Area: Romanian Mountains: Apuseni Mts

Level rate: Moderate

Dates of departure: November – March, on demand

Nr. of team members: 2 – 12

Trip duration (days): 8

Required gear: Backpack, food, spot light (preferably front lamp), good boots, waterproof and warm changing clothes, water can, sweets.

On the way, we pass by Pitesti, Ramnicu Valcea city and by Sibiu Medieval City.

Accomodation: guest house in Rasinari

Rasinari Village, the one that gave to Romania 7 members of Romanian Academy conserves unalterated the winter traditions and a traditional lifestyle. Visit Sibiu, one of the nices medieval citadels in Romania and, for 2009, the European capital of culture. Sebes -> Alba Iulia -> Campeni -> Arieseni Having dinner in Vartop

Accommodation: hotel in Vartop

Leisure time at Arieseni (horse slaid)

Visit a part of Apuseni Mountains in a horse-driven slate.

9:00: have breakfast in the hotel.

9:30: transfer to Pestera Ursilor (Bears’ cave) in Chiscau Village (100 km). Visit the Cave, joined by a guide. The cave, the finest cave in Romania is suitable for guided tourists’ visit. In this cave were found traces of the bear cave (Ursus spelaeus), the biggest bear that lived in the Ice Age.

14:00: Short hike (30 minutes) to Groapa Ruginoasă (Redish Hole), the most spectacular geological reserve in Romania, containing a a small scale canyon, an early canyon that is being formed on sedimentary roks. You can see with your own eyes how a canyion is formed.

20:00: Dinner in Hotel in Vârtop

Accommodation: hotel in Vârtop

4^TH DAY TUESDAY

Caving in Carpathian Mountains

Getting in touch with the Romanian traditions and the villagers day by day style of life – traditional way of life, cooking, milking 9:00: breakfast at Vartop

9:30: optional transfer to Garda, typical mountain village, the main gate to Apuseni cave system (10 Km)(30 EURO)

10:00: horse slide visit to Poarta lui Ionele cave and Scarisoara cave glaciar – the biggest underground glacier in Romania – , local museum at Scărişoara

20:00: Dinner

Accomodation: hotel in Vartop

5^TH DAY, WEDNESDAY

Leisure time in Apuseni mountains

9:00: breakfast

9:30: optional program: – ski on Vartop slope ( 800m length, easy level); – visit local woodcrafts man in Garda ( 5 EURO); – traditional cooking in the village; – visit a local farm;

20:00: having dinner in Vartop

Accommodation: hotel in Vartop

6^TH DAY, THURSDAY

Transfer to Sighisoara Medieval Citadel Arieseni Village.

We are following Aries spectacular valley, until we reach Turda’s gorges (the most spectacular in Romania) just 1.8 Km long bur very dramatic landscape. The town of Turda is famous by it’s salt mine (“Salina”) with traces of roman exploatation. Optional: visit the salt mine (~ 5 EURO/pers)

Câmpia Turzii – the place of a dramatic moment in Romanian history: the assassination of the first Romanian leader, Mihai Viteazul (Michael the brave), that unified all the three teritories lived by the romanians for the first time, at 1600. He was the defeater of the great Turkish military leader Sinan Pasa.

Târgu Mureş city – the third important city in Transylvania, an important trade city on the Mures river banks, with a vivid history, a nice stronghold well preserved. The city is important for the commerce beetwin Transylvania and Moldavia, and has a big number of hungarians leaving toghether with the romanians. Centuries ago on the Mures River rafts and water mills could be seen.

Sighişoara medieval citadel. Spending the evening in the medieval atmosphere in Sighisoara.

Accommodation: guest house in Sighişoara

7^TH DAY, FRIDAY

Transfer by coach to Bucharest, capital city

Visit Sighişoara in the morning, the only citadel in Europe still inhabited since the middle ages. Leaving Sighişoara, heading for Brasov City.

15:00 visit Brasov, an old city, conserving the biggest gothic cathedral in Eastern Europe – the black church.

Predeal Resort, nice view over Bucegi Mountains

Evening walk in Bucharest, visit Bucharest by night.

Having dinner in Bucharest

Accommodation: *** hotel in Bucharest

8^TH DAY, SATURDAY

Transfer by coach from Bucharest to the Intl. Airport

Schedule according to the flight’s departure timing