Romania is a beautiful and mysterious country, the birthplace of Count Dracula. A large part of the country is occupied by the Carpathian Mountains, among which the longest mountain range Rodna (Romanian: Munţii Rodnei) in the region of Maramures (Romanian: Maramureș) takes an important place. The region, bordering Ukraine, has preserved centuries-old traditions in the daily life of the local population. The villages of Maramuresh have unique wooden architecture, weaving and intricate embroidery which decorate the national costumes.
The Rodna Massif in Romania is famous for romantic sunsets, cold glacial lakes, deep caves and high waterfalls. We will spend most of the hike at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters and breathe in crystal clear mountain air. And we'll also see a unique phenomenon - the legendary Carpathian rhododendron ruta blooming. The bright mountain carpet will give bright impressions that you'll remember for a long time!
We do not cancel or shift groups. If the manager approved the purchase of a ticket, you can surely buy it. The hike will not be canceled due to our fault.
Experienced Kuluar teamleaders will accompany the group on all route, will make the trip as safe and unforgettable as possible!
A manager will help you prepare for the trip and answer all your questions
More than 12,000 participants have already gone to the mountains with the Kuluar and 97.8% were satisfied.
Today we will meet the group in the Romanian city of Suceava (for participants from Ukraine we organize transfer from Chernivtsi), from where we will go to the legendary mountainous region in the north of Romania - Maramures (Rum.Maramureș). The region, besides wooden products is famous for ceramics, unique icons, unusual hats made of hay and delicious homemade drinks :) We arrive in the Rodnjanski Alps! Our route begins on the banks of the river Auria. Along the mountain road we gradually gain altitude. We climb the pass Rotunda. This place is very popular among tourists - here all mountain routes converge, music and historical festivals are held. By the way, in the 13th century, when the Tatar-Mongols invaded Transylvania, some parts of the nomadic army went through this pass. And there are also several mountain shelters where you can order a portion of delicious mamaliga. In this interesting and beautiful place we will spend the night with a view of the Rodna massif.
Travel time 2 hours; distance 5 km; elevation gain: 300 m.
We climb the mountain path to the rocky mountains. We descend into the valley of the Lala River. It rises from under the slopes of Ineu Mountain. From Ineu there are several smaller ridges, between which spread deep emerald valleys with Carpathian bluebells, cornflowers and even edelweiss. In one of these valleys, there are two very beautiful glacial lakes - Lala Mica and Lala Mare. Lala Mare is the largest lake of the mountain range. Here we stay overnight.
Hiking time: 5 hours; distance 10 km; climbing 770 m, elevation drop 115 m
Our companions today will be alpine meadows and beautiful landscapes. We will climb three peaks. First we will climb Ineu Peak (Romanian: Vârful Ineu, 2279m), which is the second highest in the Rodnia massif. At the top of this extraordinarily beautiful mountain leads a trail on a very steep and sharp ridge. We leave our backpacks and climb to the top. After the radial exit we will go on the ridge to the tops - Omului (Vârful Omului 2135m) and Gergelyu (Vârful Gârgâlâu 2159m). In the evening we will reach the majestic amphitheater, at the bottom of which there is a cool blue lake Bistritei (Rum lezeruI Bistritei).
Hiking time: 8h; distance 12 km; climbing 777 m, dropping 801 m.
Today we will rest a little in the midst of the mountain splendor. After descending to the lake, we will take a radial walk to the most spectacular point of our hike. The Rodna mountain range is famous for its waterfalls. Some of them reach considerable size. The biggest of them is the Cascada Cailor Waterfall, a noisy 100-meter-high stream that falls in three cascades (40-20-40 meters). According to ancient legend, the name of the waterfall comes from an event that happened a century ago. One dark night during a thunderstorm, bears drove a herd of wild horses to the edge of the precipice of the waterfall. The frightened horses did not hesitate to jump into the cold chasm. Locals say some of the animals managed to survive, but that night the bears caught big prey. Since then, the names of all the local place names - mountain, waterfall, valley and fords over the river are associated with horses. There are several shallow caves in the limestone cliffs of the Piatra Rea Nature Reserve where the waterfall is located. We will visit one of them, La Găvan, with a picturesque entrance on a steep slope. Today we will hike about 7 km, but without backpacks.
At breakfast we recharge our energy and continue walking along the ridge. From time to time we climb steep peaks that will come across on our way. In summer, the slopes of Rodnian Alps are covered with purple-pink carpet of the legendary red ruta - rhododendron east carpathian. There are no words to describe rhododendron blossoms, so summer is the best time for photo hunt for unique moments, as well as an opportunity to catch a real rhododendron zen. Fortunately, this part of the Rodna Massif is relatively unpopular with hiking groups, so our main company will be the mountains and perhaps noisy flocks of pretty sheep. We stop for the night near La Carti mountain shelter (1785m) We have dinner with a stunning view of the blooming mountain slopes.
Hiking time: 6 hours; distance 11 km; climbing 528 m, dropping 460 m.
In the morning we continue along the main ridge, leaving behind the peaks of Rib, Buhaescu Mick and Mare. At the pass before Petrosul we leave our backpacks and run to the top of Petrosul (Rum - Vîrful Pietrosul 2303m) - the highest peak of the Rodna and Eastern Carpathians. From Petrosul on a clear day we can see the fastest peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians - Pop Ivan Marmaroski and Pop Ivan Chernogorski. We return for backpacks and go down by serpentine road to the lake Ezer. On the shore of the lake we stay for the night.
Hiking time: 5 hours; distance 9,5 km; climbing: 690 m, dropping height: 696 m.
Today is our last day of walking. Through the serpentine mountains we go down to the forest area. The forest road takes us to the town of Borsha (Roman - Borșa), where the pre-booked bus will take us back to Suceava or Chernivtsi. In the evening we are invited to celebrate the successful part of the route in one of the local cafes.
Hiking time: 3 hours; distance 9 km; elevation drop: 1165 m.
The manager will advise you on equipment, help you choose the best flight, share information on hotels and excursions. You make payments and purchases yourself. If you want the manager to buy a ticket for you, then this is possible, but for extra money, because this is a big responsibility. More in the article: additional services and service fee
Depending on the weather conditions, condition and general wishes of the group, the teamleader has the right to make changes to the route.
It is necessary to have a valid biometric passport, in which case, for citizens of Ukraine visa is not required.
You must have no illnesses from this list in order to participate in the hike.
After hiking in Romania, we recommend the following routes:
As always, we recommend that you buy tickets in advance, although there are often vacant seats on trains a week before the start of the hike. The ticket "there" should be bought so that to be at the railway station in Chernivtsi until 9 a.m./Suceava airport - until 10 a.m., on the day of the start of the hike A slight delay is acceptable. Tickets should be purchased only after our confirmation of your participation in the hike.
Group meeting time is set by the last arriving participant, usually it's 10 am. About 7 days before the hike we will email you the exact meeting time and guide contacts. Don't forget to check your email!
You need good insurance to participate in the program. Please do not neglect this item. For some participants, it saved thousands of dollars. You can find our recommendations for taking out insurance here: "Insurance for Kuluar hikers"
Surely you are wondering what we will eat on a hike? Let's just say that you don't have to worry. Many participants say they eat better on the hike than they do at home. The basis of the menu is a simple meal of cereals and soups. You should not count on gourmet delicacies (although they can be).
If you do not eat any products, be sure to inform the manager so that the guide can slightly adjust the menu for you. We also recommend taking some yummies with you - nuts or sweets. Appetite on a hike is much better than at home.
Please note that the menu shown is indicative only. Team leaders usually have their signature dishes that they love to pamper participants with.
Features of nutrition for vegetarians - if you do not eat meat, be sure to read. We tell here how we will feed you and at the same time we give you a 5% discount to the hiking.
The total amount of obligatory expenses not included in the price will be about 80 euros + train tickets. Separately from this it is worth taking money for souvenirs and gifts for friends and relatives.
*Please note: It is not the manager's job to select a separate flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations based on his/her experience and shares the flights of other participants, so that you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase his own convenient airfare. If you want the manager to buy you a ticket, book a hotel or an additional excursion, read the terms and conditions on the page: additional services.
To book a place in the group you need to pay a prepayment of 60 euros. We recommend to do it as early as possible. Methods of payment and conditions of return in case of refusal or descent from the route here. The rest of the sum you mast give to the teamleader at the first day of the program.
