Trip duration (days): 13
Required gear: sleeping bag, sleeping mattress, tent, camping stove and gas, backpack, trekking boots, waterproof and warm layers of clothes, frontlight, binoculars – you’ll have a complete list by email within 2 weeks of departure.
Accommodation: Tents and basic shelters. Chalets, guest houses and hotels may sometimes be an option (at your own expense).

1^ST DAY – Bucharest – Piatra Craiului Mountain

• Level rating: easy
• Highlights: – From Bucharest International Airport or Bucharest, by car, to Bran – visit of Bran Castle, then Râsnov Fortress and, in the evening, arriving at the foot of Piatra Craiului. The sunset on the limestone rock face is really impressive from this location. After setting up tent you will serve your first picnic-dinner (included) on the mountain.
• Accommodation: Tents near Plaiul Foii chalet, or Plaiul Foii chalet (should you want to book a room at Plaiul Foii, we should know as early as possible before in order to make the booking).

2^ND DAY – Plaiu Foii – Spirla shelter – chasing bears

• Level rating: easy to medium, 3-4 hours.
• Highlights: Wildlife observation from a good sighting spot (if we’ll get lucky, we may see some bears), and Zaplaz natural rock formation (if time permits).
• Accommodation: Spirla shelter (minimal conditions) or tents near Spirla shelter.

8:00 Breakfast (included)
09:00 Leaving our previous night’s camp site for Spirla Shelter
11:30 Pitching up the tents for the new camp site
12:00 Picnic lunch (included)

13:00 After lunch, we meet up with the park rangers to take us to a spotting place for the brown bears. (EUR 25,- photo tax for personal use or EUR50,- photo tax for commercial use are not included )
20:00 We’re back at camp and preparing our picnic dinner.

3^rd DAY –Spirla shelter – Ceardacu Stanciului – Funduri saddle

• Level rating: medium to difficult,  5-6 hours.
• Highlights: Piatra Craiului’s west walls, The Great Scree, Ceardacului Cave.
• Accommodation: Funduri shelter (minimal conditions) or tents near Funduri shelter

8:00 Breakfast (included)
09:00 Leaving our previous night’s camp site and heading towards the Great Scree
13:00 Picnic lunch (included) under the beautiful arcade near Stanciu’s Cave
16:00 Reaching Funduri’ Saddle the southmost extremety of the main ridge of Piatra Craiului
19:00 Dinner (included)

4^th DAY – Funduri saddle – ‘La table’ – Grind 1 shelter – Grind 2 shelter (on the main ridge) – optional return to sleep near Grind 1.

Grind Shelter

• Level rating: medium to difficult,  7-8 hours.
• Highlights: Piatra Craiului east walls, some sheepfolds, the main ridge.
• Accommodation: Grind 1 or 2 shelter (minimal conditions) or tents in the vicinity.

8:00 Breakfast (included)
09:00 Leaving our previous night’s camp site and heading towards “La table” area
13:00 Picnic lunch (included) in “La table” area
15:00 Reaching Grind I shelter and moving onwards to Grind II shelter located up on the ridge
17:00 Arrival at Grind II, located on the narrow ridge close to Piatra Craiului’s highest point “La om” peak.
19:00 Dinner (included)

5^TH DAY – Grind 1 (or 2, it depends on where we’ll choose to sleep) – Prăpăstiile Zărneștilor Gorge – Zărnești town – Sinaia mountain resort.

• Level rating: easy to medium,  4-5 hours easy hiking, then 2 hours by car.
• Highlights: Prăpăstiile Zărneștilor – spectacular gorge, arrival in Sinaia mountain resort in the evening.
• Accomodation: a guest house in Sinaia.

8:00 Breakfast (included)
09:00 Leaving our previous night’s camp site and heading towards the town of Zărnesti (4h) where we meet our driver who will take us to Sinaia
14:00 Lunch in Predeal (not included)
17:00 Reaching Sinaia and checking in to our accommodation
19:00 Dinner (not included)
Take the time in Sinaia to relax after the first trekking session

6^th DAY  – Sinaia – Peleș and Pelișor Royal Castles and transfer to Sighisoara

Peles

A day of relaxation visiting museums in Sinaia in the morning and exploring Sighisoara’s medieval center in the evening
• Highlights: Peles and Pelisor Castles, Sighisoara medieval city, the place where Vlad Tepes, who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula fictional character was born.
• Accommodation: a guest house Sighisoara.
09:00 Breakfast (included)
10:00 We are going to visit the famous Peles and Pelisor castles, as well as the Sinaia monastery (entry fees not included).
14:00 Lunch in Sinaia (not included)
18:00 Arrival at Sighisoara and check in.
19:00 Dinner (not included)

7^th DAY – Sighișoara – Sibiu medieval city – Alba Iulia – Pietroasa

Sighisoara

Transfer by car from Sighisoara to Pietroasa
• Highlights: Visiting Sighisoara medieval city, with the clock tower, torture chamber and other interesting sites
Visiting the city of Sibiu, medieval city in the middle of Transylvania and European Cultural Capital in 2007.
• Accommodation: Tents near Pietroasa Village
09:00 Breakfast (included)
You will have the morning to visit Sighisoara’s historical sites and afterwards we move on to Sibiu where we will have lunch (not included)
14:00 Lunch (not included)
20:00 Arrival at Pietroasa
20:00 Picnic dinner (included) after
pitching up the tents.

8^th DAY – Hiking in Apuseni mountains

Apuseni Mountains

• Level rating: easy- 4-5 hours easy hiking.
• Highlights: Poiana Glăvoi area
• Accomodation: tents

09:00 Breakfast (included)
10:00 We pack the tents and start our easy hike up the mountain
14:00 Picnic lunch (included)
16:00 Arrival at Glăvoi area, where we will set up our camp.
17:00 Relaxation to recover form the long roadtrip
19:00 Picnic dinner. (included)

9^th DAY – Hiking  and caving in Apuseni Mountains – Ponor Fortresses, The Living Fire caves

Focul Viu Glacier

• Level rating: rating: 6-7 hours of moderately difficult hike, 250 m height difference
• Highlights: Focul Viu Cave Glacier, Cetățile Ponorului limestone formations.
• Accomodation: tents

09:00 Breakfast (included)
10:00 We leave camp and head down to Ponor Fortress cave system,
stopping to admire the view from the balconies on the way
14:00 Picnic lunch (included) and moving on to Focul viu cave (Living
Fire), it’s name coming from the fact that on sunny days light comes in
through a hole in the ceiling of the cave and lights up the remains of
the glacial ice inside.
17:00 Arrival at Glăvoi area where we spend the rest of the day relaxing.
19:00 Picnic dinner. (included)

10^th DAY -- Hiking and caving in Apuseni Mountains – The Lost World caves

Galbena Gorge

•Level rating: Moderately difficult
hike, 7-8 hours
• Highlights: The Galbena gorges, the finest gorge in the Western
Carpathians, made by the river Galbena which springs from an
interesting underground water system.
The Evantai waterfall (Fan Waterfall) with it’s superb crystal clear water
and system of pools.
• Accommodation: tents in Glăvoi area

09:00 Breakfast (included)
10:00 We leave the Glăvoi area and set out in the woods to find one of  the most superbe gorge system in the country Cheile Galbenei
14:00 Picnic lunch (included)
18:00 Arrival at Glăvoi area where we spend the rest of the day relaxing.
19:00 Picnic dinner. (included)

The Lost World

11^th DAY – Hiking  and caving in Apuseni Mountains – The Lost World caves

• Level rating: Easy to moderate hike, 5-6 hours
• Highlights: ‘Lumea Pierduta’ cave network the largest system of caves, holes, tunnels and other interesting features carved in limestone in the area
• Accommodation: tents in the vicinity of Padis chalet.

09:00 Breakfast (included)
10:00 We leave the Glăvoi after packing our tents and start our adventure to the Lost World. You’re not going to find Arthur Conan
Doyle’s plesiosaurs flying around, but you’re surely going to be astounded.
14:00 Picnic lunch (included)
18:00 Arrival at Glăvoi area where we spend the rest of the day relaxing.
19:00 Picnic dinner. (included)

12^th DAY – Hiking  and caving in Apuseni Mountains – Padiș – Scărișoara Cave Galcier

• Level rating: Moderate hike, 7-8 hours

Highlights: Padiş, Cheile Gârdişoarei, Casa de Piatră, Izbucul Tăuz, Peştera Scărişoara

• Accomodation: tents in the vicinity Scărișoara Cave Galcier.

14^th DAY – Transfer to Bucharest, by car

On every day spent on the mountains, we’ll have the breakfast at 8.00. The hike will begin at 9.00.

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My trip

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Area: Apuseni Mountains, the western part of Romanian Carpathians

Level rate: Moderate
Dates of departure: May – October, on demand
Nr. of team members: 2 – 12 + tour guides
Trip duration (days): 8 (7 nights)
Required gear: Backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, spot light, good mountain boots, waterproof and warm changing clothes, water can, sweets, first-aid kit.

Accommodation: tents, *** guest house

Summary : this adventure tour is presenting some of the caves out of more than 10 000 caves and natural cavities present in Romanian Mountains. Caving is one of the main activities but you’ll also encounter traditional life, amazing landscapes and a pristine nature.

Landscape of Apuseni Mts

1^ST DAY SATURDAY

Transfer by bus to Apuseni Mountains (500 km / 310 mi )

Schedule of the day :

Transfer by coach to Apuseni Mts. (500 km/310 ml)

Bucharest – Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Pietroasa

20:00 8 PM Pitching tents near by Pietroasa village

Highlights of the day: The city of Sibiu, medieval city in the middle of Transylvania.

Alba Iulia, Romanian historical city, where the first union of the Romanian states has been proclaimed.

2^ND DAY SUNDAY

Easy hiking in Carpathians

8:00 AM Having Breakfast

9:00 AM Leaving the camp ground

Easy hike to La Grajduri 3-4 hours

14:00 2 PM Pitching tents

19:00 7 PM Dinner

Accommodation in La grajduri meadow, a nice clearing in the middle of the mountains.

Highlights of the day:

La grajduri area

3^RD DAY MONDAY

Hiking Apuseni Mountains – Bihor Mts

• Level Rating: Moderate hike
• Height difference: 250 m
• Sightseeing objectives: Focul Viu Glacier, Cetatile Ponorului
• Schedule of the day:8:00 AM Breakfast9:00 AM Easy hike to Focul Viu Glacier and Cetatile Ponorului the largest limestone complex in SE Europe. Focul Viu (The Living Fire) is the finest cave glacier in Romania . The name came from the unique phenomena produced by a sun light ray that create a rainbow from the ice evaporation. The cave has 2 rooms, the first is a large one that hosts the glacier. The first room has a natural window on the top in the roof that allows the natural light to enter. By noon, on a sunny day the evaporating water can be seen rising from the glacier creating a unique phenomena, called “living fire”. The second room is smaller and has not natural light. In order to visit the second room you have to descend a few feet.The limestone complex Cetatile Ponorului (Ponor’s Castles) is situated in Bihor Mts. in the heart of Apuseni Mts. ( Western Carpathians ). Cetatile Ponorului is the largest limestone complex in Carpathians, being formed of three big holes, in a great geological depression of 300 m/1000 ft. deep cover in fir trees, the upper part having a diameter of over 1000 m/3000 ft. The path starts from a forestry road descending along Valea Cetăţilor (Castle’s Valley) in the first hole. The western wall is over 150 m/490 ft. tall and hosts a great portal of over 70 m/230 ft.The path take us through all the 3 holes the are connected by some natural tunnels, caves and arches. The holes 2 and 3 can be seen from 4 balconies situated on the ridge.19:00 7 PM Dinner

4^TH DAY TUESDAY

Hiking Western Romanian Mountains.

• Moderate hike
• Hiking time: 6-8 hours
• Sightseeing objectives: The Galbena Gorges

Schedule of the day:

8:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Leaving for Galbena gorge. Galbena gorge are the finest gorge in Western Carpathians and are made by the river Galbena, river that has its spring into an interesting system of underground network.

19:00 7 PM Dinner

5^TH DAY WEDNESDAY

Hiking & Caving in Apuseni Mountains

• Easy to moderate hike
• Hiking time : 4-6 hours
• Sightseeing objectives:9:00 AM Leaving for Lumea Pierduta (The Lost World) complex. Lumea Pierduta complex is hosting the largest system of caves, holes, tunnels and other interesting features carved in limestone.
• 19:00 Dinner

6^TH DAY THURSDAY

Hiking & caving in Romanian Mountains

• A moderate hike
• Hiking time – 8- 10 hours
• Height difference: 200 m
• Highlights of the day:
  • Padis
  • Casa de Piatra.
  • Scarisoara.

Schedule of the day:

8:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Transfer to Scarisoara village.

Leaving the camp ground for Padis, Casa de Piatra , Scarisoara.

20:00 8 PM camping at Scarisoara

7^TH DAY FRIDAY

Caving & Hiking in Apuseni Mountains

• Easy hike
• Hiking time: 4-6 hours
• Sightseeing objectives: Scarisoara Cave Glacier

9:00 AM Breakfast

10:00 AM Visit at Scarisoara cave glacier

Scarisoara cave hosts the largest glacier in Romania (an underground glacier), lasting from the last Ice Age that ended in Europe 10.000 years ago. Only the upper part of the glacier can be seen, the lower part being at the bottom levels of the cave. The entrance is situated at the bottom of a large hole 60m/200 ft. in diameter and 50m/150 ft. deep, a steel case leading the visitors down.

The glacier has 2 different parts: first is the floor of the cave, the second part is called ” The Church” and is made of columns of ice.

12:00 PM Leaving Scarisoara village for Gârda village

16:00 4 PM arriving at Gârda

Accommodation at guest house in Gârda

19:00 Dinner

8^TH DAY SATURDAY

Transfer to Bucharest

9:00 AM Breakfast

10:00 AM Leaving west Carpathians for Bucharest (450 km/280ml)

18:00 6 PM arriving at Bucharest

Accommodation at 3 * hotel in Bucharest