Transylvania Winter Walk & Snowshoe

Transylvania Winter Walk & Snowshoe

465 Views
8 Days From

$1875

$1500

Transylvania Winter Walk & Snowshoe

8 Days

Visiting: Romania

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

CVE

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 16

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $1875 $1500 Operator discount: -$375 -20%

NB: Prices correct on 24-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Transylvania – the name alone conjures images of craggy mountains, gothic castles, horse-drawn carts and forests filled with hibernating bears. The reality is not that far off. Crisp winters add an extra dimension to this small corner of Europe as snow blankets the pastures, farmsteads and woodlands. Spend a week exploring this region, hiking or snowshoeing to small villages, into gorges, through valleys and up mountains as we also take time to visit a local bear sanctuary and, of course, one of the most famous castles in the world, Bran Castle, the fictional home of Dracula.



From our guesthouse in the small village of Magura, we head out to uncover the region’s treasures on foot. Snow conditions will dictate whether we hike or snowshoe; either way, we get into the wilderness. On our travels, we meet local people who still live a traditional lifestyle, learn about the regional folklore and history, enjoy the mountain scenery and, with a bit of luck, see traces of the local wildlife including wolf or bear prints in the snow.

Highlights

  • Experience the serene beauty of the Carpathian Mountains in winter

  • Look for wolf and bear tracks in the snow

  • Visit Bran Castle, Dracula's home

  • Enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people

  • Walk through the Prapastiile Zarnestilor Canyon, formed during the Jurassic period

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Start Magura, Transylvania

Meals Included: Dinner

The trip starts in the village of Magura at about 3,410ft (1,040m), within the boundaries of Piatra Craiului National Park in Transylvania. However, as the guesthouse is 103mi (165km) from Bucharest Airport, we strongly recommend you join the group transfer (3hr 30min), which will take you to the guesthouse from the airport. Dinner on arrival will consist of a cheese and continental meat platter with bread. Our hosts at our guesthouse, Villa Hermani, are very hospitable and enjoy stopping to chat over a glass of local plum brandy.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 2 : Walk To A Local Bat Cave And The Village Of Pestera

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Heading out on foot, our first destination today is a local cave, which is a hibernation roost for a number of bats including lesser and greater horseshoe bats. Remember to bring a torch (flashlight) with you for the visit. We then continue to the nearby village of Pestera (which translates as ‘the cave’) witnessing the winter rural life of these mountain communities. After lunch at a local pub, we return to Magura.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 3 : Explore Kalibash Villages

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Magura is one of a number of villages known as the Kalibash villages. The Kalibash once fled Walachia to this remote area which, at the time, was under Austro-Hungarian rule. Here, houses stretch along hilltops like pearls on a string. Starting at our guesthouse, we hike up to Dealul Magurice (4,265ft/1,300m) where we may spot wolf, lynx and bear prints in the forest snow. Later, as we make our way back to Magura, we stop by a farm to share a hot tuica (homemade plum brandy) with the farmer.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 4 : Snowshoe Or Walk Between Piatra Craiului And Bucegi Mountains

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we walk up to a high plateau between Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains. In winter, this plateau is uninhabited, everything is still and a quiet serenity permeates the air giving a sense of truly being in a remote and special area. In the afternoon, we return to the guesthouse.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 5 : Visit Libearty Bear Sanctuary, The Village Of Vulcan And Brasov

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Driving down into the valley, we make our way to the largest rescue facility for brown bears in Europe: Libearty. Founded in 2005, the rescue centre is home to nearly 100 bears, most of which suffered years in captivity as dancing bears or in circuses. The walk around the bear sanctuary will last approximately one hour.



We drive to the village of Vulcan, which derives its name from the Slavonic word valc meaning wolf. This region is closely related to the history of Transylvanian Saxons who immigrated here 800 years ago from the Rhine-Moselle valleys. They built fortified churches, some of which have been designated Unesco World Heritage sites. Upon arrival in Vulcan, we are greeted with warm coffee and traditional cake in the yard of the fortified church.



From Vulcan, we drive to Brasov for a tour around town and free time to explore. We then take our evening meal in a traditional Romanian restaurant and later return to Magura by minibus.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 6 : Walk To Bran Castle, Also Known As Dracula's Castle

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we hike from tranquil Magura towards busy Bran where we visit Bran Castle. It’s easy to see why Bram Stoker picked this castle to be the residence of Count Dracula. The character himself was based on Vlad Tepes, aka Vlad the Impaler, Duke of Walachia and a brutal tyrant. Though Vlad himself never went to Bran, Stoker saw an image of the castle and thought it the perfect setting for his dark tale. After, we stop by Dracula’s market where we can pick up vampire-inspired souvenirs. Later, we meet the minibus and return to Magura.



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 7 : Snowshoe Through Zarnesti Canyon To Piatra Craiului Mountains

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we walk through a spectacular canyon, a gorge formed during the Jurassic period. We continue towards Curmatura Cabin just beneath the rocks of Piatra Craiului Mountain. The cabin is open year-round and we can relax here before going back to our guesthouse.



Altitude gain: We first walk down to the gorge 655ft (200m), then hike up 2,300ft (700m) to Cabana Curmatura, walk down again 2,300ft (700m), and hike up to Magura 655ft (200m).



Accommodation: Villa Hermani

Day 8 : End Magura, Transylvania

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our adventure comes to an end today. Bid farewell to Villa Hermani and start your return journey home. Clients booked on the group transfer will be transported (3hr 30min) back to Bucharest Airport.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners

  • All accommodation

  • Snowshoes and poles provided

  • Free group arrival and departure transfers available

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Visas and vaccinations

  • Single supplement

Food

All breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners are included during our stay.



Meals are a mixture of local produce and Romanian/Transylvanian specialties.



Breakfasts usually consist of a small buffet including an egg dish, cold cuts, cheeses, boiled eggs, vegetables, spreads, bread, yoghurt, cereals, jam, juice, herbal teas and coffee.

Lunches included on this trip will include the following – a picnic lunch provided by a local farmer on one day, traditional soups, and self-made sandwiches that you can choose your own fillings from the buffet in the mornings.

Each evening there is a choice of a meat dish or vegetarian option.



If you are vegetarian or have special dietary requirements please let us know at the time of booking. One night we will have dinner in a traditional Romanian restaurant in Brasov, this meal is not included and you should allow approximately 100 Romanian lei (€20) – without drinks – for this.

Accommodation

We spend seven nights in Villa Hermani, a private guesthouse in the remote village of Magura. It’s ideally situated for our adventure, sitting at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and within Piatra Craiului National Park. 



The property has twin and single rooms in a range of sizes and styles, almost all of which have private facilities (there are two rooms that share one bathroom). There is also wifi at the guesthouse; however, due to the weak internet lines in this remote location and the need to go via satellite, the hosts kindly request guests pay €5 for 750MB, which should be enough for a week of checking emails. Or you may prefer to just disconnect and enjoy the mountainous scenery from the garden or balconies.



Our friendly hosts, German couple Hermann and Katharina Kurmes, possess a wealth of knowledge on Transylvania, wildlife conservation and serve delicious homemade food. 

Videos

Check out our Q&As

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.

  • Who is Exodus Travels?

    At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes, our local guides are English speaking.

  • Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?

    We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    International flights are not included with this tour.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

xx

A really interesting week's snowshoeing in beautiful mountians in an unspoilt part of the world

Snowshoeing in Transylvania

This trip provides a varied programme of walking/snowshoeing in beautiful scenery, with visits to a bat cave, a bear sanctuary, Bran Castle, a fortified church and the medieval town of Brasov. Physically, two of the longer days were quite demanding, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. We stayed in a very comfortable and remote guesthouse in the mountains; the food was excellent and plentiful, special diets were accommodated and our hosts were friendly and spoke excellent English. We were part of a very sociable and well-travelled group, and came back with plenty of ideas for other trips. Romania has a fascinating if troubled history and our guide, Holger, was very knowledgeable and provided a good insight into both ancient and more recent periods.

A great week, despite very little snow.

I'm just back from this trip, and had a great time. The trip was full, with 16 people, and everyone was lovely. Villa Hermani is a great small hotel, and the food is excellent. Katharine and Herman are lovely hosts, and their Romanian cook is excellent. Our walk leader was Leo, their son, and he was good fun and a very capable guide. He had to make some difficult decisions because of the dodgy and changeable weather, and the varying abilities in the group,which he handled very well. It was great to have Rares (Alex) along as a second guide, and we really needed him at times. Magura - like most of Europe - has had a strange winter, so there was only a dusting of snow when we arrived. But, with that and a couple of further dumps of snow during the week, we managed 2 walks with snowshoes and 1 with yaktrax, as well as ordinary walking in hiking boots. I liked the mix of walking and cultural visits - bears, Saxon history, Bran Castle. And I stayed for 2 days in Bucharest at the end to see a bit more of Romania. It was so different it seemed like a totally different country!

The most beautiful views I have ever seen...

... and I've been to Canada, so that says a lot. Our group was extremely lucky with the weather. You basically walk up and down mountains every day, nothing interesting about that. It is the weather that controls what the views look like. I regret nothing.

A great intro to snow-shoeing in a really beautiful place

A great intro to snow-shoeing in a really beautiful place, with 'warm up days' to learn how to do it.

Stunningly beautiful

From start to finish the trip was great. Overnighted at a hotel just outside Heathrow. British Airways flight from Terminal 5 couldn't have been better. BA really efficient and comfortable; Terminal 5 speedy, efficient and without hassle. Thomas, the group leader met us in Bucharest airport and the first clue about what was to come came when he announced we transfer from the mini coach to two 4x4 minibuses to ascend to the hotel. Katharine, the owner/manager of the hotel was superb. All staff were very friendly, serving excellent food and the accommodation was nice and cosily comfortable. The snowshoeing was lovely, we were blessed with good weather and in the first part of the week temperatures of about -10C/-15C which meant light fluffy snow. The walking was at times quite demanding and having undertaken the Finland trip previously (moderate) I felt Transylvania was a good moderate. I'd never visited Romania before nor the Carpathian mountains. Romania was unspoiled, "untouristy" and the mountains were beautiful. I'd happily return to the area in the Spring or Autumn to see another season. There were some serious climbers in our group, a number of whom were eager to come back and "do" some of the peaks/ridges. The whole group, which had quite an age range, got on well together with no awkward moments.

Snowshoeing Transylvania

I thought this was generally an excellent holiday. I loved Transylvania, the countryside, and mountain views and being able to walk and snowshoe in such a beautiful area. The hotel was excellent and Katharina was a very generous and involved hostess. The food was always wonderful. We were also lucky to have such a friendly and happy group. Everyone got on well and there was no-one left out and no awkward moments.

A very fine and scenic trip!

A good week in the foothills of the Carpathians. The hotel, the Vila Hermani, was excellent. Even included 3 friendly hounds, one or two of which followed us most days as "free agents." Not the most challenging snowshoe trip I've been on, it'd be good for a newcomer to the sport. Wonderful scenery, good snow, very remote + unspoiled territory. Our guide, Thomas, really knew every path on the mountain!

Winter Wanderings

We had never snowshoed before so were a bit apprehensive before the trip, but our nerves quickly dissolved when we arrived. Villa Hermani was excellent, with a strong focus on good quality local dishes and a wholesome experience. The owners Hermann and Katharina are very hospitable and welcoming. We had loads of fresh snow so the conditions for this snowshoeing trip couldn’t have been better. The trip was more tiring than regular hiking, though still was very enjoyable, and the mountain scenery was stunning. Snowshoes and poles are provided; you just need to take a day pack for extra layers, yak traks, lunch, snacks and a thermos of herbal tea.

Stunning scenery

We took part in this group tour in February 2018. It was the first time we had visited Romania and it was fascinating to learn about its history and experience its wild beauty. Pros: Very well organised from start to finish; we felt well looked after. Food at the hotel was delicious, and we were well catered for as veggies. Good variety of walking with stunning scenery. The area is very unspoilt and most days we did not see another person once we got into the mountains. The country has reasonable prices for food and drink. Our guide, Holger, plus the staff at the hotel made sure we all got where we needed to go safely. We were lucky to be in a good group of fellow travellers who we got on very well with. Flights and transfers were very good. Cons: Although the food was delicious be prepared that there is no choice for dinner options (as if often the case in chalet accommodation). At breakfast there is no juice, and the buffet choice is not huge. Be warned that there are lots of dogs living outside of the houses in the village, and sometimes they bark all night. If you’re a light sleeper, take ear plugs. In room 6 we also had a creaky bed and ended up putting the mattresses on the floor to get a good night’s sleep. The trip is rated as moderate. I am pretty fit and have completed two Moonwalks (walking marathons), and I found the two longer walks quite challenging. Ice under foot plus the elevation gain made these walks tough, so you’ll need to be fairly fit or a regular walker, not a novice. The yak traks recommended in the packing list are really essential when there is ice under foot.

Read all 15 reviews

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