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CASTLES AND VILLAGES OF THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS / Romania
Castles and villages of the Carpathian Mountains / Romania
INTRODUCTION:
4 Mountains in 7 days: Piatra Mare (Big Stone) Mountain, Piatra Craiului National Park (King Stone), Bucegi Natural Park and Postavaru Mountain
4 Mountains in 7 days: Piatra Mare (Big Stone) Mountain, Piatra Craiului National Park (King Stone), Bucegi Natural Park and Postavaru Mountain
DATES: Request
DURATION: 7 days
DIFFICULTY: Easy to Medium
DURATION: 7 days
DIFFICULTY: Easy to Medium
ITINERARY:
DAY 1. Meet up at Bucharest Airport (or in your hotel in Bucharest) for a private transfer to Brasov, where you will stay overnight. Tour briefing. (2:30-3:00hrs drive).
DAY 2. Breakfast. Transfer Brasov – to starting point of first trekking day: Piatra Mare Mountain (10 km). You start the trekking tour to the top of the mountain on yellow stripe sign (2 – 3 hours to the Chalet Piatra Mare – 1628 m) trekking through 7 Ladders canyon. This route is a medium one with narrow path, sometimes steep. Optional: hike to the top of the mountain (1843 m), from the Chalet, round trip about 2 hours.You go down on the red stripe sign (about 2 hours). This route is an easy to medium one. The Seven Ladders Canyon it is one of the main attractions for the tourists hiking the rocky paths of the Piatra Mare (Big Rock) mountain. Transfer to Brasov. (7-8 hours, medium to hard effort, uphill/downhill walk: 800 m/800 m, appr. 16 km).
DAY 3. Breakfast. Transfer Brasov – Bran town (30 km). Second day of trekking: Piatra Craiului National Park – Magura village - an authentic and cozy mountain village. You start the trekking tour from Bran, on the red stripe sign on the main route which link Bucegi Mountains to the Piatra Craiului National Park. The route is easy to medium, through forest and meadows, with great views to both mountains and to the Bran area with his mountain villages. In about 2 hours you see the Magura mountain village. At one moment the path goes down directly to the main road of Magura village, you walk about 2 km and you reach to a junction. Here you turn to the left and after 300 m you see the guesthouse. Accommodation. (4-5 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 400 m/400 m, appr. 8 km). Accommodation in a village guesthouse in Magura Village, depending of the availabilities!
P.S. This is a relatively short day, when you can fit the sightseeing of Bran Castle just before starting the walk.
DAY 4. Breakfast. The heart of Piatra Craiului National Park - Pestera Village – Curmatura chalet (1470 m) - Magura village. From the guesthouse you continue the trek to the next mountain village Pestera, about 2 km. You reach to a junction and from here you turn to the right and continue the trekking tour on the red cross sign, about 1 – 1:30 h, to the La table point (this is a cross point where 8 trekking routes meet). From here you follow the same sign, red cross, follow 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. The road now is a forest one. 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 to Zarnesti town, the main gate to the National Park, following the yellow dot (2 hours of descending – easy). At some point you reach to a small metal bridge (on your right), you cross the spring and walk up about 30 minutes to the guesthouse in Magura village. (6-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 500 m/ 700 m, appr. 16 km).
DAY 5. Breakfast. Transfer from the pension to the starting point of the trekking tour in Bucegi Natural Park (about 45 minutes of driving). 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, till 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 cheese made here (from June to September) for an small extra cost or cigarettes. From the sheep farm you follow the red triangle sign from the rocks or metal poles. At some point, 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 hours you reach to the main forest road, for the meeting point. Transfer to Brasov for accommodation - about 1 hour of driving. (5-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 800 m/ 800 m, appr. 14 km).
DAY 6. Breakfast. You deserve a resting day today for leisure. Hike on the Tampa mountain (960 m). 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 by foot (round trip about 2 hours). Optional Brasov walking tour by night with guide.
DAY 7. Breakfast. Transfer to Poiana Brasov resort – the main ski resort in Romania (12 km). Trekking in Postavaru Mountain. You will trek to the Postavaru Mountain, from Poiana Brasov ski resort (1200 m) to the highest peak (1799 m). It is not very high, thus not as spectacular as other mountains in the Carpathians, but it has some good ski slopes and beautiful scenery. The route is easy to medium. You can take the cable car and go down by foot (about 2 hours).Transfer Poiana Brasov – Brasov. Accommodation. (4-5 hours, medium, uphill/downhill walk: 700 m/700 m, appr. 10 km).
DAY8. Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.
DAY 1. Meet up at Bucharest Airport (or in your hotel in Bucharest) for a private transfer to Brasov, where you will stay overnight. Tour briefing. (2:30-3:00hrs drive).
DAY 2. Breakfast. Transfer Brasov – to starting point of first trekking day: Piatra Mare Mountain (10 km). You start the trekking tour to the top of the mountain on yellow stripe sign (2 – 3 hours to the Chalet Piatra Mare – 1628 m) trekking through 7 Ladders canyon. This route is a medium one with narrow path, sometimes steep. Optional: hike to the top of the mountain (1843 m), from the Chalet, round trip about 2 hours.You go down on the red stripe sign (about 2 hours). This route is an easy to medium one. The Seven Ladders Canyon it is one of the main attractions for the tourists hiking the rocky paths of the Piatra Mare (Big Rock) mountain. Transfer to Brasov. (7-8 hours, medium to hard effort, uphill/downhill walk: 800 m/800 m, appr. 16 km).
DAY 3. Breakfast. Transfer Brasov – Bran town (30 km). Second day of trekking: Piatra Craiului National Park – Magura village - an authentic and cozy mountain village. You start the trekking tour from Bran, on the red stripe sign on the main route which link Bucegi Mountains to the Piatra Craiului National Park. The route is easy to medium, through forest and meadows, with great views to both mountains and to the Bran area with his mountain villages. In about 2 hours you see the Magura mountain village. At one moment the path goes down directly to the main road of Magura village, you walk about 2 km and you reach to a junction. Here you turn to the left and after 300 m you see the guesthouse. Accommodation. (4-5 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 400 m/400 m, appr. 8 km). Accommodation in a village guesthouse in Magura Village, depending of the availabilities!
P.S. This is a relatively short day, when you can fit the sightseeing of Bran Castle just before starting the walk.
DAY 4. Breakfast. The heart of Piatra Craiului National Park - Pestera Village – Curmatura chalet (1470 m) - Magura village. From the guesthouse you continue the trek to the next mountain village Pestera, about 2 km. You reach to a junction and from here you turn to the right and continue the trekking tour on the red cross sign, about 1 – 1:30 h, to the La table point (this is a cross point where 8 trekking routes meet). From here you follow the same sign, red cross, follow 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. The road now is a forest one. 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 to Zarnesti town, the main gate to the National Park, following the yellow dot (2 hours of descending – easy). At some point you reach to a small metal bridge (on your right), you cross the spring and walk up about 30 minutes to the guesthouse in Magura village. (6-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 500 m/ 700 m, appr. 16 km).
DAY 5. Breakfast. Transfer from the pension to the starting point of the trekking tour in Bucegi Natural Park (about 45 minutes of driving). 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, till 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 cheese made here (from June to September) for an small extra cost or cigarettes. From the sheep farm you follow the red triangle sign from the rocks or metal poles. At some point, 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 hours you reach to the main forest road, for the meeting point. Transfer to Brasov for accommodation - about 1 hour of driving. (5-7 hours, medium effort, uphill/downhill walk: 800 m/ 800 m, appr. 14 km).
DAY 6. Breakfast. You deserve a resting day today for leisure. Hike on the Tampa mountain (960 m). 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 by foot (round trip about 2 hours). Optional Brasov walking tour by night with guide.
DAY 7. Breakfast. Transfer to Poiana Brasov resort – the main ski resort in Romania (12 km). Trekking in Postavaru Mountain. You will trek to the Postavaru Mountain, from Poiana Brasov ski resort (1200 m) to the highest peak (1799 m). It is not very high, thus not as spectacular as other mountains in the Carpathians, but it has some good ski slopes and beautiful scenery. The route is easy to medium. You can take the cable car and go down by foot (about 2 hours).Transfer Poiana Brasov – Brasov. Accommodation. (4-5 hours, medium, uphill/downhill walk: 700 m/700 m, appr. 10 km).
DAY8. Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.
