Trekking Romania, Hiking in Transylvania, Wildlife watching, Self guided tours Romania

Travel with curiosity!

Adventure Tours

icefloe - adventure tours category

This private hiking trip is a great opportunity to explore Piatra Craiului National Park in the Carpathian Mountains, an area pretty much untouched by the 21st century. Trek past gorges, forests and pastures where mountain shepherds still work, and see a side of Romania that's hardly changed in generations.

Hike among the spectacular Carpathian Mountains on a guided, private-group tour of Piatra Craiului National Park from Brașov. Follow one of two routes on a 5- to 7-hour hike through alpine meadows, fragrant forests and/or country villages that seem untouched by time. See the cavernous Zarnesti Gorge, and learn about the traditional rural industries of cheese-making and shepherding. Refuel with hearty Romanian fare at either a mountain hut or a local village.

The grade of the tour is ranked T1 or T2 from Swiss Alpine Club (see please [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAC-Wanderskala](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAC-Wanderskala)), depending of the route we choose.  
  
**T1 - Hiking.** Path well paved. Terrain flat or slightly sloping, no danger of falling. Doable with sneakers. Orientation without problems, even without a map.

**T2 - Mountain hiking.** Path with continuous route and balanced slopes. Terrain partly steep, danger of falling not excluded. Some surefootedness. Trekking shoes are recommended. Elementary orientation skills.

**Did you know?**

The name of the mountain came from one of the citadels built by the Hungarian Kingdom, as a custom, control and protection point, at the southern border of Transylvania, at the bottom of the mountains, at the end of XIV century. The name of the citadel in German language was Königstein.

The locals called the mountain The Stone (Piatra).

The name of the highest peak (2238 m) is called Piscul Ciobanului or Piscul Baciului - Shepherd's Peak in English language and Hirtenspitze in German language.

A century ago the Carpathians mountains represented the border between Austrian-Hungarian Empire and Valachia, the southern part of Romania. The border divided Piatra Craiului Massif exactly on the highest peak, Piscul Baciului, where was the border pillar no. 201 and a pyramide made from wood (triangulation beacon).

The Piatra Craiului Massif became a natural reserve on March 28, 1938 (Journal of the Council of Ministers No. 645), with an initial surface of only 440 ha. The Council of Ministers made this decision _"due to the unique nature of the massif where there are rare species, such as Dianthus callizonus, Hesperis nivea, Minuartia transilvanica, Leontopodium alpinum, and also for the beauty of the landscape."_

Piatra Craiului National Park Private Hiking Tour from Brasov

Enjoy a round-trip hike to the epic Seven Ladders Canyon (Canionul Sapte Scari), famed for its ladders and waterfalls.

Small-Group Day Trip to the Epic 7 Ladders Canyon from Brasov

Your tour starts from and ends in Brasov. It will take you along the Transfagarasan Road, which is open from July 1 through to October 31\. The driving time from Brasov to Balea Lake is about 2 hours, and once there you will hike from Balea Lake up to Capra Lake. Once there, it will be decided if the tour will take a hike up to the Vanatoarea lui Buteanu peak of 2,507 meters, or if you will instead enjoy a walk around the lake (this is all depending of weather conditions on that given day) At the end of the trip, you will have the option to enjoy a lunch at the Balea Lake Hotel. The total hike takes around 4-5 hours. From November to June, the hike will be taken on a different route in Fagaras Mountains, in the Valea Sambetei area.

Brasov: Private Fagaras Mountains Trekking Tour

The forest ranger leads you along a mountain path through the forest, walking a few hundred meters to the observation hide, where you wait quietly for the wildlife to appear (walking time approx. 20 minutes). There is a high chance (statistically around 70%) of spotting wild boar, roe deer, red deer, wolves, and a variety of forest birds—and you may even spot Europe’s largest land predator in its natural habitat, a truly unforgettable experience.

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) have a wide global distribution, reflecting their ability to adapt to a variety of habitats. The brown bear's principal range includes parts of Russia, India, China, Canada, the United States (primarily Alaska), Scandinavia, and the Carpathian region (especially Romania). There are estimated to be more than 200.000 brown bears worldwide, with approximately 5.500 individuals in the Carpathian region of Romania. They are amongst the largest living carnivores and can grow to enormous sizes: males up to 350kg and females up to 200kg. Adult males tend to be, on average, 8 to 10% larger than females. They have good hearing, an excellent sense of smell, and can live for up to 30 years.

Carpathian Wilderness: A Wildlife Experience from Brașov

Carpathian Wilderness: A Wildlife Experience from Brasov

This is a day tour "pour les connaisseurs" !  
  
Guaranteed departures: October - April.  
  
Private day hike on Taga Mountains from Brasov, a remote and wild area nearby Piatra Craiului National Park.  
Walk on unmarked forests roads with astonishing landscapes over the Southern Carpathians which surround the Burzenland - a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania with a mixed population of Romanians, Germans, and Hungarians, also known as "The Little Transylvania": Piatra Mare and Postavarul Massifs, Baiului Mountains, Bucegi Natural Park, Iezer-Papusa Mountains, Fagaras Mountains and of course Piatra Craiului National Park. Cross deep forests and meadows with wild flowers from where we have one of the best spots to make photos over the surroundings mountains. During winter time we can identify the wildlife tracks in snow - bear, wolf, stag, wild boar.

Hike in the Wild Private Photo Tour

### **A Walk Between an Empire and a Kingdom**

Get to know one of the Transylvanian villages at a leisurely pace. Get close to the real character of the mountain villages as you enjoy a relaxing rambling day trip with beautiful scenery and a network of trails that could be rewarding to explore on foot.

Located at 1 hour drive from Brasov, it's a great place for all kinds of outdoor activities – among them walking, the activity you experience with our licensed guides.

The rolling hills afford wide views over the entire region with stunning landscapes of the mountains: Bucegi Natural Park, Piatra Craiului National Park, Postavarul Massif.

Whilst many of the villages in the area are heavily visited, it is possible to walk here and experience real authentic village life.

The walking grade is easy to moderate, in a round trip for walkers looking to explore a corner of Transylvania way off the tourist trail.

At the foothills of Piatra Craiului mountains, on the former border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Romanian Kingdom, lies a mysterious and remote village called Ciocanu.

A village which once blossomed thanks to the trade and economic benefits of a border settlement, became almost untouched as if time stopped passing since the unification happened following the first War War. First established by three deserter Austro-Hungarian soldiers, and named the village Ciocanu, meaning Hammer, as the outline of the village is shaped like a hammer now is populated mainly by elderly living of their cattle and sheep farms.

We are inviting you to experience a walk/hike in this beautiful area to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of an authentic Romanian mountain village and take in the idyllic beauty of the landscape which doesn't stop amazing its visitors no matter of the season. Accompanied by an experienced licensed tour guide you will be introduced not only to the history and culture of the area but also to local legends and myths.

After our 10-12 km hike a well deserved lunch awaits for us at a local guesthouse, where we can taste local cheeses (sheep and cattle), pork sausages or lard, home grown vegetables or home made preserves/pickles.

Rambling in Transylvania

Discover beautiful nature and culture on this one day bike tour. Cycle on the Baraolt mountains, than alongside the Olt river (where you can enjoy swimming and sun bathing). Cross the 3 Saxon villages – Bod, Harman and Sanpetru where you can explore the fortified churches. Take a breather to enjoy The Cismasu Equestrian Center located near Harman village. The ranch is surrounded by the Lempes hill, in a quiet and natural setting. It gives unforgettable memories for lovers of fishing and horse riding.

One Day Private Biking Tour in Burzenland - The Little Transylvania

Join us to a 2 day adventure private tour in Transylvanian Alps - Fagaras Mountains!  
  
We pick you up from your location in Brasov at 8:30 to start an authentic 2 day adventure program in Transylvanian Alps, driving on Transfagarasan Highway as know as "the Road to the Sky", "the Road to the Clouds", "the Best Driving Road in the World" and even "A spectacular Monument to Earth-Moving Megalomania"!

We hike to Balea Waterfall - the highest step-waterfall in Romania, more than 60 meters tall. We visit Balea Lake, Vidraru Dam, Poienari Fortress, the real Vlad Tepes' Residential Castle - access to the citadel is made by climbing the 1,480 concrete stairs.

We hike on the epic Stan's Gorge – 4 hours hiking trip on an impressive canyon with ladders and via ferrata or we hike on the main ridge of Fagaras Mountains starting from Balea Lake for about 4-6 hours.

We choose the hike depending on the weather forecast.  
  
Transfagarasan road is open between July 1 - October 31! 

According to a statement from the Argeș County Council, **access to Poienari Fortress** will be allowed in organized groups at fixed times, following the schedule below:

9:00 AM / 11:00 AM / 1:00 PM / Last ascent at 3:00 PM

2 Day Private Tour Transfagarasan Highway and Hiking in Fagaras Mountains

Book with us a once in a lifetime experience! A hiking trip along the crest of the Fagaras Mountains is indeed beautiful, but difficult and challenging!  
  
Did you know?  
  
It is said that the name "Fagaras" is coming from the word "fagar", an old word which represents a large old beech forest.  
  
In ancient times, the bottom part of the Fagaras Mounatins were covered with Oak forest. Now remains "Dumbrava Vadului", where, among the oak trees, we have daffodils (Narcissus stellaris), locally known as coprine.  
  
In Fagaras Mountains there is "Mioarelor" galcial lake (2282 m), the highest glacial lake in the Carpathian mountains.  
  
In Fagaras Mountains there are 8 of the 14 peaks of the Carpathian mountains that reach the altitude of 2500 m: Moldoveanu (2544 m), Negoiu (2535 m), Coltul Vistei Mari (2527 m), Lespezi (2522 m), Cornu Caltunului (2510 m), Vanatoarea lui Buteanu (2507 m), Hartopu (2506 m) and Dara (2500 m). Here there are over 42 peaks with altitude between 2400 and 2500 m.

Expedition in Fagaras Mountains from Brasov (Private Tour!)

**Adventure tours** include some camping interspersed with nights in comfortable accommodations. They are for those desiring to get further afield and involve varying degrees of wilderness travel in the form of hiking and/or biking, trekking, rafting.  *Adventures* are designed for beginners, intermediates and advanced hikers and require a moderate to hard degree of fitness.

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Active Travel Romania - a tour operator established in 2007 - provides unique private and small-group experiences, ranging from general sightseeing to wildlife viewing and wilderness adventures throughout Romania.

Skarfur Elvar Otkelsson <seo@icefloe.travel>