Transylvania Hiking Tour for Leisure Walkers - Discover Western and Northern Carpathians

  Hungary

Budapest

  Romania

Oradea

Description: Discover the wildest mountains in Romania - Apuseni and Maramuresului! Untouched by civilisation, unchanged by human hand, these areas truly are a nest of legends. The view is breath taking, depicted from a fairy tale: ice cave, wild gorges, an old gold mine and the powerful ox.

Day by day itinerary:

Day 1 Budapest - Oradea - Arieseni
Welcome in a Europe walking tour that provides you with the possibility of hiking in wildest mountains in Romania, Western and Northern Carpathians! Our guide welcomes you at the airport in Budapest; you'll then travel across the Hungarian "Puszta" and arrive in Oradea, Romania. Drive to Apuseni Mountains to "Motzilor Land" for accommodation in country-inns in Arieseni.

Day 2 Arieseni - Scarisoara Ice Cave - Poarta lui Ionele Cave - Rusty Pit - Arieseni
Your Romania hiking tour programme includes for today a walk to Scarisoara Ice Cave, the biggest ice cave in Eastern Europe, a visit to Poarta lui Ionele Cave as well as the deepest ground slide in Romania, Rusty Pit. Then return to accommodation in Arieseni.

Day 3 Arieseni - Rosia Montana - Brad - Hunedoara - Hateg - Deva
Drive to Rosia Montana, the old centre of gold mining, a truly interesting place on the itinerary of your Romania vacation. Our next stop is The Museum of Gold in Brad, then travel to Hunedoara to visit Corvinestilor Castle and the Ox Reservation in Hateg. Drive to Deva, visit the citadel and accommodate.

Day 4 Deva - Alba Iulia - Ramet Gorges - Coltesti Citadel - Rimetea
Alba Iulia Citadel is the first tourist attraction of your hiking tour for today. You'll then travel to Ramet, explore the gorges then drive to Coltesti crossing Valisoarei Gorges and entering the romantic Trascau Depression. Discover the ruins of the old citadel in Coltesti, and then drive to Rimetea for accommodation in country-inns.

Day 5 Rimetea - Posaga - Salciua - Turzii's Gorges - Cluj Napoca
In the morning you'll drive to Posaga to explore and wonder in a real fairy garden "Scarita Belioara" Reservation. Head to Salciua and visit "Huda lui Papara", the biggest cave in Trascau Mountains. Next stop on your hiking tour is Turzii Gorges Reservation, with its high walls of more than 200 m is our next target. Drive to Cluj Napoca for accommodation.

Day 6 Cluj Napoca-Bistrita-Dracula Castle-Sacel-Ieud
Travel to Borgo Pass to visit the castle where the bloody count Dracula was placed and imagined, you can't miss such a highlight in a Europe walking tour, Dracula's Castle is always a good reason to travel to Transylvania. Cross Bistrita and Setref Pass to enter "Maramuresului County". Your Romania hiking tour will privilege you today with a special meeting; you'll make the acquaintance of the famous wood-craftsman Grigore Tulean. Drive to Ieud for accommodation in country-inns.

Day 7 Ieud - Gutai - Sighet - Sapanta - Satu Mare
Drive to Gutai Pass, and then hike up to the famous "Rooster Ridge", an impressive volcanic rock located on top of Gutai Mountains. Travel to Sighetu Marmatiei to visit the Communist Prison, a legacy of a more recent vampire - Dictator Nicolae Ceausecu, which will reveal a different face of Romania. Discover how a cemetery can be merry while visiting the "Merry Cemetery" in Sapanta, Maramures, a cultural treat of your Romania hiking tour. You'll also visit here the highest wood church in Romania. Your walking tour ends today in Satu Mare, where you'll accommodate.

Day 8 Satu Mare - Budapest
The final day of your hiking tour. Depart to Budapest Airport.

Highlights:
* Scarisoara Ice Cave - the biggest ice cave in Eastern Europe explored in this hiking tour
* Rusty Pit - the biggest ground slide also found in your Romania vacation
* Rooster Ridge - an impressive volcanic rock located on top of Gutai Mountains
* Huda lui Papara Cave - do you remember the history of Pied Piper, the magic flute singer? If not, this Romania hiking tour will remind it to you: it is believed that Huda lui Papar? communicates with that cave in Germany in which Pied Piper hid the children from Hamelin
* Dracula's Castle Transylvania - the castle mentioned in Bram Stoker's "Dracula", you cannot say you've been in an Europe walking tour if you haven't seen it
* Corvinestilor Castle - the place where Vlad the Impaler (also named Dracula) received his education, a "bloody" marvelous experience of any Romania vacation.
* Turzii's Gorges - one of the most important natural reservations of the Apuseni Mountains
* Merry Cemetery - discover how a cemetery can be merry in the picturesque and traditional area of Maramures, a cultural treat of such a Europe walking tour and a must see for a Romania vacation

Cost in US$: 1063

Accommodation: 3 nights in 2* and 4 nights in country-inns.

Transportation: by microbus or car, depending on the number of travellers. The baggage transportation is provided by the microbus for the entire tour.

Meals: 7 breakfasts and 2 dinners.

Entry fees to: Scarisoara Ice Cave, Rusty Pit, Rosia Montana - Roman's Drifts, The Museum of Gold in Brad, Corvinestilor Castle, The Ox Reservation in Hateg, Deva Citadel, Ramet Gorges, Coltesti Citadel, Scarita Belioara, Huda lui Papara Cave, Turzii Gorges Reservation, Dracula's Castle in Borgo Pass, The Craftsman in Sacel, Rooster Ridge, The Communist Prison, The Monument of Imprisoned Thoughts, The Merry Cemetery.

Not included: plane ticket, airport fees, all lunches and 5 dinners, photo & video tax and other not mentioned.

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 14

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Transylvania Live, Tour Operator and Member of American Society for Travel Agents's Mission Statement: Transylvania-Live it is simply the most spectacular way to discover Transylvania. Our aim is to introduce you to genuine Transylvania. Helping preserve beautiful traditions, thousands of years old, keeping alive the culture of different areas by introducing you to locals, assuring that Transylvania will always welcome you with pine flavor and thick forests, making sure that in a village "grandmother" waits you with a slice of traditional pie is not at all difficult. We are the only Romanian tour operator offering the possibility of enjoying Transylvanian Festivals live, both making use and preserving Transylvanian traditions and mythology! Our offer includes cultural holidays that take you to genuine Transylvanian Festivals to celebrate together our songs, dances, see the work of the shepherds, admire the mastery of our craftsmen. Transylvania Live appeals only to the help of local guides both in Romania and Hungary; we work only with local suppliers, so that money will stay where needed. We're supporting "Saint Daniel's Foundation" program which already built a house for the elderly and now is trying to build the second one for both old people and children in the program entitled - "A grandfather for a nephew - A nephew for a grandfather". Sustaining our region through involvement in civic projects is another priority for us. Transylvania Live is co initiator of the "Tourism Information Centre" in Turda, sponsor of belles-lettres national magazine "Echinox" and student's theatre festival "Alterego" as well as sustainer of "Transylvania Riders" motor club.

Year Founded: 1995