Caving, hiking and biking in the heart of Apuseni Mountains

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Itinerary

Spend three days in the hidden Western Carpathians range in the middle of Transylvania. Discover the Padurea Craiului mountains, a hilly karst area covered by dense beech forest, and a network of caverns which wait to be discovered.

Day 1 | Get there

Arrival to one the following airports: Cluj-Napoca/Oradea/Debrecen/Timisoara/Budapest. You’ll be transferred by car further on to Padurea Craiului Mountains.Next it’s a short team meeting and some handy tips to ensure you get the most out of your trip. Check-in at a traditional guesthouse in the village of Rosia( or similar, if not available). Dinner and time to enjoy the scenery by a campfire.

Day 2 | Caving

9am we pick you up at the guesthouse to start your day of epic adventure. Today will include several activities and highlights to explore, including: 200 meters length zip line, show cave visits, technical caving all in the area of Padurea Craiului.

You’ll explore a unique cave in which the access is made through a gallery of a former mine and where one can admire fragile calcium crystals along with a mining museum.

In front of the Crystal cave from Farcu Mine you’ll have a chance to experience a zip line with more than 200 meters in length.

In the afternoon, you’ll take the caving equipment, and after a short introductory training you start to explore the gems of a technical cave, a cave where there are no lights, visiting infrastructure or other arrangements for tourists, but with the support of your guide and your team, you’ll finish the day with a big smile on your face!

Finally you’ll return to Rosia for 8pm for a well-deserved dinner and a sip or more of a plum made palinka (a strong brandy compared sometimes with a bioweapon)

Day 3 | Hiking

At 9am we will pick you up for the start of day 3!

Today you’ll be hiking in the area of Rosia village. There will be two hiking routes: one that pass the Cutilor Gorge, an impressive gorge of Cutilor Valley in which among rare plants you will be able to spot several impressive cave entrances. Then, you will hike on another trail, which goes along Lazurilor gorge, a wild valley in which the trail climbs and descends rocks and cliffs, cross for several times the valley and in the end it returns to the karts plateau through hay meadows and remote hamlets.

Day 4 | Meziadului Cave, departure

At 9am we will pick you up for the last day of adventure!

Today we will take the bikes and we will paddle for about 15 km to reach Meziadului cave, an impressive cavern with many cave decorations, large halls, a unique natural bridge and rich history!.

We will then depart to the airport for your flight back home.

The trip can run on any days you wish, be extended or changed to suit your needs.

What to expect:

What’s the caving like?

There are 2 types of caves included in this trip. One are the show caves, which despite the fact that are open to the general public offers a very nice experience of the majestic underground halls, beautiful speleothems and fragile calcite crystals. The technical caves, not open to the general public, offers on the other hand a more intimate and deep experience of the mysteries of the underground world. Along with your local guide, you will be challenged to drag yourself into narrow passages, climb or descend small pits and negotiate your way through cave formations like stalagmites or stalactites, all in one, an experience to remember.

What skills/experience/fitness do I need?

You do not need any previous experience. Your guide will give you full instructions and a safety briefing at the start. You’ll just need an average level of fitness to handle approximately 3-4 hours of activity each day.

What do I need to bring with me?

All technical equipment will be provided for you, so no need to worry about that. We recommend you bring:

Best time to go on this trip

Summer is the best season to explore Padurea Craiului area, but spring and autumn are very pleasant too, although there are chances of rain. The average temperature is around 27 degrees, at night it cools down (mainly during spring and autumn), so may want some warmer clothes to sit comfortably around the fire at night.

How big will the group be?

This trip will run with a minimum of 3 people, and a maximum of 16 people. There will be a maximum of 8 people per guide.