Compare On top of Romania’s Two Highest Peaks, in Transylvanian Alps by Alpine Adventure Romania vs Halloween in Transylvania (Southbound) by Intrepid Travel

Day 1

We depart from Bucharest at 18.00 and head, by car, towards West passing by the city of Pitesti and then Curtea de Arges. Half an hour after Curtea de Arges we will be on “the most beautiful road in the world” and soon on the most spectacular dam in Romania. We must stop to see it, the vertical drop is huge.

We head then north following the “most beautiful road in the world”. We will spend the night at one of the guesthouses on this road.

Day 2

In the morning, as early as we can but no later than 8.00, 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. Now you should be cold and the only way to warm up is to start the hike.

We are now in Fagaras. This is the biggest, highest and probably most sought mountain massif in Romania in the summer months, while in winter it becomes a challenge. The range it is not called for nothing the Transylvanian Alps. And we are going to have a go for its second highest peak, Negoiu – 2535, following the ridge trail.

The first hour is tough. The second is a pleasure following the ridge. The end of the third one will find us having a short meal just beside Caltun glacier lake. At this point Negoiu is overpowering us and you must wonder which is the way through these vertical walls. But some chimneys, one of them called the Devil Chimney, solve the problem for us. In five hours since we started we should be breathless both because of the effort and of the view from the peak of Negoiu, the last one being simply spectacular in all directions.

We return to Balea on slightly different route which follows a trail underneath the ridgeline.

We will stay at the same guesthouse, as in the previous evening.

Day 3

8.30 AM is our departing hour. We return a little bit to the South and then enter a mountain road which we follow about 18 km.

At the junction of two rivers we leave the car(s) and start hiking. The path is steep and heads directly towards Romania’s highest peak – Moldoveanu (2544m). We stand on top of it after 4 tough hours.

All of Transylvania will be at our feet with its low plain of Fagaras and its rolling hills. The ridge of Fagaras itself seems never to finish and only Negoiu, far in the distance, the second peak of Romania that you climbed the day before, blocks the view.

We take advantage of the good hour and we return to our car(s) by other route. This time we will follow a little the spectacular ridge of the Transylvanian Alps up to Podul Giurgiului Glacier Lake.

We estimate to arrive in Bucharest by 22.00, depending on the traffic.

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.