Compare Hiking the 3 of the most beautiful mountains of Romania by Alpine Adventure Romania vs Halloween in Transylvania (Southbound) by Intrepid Travel

Day 1

We take the highway towards Pitesti and then Curtea de Arges lovely city. In half an hour from this city we will be then at the beginning of the Transfagarasan road. We will leave the car at a bend in the road and start our hiking tour. We slowly gain height following the river until the trail forces us to the steep banks and then it all starts: the first waterfalls and ladders and bridges come into view. Be prepared with the camera while paying attention where you put your feet on. You will want to take pictures at every corner.

And it goes like this, for about more than an hour. We might even need to pass through the water at some points along the route.

Finally, we feel sorry for actually finishing the canyon route. The remaining route takes us back in an arch to the most impressive dam lake. We must stop to see it, the vertical drop is huge. Then, by following the road, we descend to the car(s).

We take the car(s) and continue on the Transfagarasan road on the right side of the like toward Balea lake. We stop for the night at one of the cabins on this road just before the alpine landscape starts.

Day 2

We get up early, have breakfast and by 8.00 we are again on Transfagarasan road. We continue on this road (opened only from June to September) getting dizzy from time to time because of the sudden steep bends of the road and passing through 1Km tunnel we end up on the North side of the mountain at Balea glacier lake.

This is the spot where we leave the car(s) and start hiking.

In less than an hour, after climbing a rough slope we reach the main ridge trail of the Transylvanian Alps. Our objective for the day, Negoiu Peak, closes the Western horizon for us, after the long and spectacular section of ridge that we must pass in the following hours.

We follow then the ridgeline, climbing up and down several times, up to Caltun Glacier Lake, where the path broadens. The lake is surrounded by big boulders and the high walls of Lespezi and Caltun Peaks.

We continue towards our goal and after climbing up a beautiful chimney we are getting closer to our target. We reach finally the second highest peak of Romania after a five hours hike. In the distance both West and East, unnumbered peaks and ridges make the eye stop and wonder. Transylvania’s plains and hills are as well at our feet.

We return to Balea lake following a different path, under the ridge, on its South side.

10 or 11 hours after we started we are back at the car(s) and start descending the road towards Transylvania and Sibiu, the city where we will stay the next two nights.

Day 3

This is a rest day, dedicated to rural and urban impressions. Thus, we will enjoy Sibiu, a former cultural capital of Europe back in 2007. Our objectives or choice are the Museum of Village – a must see for the old houses which were build en purpose for preservation, the wonderful village of Rasinari and the old town of Sibiu, a wonderful Saxon imprint.

Day 4

It’s time for the second mountain of the tour. After the highest range of Romani, we aim for perhaps the most beautiful: Piatra Craiului.

We need to start early because before hiking we have some road distance to cover, following to the East the line of the Transylvanian Alps. We should start the hike before 10.00.

After we reach Zarnesti, the main city at the foot of Piatra Craiului, we take a Western country road which follows the river Barsa. In about 10 km we will be at the start of our hiking route. Almost all the West side of Piatra Craiului is visible from this spot offering us a continuous unbroken vertical wall of more than 1000m. It is breathtaking! And we shall go right at it.

Our trail of choice for climbing up is called Braul Cioranga Mare. As with all the other Western side routes of Piatra Craiului, we need first to reach the base of the wall through the steep path through the forest. We will reach in one hour and half the shelter called Hope which is strategically positioned at the food of several climbing routes.

Just behind the shelter we are starting on Braul itself – an ascending trail which goes parallel with the North-South direction of the mountain below the ridge. For more than two hours we will hike just beneath the huge amazing walls and, if we are lucky, we will see some shy mountain goats. The exit on the ridge is just on Varful Ascutit (the Sharpe Peak) which, contrary to its name, is not at all sharpen but rather round.

We are on the ridge and the view is magnificent: Zarnesti at hour feet and mountains all around us. But the true image that lingers long after we will be back in Bucharest is the long sharpen ridge of Piatra Craiului. And yes, there is a trail following it.

We are actually going to cover a little of the ridge itself. We head East following the ridge path up to another peak, called Padina Popii. From here we start to descend on a trail called Brana Caprei. It is as magnificent as the one we climbed up, but more direct and steeper.

We reach back the car(s) after an exhausting but rewarding day and stay on this river valley for the night.

Day 5

Maintaining the rhythm that we set up for the tour, respectively one day hiking and one day active rest by visiting the cultural landmarks of Transylvania, this is the day we reserved for visiting the core of the province.

Sighisoara is the main objective of the day, but not the only one. In about two hours and half by car we will be in the very heart of Transylvania. The medieval citadel of Sighisoara is one of a must see places in Transylvania. With its walls, churches, guild towers, restaurants this city is made to charm. Just keep in mind that the old medieval houses in the citadel are still inhabited. Every year here a medieval festival takes place.

On the way back to Brasov we pass to Viscri and other Saxon villages where we will visit the fortified old medieval churches. You know, here is where Prince Charles of England bought a farm and spends summers.

The evening will find us in Brasov, one of the most engaging cities of Romania and probably the best place to live if you are an outdoor enthusiast.

Day 6

The time has come for the third mountain of the tour. This time is Bucegi. As usually, we have a long and difficult hike in store for the day so we need to start up early. For about three hours we hike through a wood trail until we reach Malaiesti hut.  This is surrounded by a gorgeous ladscape. Just in front of the hut raises the huge wall of Bucsoiu.

After a break for a tea at the hut we continue through a highly glaciated landscape (with no glaciers of course). The trail gets steeper and will take us at the entrance of a huge and wide chimney which will take us 30 minutes to pass it.

We are now on the plateau of Bucegi Mountain and at our feet we have another glaciated valley, Gaura (the Hole), the biggest one of the Mountain. Finally, after 5 to 6 hours of hiking we are at the hut standing on top of the highest peak of Bucegi (2507). It is also the highest standing hut in Romania. Four valleys start around this peak which has a fantastic vantage point. The mountain resorts of the Valley of Prahova come into view. Piatra Craiului and Fagaras, the mountains we hiked the other days are lying to the West.

We start climbing down following the same route. We will eat a late lunch at Malaiesti hut and then finish the hike late evening. We will stay for the night in Rasnov.

Day 7

This day we return to Bucharest, but only after we experience a little bit more of Romania. We avoid the crowded Prahova valley and take probably the most beautiful pass of Romania which links Transylvania with the old kingdom of Romania.

We pass just below the Bran castle, where the Dracula legends were born and then a mountain road will take us in the Pestera village. This is a place for sure we would have liked to stay more. It is a spread village, we houses on top of each hill just between Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains. This is the most beautiful rural landscape of Romania.

After spending some hours in this village, we continue to South until we exit the mountains. At this very exit there is a Mausoleum, a reminder of the fights which took place here during the First World War. It is a interesting visit.

In two hours from here we are back in Bucharest.

Day 1 Cluj Napoca

Bună Ziua! Welcome to Cluj Napoca, the unofficial capital of Romania’s Transylvania region. After your evening welcome meeting, you might like to explore the 2000-year-old city, hit up the famous Piezisa Street for a drink, or head out for dinner with your group to get a taste of Romania’s unique cuisine.

Day 2 Turda Salt Mines / Cluj Napoca

In the morning, visit the Turda Salt Mines, a former salt mine converted into an underground amusement park, complete with ferries wheel. You can even hire a row boat and play bowling. There is also a fascinating museum showcasing the history of salt mining in the region. Salt is a common protective tool against all sorts of evil beings; legend has it that if you pour an unbroken line of salt across the entranceways to your house, vampires and demons won’t be able to get in. After your salt mine visit, return to Cluj for a city tour with a local guide. The remainder of the day is yours to explore. In the evening, dress up for a spooky Halloween party with your group.

Day 3 Sighisoara

Travel by train through pastoral fields and untouched Saxon towns to the 12th-century town of Sighisoara (approximately 3.5 hours). Medieval Sighisoara is likely to seduce visitors more than any other place in Romania. The town is famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, the ruler of Walachia province from 1456 to 1462 and whose name was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Walking through the town is like taking a trip back in time to the medieval age, and it’s easy to image streets crowded with vampires, evil counts, wolves, peasants riding through the untamed countryside on horse-drawn carts and crooked old men doddering along the narrow streets. Head out with your leader for a quick orientation walk, then spend the rest of your day exploring in your own time.

Day 4 Sighisoara / Viscri / Brasov

After a free morning in Sighisoara, travel to Viscri, less than an hour away (but it’ll feel like you’re entering another world). The small Transylvanian village of Viscri was originally inhabited by Saxons from the Luxembourg area, and the whole scene is picture-postcard rural. This idyllic village of red tiled roofs is a World Heritage site, virtually unchanged for 900 years. After a home cooked lunch at the house of a local family you’ll visit the town's fortified church (thought to be the oldest in Transylvania), and learn about the Sock Project, which supports the local Roma community. Continue on to the 13th-century city of Brasov in the afternoon. Also known by its German name of Kronstadt, this town flanked by mountains and city walls was once a major medieval trading centre.

Day 5 Bran Castle / Brasov

No trip to Romania would be complete without a visit to the famous Bran Castle. The castle was built by the Saxons in 1382 to defend the Bran pass against the invading Turks. With its fairy-tale turrets and whitewashed walls, it's far from menacing and spooky, but is undeniably impressive, perched on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees. Afterwards, return to Brasov and enjoy a guided walk around town, checking out the ornate churches, townhouses, old city walls, and squares surrounded by gingerbread-roofed merchants' houses. Visit Brasov's main attraction, the gothic Black Church (Biserica Neagra), which took its name from its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689.

Day 6 Bucharest

This morning, travel by train to Bucharest. Often called the 'Little Paris of the Balkans', Romania's capital is known for its Belle Epoch architecture, thumping nightlife and communist sites. Meet your local guide for a private tour of the city, starting with the recently restored old town of Bucharest, then some of the more significant sites of the revolution of 1989, which culminated in the ousting and execution of communist leader Ceausescu, and the end of Romania's 42-year communist rule. Bucharest likes big things – the tour will also stop by the huge Piata Unirii, one of Europe's largest squares, and continue on to the ‘Ceausima’, Bucharest's 12-storey Palace of Parliament. The palace is the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon). The former dictator ordered the construction of this monster, a building of staggering scale and opulence that includes 1,100 rooms and 4,500 chandeliers.

Day 7 Bucharest

Your Halloween tour ends today. There are no activities planned for the final day and you can depart your accommodation at any time. If you want to stay longer in Bucharest please check about additional accommodation when you make your booking.