Carpathians, the villages of Pestera an Magura offer an authentic glimpse into rural Romanian life.
Optional stop to the oldest guesthouse in the National Park. Meet some of the farmers, and sample two-three different kinds of cheese. After working up an appetite, you can have a hearty lunch. Savor simple Romanian cuisine homemade from local farm-fresh ingredients including eggs, vegetables or pork. Purchase beer or wine to top off your meal.
In those 2 villages the people never died because of cancer or heart attack – they leave an healthy life: working the land, taking care of animals (sheep and cows), preparing and eating home made food from their small farm (meat, eggs, milk), drinking fresh water from the spring and home made alcoholic drink called “tuica” made from different fruits as apples, plumps, pears!
The road you follow from the guesthouse is a wide one, making a circular walk through the 2 mountain villages. From the guesthouse you follow the road to the right and walk about 900 m. You reach to a junction: here you follow the road which goes to the left – down – (you see a sign with a Monastery) for about 400 m. You reach to a junction: you follow the main road to the left – up – for another 2.5 km when you reach to another junction. In front of you, left side, you have an hotel (Nobilis). You follow the road having the Nobilis Hotel on your left side – up. After about 700 m you reach to the oldest guesthouse in the National Park – Casa Folea (orange one – on your right). Here you can have the cheese tasting and/or eco lunch. From Casa Folea you follow the road for about 270 m and turn to the right – up. You follow this road for about 3 km and you reach in front of your guesthouse.
Walk Details: 3-4 hours, easy to medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 200 m/200 m, appr. 8 km).
P.S. This is a relatively short day, when you can fit the sightseeing of Bran Castle just before starting the walk.
Day 3: Piatra Craiului National Park and Pestra Village
The heart of Piatra Craiului National Park – Pestera Village – Curmatura chalet (1470 m) – Magura village. From Nea Marin boarding house you continue ahead, to Pestera Village, following the white and red striped signage. You will pass by the houses of two villages, Magura and Pestera and on towards a monastery. You continue the trekking tour on the red cross sign, about 1 – 1 ½ hour, to the “La table” point. Continue through some nice and large meadows, hardwood and pine forest to the bottom of the Piatra Craiului Mountain (“Rock of the King” or “King’s Stone”) for about 30 minutes. You reach to a junction in about 30 minutes, you turn to the left and follow the forest road that climbs into the forest. After 20 minutes with no signs, you see 2 signs, red and yellow triangle which go to the Curmatura chalet (about 1 hour). So, from the guesthouse to Curmatura chalet you supposed to walk between 3 and 4 hours on a medium route. You can have lunch to the chalet and than you continue the trek back to Magura village, following the yellow stripe (2 hours of descending – easy).
Walk Details: 6-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 500 m/ 700 m, approx. 22 km).
Day 4: Magura Village – Pestera – Sirnea – Fundata
Today you will pass by a few beautiful mountain villages in National Park Piatra Craiului – Magura – Pestera – Sirnea (the first touristic village of Romania) – Fundata.
Walk Details: 4-6 hours, 15 km, +1083m/-890m.
Accommodation in a hand-picked 3-star guesthouse in Fundata village for 3 nights.
Day 5: Fundata Circular Walk
Today you will have a circular walk around the village of Fundata (3 – 4 hours, easy to medium, uphill/downhill walk: 300 m/300 m). Surrounded by the Bucegi Mountains and the Piatra Craiului Mountains, Fundata’s altitude of 1,360 m makes it the highest village in Romania.
Walk Details: 3-4 hours, 10 km, 300 m elevation gain, 300 m elevation loss.
Accommodation in a hand-picked 3-star guesthouse in Fundata village
Day 6: Bucegi Natural Park
Today you follow the yellow triangle sign, on a wide forest road, for about 1 – 1 ½ hour. After that you cross a small river and start to climb a steep part, with forest, for about 20 minutes, and you reach in a nice meadow. Stop for a rest and than continue the route, now much easier, until in a big meadow with a former sheep farm on the right side.
Optional: From this point in about 1 hour, round trip, you can visit, following the red cross sign, the “Evil waterfall”. Back in the meadow you follow the metal poles with blue triangle sign, crossing the meadow from left to the right, in diagonal, uphill. You go mainly up from here and in about 1 hour you reach to a forest road and than to a sheep farm.
You can make a stop and taste the fresh cheese made here (from June to September) for a small extra cost. From the sheep farm you follow the red triangle sign from the rocks or metal poles. After 1 km from the sheep farm, you see a big rock with the sign on it. You follow the sign, pass nearby a former Hunting house, now in ruin, and in about 1-1 ½ hours you reach to the main forest road. You continue your walk to the guesthouse in Bran – Moeciu de Sus area.
Walk Details: 5-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 800 m/ 800 m, appr. 14 km.
Transfer back to the guesthouse.
Day 7: Seven Ladders Canyon
Transfer to Piatra Mare Mountain. You will walk almost to the top of the mountain (2 – 3 hours to the Chalet Piatra Mare – 1,628 m) passing through the beautiful Seven Ladders Canyon. Optional: hike to the top of the mountain (1,843 m), from the Chalet, round trip about 2 hours more. Walk back down (2 hours). Transfer to Brasov.
Walk Details: 7-8 hours, 16 km, 800 m elevation gain, 800 m elevation loss.
Accommodation: Hand-picked guesthouse close to the main square and the old town of Brasov.
Day 8: Departure or Onward Travel
Today is the last day of you trip and we hope that you enjoyed this beautiful part of Romania.
(optional private transfer to Bucharest International Airport)
