Hiking and Wildlife Tour
Tour type: Hiking, Wildlife Watching
Făgăras Adventures and Piatra Craiului’s Wildlife Tour
Area: Fagaras Mountains / Piatra Craiului Mountains
Level rate: Moderate
Date of departure: August, 3rd, 2010
Nr. of team members: 2-10
Trip duration (days): 12
Required gear: sleeping bag, backpack, boots, waterproof and warm changing cloths,
front-light and sweets.
Accommodation: tents & chalets
Day 1 – From the city to the wild
Transfer by minibus to the mountains
Road to Poienari Fortress
- pick-up at Bucharest international Henry Coanda Airport and transfer to Fagaras mountains
- depending on your arrival, on the way, if time allows it, we will visit Poienari Fortress and Vidraru Dam.
- picnic dinner (included)
Accommodation in tents (alt 1200m)
Poienari was erected around the beginning of the 13th century by the first Romanian rulers in the South region of Romania, known as Wallachia. In the 15th century, realizing the potential for a castle perched
high on a steep precipice of rock, Vlad III the Impaler, known also as Vlad Dracula, repaired and consolidated the structure, making it one of his main fortresses.
Although the castle was used for many years after Vlad’s death in 1476, it eventually was abandoned again in the first half of the 16th century and was in ruins by the 17th century. Due to its size and location, control
of the castle was difficult to take, even by natural forces. However, in 1888, a landslide brought down a portion of the castle which crashed into the river far below. Nonetheless, the castle was slightly repaired and
the walls and its towers still stand today. To reach the castle, visitors need to climb up from the valley 1500 steps.
Day 2 – Capra Lake (2505m)
Piscu Negru – Călţun Lake – Capra Lake
• Level rating: medium difficulty, about 8 hours of trekking
• Highlights: Călţun glacial lake, just under the Călţun Wall, the tallest north-face in Romania, trekking on the main ridge of Făgăras and Capra glacial lake.
• Accommodation: in tents near Capra Lake
• Short description:
- 07:00 Breakfast (included);
- 07:30 We leave our camping site and head up Paltinul stream towards CălŃun Lake;
- 11:00 Arrvial at CălţunLake, where we take a short rest before continuing;
- 13:00 Picnic lunch (included);
- 14:00 Arrival at Paltinul Saddle from which we continue for another hour to Capra Lake;
- 15:00 We arrive at lake Capra and after a rest we could do an optional hike up to Vânătoarea lui Buteanu peak for a wonderful panorama;
- 19:00 Dinner (included).
Day 3 – Approaching Podragu- the base for summiting Moldoveanu peak the next day
Capra Glacial Lake – Podragu Hut
Podragu Lake
• Level rating: medium difficulty, about 7 hours of trekking
• Highlights: Trekking on one of the most steep and difficult zones Făgăras has to offer, arriving
at Podragu hut where we will plan the next day’s ascent on Moldoveanu.
• Accommodation: in tents near Podragu Chalet
• Short description:
- 08:00 Breakfast (included);
- 08:30 We leave our camping site and start hiking towards Fereastra Zmeilor Shelter;
- 10:30 Arrival at Fereastra Zmeilor Shelter;
- 13:00 Picnic lunch (included);
- 15:00 Arrival at Podragu Hut , where we could do an optional hike to Podrăgel Lake;
- 19:00 Dinner (included).
Day 4 – Romania’s Roof – Moldoveanu Peak and down again
Podragu – Moldoveanu Peak (2545) – Fereastra
Sâmbetei
• Level rating: medium difficulty, about 8 hours of trekking
• Highlights: Reaching Moldoveanu Peak (2545)
– highest in Romania.
• Accommodation: in tents near Fereastra Zmeilor Saddle
• Short description:
- 07:00 Breakfast (included);
- 07:30 We leave Podragu and start hiking towards Viştea Mare peak;
- 11:00 Taking our final steps before reaching Moldoveanu peak;
- 11:30 Going down and starting the trail towards Fereastra Mare;
- 13:00 Picnic lunch;
- 14:30 Arrival at Fereastra Mare a Sambetei saddle
From this point, we could continue on with the trek and camp further on the
ridge if you are not to tired, otherwise we camp in Fereastra Mare saddle;
- 19:00 Dinner (included).
Day 5 – Entering Piatra Craiului Through Rudăriţa Canton
Fereastra Mare a Sâmbetei – Curmătura Zârnei – Vârful Comisu – Chaleta Rudăriţa
• Level rating: medium difficulty, about 8-9 hours of trekking (mostly descending)
• Highlights: Superb views over the massif, trekking through one of the wilder zones of Făgăras and our first view over Piatra Craiului Mountains.
• Accommodation: in tents near Rudărita Canton
• Short description:
- 07:00 Breakfast (included);
- 07:30 We leave our camping site and start the hike towards Rudăriţa Canton, the gate to Piatra Craiului;
- 10:00 Stop for a break at Curmătura Zârnei Canton;
- 13:00 Picnic lunch;
- 16:00 Arrival at Rudăriţa Canton ;
Here we have the option to go further (another 10 km) and camp near Plaiu Foii Chalet
- 19:00 Dinner (included).
Day 6 – Resting at Plaiu Foii Chalet
• Level rating: easy difficulty, about 2 hours of trekking (on a forest road)
• Highlights: Relaxing while admiring the west-walls of Piatra Craiului.
• Accommodation: Plaiu Foii Chalet
• Short description:
- 07:00 Breakfast (included);
- 07:30 We leave Rudăriţa Canton and follow the road to Plaiul Foii;
- 09:00 arrival at Plaiu Foii;
- 13:00 Lunch at Plaiu Foii Chalet(not included);
There is no program for the rest of the day, the guide will go to town for some
fresh supplies, while you enjoy the the time off, or join him on his way to Zărnesti
- 19:00 Dinner at Plaiu Foii Chalet(not included)
Day 7 – First Day of Wildlife Observation
Plaiu Foii – Spirla shelter – Zăplaz
• Level rating: medium difficulty, about 4-5
hours of trekking.
• Highlights: Spirla Shelter, Zăplaz, Wildlife
observation.
• Accommodation: Tents near Plaiu Foii Area
• Short description:
- 08:30 Breakfast (included);
- 09:00 Leaving our camping spot for Spirla
Shelter.
- 11:00 We arrive at Spirla shelter, place where an anti-aircraft cannon was placed in
World War II;
- 12:00 We visit the peculiar rock formation of Zaplaz;
- 14:00 We are back at our camping place and we serve a picnic lunch ;
- 17:00 We meet up with the park rangers who will take us for our first encounter with Piatra Craiului’s wildlife (EUR 25,- photo tax for personal use or EUR50,- photo tax for
commercial use are not included );
- 20:00-21:00 Picnic Dinner at our camping place.
Day 8 – Second Day of Wildlife Observation
Plaiu Foii – Spirla shelter – Zăplaz
Rupicapra Rupicapra
• Level rating: medium to difficult, 5-6 hours.
• Highlights: Diana Shelter, Colţii Chiliilor Monastery, second day wildlife observation.
• Accommodation: Tents near Plaiu Foii Area
• Short description:
- 08:00 Breakfast (included);
- 09:00 Leaving our camping spot for Diana Shelter.
- 11:00 We arrive at Diana shelter, one of the first shelters in Piatra Craiului was built here, but it’s been replaced with the new one we will visit.
- 12:00 We visit Colţii Chiliilor Monastery
- 14:00 We are back at our camping place and we serve a picnic lunch
- 17:00 We meet up with the park rangers that will take us for another encounter with Piatra Craiului’s wildlife.
- 20:00-21:00 Picnic Dinner at our camping place
Day 9 – Exploring the south ridge of mount Piatra Craiului
Plaiu Foii – Spirla shelter – Zăplaz – La Om – Saua Funduri – marele Grohotis – Plaiu Foii
• Level rating: medium to difficult, 10-11 hours.
• Highlights: La Lanțuri route, one of the most spectacular marked trails in Romania,
Piscu Baciului peak, the highest in Piatra
Craiului, the South ridge, offering a wonderful
opportunity to spot black mountain goats
climbing the rocky faces of Piatra Craiului .
• Accommodation: Tents near Plaiu Foii Area
• Short description:
- 07:00 Breakfast (included);
- 08:00 Leaving our camping spot and passing by Spirla shelter
- 12:00 We arrive at Grind II shelter, up on the
ridge and up to Piscu Baciului Peak.
- 12:30 We are back at Grind II and we will have a picnic lunch.
- 13:00 We head on the South ridge until we reach Funduri Saddle
- 16:00 From Funduri Saddle we return to Plaiu Foii on a route that goes beneath the
west faces of Piatra Craiului
- 19:00-20:00 Picnic Dinner at our camping place
Day 10 – Relaxation and the 3rd day of wildlife observation
• Level rating: easy
• Highlights Third day of wildlife observation
Accommodation: Tents near Plaiu Foii Area
• Short description:
- 09:00 Breakfast (included);
- 10:00 Today we relax, but we can find lots of
trails to walk around for those who wish to.
- 14:00 Lunch (included)
- 17:00 The rangers will come to pick us up for
our third evening of wildlife exploration
- 21:00 Picnic dinner at our camping place
DAY 11 – Popasul Craiului- “Hopes’ Shelter” – Wildlife observation
• Level rating: Medium
• Highlights An unmarked trail that will lead us to “Hopes’ Shelter”, placed in the heart
of the mountain, our last evening of wildlife observation
• Short description:
- 08:00 Breakfast (included);
- 9:00 We will head off into the mountain to find the Hopes’ Shelter, a spot where in the
early 50’s the cream of the romanian alpine community gathered and set up bases for the
exploration of the massif
- 14:00 Picnic lunch (included)
- 17:00 We will be accompanied by the park rangers into the forest for the last evening
of wildlife observation.
- 21:00 Picnic dinner at our camping place
DAY 12 – Going to Bucharest 
09:00 Breakfast (included);
10:00 Start hiking back to Zărnesti – 12 km of forest
road;
12:00 Taking the public bus to Brasov;
13:00 Exploring Brasov or taking the first mini-bus to
Bucharest.
