Transylvanian Alps: Trekking Fagaras Mountains

TREKKING WITH THE WIND
CIRCUIT

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	My trip		Area: The Fagaras Mountains Level rate: Medium Dates of departure: June - October, on demand . Nr. of team members: 3 - 15 Trip duration (days): 7 Required gear: Backpack, boots, waterproof and warm changing cloths, water can, sweets. Accommodation: Mountain huts, tents. Weather conditions: Daytime temperatures should be in the range of 25-30ºC, maybe slightly cooler on the late August departure. Night-time temperatures, especially on the Fagaras section where we sleep fairly high, will be much cooler. The highest of the Romanian Carpathians, Fagaras is a pretty cold mountain by night. Generally we will be able to walk in T-shirts and shorts, however mountain weather is always changeable and you should be prepared for a swift thunderstorm. In extreme cases, even snow can be expected in mid august! Transport: We will use minibuses throughout the trip.
			1^ST DAY Welcoming the guests at the international Airport Bucharest Otopeni. Check -out, introduction and leaving the airport, heading to Bucharest. 4 p.m - 9 p.m.: Transfer by mini-bus from the airport Bucharest Otopeni to Bucharest. (30 km , 40 minutes) - Last minute gear and provisions; - Bucharest circuit (if time allows)21.00: Dinner at the hotel. 10 p.m : Lights out
			2^ND DAY Transfer to Fagaras Mountains, where our hiking tour takes place. *Level rate:* easy *Hiking time:* 2 hours *Height difference:* + 500 m; (+1640 feet; ) *Highlights:* Sambata Monastery, the forest along the Sambata Valley. 06.45 a.m.: meeting at the minibus; 07.00 a.m. - 09.00 a.m.: transport to Sinaia Resort, in the "Bucegi" Mountains (800 - 1000 m); - visit Sinaia Monastery and Peles Castle (former residene of Romanian Royal Family); 12.30 p.m.: lunch in Sinaia ( our suggestion: "Taverna Sarbului" ) ; 2 pm - 5 pm: transfer to Sambata Monastery (750 m); visit the monastery; 6 p.m. : taking the trail to Sambata Chalet (1401 m). The route goes along the Sambata Valley, through a deep forest with friendly bears. 8 p.m: arriving at Sambata Chalet. 8:30 p.m: dinner, next day briefing, chalet games; 10 pm: lights out; Accommodation: Sambata Chalet: 1401 m altitude (4597 feet)
			3^RD DAY Hiking on Fagaras Mountains *Level rating:* It's a medium hiking day. *Hiking time:* ~ 7 hours *Height difference:* + 1100 m; (+3610 feet;) *Highlights:* The beautiful view from Moldoveanu Peak, Iezerul Moldoveanu Lake. 07.30: wake up; 08.00: breakfast; 09.30 - 12.00: Sambata Chalet - Fereastra Mare a Sambetei (2128 m). The route climbs the alpine valley of Sambata, through the glacial landscape to the main ridge. While climbing to the ridge, you can see a spectacular waterfall on the right wall of the valley. (called "Dragusului" Ridge). We will reach the main ridge in "Fereastra Mare" section. 12.00 - 14.00: Fereastra Mare - Portita Vistei (2310 m). From "Fereastra Mare" we climb the "Slanina" Peak (2245m), then we follow the main ridge marking, bypassing the "Galasescu Mare" peak (2471 m), "Galasescu Mic" glacial lake (2180m), Vistisoara glacial lake, "Fereastra Vistisoarei" (2291 m), finally reaching "Portita Vistei", our destination for today. 14.00: Camping; 14.30: leaving for the Moldoveanu Peak (2544m), the highest point of Romania- via the Vistea Peak (2527 m), if the weather allows it; the two peaks are connected through a narrow ridge, which allows a spectacular view on the surrounding valleys. 15.30: taking pictures on Moldoveanu Peak; 16.30: returning to the tents. Lunch; 17.30 - 20.30: leisure time, optional walk to the Iezerul Moldoveanu Lake. 20.30 - 21.30: Dinner. Next day briefing; 22.00: lights out ; Accommodation: tents.
			4^TH DAY Hiking on Fagaras Mountains *Trip length:* 28 km (~18 miles) *Level :* It's an easy hiking day. *Height difference:* + 850 m (+ 2789 feet) *Highlights:* The Portita Vistei area, Podragu Lake 05.00: Optional hike to the Moldoveanu/Vistea Peak, sunrise photos, if the weather allows it and/or the weather was bad the other day 08.00: "official" wake up; 08.30: breakfast; 10.00: Portita Vistei - Podragu Chalet (2136 m). Our route takes us to the Vistea Mare Peak (2527 m) peak, and descents to "Orzanelei" saddle, following the trail under the "Ucisoara" peak (2418 m), to the "Ucisoara" saddle (2312 m). This point offers a wide perspective over the "Ucisoara" Valley. From here the trail climbs close to the ridge, to the "Podul Giurgiului" saddle, near the "Podul Giurgiului" valley top section. We will traverse this valley through the top section, and reach "Podragu" saddle (2307 m). From here our path descends into the "Podragu" valley to the "Podragu" Chalet (2136 m), near the "Podragu" lake, one of our points of interest this stage of our journey. 1:30 pm: arriving at Podragu Chalet where we'll stay for the night; 2 pm: having lunch at Podragu Chalet; - hike to the Podragelu Lake and return (aprox. 3h): the marked path climbs the east side of the valley to the "Strunga Podragelului" point (2153 m) and descents afterwards into "Podragelul" Valley, where this glacial lake lies. From here we will return on the same route to the chalet. 8:30 pm: dinner ; -free time ; 10 p.m : lights out; Accommodation: Podragu Chalet
			5^TH DAY Trekking on Fagaras Mountains It's a moderaterated hiking Hiking time: 10 hours *Height difference:* + 300 m, -1100 m (+984 -3609 feet) Sightseeing objectives: La 3 Pasi de Moarte, the main ridge. 07.30: wake up; 08.00: breakfast; 09.30 - 10.00: Podragu Chalet (2136 m) - Podragu Saddle(2307 m); We follow the same route as the other day, until we reach the crossing point in Podragu saddle. 10.00 - 12.30: saua Podragu (Podragu Saddle)- La 3 Pasi de Moarte, on the main ridge ; We head West for Balea Chalet, circling the Podul Giurgiului upper valley and passing by the glacial lake which lies in this valley. The trail climbs a steep side of the valley, to the Mircii peak (2467 m) , connected with the Arpasul Mare peak (2474 m) by a narrow ridge which also must be traversed. From Arpasul Mare peak, the marked path descends to the difficult passage called "la 3 pasi de moarte" (three steps from death). - short meal on the route 12.30 - 4 pm: "La 3 Pasi de Moarte" (3 steps from the Death) - Capra Saddle, on the main ridge; Turning right, our path circles the Vartopelul Peak and follows the main ridge to another difficult section, which ends at "Fereastra Zmeilor" point. From here you can see the "Fereastra Zmeilor" mountain refuge laying well bellow our altitude. Our route takes us on the steep slopes of "Fundul Caprei" valley, and climbs the south section of "Vanatoarea lui Buteanu" Peak, into a wider location, where a beautiful lake lies (the "Capra" lake - 2241m). 4 pm - 4:30 p.m. : Saua Capra (Capra saddle (2315 m) - Balea Chalet (2037 m); The chalet is now near; we reach first "Capra" saddle and descent for about 30 minutes to the Balea chalet, where we can take a short break, before descending to "Balea Cascada"(Balea waterfall) Hotel. 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m: Balea Chalet - Balea Waterfall Hotel (1234 m); - 16.30 - 18.30 Balea Chalet - "Balea Cascada" Hotel (1234 m). The trail is not not difficult, but quite long, as it descents along the Balea valley, under the cable car which links "Balea Cascada" Hotel and Balea Chalet, by the main national road called "Transfagarasan" which crosses the mountain in this area. 6:30 p.m: accommodation; 8 p.m: dinner; - free time; *Accommodation* at the Balea Waterfall Hotel.
			6^TH DAY Transfer by car from Fagaras Mountains to Bucharest. 08.30: wake up; 09.00: breakfast ; 10.30: taking our car; 10.30 - 11.30: Balea Waterfall Hotel ->Fagaras city; 11.30 - 13.00: Fagaras - Brasov City; 1:30: lunch in Brasov ; 3 pm - 5:30 p.m: visit Brasov's medieval center, the Black Church (famous for it's organon), shopping, etc. 5:30 pm: leaving for Bucharest ; 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm: transfer by car Brasov - Bucharest; -hotel accommodation in Bucharest; -dinner at the hotel/other location -leisure time; *Highlights:* beautiful landscape over Fagaras, Bucegi. Brasov City, Bucharest Accommodation in Bucharest, *** hotel
			7^TH DAY Transfer from Bucharest to Otopeni Airport. 08.30: wake up ; -packing, etc. 10.00: - last minute site seeing, shopping -leaving for Otopeni Airport, accoding to your flight timing.
			Another hiking tour in the Romanian Mountains =>>