Walking in Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains

Day 1: Bucharest – Brașov

Arrive in and explore Brasov on your own. If you fly to Bucharest, Brașov is accessible via a two hour train ride or a private transfer. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brașov exudes a distinct medieval ambience. Visit the medieval fortress, the Black Church and stroll the beautiful streets of the old town. Optional visit 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, (€8 pp). Overnight in a boutique hotel, located in the very heart of the old city of Brașov.

• Accommodation: 3-star hotel Safrano Palace or similar

Day 2: Brașov – Mount Tampa – Bran | 7km

After breakfast, start your hike in the Tampa mountain (96 m) overlooking Brașov. The view from the summit is spectacular, offering a panoramic view of the city. The route is easy; you can take the cable car to the top and go down on foot (round trip about two hours). Transfer to Bran (40mins, 30km), where you can visit Bran Castle, a.k.a. Dracula’s Castle (entrance fee not included, €10 pp). You will spend the night in a 3-star hotel located downtown, less than a 5-minute walk from Bran Castle.

• Walking for the day: 7km, 2h, ↑260m ↓270m
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel Casa Din Bran Inn Center or similar

Day 3: Bran – Moieciu de Sus | 18km

After breakfast, walk to the shepherds’ village of Simon, known for its special smoked cheese. The sheep are milked twice into wooden buckets, ready to be coagulated with lamb rennet and cut into curds with rustic wooden tools. After forming balls of curd, the shepherds slice them into pieces and knead them back together. Wheels of finished cheese, ranging in size from softballs to beach balls, hang in canvas cloths outside. They are ready to eat after three or four days but can be aged weeks longer on wooden planks. The path is of easy to medium difficulty, through forest and meadows, with great views of both the mountains and the Bran area with its mountain villages. Continue to Moieciu de Sus, where you will spend the night in a 3-star hotel, set in the foothills of Bucegi Mountains.

• Walking for the day: 18km, 5.5h, ↑720m ↓530m
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel Vlahia Inn or similar

Day 4: Moieciu de Sus – Măgura | 22km

Today’s trek takes you deep into Piatra Craiului with its jagged ridges, spectacular views, a variety of trails and sights, and the silence that reigns in this stone fortress of the Carpathians. Visit Fundata – the highest village in Romania (1,304m). It is said that the cheese made in fir bark was invented in Fundata and that here is where you can find the best smoked cheese in Romania. Travel back in time while passing the village of Sirnea, where less than 300 people live in old homes wrapped with shingles. At the end of the day, you will reach Măgura village, located at an altitude of 1,000m above sea level, right in the middle of Piatra Craiului National Park. Spend the next two nights in a charming guesthouse in Măgura with the beautiful landscape right at your fingertips.

• Walking for the day: 22km, 6.5h, ↑610m ↓560m
• Accommodation: Guesthouse Pensiunea Pepino or similar

Day 5: Circular walk Măgura | 5 to 10km

Do your first warm-up walk in Piatra Craiului National Park. It is a gentle and nice route, crossing the beautiful mountain village of Pestera. On your way, explore the famous Pestera Lilecilor (Bats Cave). Access to the cave is through a small passageway, after which you will reach a small grotto that continues with a 15m corridor. The cave reaches 162m in length and consists of several rooms with richly coloured ceilings and where one can encounter calcareous formations (which are known as ‘tears of the earth’). Your next walk brings you high up the Piatra Craiului massif, where you can enjoy its narrow ridge, shaped like a spine of a gigantic dragon.

• Walking for the day (walk 1): 10km, 3h ↑360m ↓360m
• Walking for the day (walk 2): 7km, 2.5h, ↑310m ↓310m
• Accommodation: Guesthouse Pensiunea Pepino or similar

Day 6: Măgura – Zărnești | 15km

Today you will walk through Piatra Craiului National Park. Start the trek from the guesthouse by crossing the impressive Zărnești Gorges up to Curmatura hut (where you can have lunch) and then continue to your guesthouse in Zărnești.

• Walking for the day: 15km, 5-6h, ↑590m ↓850m
• Accommodation: 3-star Guesthouses Hora cu Brazi, Aliart or similar

Day 7: Rasnov – Brașov | 16.5km

Short transfer (15mins) to Rasnov Fortress, located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains, 198m above the town of Rasnov. First mentioned in an official document in 1331, the fortress was built by Teutonic Knights as protection against invading Tartars and was later enlarged by the local Saxon population. Strategically located on the commercial route linking the provinces of Transylvania and Walachia, Rasnov differs from other Saxon fortresses in that it was designed as a place of refuge over extended periods of time. As such, it had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel and other buildings more commonly associated with a village. From there you cross the Postavarul Mountains, walk to up to Poiana and then you descend to Rasnov, Overnight in Brașov.

• Walking for the day: 16.5km, 5h, ↑430m ↓540m
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel Safrano Palace or similar

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast, take the train to Bucharest or book your private transfer directly to the Bucharest airport.