Hiking in Romania

Hiking in Romania

Usually, people who visit Romania are mostly interested in Dracula, medieval cities or the capitol Bucharest overlooking the Carpathians. The Carpathians offer impressive views from the tops, there are more then enough courses to follow for inexperienced hikers and still be rewarded gradually with a picture perfect panorama of the nature. But don’t underestimate the trails through the Carpathians, of course like mentioned above there are trails for inexperienced hikers but if you are a regular hiker you might want to try some of the advanced hiking trails. For example if you are experienced you can go and try to reach the Moldoveanu Peak in the Fagaras mountains which is at least 2,544m. Moldoveanu peak is also the highest mountain in Romania and the second highest mountain in the Carpathians.

Like mentioned before you don’t have to be a hardcore hiker to enjoy the beauty of the mountains in Romania. Even with an average physical condition you could still enjoy a nice day hiking. Mountains start from 1.800m altitude but there are also foothills that have hiking trails which are far less intensive but still offer a beauty of a view. For an average hike you could consider checking out the Apuseni national park (close to Cluj-Napoca) or Piatra Craiului National park (close to Brasov). Both offer a picture perfect view of the multiple mountains scattered over the land with small traditional mountain villages all over the valleys. These villages have preserved a simple, quit and traditional way of living. There are a lot of medium hiking trails ranging from 5 till 10km and can be done in one day. Tours often take 2 days for the trails and are often recommended for beginners.

Those who are looking for a challenge should consider to try the the trails in the Fargas Mountains, Bucegi or Retezat. In the mountainscape you can find uninhabited landscapes, virgin forests, glacial lakes and some signs of civilization. The hikers will be immersed by the beauty of the nature that is being offered by the mountain sights.

In other words hiking in Romania is for both inexperienced hikers and the ones who are looking for a challenge. For example one of the longest and hardest courses is in the southside of the Carpathians in Bucegi, Fagaras and Retezat mountains. If you are inexperienced you should try out the Apuseni national park or Piatra Craiului national park.

Sources used:

https://www.romanianfriend.com/blog/hiking-guide-romania-transylvania

Bird watching in Romania

Birdwatching in Romania
Are you a bird fanatic and eager to discover different types of birds in a fantastic and largest reed surface in the world? The 580,000 hectares of the Danube Delta Biospheres Reserve includes the largest reed surface in the world, interrupted by lakes and channels, where thousands of pelicans, herons, ibis, ducks, warblers and other birds breed. Birds like White-Tailed Eagle, Paddy field Warbler, Pied Wheatear and Dalmatian Pelican are certain to be of interest to list keepers, but the main attraction here is the great show of nature, with huge wild areas reachable only by rowing boat, and everything seen at close range (Feneru, sd).

The Danube Delta Biospheres is one of the biggest ecosystems in the world and is protected by the UNESCO world heritage list. The Delta Biospheres brings home to more than 300 bird kinds and has the third largest biodiversity in the world after the Australia’s great barrier reef and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.

If you are not into active tours you can also choose to take a tour threw the different villages located in the reefs area, some of which are only accessible by boat which makes the experience very unique. You can also find a place to sleep in most of these villages to experience the lifestyle of the people who live there. Try out the freshly caught fish in one of the few restaurants you can find in the villages located in the reef area. An option is visiting the Letea forest and village also known as the sunken forest.

There are multiple options for tours you can chose, which range from a couple hours to a week of bird watching trough different parts of the Danube Delta, different mountain areas and even combinations with bear and bison watching are options. The prices differ but are mostly between €300,- and €500,- for the tour incl. accommodation and breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course you can rent your own car and drive through the Delta but you wot be able to reach some places that are only accessible by boat or walking. There is the option to drive to a village and rent a boat or join a boat tour to an village that’s not reachable by car.