Area: Rodnei Mountains, in the North of the Romanian Carpathians
Level rate: Moderate
Dates of departure: May – October, in demand
Nr. of team members: 2 – 10
Trip duration (days): 8
Required gear: Backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tent, food, spot light, good boots, waterproof and warm changing clothes, water can, sweets, first-aid kit.

Summary: the tour will take you in the North part of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains, namely Rodnei Mountains.

1^ST DAY SATURDAY

Transfer by bus Cluj Napoca – Sighetu Marmatiei ( 205 km/ 127 mi )

Schedule of the day :

9 :00 AM leaving Cluj Napoca
10:00 AM: Reaching Gherla
12:00 AM arriving at Baia Mare
14:00 ( 2 PM ) arriving at Gutâi Pass
snack brake
16:00 ( 4 PM ) Vadu Izei
16:30 ( 4:30 PM ) arriving at Sighetu Marmatiei, accommodation

Highlights of the day:

The road follows Somesul Mare valley that made the contact between the Cluj’s and Dej’s hills on the left side and Somesan Plain, part of the Transylvanian Plain on the right side. (The plain term is given by the agricultural character of the region, that is a hilly region after all)

Gherla. The city is situated on the banks of Somes river, on the place being discovered ancient living traces. In the city there are some workshops specialized in hand making of oriental carpets. The city is first mentioned in 1291 . The citadel built in 1541 has been transformed in prison since 1785; the communist authorities made it one of the hardest for the political prisoners of the regime.

Dej First mention in 1061 the city’s name came from the Slavonic word desa meaning swamp. Being robed by the Turks in 1214 and 1556 the city recovers as a trade city specialized in salt commerce having salt mines in the near by at Ocna Dej . The ” Saint Stephan ” church was made in gothic style between 1453-1536 has a steeple-tower 72m (236ft.) tall.

Baia Mare depression is situated in the NW part of Transylvania at the feet of volcanic Oas Mts. and Gutîi Mts. , it is a tectonic and erosion made depression. The relief has two distinct parts; a tall one at 200-350m (656-1148ft.) made by the piedmonts and a low part at 140-200m (459-656ft). In here there are centenarian eatable chestnut trees preserved in a reservation.

Baia Mare is situated on the banks of Sasar river, being the most important metallurgical centre specialized in copper and lead. The archaeological diggings brought the remains of Dacian mines as well as traces of Bronze Age. The city is first mentioned in 1327 . Being a free city it knows a fast development based on workshops, trade with logs. In 1469 Mathias Rex, Hungary ’s King gives the privilege of building walls and defending towers. In 1472 there are made the first public utilities: paving the streets, water supplies .. In 1995 was finished a chimney 351,5m (1153ft), the tallest in Europe . The Mineralogy Museum is one of the best of its kind in Europe and can’t bee missed.

Baia Sprie , at 500m (1640ft) elevation on the banks of Sasar river, at the feet of Gutîi Mts . At 3 Km (1.8 mi) there is Lacul Albastru (The Blue Lake), with circular shape made in 1920 by the collapse of an old mine, the water being high acid because of sulphur and cooper.

Gutîi Pass is situated at 987 m (3238ft) and makes the connection between Baia Mare depression in the South and Maramureş depression in the North. From here starts a 2h hike to Creasta Cocosului (Cock’s Ridge) 1428 m (4685ft); a fragment of an old volcanic crater. The ridge is a complex reservation that preserves geological, botanical and fauna, the most important being the Raven Corvux corax , rock’s osprey Aquila chryssaetos , kite Accipiter nisus .

Gutîi Mts. are located in the NW part of Romanian Carpathians, made from volcanic rocks, Gutîi peak has 1443 m ( 4724 ft).

Maramures depression has the shape of a large bay filled with alluvium over 90 Km(56 mi ) long on NW-SE direction, laying between the old volcano mountains and the central Carpathians area made of metamorphic rocks. It is direct contact with the others depressions by many high elevation passes. The depression is hilly having piedmonts and a high ridge that divide Iza and Viseu valley.

Maramures is a land of ancestral traditions and legendary Romanian individuality. The isolation of the region is the main reason for the preservation of the traditional architecture and rural culture in the villages. Here, the way of life, the houses, the churches, the famous wooden gates have remained almost unchanged for centuries. Maramures is renowned for its typical towns, with rich display of markets, peasant costumes and livery atmosphere. The local traditions and festivals reflect that agriculture has always been the lifeblood of existence in this region.

The villages in Maramures are generally large, laid out along a road, with orchards, pastures and woods around them .Woodcarving skills and the dominant feature of Maramures crafts. Particularly characteristic of the villages are wooden churches, with tall steeples and shingled roofs, some dating back to the 14 th century. Highly developed, too, is the embroidery of traditional costumes and Easter and Christmas festivals are particularly interesting to see.

The local inhabitants here have always been proudly independent and have retained their traditions, still wearing typical costume and practicing age-old crafts and folklore. Their wild and lively music reflects the beauty of the hills that surround them.

Mara valley is the most spectacular valley in Maramures with some of the most beautiful wooden gates, nice villages lived by kind people. The mane of the two rivers: Mara and Mures gave also the mane of the depression and the county ( MARA + MURES = MARAMURES )

Vadu Izei is situated at the confluence of Mara and Iza rivers, its first mention in document is on 1383 . In 1968 there was discovered a treasure made of 12 bracelets dating from the late part of Bronze period.

Sighetu Marmatiei is situated on the NW side of Maramures depression in the near by of confluence of Iza river with Tisa , at Ukrainian border. The oldest traces of human dwelling dates from Stone Age. The city’s first mention is recorded at 1329. The city hosted one of the main prisons in the communist era, prison well known as the final destination for the political and between wars period leaders. Now the prison is the most important sightseeing spot of the city, Memorialul Durerii ( Pain Memorial ) being the name of today’s museum, set in 1997 . The Museum of Folk Architecture is an open air museum that gathers in all kind off buildings from the typical Maramuresan village. Every year in December for 3 days The Annual Festival of winterTtraditions and Customs took place on the main street. A parade of traditional singing, dance and costumes is a thing that can’t be missed for nothing.

2^ND DAY SUNDAY

Transfer Sighetu Marmatiei – Borsa

9:00 AM breakfast
10:00 AM leaving for Borsa on Viseu valley
11:00 Viseul de Sus
11:30 Moisei
12:00 Setref pass, photo brake, snack,
15:00 leaving for Borsa resort
16:00 arriving at Borsa, accommodation.

Highlights of the day:

Rona de Sus is a village on the banks of Rona River, the Apafi castle, built in the 5th century. There is also a salt lake made by the falling of a salt mine ceiling.
Petrova is a main center of wood carving in Maramures, the famous wood carved gates and the impressive wood churches are the landmark of this ancient Romanian province.
Leordina is also known by its wood carved gates and as a centre of traditional cloths.
Viseul de Jos is a famous village for leather, sheepskin coats, texture and sewing . The village was first mentioned in 1365. The village is also an important railway junction on the line that links Maramures region with the rest of the country.
Viseul de Sus is first mentioned on 1365, since 1773 till 1812 here where brought by the Austro-Hungarian Empire wood workers from Slovakia. Here there are also mineral springs that are related with the old volcanic region.
Maramures Mts are made of a mosaic of rocks, metamorphic, limestone, volcanic. 1957 m (6421ft) mesures the tallest peak. The wet climate was favorable for the dense network of springs and also for the large extension of the forest that keeps valuable venison. Maramure? Mts. are also reach in minerals and mineral springs.
Moisei is an old village, the monastery here, dating since the 14th century, kept interior paintings made on cloth. In the 17th and 18th century here there was in important center of church painting. A monument made by the Romanian sculptor Vida Gheza remembers of the tragedies form World War II, when the Hungarian army set on fire the village and killed the Romanians in 1944.
Sacel village is well known for its red unpolished pottery, decorated with thin black stripes. At 1040 m (3412 ft.) there is The Blue Spring of Iza river.
Setref Pass lies at 817m (2680ft.) and is situated at the contact between Rodnei Mts. and Tibles Mountains, at the border of Maramures and Bistrita counties. A spectacular panoramic view over Maramures depression opens to the North and over Salauta valley to the South.
From here the road turns back on the same way to Moisei, from here just a few miles to Borsa for overnight.
Borsa is the longest city in Romania, laying on 25 Km (15.5mi) from West to East. The first documentary mention dates from 1365; in 1717 the inhabitants fought against the Tatarians on their way back from Transylvania to Moldavia. Borsa was a center for weekly and annual fairs. The main products that where sold in here where wood, wool, pottery, sheep …
Borsa Turistic Complex is at 12 Km (7.8mi) from downtown Borsa. The Complex is situated at 700-850 m (2296 – 2789 ft) elevation at the foot of Rodna Mts. and Maramures Mts., in the near by of Prislop Pass 1414 m (4639 ft) that links Maramures to Bucovina (the Northern part of Moldavia). Mineral springs, ski facilities and many hiking opportunities made of Baile Borsa one of the most complex tourist resort in Romania. As a ski resort it has ski lifts, lift chairs, the largest natural Olympic springboard in Romania (113m/371 ft), and the longest ski slope in the country 6 Km (3.7 mi).
Bors a is the starting point of the next part of the trip, hiking Rodna Mountains.

3^RD DAY MONDAY

Hiking Rodnei Mountains – The north of the Romanian Carpathians : Borsa – Lala Valley – Lala Mare Lake

• An easy to moderate hike
• Hiking time – 5 (five) hours
• Height difference: 250 m
• Highlights of the day: Prislop Pass is a high elevation pass at 1414 m (4639ft ) elevation, at the contact between NE ridge of Rodna Mts . and SE ridge of Maramures Mts . It connect Maramures depression with Dorna depression on Bistrita river, its spring in this region being named Bistrita Aurie. (Golden Bistrita)Lala valley in the NW part of Rodnei Mts.; the road was been widened by the foresters during the last 20 years, being used during the summer by the locals for picking up mushrooms.Lala Mica is a medium size glacial lake, in a spectacular glacial caldera at 2000 m (6560 ft.)Lala Mare is also a glacial lake, as the name says, it is larger that Lala Mica, at about 2100 m the view over Ineu peak is spectacular, and a dramatic landscape to the North give the viewer the opportunity to admire Maramures Mts .Ineu peak. At 2280m is the highest point in the west part of Rodna Mts. In this point the landscape is spectacular. From this high point of north part of Carpathians Mountains can be seen Moldavian Carpathians to the South and South-West, Ceahlau Mts. being easy to identify by its pyramidal shape.
• Schedule of the day:8:00 AM waking up and breakfast
  9:00 AM leaving Lala Mare caldera
  15:00 (3 PM) reaching Galatului peak (2159m/ 7083 ft.), short snack on the peak
  17:30 (5:30 PM) reaching Galatului sadlle.
  19:00 (7 PM) dinner at the camping site.

4^TH DAY TUESDAY

Hiking Rodnei Mountains: Lala Mare lake – Galatului saddle

Highlights of the day:
Saua cu lac (Lake saddle) 2120 m (6995 ft) – beautiful perspective over Maramures Mts in the north. – La Tomnatec 2051m (6729 ft.) – Putredu saddle 1960 m (6430 ft.) – Cisa peak 1970 m (6463 ft.) – A spectacular landscape opens over Bargau Mts., on the south. Cisa Saddle – Omului peak 2134m (7001 ft.) – Gargalau peak 2159m – Gargalau saddle 1925 m (6315 ft.) - Galati saddle 1960 m (6430 ft.)

Schedule of the day :

8:00 AM waking up and breakfast
9:00 AM leaving Lala Mare caldera
15:00 ( 3 PM ) reaching Galatului peak (2159 m / 7083 ft.), short snack on the peak
17:30 ( 5:30 PM ) reaching Galatului sadlle.
19:00 ( 7 PM ) dinner at the camp

• A rather moderate hike
• Hiking time - 6 – 7 (six to seven) hours
• Height difference: 650 m.
• Sightseeing objectives: Beautiful view over the Northern part, Maramures mountains and over Bargau Mts on South

5^TH DAY WEDNESDAY

Hiking Rodnei Mts: Galatului sadlle – Pietrosu peak.

• An easy to moderate hike
• Hiking time – 4 (four) hours
• Highlights of the day:From Galatului saddlethe road takes us on the level curve, bypassing Galatu peak (2145m/7073 ft)and Anies peak (2167/ 7109 ft).The short climb just is fallowed by a medium descent to to Tarnita Bârsanului (1870 m 7073 ft) (Shepherd’s saddle)Following the level curve Negoiasa Mica (2013m / 6899 ft) and Negoiasa Mare (2049m / 6722 ft) we’ll be on our way to the peak

Schedule of the day :

8:00 AM waking up and breakfast

9:00 AM leaving

14:00 ( 3 PM ) reaching Intre Izvoare saddle (Between Springs saddle). Short snack

17:30 ( 5:30 PM ) reaching.

19:00 ( 7 PM ) dinner at the camp

6^TH DAY THURSDAY

Unpitching the tents and leaving the campsite.
Hiking route in the Rodnei Massifs: Pietrosu peak – Borsa.

Schedule of the day :

9:00 AM waking up and breakfast
10:00 AM leaving Pietrosu peak (2303m/ 7554 ft)
11:30 ( 11:30 AM ) reaching Iezer glacial lake
12:30 ( 12:30PM ) reaching Meteo Station Pietrosul
16:00 ( 4 PM ) reaching Borsa
18:00 ( 6 PM ) accommodation at a guest house in Borsa

• A moderate hike
• Hiking time – 4 hours
• Height difference: 900 m
• Highlights of the day:
  • Nice perspective over Pietrosul peak.
  • Iezer glacial lake.
  • Nice view over Borsa.
  • Meadows and hay fields worked by the locals for sheep and cattle.
• Pitching the tents in Borsa

7^TH DAY FRIDAY

transfer Borsa- Sighetu Marmatiei

Schedule of the day:

9:00 breakfast
10:00 leaving for Sighetu Marmatiei
10:30 arriving at Dragomiresti
11:00 arriving at Bogdan Voda
12:00 arriving at Ieud
13:00 (1 PM) arriving at Botiza
14:30 (2:30 PM) arriving at Bârsana, snack brake
16:00 (4 PM) leaving for Sapânta
17:00 (5 PM) arriving at Sapânta
18:30 (6:30 PM) leaving for Sighetu Marmatiei
19:00 (7 PM) accommodation at hotel

• Highlights of the day:From Borsa the road follows the same route that in day 2 by Moisei to Sacel . From here the road turns North on Iza valley.Dragomiresti is the first village to visit in our tour to this incredible region full of masterpieces of rural architecture and traditions in wood carving. The tall wooden church from 1772 was taken to The Village Museum in Bucharest . The village shelters a unique museum in Romania : The Romanian Women Museum. Bogdan Voda was known until 1968 as Cuhea , and was the residence of the first ruler of Moldavia , Bogdan The First ( 1359-1365 ). Saint Nicolas church was built of fir tree wood between 1718-1722 on the same spot of an old one burned by the Tatarians in 1717 . The church is one of the most valuable monuments of its kind in Romania . It preserves original paintings, a wooden carved chandelier from 1722 , an 1801 bell and some valuables books from 1750-1771. Every year in middle May takes place an ancient shepherd’s holiday, a local variant of Sâmbata Oilor ( Sheep’s Saturday ), named here Ruptul Oilor .Ieud keeps the most valuable wooden church in Romania , the pearl of Maramures, Made in 1364 in the oldest wooden church, the only one that wasn’t burned by the invaders in 18 th century. Inside paintings are made on wood, an impressive collection of glass icons, an ancient one piece leader carved in one log. In the church’s loft there was discovered Codicele de la Ieud the oldest Romanian hand writing ( 1391 ), unique in Romania keep at Academy’s Library in Bucharest . Ieud is also the place from were in the 14 th century left Dragos the first Moldavian ruler.Botiza is an old village in Maramures on the scenic Botiza valley, a famous center for wood carving (carved wooden gates, dowry trunk) and wool (blankets). The wooden church was made in 1796 and it was moved hare in 1899 from Viseul de Sus village.
• Rozalvea is a typical village for Maramures, the wooden church dates from 1716 Stâmtura the wooden church of the village was broth here in 1771 from Rozavlea. Stâmtura, the name of the village can be translated The Narrow is famous for traditional costumes made here.Bârsana. In Oncesti on the spot named Cetatiua ( The Citadel ) there were discovered the remains of a settlement dating from Bronze and Iron period (bracelets), and Dacian pottery from 1 st A.D. to 1 st B.C. The most important objective in Botiza is the nun’s monastery made in 1994 with the incredible two level wooden church built between 1991-1992. In Botiza lives the famous folk artist Nicolae Bârsan , well known all over the world for its wooden gates and wood sculptures.Vadu Izei and Sihetul Marmatiei where passed during the day one, but the road continues along the left banks of Tisa river.Câmpulung la Tisa is situated on the banks of Tisa river, and is at the border with Ukraine . The Protestant church was made in 1793 and it is the most important church in the village.
• Săpânţa The village is situated on the North face of Gutâi Mts . at 500 m ( 1640ft ) elevation, at the confluence of Sapânta river with Tisa . The rich mineral springs are good for internal therapy. The village is also known for its traditional house use goods, blankets, traditional costumes, pottery, straw hats. (the traditional man head wear is named Clop , a small straw hat with colorful tassels and a chinstrap)The village was first mentioned in 1373 but it becomes famous all over the world since 1936 when the traditional craftsman Ioan Stan Patras made the Merry Cemetery.  The Merry Cemetery in Săpânţa is unique and original and shows in an astonish way the traditional Romanian way to see and treat life and death, the traditional fun of trouble is taken at its limits. On the graves crosses Ioan Stan Patras and later his apprentices curved epitaphs and painted in vivid colors, with a lot of ingenuousness and humour imagines of the dead ones, showing the good and especially the bad parts of them. The epitaphs on rimes, full of wisdom get the essence of the biography of the deceased, completing the artistic value of the painted imagines. The Dacians where celebrating the death and mourn the birth, seeing life as punish for the soul and death as an end of it.Making fun of trouble seems to be the secret of the lasting of Romanian people against all the hard times. On the same way back to Sighetu Marmatiei for overnight.

8^TH DAY SATURDAY

transfer Sighetu Marmatiei – Cluj Napoca

• Schedule of the day :

9:00 breakfast
10:00 leaving for Cluj Napoca
11:30 arriving at Baia Mare, Mineralogy Museum
13:00 (1 PM) arriving at Jibou , visit to Botanical Garden
15:00 (3 PM) leaving Jibou
18:00 (6 PM) arriving at Cluj Napoca

Highlights of the day:

The road back follows Mara valley to Baia Mare passing Gutâi Pass . At Rastoci 47 Km ( 29mi ) from Baia Mare 1H national road will be fallowed to Surduc .

Lozna is situated on the left banks of Somes , having less than 2000 inhabitants. In here there were discovered Bronze period (13 th -12 th B.C.) pieces such as: weapons, tools, harness parts.

Surduc is situated on the banks of Somes river at its confluence with Almas and Cristoltel , in the SE of Prisnel knolls ( made of metamorphic rocks, being not very tall because of the heavy layer of sediments that still covers it ) was first mentioned in 1554 , in village are there were found a Roman military camp ruins dating from 2 nd and 3 rd century. The village is also famous for red pottery made in here and for wickerwork. In Surduc there is also a 17 th century palace named Jozsica and a small size Orthodox Church made of wood from 17 th century.

Jibou was first mentioned in 1219 under the name of Villa Chybur , in 1564 is knows as a commercial city Sibou , since 1854 having the actual name.

In the near by there was found a silver hoard having pieces from 315-285 B.C., 487 coins from 209, 48-47 B.C. and 33 coins from Thásos weighing 2.4 Kg ( 5.5pds ). They also found traces of a settlement dating from 2 nd -4 th century.

The city is famous for its botanic garden (the most beautiful one in Romania) with over 500 species of flowers. Two castles worth the attention, Wesselenji – built between 1779-1810 in Transylvanian Baroque style, and Beldy castle that has a park too.

Creaca is a village situated in Almas-Agrij hilly depression, on Agrij river. The village first mentioned in 1385 is famous for artistic wood carving.

Agrij depression is a well known area for its apple, pear and plum orchards. It is laying along Agrij river at 120 – 450 m ( 393-1476ft ) elevation.

Românasi is situated in the NE part of Meses Mts. (small mountains of Western Carpathians made of a mosaic of rocks, north of Apuseni Mts .) in Agrij depression. In the place named Cetate ( The Citadel ) there were discovered the ruins of a Roman military fort dating from 3 rd century known as Largiana . The village was first mentioned in documents in the year 1310 and has some interesting wood churches, some painted on the exterior walls too as the two patron saints church built in 1730 Saint Nicolas and Nativity.

Sânmihaiu Almasului

Zimbor is situated in the south part of Almas depression, at the NW foothills of Dealurile Clujului ( Cluj’s Hills ) on Almas river. The village has about 1200 inhabitants and is the middle of the important fruit tree region of Salaj . In Sutoru there were found the ruins of Roman military fort known as Opatiana , dating from 2 nd – 3 rd century. In Zimbor , known in 1332 as Zumbur there is 15 th century church, today the Lutheran church.

Mihaesti

Sânpaul is a village situated in Dealurile Clujului (Cluj’s hills) on Valea Mare river, first mentioned in 1295 has a wood church made in 1722 painted in 1788 .

Cluj Napoca, the most important city in this area.

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