SCHEDULE MADE BY
EMIL TANASIE

1^ST DAY SATURDAY

Welcoming you at the International Airport Bucuresti - Otopeni. Introduction, short presentation of the trip and leaving the airport, heading for Capatanii Mountains.

• Difficulty: easy hike
• Hiking time: 3 h
• Transfer time: 4 h

Schedule of the day:

10:00: Leaving Bucharest heading NV on A1 highway across the Romanian Plain (Campia Romana). We keep NV thru Pitesti (the city of tulips). Pitesti , also known as the city of tulips is seated in the high part of the Romanian Plain at 300m ( 984ft )on the terraces of Arges river at 116km ( 72mi ) northwest of Bucharest . The road takes us in the pre-mountain hills of the Arges county (Subcarpati / Muscelele Argesului). Crossing "Dealul Negru" (The Black Hill) we are almost in Râmnicu Valcea (ancient roman fortress) on the banks of Olt river.

12:30: A short break in Ramnicu Valcea to eat and to visit the first tipografy in the country.

13:30: Leaving and heading towards Cheia village(20 km dist,6 km length).From hear the trip takes us on a forestry road on the banks of Cheia river.

14:00: We stop at an old monastery (Iezer nun monastery) from XVII century.Near by is the holy cave of a ancient monk.

14:30: Leaving.

15:00: After a while we make a little detour to vist Pahomie monastery, situated under a protective rock wall.We take a two hour tour (hiking) to Patrunsa monastery.As the name in Romanian sugest it is located deep in the mountain.

17:00: From Pahomie we leave fr the final destination of Cheia chalet situated on the right side of the river with the same name.

17.40: Arriving at the spot and preparing our accommodation.

Highlights of the day:

Râmnicu Valcea, situated in a beautiful area near by Olt river, well known in Romania as a clean quiet city. The town's development was secured by the flourish commerce exchange between Transylvania and Walachia on the Olt's transversal valley.

Capatanii Mts, Buila-Vanturarita Masiff , are spectacular limestone mountains, +2000m ( +6500ft ) , cut by beautiful gorges ( Bistrita, Oltet, ). Along with Parang Mts, Lotu Mts, Latoritei Mts, Cindrel Mts, Sureanu Mts, those mountains makes the Parang group of The South Romanian Carpathians ( Carpatii Meridionali ), that lies between Olt and Jiu rivers as the eastern and western borders, and Transylvania and Walachia in the north and south. A lot of the most valuable historical and cultural sites are situated on the south end of those magnificent mountains.

Pahomie monastery, build in 1520 near a spring that comes out directly from a lie wall.Is a beautifull place filled with history of forgotten times.

Iezer monastery, build by Radu the Great and his son Mircea the Old in late XIV century is a immaculate site and a delight for the eye.

Patrunsa monastery, a beautifull church build in 1740 is now surrounded by a prosper little cleric community.From here you can see the whole mountain and the valley beneath.

The Cheia chalet location, a very spectacular view of big walls with tough climbing routes and lots of caves to explore, wild river and undisturbed forests.

Accommodation: Cheia Chalet – 900m

2^ND DAY SUNDAY

Hiking in Buila-Vânturarita Mountains

• Difficulty: hard hike
• Hiking time: 8,5 h

8:00: wake up,breakfast and briefing

9:00: living Cheia location and easy ascending up a little affluent of cheia river in to the forest

10:30: a little break at Comarnice abandoned sheep farm. We are steel in the woods so it is a good opportunity for those who like nature to observe the fauna and flora of these dense and wild Carpathians forests.

12:00: we get to the alpine area and the slopes are steeper. The whitnes of the limestones is pleasing we began the first portion of the Buila-Vanturarita ridge at it`s highest point, Vânturarita peak, 1885 m. From now on the hike is alpine and hard.

14:00: we arrive at a sheep farm in what is called Curmatura Builei. It is a low point in the ridge and a little peak is separated from the rest – Tucla peak. From the top of this peak you have the fealing you are a top of a layng dino. We will have the opportunity to see how the cheese is made and taste the final product directly at the shepherd.

14:20: we continue the trip on a large high plateau until we get on the end of the ridge. At this end is the valey of Bistrita river

15.30: we are living Curmatura Builei, after getting back from the last part of the ridge, on a trail that goes under the ridge and then crosses the meadows we saw from the top. In a while we will enter again in the forest.

17:30: arrive back in Cheia Chalet

Highlights of the day:

Buila-Vanturarita ridge, with a length of almost 14 km, with spectacular views and strong sensation to offer.

3^RD DAY, MONDAY

Hiking on Buila-Vânturarita Mountains.

• Difficulty: hard hike
• Hiking time: 7 h.

Schedule of the day:

8:00: waking up, breakfast and briefing

9:00: leaving for the down stream of Cheia river. The entering point in the deep gorge is not far from the chalet. We enter the realm of limestone boulders fallen like pebbles and fast running waters with care. On the tour we will have to jump from boulder to boulder, walk thru cold water and put on climbing gear for short descends.

13:00: we get out of the gorge and we take a long break

13.30: we take off to go back to the chalet. We take a short walk on a forestry road and after this we climb a steep slope before getting to the first high point that dominate the gorge we just left. From here we have a very beautiful view of the trail hanging dangerously over the river below.

15:00: arriving at the starting point.The end of this part that is called The Goat Trail we might spot some black goats that live on the higher ground of the mountain.

16:00: easy activities like easy climbing on the nearby rock called Santinela Cheii

Highlights of the day:

Cheia Gorge, separating big walls and having lots of caves it is spectacular in its appearance. It is wild and fascinating

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4^TH DAY, TUESDAY

Hiking: in Cozia Mts (~9 hours)

• Level rate: hard hike
• Hiking time: ~ 9 (nine) hours
• Height difference: + 1200 m

Schedule of the day:

8:00: waking up, breakfast and briefing

9:00: living the chalet and crossing the river we climb a steep slope that is a shortcut of the forestry road we came on at Cheia. We arrive at a tunnel and continue our trip until we enter the forest and had randomly towards Olanesti gorge

11:00: we arrive at Olanesti gorge and take a break for site seeing

11:30: we live the gorge and had to the bold mountains that can be seen in the background. They seem close but it will take a wile to get there. The slope will be moderate and the climb mostley thru the woods.

13:30: we get to the alpine zone.The hike takes us now on easy terrain even we are at over 2000 meters.

15:00: we begin descending slowly until we get to the forest and from there to the chalet

Highlights of the day:

The alpine area of the main Capatanii ridge, a calm terrain area that is very gets over 2000 m and has a beautiful panoramic view. Also on these area black berries grow in large quantities.

5^th DAY, WEDNESDAY

• Level rate: It's a rather easy hike.
• Hiking time:~ 6 hours
• Transfer time:3 h
• Height difference: +600 m.
• Sightseeing objectives: Beautiful view over Parang, Retezat, Latoritei Mts. The glacial lakes of Parang.



Schedule of the day:

8:00 waking up, breakfast and briefing

9:00 leaving by car. First we get on the way back to Cheia than Ramnicu Valcea and from here to Calimanesti – a little turistic town well known in the world for its “wonder” springs. From Calimanesti we had on a forestry road with the car to Stanisoara monastery.

12:00 from Stanisoara we begin the hike to the Cozia chalet. The trail takes us over some steep slopes and wild terrain. Spoting black goats and wild bores is not unusual.

15:00 arriving at Cozia chalet. We take a break for tea resting.

16:00 living Cozia chalet. We get down on Turneanu – a ridge that descend from Cozia peak (1668 m). The little towns below are a nice scene as well as the Buila-Vanturarita ridge that it just on the opposite bank of Olt river that flows between.

18:00 we arrive at Turnu monastery, our final destination.

 

Highlights of the day:

• Cozia mountains, a small but wild mountain.
• Calimanesti, a little resort well known for its curative spring waters.
• Stânisoara monastery, a monument from XVIII century
• Turnu monastery, build in 1676 near hand carved caves of a monk that lived there long time ago

Accommodation: Hotel Caciulata.

6^TH DAY FRIDAY

• Difficulty: easy hike
• Hiking time: 4h
• Transfer time: 3h

Schedule of the day:

• 8:00 waking up, breakfast and briefing
• 9:00 we live by car to Lotrisor gorge. The Lotrisor is a small river that flows into Olt river. Its gorge are at some points very high. Here are also climbing routes of all difficulties
• 9:30 we will leave the car at the entrence of the park an start hiking on the forestry road that takes us deeper in the hart of the mountain Basarab.
• 10:30 we arrive at Lotrisor waterfall. Here we take a break and prepare to do a little rockclimbing.
• 12:30 living the Lotrisor waterfall and hading for a tour of some very famous monasteries.
• 14:00 Cozia monastery
• 15:30 Ostrov monastery
• 16:30 Cornetu monastery
• 17:00 from Cornetu we will get on boat and descend on a few rapids of Olt river.
• 18:00 arriving at the hotel

Highlights of the day:

• Cozia monastery, build in 1387-1391 by Mircea cel Batran
• Ostrov monastery, build in 1521
• Cornetu monastery, build in 1666
• Lotrisor gorge and waterfall, a spectacular view of untamed nature
• Olt canyon, ancient trade route and bridge between two parts of Romania

Accommodation: Hotel in Cozia