Western Carpathians, Hiking Tour
Romania 5 Days
The Mountains, where we will spend the five days of hiking, are called Trasca Mountains, harmoniously combine and create an idyllic natural environment, perfect for adventure and relaxation. The high regions dominated by smooth hills and rich forests closely follow the low regions, with bright glades and haystacks. Even if it doesn’t impress with defying heights, the massif charms you with the complexity of the karst relief, with sinuous declivities and thatch-roofed houses. The Trasca‘u Mountains reveal incredibly picturesque sceneries, of bright green in summer and rubiginous in autumn. Along the trails, you will not only discover numerous gorges and caves, cold springs and clear pans, but also the simple lifestyle of the moti (Romanians living in the Apuseni mountains), in tune with nature. We invite you to discover this colorful part of the world with a local guide, wo can't wait to share his knowledge about nature and wildlife with you. We belive that after this experience you will feel very relaxed and ready to resume your daily life. This trip will burn stress and calories :), the tour starts in CLuj Napoca with pick up from your accommodation.
Autumn
Summer
Winter
Turda Gorges
Scarita Belioara
'The Sleeping Giant'
Dragon Land
Ardascheia
Day 4: The Dragons’ Gate situated on the limestone plateau of the Bedeleu, an immense stone arcade marking the entrance into the cave bearing the same name. It is considered the oldest cavern in the Trasca‘u Mountains and it is adorned with very fragile formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
The legend: It is said that once, there was a dragons’ castle here. The dragons would come down to the villages quite rarely, but especially during the round-dance festivities, and they would take the appearance of humans. They would dance with the most beautiful girls, then kidnap them and take them to the mountains. When the villagers found out about the dragons’ mischievous habits, they tore down the castle and burned the surrounding forests. What was left of the palace was the imposing gate, presently reminding of this legend.
Distance : 19 km
Elevation Gain : 620 m
Max Elevation : 1369 m
Total time : 9 h
Technical Difficulty : Moderate
Day 2: Scarita-Belioara Geobotanical Reservation, an area made of mountain peaks shaped like steeples, along with very many small caves: The Red Cave, Filip’s Cave, The Bottomless Cave, The Monk’s Cave, etc. The fairytale-like view is given by the ivory rocky walls and by the rich forests which are home to rare plant species, among which gentians, sweet peas, martagon lilies, mountain avenses. The sceneries, especially those opening over belvedere points are relaxing; nature’s splendid creation deserves a layover here in order to be admired.
Distance : 12 km
Elevation Gain : 767 m
Max Elevation : 1347 m
Total time : 7 h
Technical Difficulty : Moderate
Day 1: According to the researches of Erasmus Julius Nyárády, there are 964 species of flowering plants and ferns and 63 species of trees and shrubs in the Gorge and its area. Out of these 790 are field species, 172 are alpine. The rarest plant is the Allium obliquum, commonly known as lop-sided onion or twisted-leaf onion. Beside the Gorge, the twisted-leaf onion grows only beyond the Volga River, south of the Ural Mountains and in the mountains of Central Asia. The Gorge is also “home” to rare species of butterflies, the common wall lizard, the golden eagle , the common rock thrush, the wallcreeper , the rock bunting and the bats living is in the caves.
The legend: According to the myth, Saint Ladislaus, while escaping the Cumans, cut the cliff in two with his sword, or it was a sign from God. The Saint Ladislaus coins (fossils) were scattered by the Cumans to distract the Hungarian soldiers chasing them. However, the coins were turned into stone, as sign of divine providence, answering Saint Ladislaus’ prayers. In 1241 General Gyula Kendi took refuge here, then attacking the army of Batu Khan, he defeated the Mongolians.
Distance : 9 km
Elevation Gain : 339 m
Max Elevation : 774 m
Total time : 4 h
Technical Difficulty : Moderate
Day 3: Rock of the Szeklers is a limestone hill, with no trees, elongated but interrupted by a ravine. The Northern part of this ravine is called Várko. Because of this ravine and the huge size of this landmark the villagers living in the Northern part of Rimetea witness a strange phenomenon: the sun rises two times in the same day.
Distance : 9 km
Elevation Gain : 764 m
Max Elevation : 1200 m
Total time : 6h 30 min
Technical Difficulty : Moderate
Day 5:On the last day, a beautiful hike awaits us in a wild world full of vegetation, we will wake up in the morning o catch the sunrise and then we will head to the top of Ardascheia where we will have an overview of thee area. Here at the top we will have a picnic and we will talk about the days spent in these spectacular mountains.
Distance : 14 km
Elevation Gain : 883 m
Max Elevation : 1286 m
Total time : 8 h
Technical Difficulty : Moderate
Accommodation will be in the traditional village of Rimetea
