Deep into the wilderness of Romania lies a magical place that is wating to be explored.This Carpathian area, located at the intersection of the historical regions of Transylvania, Bucovina and Maramureş is one of the last regions in Europe where lost in time villages, with ancient traditions and customs, and wild and pristine nature is still to be found.
We are inlove of these places and happy to show it, beeing guided by sustainable principles, respecting nature and local comunities.
Itinerary
Borgo Pass or Tihuta Pass, connects from centuries the two historical Romanian regions of Transylvania and Bukowina. Its commercial and strategic role goes even deeply into history. Witness to it being the presence of the ancient roman road, with sections that are well preserved even today.
Located at 1200 m above the sea level, this legendary mountain pass offers great view over the surrounding areas – the medieval Trasylvania on the west with its hilly landscape, the archaic Bukowina to the est, the volcanic Calimani Mountains with its great and wild forests to the south, and the Rodnei Mountains to the north, with higher and alpine like ridges. The Pass is part of the lower Borgo (Bargau) mountains, which allowed humans to settle up. During summer, the locals from the valleys come up on the mountain, taking their animals with them, to take advantage of the rich meadows, for grazing or collecting hay for the winter. Some of them remained, in the past, also over the winter. The small villages of Ciosa or Poiana Catunenilor were set like this. Here you will still have the chance to observe the way of life of the locals, which, in some aspects have not changed for hundreds of years.
We will be accommodated at the Dracula’s Castle Hotel, built in the late 70s by the communist regime, with a medieval like castle look, in order to connect it with the legend of count Dracula from the Bram Stoker’s novel. The story from it is taking place in this area.
Arriving in Piatra Fantanele. Accommodating at the Dracula’s Castle Hotel
Visiting the Piatra Fantanele Monastery. Watching the Sunset from a belle-view point. optional, short warm/up ride. Included services: accommodation, guiding
We will cycle trough remote mountain villages, experiencing the traditional lifestyle of the locals. We will pass some of the ancient roman road and will take a traditional lunch from natural homegrown food. If time and desire we can go further to an even more remote village, where the electricity network is still not present. The track will be an easy one, from one point to another and back, with a short loop, mainly on gravel and earthed roads, but can also be extended and designed for more enthusiast and advanced riders. Included services: breakfast, guiding, picnick lunch, accommodation
Distance: 25 km +460/-460 m
Our second and last day of riding will take us deeply into the wilderness of the Carpathians. After passing this mysterious forest we will be arriving and riding trough a section of beautiful meadows and glades, where we will be experiencing the traditional shepherding. Here we will also taste a specific sheepfold dish made from polenta and fresh cheese. After this, after riding a bit downhill, we will go up, back to the accommodating place. After dinner, we can do a short walk to a natural mineral water spring.
Included services: breakfast, guiding, accommodation
Distance: 22 km +500/-500m
• Duration: 4 days
• Overnights: 3
• Riding days: 2
• Fitness: 2-3 of 5
• Skills: Novice-Intermediate
• Total length: 47 km
• Average per day: 24 km
• Total climb: 1020 m
• Lowest point: 770 m
• Highest point: 1220 m
• Price: The final price will depend on the total number of the participants.
Please contact us for more details and the available dates. Note: harder and longer routes are available
Highlights
• experience the archaic romanian country side, with ancient old customs and traditions
• wild and pristine forests, roaming with brown bears, wolves and linx
• life at sheepfold
• Sections of the ancient Roman Road
• picturesque rolling hills
• Tihutza mountain pass with the Dracula Hotel, located in the area where the Bram Stoker’s story of Dracula is taking place
• Delicious traditional natural and homegrown food
• The remote mountain villages of Ciosa and Poiana Catunenilor
• The Piatra Fantanele Monastery, dating the beginning of the 20th century
• views over Bucovina and Transylvanian mountains
What’s included
• 3 overnights in Dracula Castle Hotel 3*
• Half board: breakfasts and sandwiches for lunch ( take in account aprox. 10-12 euro for a dinner)
• Guiding for every day of riding
• Technical assistance
• Photos
Note: airport transfers are available upon request. The tour can also be extended according to your wishes.Contact us for further details.
• Small bike backpack (arround 15 litres)
• Sportbag for transfering your stuff from one location to another
• 2 or more bike jearsey, 2 or more bike pants, underware, socks, bikeshoes, gloves
• Helmet
• Sunglases with interchangeable lenses
• Rain resistant biking jacket and pants
• Warm clothes for evenings (temperatures can drop as low as 5 degrees Celcius even during the summer in the evenings and mornings or on the mountains)
• Hydratation systems or botles
• Swimwear
• Suncreams if you have a sensitive skin
• Towel
• Basic firstaid kit
• Camera
During summer time weather in Romania can be very warm to hot, with short periods of cold rainy days and with regulary summer storms with lightnings and thunders during afternoons. Temperatures during summer can vary from 5 degrees Celsius in the morning to as much as 35 degrees at noon (even 40 degrees in the southern part of Romania).
Romania, a country from the east part of Europe is a place little known for the rest of the World, but wich has a lot to offer.
Romania’s mountains are considered to be one of the last wild places in Europe beeing home of more than half of Europe’s large carnivores like bears and wolves.With almost half of its population living in the countryside, Romania and its villages is the place where you can still experience the rural lifestyle, in its true sense, witnessing ancient old traditions and customs, wich are extinct in other parts of Europe. People are still working and living from the land, using their own hands and animals for this. They still use horse drawn carts for carrying stuff and colecting hay in the old ways.But this fragile paradise is facing extinction due to globalization, Eu regulation (Romania entered European Union in 2007) and young people migration to urban areas and to foreign countries in search for a place to work.Also, other danger that Romania is facing is deforestation. Tourism and income from it could be an alternative to distruction of the wild habitats. It can also add an income to the local economy, helping to preserve the fragile way of life of the local comunities.The best moment to visit the wild and archaic Romania was 20 years ago, the second one is NOW !!!
Sergi, Barcelona – It’s been such a great trip. Everything was perfect. We enjoyed a lot the experience, not only for the routes and places where we stayed, but for our guide Calin, who was a great person and always willing to help.
See the original review on Tripadvisor
Mark, Munich – I had a long drive home but it was great to have the weekend to relax.Thank you to you all for making my trip so special.
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