“The one and only Wild Carpathia”
Where:
Vanatarile Ponorului nature reserve with Aries river valley and Coltesti fortress with Rimetea village – Trascău Mountains (Apuseni mountain range).
Highlights::
- The Aries River Valley
- Bedeleului rocks
- “Vânătările Ponorului” waterfall
- The picturesque wooden huts unique in Romania
- Rimetea village
- “Piatra secuiului” (Szeklers stone)
- Coltesti Fortress
Description:
This day tour has two easy hikes in two of the most spectacular areas in Romania, where we will combine the beautiful wild sceneries with old traditional romanian and hungarian arhitecture.
In the first part of the day we will enjoy the ‘Arieş’ River (the River of Gold) which ribbons its way for over 160 kilometers, carving one of the most picturesque valleys in Transylvania. Prepare to admire the waterfalls, gorges, meadows and communities living in hamlets. Here we will make a short hike to Vanatarile Ponorului waterfall, the place where BBC filmed the first part of the popular documentary Wild Carpathia. We will witness breathtaking sceneries and old romanian arhitecture.
In the second part of the tour, we will make another 40 minutes by car in order to reach Rimetea village and Coltesti fortress. The village of Rimetea is a picuresque traditional hungarian village who won in 1999 the Europa Nostra prize for the ecoturistic destination of excellence. Old traditonal hungarian houses and incredible sceneries with the „Piatra Secuiului” (The Szeklers stone) are two of the local highlights. From here we will have a short drive to Coltesti village, where we will start the second short hike to Coltesti fortress. The fortress has a very interesting story and a spectacular position which gives us one of the best landscapes in Trascau Mountains.
Transportation: We will leave from Cluj-Napoca, and return to the city by private car or minibus (depending on the size of the group)
Recommended group size: 1 to 8 people
Flexibility: The tour is flexible and can be altered on the spot, depending on the group request, weather condition, and your physical training.