The Beginner's Guide To Hiking In Romania
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Loading... - Isla Dixon
- 23 Mar 2022
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The majority of travelers who visit my home country seldom choose Romania for its mountains.
They usually come for Dracula, medieval towns like SighiÈ™oara and the capital city of Bucharest, overlooking the country’s most impressive attraction of all, the majestic Carpathians.
I am here to ask you to look beyond the usual tourist attractions and consider hiking in Romania – if you love nature, have a sense of adventure and respect the great outdoors, you will not be disappointed!
Here are a few good reasons why you should consider hiking in Romania:
Some of the best views require very little effort
You don’t need to be a power hiker to get a glimpse of some of the most spectacular panoramas in Romania.
Several trails are extremely easy to conquer, offering a more than rewarding view from the top!
On one of my recent hikes my parents and I took a short and easy hour-long walk to Ciucaru Mic Peak (313 meters).
Once we reached the highest point we were astonished by the killer view the peak offered of the Cazan Gorge, the natural border between Serbia and Romania.
You can actually drive through the mountains
Even if you’re not much of a hiker, Romania still has some amazing paved mountain road crossings for you to enjoy.
One of them, the Transfăgărășan, has been named “the best road in the world” by Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson due to its magnificent surroundings and exciting drive.
Numerous other such crossings can be found scattered around the Carpathians, offering proximity to mountain peaks and hiking trails.
The lakes nestled between the mountains are to die for
Mountain lakes are cold, clean and usually crystal-clear. This general rule applies to the majority of lakes in Romania too. That’s why they make for outstanding hiking destinations.
The most spectacular ones can be found amongst limestone rocks which boast an imposing turquoise hue, such as the Ochiul Beiului Lake of the Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park.
Our gorges are like playgrounds for adults
If you’re in the mood to challenge yourself and aren’t afraid of getting wet, river gorges are definitely the thing for you!
Similarly to the lake above, gorges can mainly be found in the limestone mountains of Romania.
They offer an unforgettable experience, as sometimes you’ll need to trek through the water (like in the RâmeÈ› Gorge), whilst on other occasions you will need climb up ladders adjacent to waterfalls (like at the 7 Ladders Gorge) – an activity best enjoyed in summer.
The waterfalls aren’t half bad either
Speaking of waterfalls, some of them are exceptionally memorable. The Bigăr Falls, for example, is one of the most beautiful in the country.
Due to its unusual shape it has been named among the top unique waterfalls in the world by The World Geography.
There are quite a few challenging trails for experienced hikers
Even if you’re a skilled trekker, hiking in Romania will surely not disappoint.
The most challenging and lengthy hiking trails are found in the Southern Carpathians – especially in the Bucegi, FăgăraÈ™ and Retezat Mountains.
If you really want to wear yourself out, choose the trail leading to the Moldoveanu Peak, from where you can admire the surroundings from a whopping 2,544 meters.
