Tres días increíbles , caminando por las montañas nevadas de la aldea de Bran hasta Moeciu de Sus, y visitando la encantadora ciudad de Brasov, Iulian ha sido un gran cicerone, y hemos descubierto gracias a él, la mas genuina forma de vivir en las montañas , parece que el tiempo se ha parado en estas pequeñas aldeas, todo ello acompañado por las comidas y las bebidas típicas … muchas gracias también por el reportaje fotográfico : )

Una experiencia absolutamente recomendable no solo por la belleza de los paisajes de Rumania , sino también por la manera de hacer de Iulian, una manera de enseñar, y explicar, cercana, entrañable , y por supuesto , muy profesional.

Muchas gracias por esta experiencia de nuevo,
Nacho y Raquel , España , Diciembre 2011 – photos here

A great itinerary. We started by taking the Cable car from Busteni to Babele. There we made a big loop passing thru Omu Peak and arriving after 8 hours in Pestera. The sun was bright and the scenary was incredible with the clouds in the valley. In some parts it was like walking on the clouds. Iulian had arranged for us a good stop for the night in the National Salvamont School in Pestera where we recoverd with a good meal. The second day was very nice as well since the landscape had turned white with the night frost. We arrived in Moeciu tired but happy. Next time will be in winter with snow shoes!!
Beth and Marc Desenfans, Bucharest, November 2011 – photos here

Une tres belle balade ce lundi 14 novembre. Nous aimons les paysages autour de Moeciu car on decouvre la vie et les scenes de moyenne montagne tout en ayant une vue superbe sur les montagnes de Bucegi quand le soleil est de la partie. Iulian nous avait prepare comme d’habitude un bel itineraire de 5 heures de marches(sportif mais accessible a tous). Les quelques arrets dans les granges nous ont permis de manger en cours de route. A l’arrivee une bonne Ciorba nous a permis de nous rechauffer.
Beth Desenfans, Bucharest, Novembre 2011 – photos here

Whaat a journey….Două zile concentrate, in care am ramas fascinata de ce frumuseti ascund Bucegii nostri. Daca in prima zi m-am simit ca o pasare, mergand aproape de nori, cu soarele in ochi si vantul de la Omu pe la urechi, iar seara am mancat mai bine ca la mama, a doua zi am pornit grabiti, si dupa 4 ore de urcat si mult coborat prin padurea de brazi, am iesit la dealurile cernite ale Moeciului de Sus, iar vacutzele, prietenele lui Iulica, ne-au dat binetze din talaga… Un traseu sublim, dar si vremea a fost de partea noastra…
Multumim Iuli Carmen si Catalin, Bucuresti, Noiembrie 2011 – photos here

This was my latest of many hiking trips I have taken with Iulian’s guide services. As usual, his route selection and flexibility to work with my schedule and abilities made for a fantastic hike! I have come to depend on his expertise in the region and he has become a friend and outdoor mentor based on the many hours we have spent hiking together over several years. He arranges tours well based on a hiker’s abilities and he knows I enjoy a challenge. This trip did not disappoint – it was very memorable and challenging! There is also no substitute for the beauty of the remote regions of Romania.

Thanks again for a great weekend!
Mike, USA, November 2011 – photos here

Im September waren wir 4 Tage mit Julian in den Fogarascher Bergen wandern. Julian hat das Tempo und die Touren genau auf unser Können und unsere Kondition angepasst. Wir haben wunderschöne Aussichten genossen, gemütliche Pausen in der Sonne eingelegt und den Moldoveanu (2544m) bestiegen. Seine Betreuung vor und während des Aufenthalts lies keine Wünsche offen.

Besonders gut fanden wir, dass wir das Dorf seiner Großmutter kennengelernt haben und auf der Hütte mit am Küchentisch sitzen durften. Die Freundlichkeit der Menschen war beeindruckend. Auch für unsere weitere Reise durch Rumänien hat er uns noch viele gute Tipps gegeben und eine tolle Tour ins Donaudelta organisiert. Wir danken Julian für die schönen Tage in den Karpaten und werden, wenn sich die Gelegenheit ergibt, gerne wieder kommen.
Astrid, Susanne und Holger (Konstanz/Stuttgart) – September 2011 – photos here

Dear Iulian, thank you so much for the photos. I am sure I speak on behalf of everyone if I say that we had truely a fantastic two days in Bucegi mountains with you. A long walk on the first day with one sprained ankle and a lot of blisters, a good night sleep and a more comfortable walk back…..great view, lot of fun and laughter and even a glass of plum brandy. Overall, exactly the trip we had in mind!! The photos are the proof! Surely, we can recommend you to everyone we know. So once again, a million thanks and, who knows, we will see you again soon.
Our best regards, Commissarissen Shanghai,
Jean-Pierre Bienfait and Alexander Werre, Nederlands, September 2011 – photos here

Although we only had a few days this September to get a flavour of your beautiful mountains, you succeeded in arranging a beautiful trip for us. I really enjoyed your knowledge on the country, its history, culture & nature, and of course the mountains itself. Learned a lot these few days. Not in the least on the excellent beers, wines and sausages.
Thanks for arranging this for us.
We would receommend your organization without any hesitation for these kind of trips.
All the best,
Michiel Haarman, Nederlands, September 2011 – photos here

Beste Iulian,

Hoewel we de afgelopen week in September maar een paar dagen te besteden hadden, ben je er in geslaagd om een prachtige trip voor ons te organiseren. Ik heb uitgebreid genoten van je kennis over Roemenië, haar cultuur & historie en natuurlijk de bergen zelf. Heb een boel geleerd deze paar dagen. Overigens niet in het minst betreffende jullie prima bier, wijn en worstjes.
Dank dat je dit voor ons hebt geregeld. Wij zouden je organisatie – en zeker jou – zonder twijfel aanbevelen voor dit soort trips.
Het beste,
Michiel Haarman, Nederlands, September 2011 – photos here

Iulian,
What a first class job you did in organizing my 5 day traverse of the Fagaras Mountains. I requested you put a program together after advising you of my experience and I couldn’t have asked for a more personalized and suitable trek. Your excellent knowledge of the mountains and aptitude in gauging my capability enabled you to alter the program on a day to day basis to enhance my trek. The result was a great balance between trekking and experiencing the added flavor of Brasov and Sibiu.

The Fagaras Mountains were really beautiful with very few other trekkers, it was challenging and I was so fortunate to have great weather. But what really made a difference to my trip was you. Your attention to every detail from the time I arrived until I left was exceptional. I found all aspects of your service to be first class – from prompt email replies, to care and safety in the mountains, with the added extras of personalized photos and excellent English.

I don’t have to wish you well in the future, you are so personable, educated, interesting and efficient you can only do well.

Sheila McDowall, Sidney, Australia, September 2011 – photos here

We spent 10 wonderful days with Iulian exploring Romania. We didn’t know much about the country before we came, and were astonished to find one of the most charming countries in Europe. We hiked for 2 days the Bucegi mountains. The bucolic scenery was out of this world -straight out of a Pieter Breugel painting. We then “graduated” to the Fagaras mountains; much more demanding physically, but the scenery made it worth it. In between hiking days Iulian sprinkled visits to mountain monasteries, Saxon fortified churches, medieval towns, and the castle of Vlad Ples (purported to be the character of Dracula). What a terrific combination of history, culture and nature. You sit in a cafe on the square in Brasov and you are transformed into a different world. You pass the villages and see the locals dressed in their traditional, colorful dresses. These are not “tourist villagers” -they are real people going about their daily lives. We had a unique experience visiting Iulian grandmother’s house in the village, and the welcome that we received from his parents, grandmother, and some neighbors who stopped by, was heartwarming. To top it all, they cooked a great lunch that reminded me of my mother’s house. How close can you get to experiencing the life of real Romanians? We were also flabbergasted to find how deeply rooted Jewish culture is Romania. The liturgy of the Saphardic synagogue sounds just like the chants in the Greek Orthodox churches we visited. Their folk songs and dances are just like many Yiddish songs and Israeli dances.

These experiences characterize the whole trip, put together so expertly by Iulian. His easy going and helpful demeanor puts you at ease. His expertise in hiking and knowledge of the mountains were reassuring. His engineering background came through with the meticulous planning and flawless execution of the smallest detail.

In summary, the perfect trip. We recommend it wholeheartedly.

Dov Michaeli and Pat Salber, Larkspur, California, USA, August 2011 – photos here

Wandertour „Wandern und Kultur in Transsilvanien“ vom 13.08.2011 bis 20.08.2011

Eine Woche wandern in Rumänien? Das stellte uns bereits vor dem Hinflug vor viele Fragen. Aus dem verregneten Deutschland befürchteten wir zwei (Oliver und Annika), auch in Rumänien auf schlechtes Wetter zu stoßen. Müssten wir evtl. im Regen wandern? Wie würden wir die Touren überstehen als untrainierte Norddeutsche ohne Bergerfahrung? Und wie würde unser Guide sein? Immerhin sollten wir eine Woche gemeinsam verbringen. Doch bereits am Flughafen erwarteten uns die ersten zwei positive Überraschung in Form einer vom blauen Himmel strahlenden Sonne und unseres ebenso strahlenden, sympatischen und perfekt deutsch sprechenden Guides Mihai, der uns schon am Flughafen erwartete. Innerhalb von 10 Minuten war das Eis gebrochen und wir wussten, dass diese Woche perfekt werden und wir uns gut verstehen würden.
Und die Woche wurde perfekt. Ein wunderbar ausgearbeitetes Programm aus Naturwanderung und Kultur und Geschichte erwartete uns. Und nachdem wir am zweiten Tag (nach einer Einführung von Mihai in die richtige Nutzung von Wanderstöcken ) die erste Wanderung und den ersten Aufstieg auf den immerhin 1.520 Meter hohen Gipfel des Clabucetul Taurului geschafft hatten und über die beeindruckende Landschaft blickten, da stelleten wir erleichtert fest, dass unsere Kondition für diesen Urlaub reichen würde.
Die rumänische Landschaft mit ihrer Abwechslung und ihrer Schönheit beeindruckte uns sehr. Besonders die westliche Seite des Bucegi-Gebirges mit Cheia, Simon und dem Dorf Fundata bezauberte uns. Am tiefsten hat sich aber wohl unsere Wanderung in die Pension Casa Folea in unsere Erinnerung eingebrannt, in der wir eine Nacht verbrachten. Hier lernten wir unglaublich nette und sympatische Gastgeber kennen, die mit ihren hinreißenden Hunden und Katzen in absoluter ursprünglichkeit leben. Und nicht zu vergessen, mit dem besten Pfefferminztee, den wir jemals getrunken haben. Diesen Ort können wir nur jedem Rumänien-Besucher empfehlen.
Noch ein Wort zu unserem Guide Mihai, der uns eine Woche alle dummen Fragen beantwortet hat, der nie die Geduld verloren hat, wenn wir alle 20 Meter eine Foto-, Verschnauf- oder Geocashing-Pause brauchten und der an den letzten Tagen sogar unser Wasser trug, als die Kräfte doch ein wenig nachliessen: Danke Mihai für den Spaß den wir miteinander hatten, für deine Kompetenz und all die interssanten Informationen, die du uns über das Land zu erzählen hattest und ein besonderer Dank an Dich als besten und ruhigsten Autofahrern, den wir in Rumänien erleben durften. Du warst ein großer Faktor, dass dieser Urlaub zu einem absoluten Highlight wurde. Wir werden gerne wieder Dein schönes Land besuchen und hoffen, dass Du uns auch dann wieder als Guide und Freund zur Verfügung stehen wirst. Wir kommen gerne wieder!
La revedere!
Annika und Olli,  Deutschland, August 2011 – photos here

לפני כמה ימים חזרנו מטרק אדיר של 9 ימים ברכס הפאגארש בהרי הקרפטים ברומניה
היה טרק מדהים, לא קל אבל מלא בנופים מדהימים ותוואי שטח משתנה

השתמשנו בשרותים של חברת www.mountainguide.ro והיה מאוד מאוד מוצלח.
החברה דאגה לכל הצרכים שלנו מהרגע שנחתנו בבוקרשק ועד ההמראה, כולל כל הארוחות, הלינה לפני וחארי הטרק ויותר חשוב במהלך הטרק
המדריך היה מקצוען אמיתי שסיפק לנו מידע רלוונטי על נושאים מגוונים והשתלב בהוואי שלנו בצורה חלקה
בנוסף הוא עזר לנו במהלך הטרק והתכנית הייתה גמישה כדי לענות על כל צורך לשינויים, מזג אוויר, צורך במנוחה וכו’

אני מאמין שאחזור לרומניה לטיולים נוספים ואין לי ספק שאשתמש בשרותים של www.mountainguide.ro שוב

רועי

It’s been a few days since we finished the 9 day trip in the Fagaras mountains organized for us by Iulian and Horia from www.mountainguide.ro

The trip was absolutely perfect!
The sites were amazing and the heights of the mountains set the grounds for rare views
Everything was organized perfectly and we didn’t have to worry about a single thing from the moment we landed in Bucharest until the moment we took off

Our guide was extremely professional, providing us with info on all the relevant topics that came up and fitting in with the group perfectly
During the hike itself the guide provided us with the support and knowledge we needed as beginner hikers and also set the next days according to our wants and physical condition, showing some very important flexibility.

I am looking forward to my next time in Romania and I’m sure I will have Iulian and Horia to set everything up for me

Roy, Omer & friends, from Israel, August 2011 – photos here

Hiking through the Fagaras and Bucegi mountains with Mountain Guide Iulian was breathtaking, literally and physically breathtaking. The views from the top were simply stunning and hiking along the peaks with their dramatic drops was really exciting.

As I approached the mountains to meet the group I looked at the snow capped mountains thinking I was going to be hiking in/around the base of the mountain. Little did I realize the next afternoon found me on those snow covered peaks looking down into the rocky green valleys. We hiked along the mountain peaks a good portion of each day and spent the evenings in rural mountain shacks. Along the way we passed wild mountain sheep, beautiful flowers and many crystal clear mountain lakes, which came in handy for a quick swim.

Having a professional guide like Iulian is well worth the money spent. His group took care or all housing, food and travel needs so I could concentrate on catching my breath and taking pictures. Iulian provided expert advice on what equipment to bring and what to expect during the trip. Iulian did a fabulous job of explaining the history of the area and its people. We stopped several times on the hike to talk to sheep herders who spend months at a time on the jagged peaks tending to their sheep. To hear about their hard lives was really interesting. On the way down the mountains we took a side trip to a “very rural” farm that makes cow/sheep cheese that was out of this world. To see such a thing up close and to have someone to help with the translation was great.

I would recommend Mountain Guide Iulian Cozma to anyone who is interested in a challenge and enjoys the outdoors, you will not be disappointed.

Matt from Chicago, July 2011 – photos here

Kargow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 14.8.2011
Hineingenommen in die Bergwelt des Fagarasch

Unsere Tour mit Julian Cozma begann als zweiter Teil unseres Rumänien-Urlaubs am 1. August 2011 in Sibiu mit einer Übernachtung im Hotel Casa Luxembourg. Nach einer Reihe eher einfacher Übernachtungen erfreuten wir uns an Atmosphäre, Ausstattung und Großzügigkeit des nach historischem Vorbild restaurierten Gebäudes.
Was aber würden die nächsten Tage bringen? Wir hatten uns zwar hin und wieder schon in die Berge gewagt, aber bisher noch nicht zu einer mehrtägigen Tour mit einem Bergführer! Zu Hause wurde wir schon etwas erstaunt angeschaut: Ihr nehmt euch zu zweit einen Bergführer? Wie viel bezahlt ihr? In Rumänien kann man doch auch gut selbständig unterwegs sein!
Eigentlich hatten wir gehofft, uns einer Gruppe anschließen zu können. Da es keine weiteren Anmeldungen gegeben hatte, bot Julian die Tour nur für uns zwei an und hatte sie nach unseren Vorstellungen angepasst: Es war nicht unser Ehrgeiz, alle hohen Gipfel mit zu nehmen, stattdessen sollte Zeit zum Botanisieren und Erleben der Landschaft bleiben. Was uns auch lockte: Für das Essen würde ebenso gesorgt sein wie für ein Bett am Ende des Wandertages. Mit 50 und 48 wollten wir nicht mehr alles auf dem Rücken tragen.

Die fünf Tage über der Baumgrenze wurden dann zu einem echten Highlight unseres Rumänien-Urlaubes. Spannende Tierbeobachtungen gleich im Aufstieg: Nach Hinweisen der Schäfer ließ Julian nicht locker, bis er den Bären in sicherer Entfernung am Gegenhang des Tales ausgemacht hatte. Sogar ein Fernglas war in der Schäferei griffbereit. Ursus arctos in freier Wildbahn zu sehen, da muss man schon erhebliches Glück haben! Kurz darauf lernten wir, dass die Angstpfiffe der Murmeltiere durchaus auch einem Steinadler gelten können. Ohne Guide hätten wir den Vogel sicher nicht bemerkt.
Julian ist auf den Hütten und in den Schäfereien des Fagarasch praktisch zu Hause. Jede Übernachtung in einer Cabana bietet zahlreiche Stunden, neue und alte Geschichten der Berge auszutauschen, jede Begegnung mit den Hütern einer Herde und ihren Hunden ist begleitet von einem kurzen Informationsaustausch. Julian verdanken wir es, in das Leben der Menschen in den Bergen einen Einblick bekommen zu haben, in die Härten und Freuden dieses Lebens und in die bemerkenswerten und kuriosen Begebenheiten. Wir waren beeindruckt von seiner Detailkenntnis, z.B. welcher Schäferhund in welches Tal gehört, und seinem Verantwortungsbewusstsein, z.B. für die Sicherheit und Funktion der Schutzhütten des Gebirges. Julian gelang es, uns für fünf Tage in das Leben auf den Bergen zu integrieren, das machte das Besondere der Tour aus. Wichtig war auch die Sicherheit, die er für das Bewältigen einiger bergtechnisch schwieriger Passagen ausstrahlte.
Und so haben wir überwältigende Eindrücke vom Fagaras mitgenommen: Die Landschaft der Berge, wie sie sich durch die Almwirtschaft mit Schafen über Jahrhunderte herausgebildet und erhalten hat. Die Wolken, deren Willkür darüber entscheidet, ob man diese Landschaft auch sehen und erleben kann. Die Vielfalt der Pflanzenwelt, mit einigen weltweit nur in den Südkarpaten vorkommenden Pflanzen (Endemiten). Die Täler der reißenden Bergbäche mit zum Teil unzugänglichen und daher noch ungenutzten wilden Fichten- und Buchenwäldern.
Möge es gelingen, diese Landschaft und Natur auch in Zukunft zu bewahren!

Julian, einen herzlichen Dank für diese Tage an Dich. Ohne Deine Führung hätten wir den Respekt vor steilen Bergen und schlechtem Wetter wohl kaum überwunden. Allen, die vorher skeptisch nach der Notwendigkeit eines Bergführers gefragt haben, antworten wir in diesen Tagen: Ja, die Investition hat sich sehr gelohnt.

Ursula und Christoph Linke – August 2011 – fotos

I spent several highly enjoyable days with Iulian in the spectacular Fagaras mountains in July 2011. I found Iulian to be highly professional in his attitude. He offers a first rate service, with a friendly personal approach.
All the best,
Patrick Leonard, London, UK, August 2011 – photos here

Hi Iulian, I wanted to thank you for organizing a fantastic trekking trip in the Carpathian Mountains and a great driving trip to the painted monasteries in Moldova. My wife and I enjoyed ourselves tremendously in Romania. You were very thorough and organized in all facets of the planning process and it helped our trip go smoothly. I also wanted to let you know we enjoyed working with Horia as our guide. He was a calm and knowledgeable guide the entire time. Horia was also flexible and was able to plan a day of trekking in Moldova we hadn’t planned in the itinerary. Anyway, thank you again for helping during the planning process, taking care of the details and making our trip to Romania an excellent time. Many people have asked about our trip and I will certainly pass your name along to them all.
Regards, Scott and Sonia Chapman- June 2011 – photos here

Kammwanderung Fogarasch Ende Juli 2011
Iulian empfing uns persönlich am Flughafen Baneasa und wir (Kerstin, Patrick, Iulian und ich) wurden im klimatisierten VW-Bus nach Kronstadt (Brasov) und am nächsten Tag dann nach Freck (Avrig) zum Toureinstieg gefahren. Unter Iulians Bergführung erwanderten wir (Kerstin, Patrick und ab Balea auch Mat) den Hauptkamm der Fogarascher Berge vom Serbota-Gipfel (Westen) bis zu “Fereastra Mare a Sambetei” (Sambata – Sattel) (Osten) in der Zeitspanne 16. – 21. Juli 2011.

In einer sehr reizvollen Berglandschaft erklommen wir dabei die drei höchsten Gipfel Rumäniens (Modoveanu 2544m, Negoiu 2535m und Vistea Mare 2527m) und bezwangen eine der anspruchvollsten für “normale” Berwanderer freigegebene Strecken: Custura Saratii (an mehreren Stellen mit Ketten gesichert, Schwindelfreiheit und Trittfestigkeit erfordernd).

Das Wetter war perfekt (kein Regentropfen in der ganzen Zeitspanne), die Organisation der Tour ebenfalls. In jeder Hütte hatten wir unser eigenes Zimmer, Kerstin (als einzige Frau in der Gruppe) sogar ein Zimmer ganz für sich (in den ersten beiden Hütten). Allgemein habe ich deutlich gespürt, daß Iulian sehr gute Beziehungen zu allen Hüttenwarten der von uns besuchten Hütten hat.

Krönender Abschluß der Tour: Besuch des Klosters Sambata sowie Besuch von Iulians Elternhaus in Ucea de Sus wo wir sehr herzlich empfangen und bewirtet wurden.

Iulian hat sich als sehr kompetenter, warmherziger und flexibler Bergführer erwiesen und ist jederzeit auf die Belange der Gruppenmitglieder eingegangen. Das Wandertempo war unserer Gruppe angepasst wobei jeder die Freiheit hatte, ab und zu vorzupreschen (Gipfelsturm auf Negoiu und Vistea Mare) oder einfach an der Spitze der Gruppe zu wandern.

Sowohl für die Touristen welche bis dato mit Rumänien nicht in Berührung kamen als auch für diejenigen welche Rumänien / die rumänsche Sprache kennen, empfehle ich Iulian Cozma wärmstens als Tourenorganisator und Bergführer.
Christian aus Stuttgart, 6. August 2011 – fotos here

Traversarea Crestei Muntilor Fagaras
Iulian ne-a intampinat personal la aeroportul Baneasa si (Kerstin, Patrick si eu) am fost dusi intr-un microbuz VW climatizat la Brasov iar in ziua urmatoare la Avrig. Sub ghidarea montana a lui Iulian am strabatut (Kerstin, Patrick iar din Balea si Mat) Creasta Fagarasilor din varful Serbota (vest) pana in Fereastra Mare a Sambetei (est) in perioada 16. – 21. iulie 2011.

Intr-un peisaj montan foarte incantator am urcat cele mai inalte trei piscuri ale Romaniei (Modoveanu 2544m, Negoiu 2535m und Vistea Mare 2527m) si am reusit traversarea uneia dintre cele mai pretentioase portiuni destinate drumetilor “normali”: Custura Saratii (asigurata in mai multe locuri cu lanturi si cerand rezistenta la ameteala si siguranta pasului).

Vremea a fost perfecta (nici un strop de ploaie in toata perioada), organizarea turei de asemenea. In fiecare cabana am avut propria noastra camera, Kerstin (fiind singura femeie in grupul nostru) chiar o camera pentru ea singura (in primele doua cabane). In general am simtit clar ca Iulian are relatii foarte bune cu toti cabanierii cabanelor vizitate de noi.

Final incoronator al turei: vizita la manastirea Sambata si vizitarea casei parintesti a lui Iulian la Ucea de Sus unde am fost intampinati foarte calduros si ospatati.

Iulian s-a dovedit a fi un ghid montan foarte competent, calduros sufleteste si flexibil si a tinut cont in orice moment de cerintele / necesitatile membrilor grupului. Ritmul de mers a fost adaptat grupului nostru iar fiecare din grup a avut libertatea sa o taie din cand in cand in fata (ascensiunea pe Negoiu si Vistea Mare) sau sa mearga pur si simplu in fruntea grupului.

Il recomand pe Iulian Cozma in modul cel mai calduros ca organizator de ture si ca ghid montan atat pentru turistii care inca n-au avut tangente cu Romania cat si pentru cei cunosc Romania / limba romana.
Christian din Stuttgart, 6. August 2011- fotos here

Lieber Iulian,eine Woche nach der Rückkehr aus den Bergen passiert es pausenlos, dass die Gedanken zurück fliegen und die herrlichen Bilder wieder erscheinen. Einfach großartig, was Du uns gezeigt hast! (Uns) WIR, das waren vier wildfremde “Gipfelstürmer”, die eine Woche lang gemeinsame Wege im Fagarash erkundeten, Berge bestiegen, Tisch und Hütte teilten. Vermutlich war es für jeden von uns ein mit Spannung und Skepsis eingegangenes Experiment.

WIR das sind:Christian aus Stuttgart, Mat aus Chicago, Patrick aus Malta und Kerstin aus Berlin.

Bereits nach wenigen Stunden jedoch bestand kein Zweifel, dass wir die Tour gut miteinander verleben werden. Du hast von der ersten Minute an, mit organisatorischem Geschick, Souveränität und Freundlichkeit eine Vertrauensbasis geschaffen, die uns die ganze Woche getragen hat.

Die letzten Zweifel am positiven Verlauf der Tour verflogen bei mir als ich merkte, dass die Kraft reicht! Meine kleinen Trainingseinheiten haben einigermaßen ausgereicht, um den Anforderung des Fagarash gewachsen zu sein. Von da an wandelte sich auch bei mir die Anspannung in ein wunderbares Glücksgefühl; von da an war die Fagarash-Traverse eine traumhafte leidenschaftliche Hikingtour durch schroffe Felslandschaften und über die höchsten Gipfel, gefolgt von Tälern aufgereiht wie an einer Perlenschnur. Bei jeder neuen Aussicht – neues Staunen. „Another Valley“ J, ich höre es noch!

Unsere Tour führte im Wesentlichen über den Hauptkamm von West nach Ost: Serbota, Negoiu, Laitel, Podragu, Moldoveanu, bis wir mit „losen Kreuzbändern“ die Cabana Valea Sambetei erreichten. Eine wunderbare Berghütte am Fuße des Fagarash.

Bei allem, Iulian, was Du in den Tagen für uns getan hast, haben sich mir vor allem die Situationen eingeprägt, bei denen ich Gelegenheit hatte, meine Grenzen wieder ein bisschen weiter zu stecken. Ich denke, das ist auch ein Aspekt, unter dem man eine solche Reise unternimmt.

Auf der anderen Seite hast du uns einen Teil von Rumänien nicht nur aus der Ferne gezeigt, sondern uns direkt an die Basis geführt. Du hast uns das harte Leben in den Berghütten gezeigt, genauso wie Schwierigkeiten, in denen das Land an der einen oder anderen Stelle steckt. Die Einladung in das Dorf Deiner Großmutter wird sicher unvergessen bleiben. Bitte richte Deiner Familie noch einmal den herzlichsten Dank aus.

Einer der schönsten Tage war die Tour ins Bucegi-Gebirge. Nach den schroffen Bergen des Fagarash denke ich gern an diese wunderbare Höhenwanderung in den Weidegebieten zurück, wo wir allein mit uns und wenigen Schafherden einen traumhaften Tag verbrachten, bevor Mat und Du dann am letzten Tag doch noch vom Regen eingeholt wurden. Wir haben wirklich mit Euch gezittert als wir, (Patrick und ich) im trockenen Wagen bereits auf dem Weg zum Flughafen waren. Ich hätte auch gern noch den Regen mit Euch geteilt. Einfach, weil es sehr schön war.

Lieber Iulian, ich kann an dieser Stelle noch nicht versprechen, ob und wann ich wieder kommen werde, die Welt ist eben doch ganz schön groß, aber ich befürchte, dass ich rückfällig werde.Danke für eine unvergessliche Hikingtour durch den Fagarash und sei ganz sicher, dass ich an jeder Ecke davon erzählen werde.

Herzliche Grüße aus Berlin, Kerstin Mekas, August 2011 – fotos here

Our trek through the Carpathian Mountains was outstanding in every way. Going off the beaten path, hiking along ridgelines and down into villages provided so many rewarding vistas that you could never experience from the road. The historic and cultural sites, including Peles Castle and Voronet Monastery were very interesting. It was also wonderful to experience the people, food and culture by staying overnight at pensions in the towns where they were available. In the beautiful small city of Brasov where we stayed in a hotel, you selected a perfect location along the main square.

Your overall itinerary, hiking the Bucegi and Fagaras mountains, visiting many cultural sites, walking the towns & villages, and enjoying local food, was beyond my expectations. I know this reflects your experience and skill as a guide, your love of nature and of your beautiful country. I will highly recommend your services.

Richard Paul, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA photos here

Thanks for the photos. It took a few days to physically return to my time zone, but all is well now and I’ve labeled all my photos with a caption. Looking at the photos brought back both laughs and memories we had during our trip.
I had a fabulous time hiking and seeing the sights as well as meeting people in a new culture. Although we didn’t hike at Balea Lake, it still was one of my favorite experiences contending with hail, sleet, fog and snow at the end of June. Our passage on the twisting Transfagarasan Road up to Balea Lake could only be appreciated after stopping and looking back down the valley to see it. I’m glad we stopped for a photo before the fog set in. Your itinerary appeared to cover a huge area of Romania giving us a good feel of life in Romania, especially in the small villages. Maria and John in Botiza were so warm and hospitable with the best ever appetizer of bread with melted cheese inside. I can still taste it. Thanks for introducing us to Romania with the crazy side trip into Ukraine.
All my best,
Tamara Michael, Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA, June 2011 – photos here

I enjoyed our tour with you. The food and accommodations were wonderful. You were able to change your plans to meet the challenges of poor weather, and our wishes to change plans as we went. The area was beautiful, the climbs tested our resolve, and the history/geography lessons were enjoyable. I will not hesitate to use your services again,
Frank L D’Elia MD FACS, Crozier Chester Medical  Center – USA, June 2011 – photos here

Lieber Mihai, auf diesem Wege nochmals ein herzliches Dankeschön für die unglaublichen drei Tage in der Umgebung von Brasov. Du hast das Programm (Wandern, Besichtigung Bran) sehr perfekt auf uns abgestimmt und wir erlebten unvergesslich wunderschöne Momente in dieser tollen Landschaft rund um Brasov. Auch jetzt wenn ich die vielen, vielen gemachten Photos betrachte, weiß ich, dass ich ganz sicher wieder eine Wanderung mit Dir machen muss, bestimmt schon nächstes Jahr wieder. Durch die drei Tage fand ich wieder meine innere Ruhe und habe mich sehr gut erholt. Ich bin überhaupt schwer begeistert von der Ursprünglichkeit, Vielfalt und Schönheit Rumäniens und werde dieses Land wieder besuchen. Ich freue mich auf ein Wiedersehen in Rumänien und achte gut auf Dich!
Liebe Grüße aus Wien,
Birgit Plisic und Maximilian Bilas – Juni 2011 – fotos

Climbing Mount Moldoveanu.A great experience with Iulian on 18th&19th of June 2011.
We tried to climb Mount Moldoveanu by mid-October 2010 but we were blocked by the first snow storm of the season.Therefore we decided to give it another try this June,Once more Iulian had organized everything perfect.
We started by 8 hours hike from Balea lake to Podragu hut before to do the final climb on Sunday 19th.The weather was overall good and we reached the top after 3,5 hours.The view was superb and on the way back we had the opportunity to watch the rhododendrons that are blossoming at this time of the year.Iulian knows the Fagaras mountains very well and his explanations always make the hiking more interesting.The personal touch was the end of the trip in his grandmother house in Ucea de Sus were we have shared a cake with the family for his birthday.It was also the opportunity to meet people of the village wearing their traditional clothes on Sunday.
Beth & Marc Desenfans, June 2011 – photos here

Hi Iulian, I received the DVDs quick work there. Very many thanks for them. Especially as I did not take many photos. Your’s will be far superior anyway. Amazed by the pic on the DVD – never seen that before. Thanks very much indeed for your guiding, care and company. You provided an excellent service and it was a pleasure to chat to you about all things Romanian. I really enjoyed it. Thanks again for everything, including the map, which was very kind. And very best wishes. You are an excellent guide and deserve much success.
Gavin Watkins, Llandeilo, Wales, UK – photos here

Dear Iulian , sorry. I haven’t wrote you immediately to your mails. I received an read them all ! Thank our for all your efforts. I had to laugh to see us unsporty Eberls on your
super interne-space. Thanks by the way! The pictures are lovely. I haven’t had time to select mine…yet. Bucaresti was interesting especially the house of people, but the city is really exhausting! we were glad to spend there only 1 day. We are back in Berlin and evreydaylife has us back, but I’m telling everyone about this interesting and beautiful land(scape of) romania and of course about you! I’d plan to come back maybe with some friends next year.
Take care.
Best regards Erika & Marcel Eberl, Berlin, May 2011 walking tour- photos here

Elk jaar loopt onze groep van 7 vrienden ergens in de bergen een hiking-tocht. In April 2011 hebben we gelopen in de Karpaten. We verwachtten redelijk goed weer, maar vanaf de eerste dag werden we geconfronteerd met enorme sneeuwbuien en al gauw lag er een sneeuwdek tussen 60 en 90 cm! Aanvankelijk(bij het boeken) hadden we getwijfeld of we wel of geen gids mee zouden nemen, maar al snel waren we het tijdens het lopen er over eens, dat we heel gelukkig waren met onze gids Iulian. Hij was vriendelijk en behulpzaam en wist wat te doen onder de verschillende omstandigheden. Hij weet veel te vertellen over het land, zijn cultuur en geschiedenis (En wat hij niet weet zoekt hij ogenblikkelijk voor je op via zijn smartphone). Het was voor ons een leuke week met een – door de sneeuw – behoorlijk uitdagend karakter, waarin we bovendien heel wat over de verschillende aspecten van Roemenie hebben geleerd. Als gids kunnen we Iulan volmondig aan een ieder aanbevelen. Het is de bedoeling dat we over één of twee jaar een tocht zullen maken in de hogere delen van de Karpaten. In dat geval zullen we zeker Iulian weer als gids aan onze groep toevoegen.
Iulian bedankt voor de superweek! We zien elkaar weer!
Gerrit Jan Vrieling – The Netherlands, April 2011 – photos here

Every year our Group of 7 friends is hiking in the mountains some place. In April 2011 We hiked in the Carpat Mountains. We expected rather good wheather, but a lot of snow (to 90 cm!) was on our way. No problem, we were happy to have a excellent guide in Iulian. He is friendly and he knows what to do under the various circumnstances. And you can ask him everything about the country and its culture and history. For us it was a special week with a lot of fun and challange and we learned much about Romania. We saw the different sides of the country. We can recommend Iulian as a very good guide. We planned a trip for the higher parts of the Carpathians Mountains in one of two years but one thing is clear: Iulian will be our guide! Thanks for the special week Iulian. See You!
Gerrit Jan Vrieling – The Netherlands, April 2011 – photos here

I was a member of the Swiss skitouring group visiting the Bucegi and Faragas Mountains in Rumania during the second half of March 2011. For non-German-speaking readers, here my impressions in English:
Iulian Cozma is a very good organizer, also in difficult weather conditions, as we had experienced. He takes no undue risks, one always feels safe with him. He is a sociable and friendly person with a good sense of humour. He speak a very good English and is highly educated. An engagement of Iulian as your mountain guide can be warmly recommended.
Max Lustenberger, Switzerland, March 2011 – photos here

Eine Gruppe von acht Personen der SAC-Sektion Rossberg (Schweiz) verbrachten zehn Tage in Rumänien. Wir absolvierten Skitouren in den Bucegi-Bergen und im Fagaras-Gebirge. Die Schnee- und Wetterverhältnisse waren nicht optimal. Unser Bergführer, Iulian Cozma, hat uns trotzdem jederzeit umsichtig und sicher geführt. Sein Organisationstalent, die Betreuung auf den Touren und während der ganzen Reise waren auch für uns verwöhnte Schweizer vorbildlich. So besichtigten wir unterwegs verschiedene Sehenswürdigkeiten und Julian brachte uns auch in Kontakt mit der einheimischen Bevölkerung. Es waren eindrückliche Tage in Rumänien, sodass wir Iulian für ein ähnliches Programm in Bulgarien engagieren möchten.

Hans Hegglin – SAC Rossberg, Schweiz – März 2011 – photos here

Hallo Julian, vielen herzlichen Dank für dein Mail und die schönen Fotos. Ich habe unsere Reise nach Rumänien noch ganz frisch in meinem Gedächtnis. Ich möchte dir danken, dank dir und deiner Fähigkeit eine Gruppe zu führen haben wir eine wunderbare Zeit mit dir verbracht. Es hat mir sehr, sehr gut in Siebenbürgen gefallen. Ich möchte dir gratulieren, du bist ein feiner Kerl, du führst eine Gruppe bestimmt, mit Sicherheit, aber auch kollegial, danke. Ich freue mich jetzt schon auf eine neue Tour mit dir in Bulgarien. Sei herzlichst gegrüsst, auch deine Frau und dein kleiner Schatz!

Ilse Stangl, Schweiz – März 2011 – photos here

Di ritorno da una simpatica e coinvolgente settimana sui Carpazi sentiamo il desiderio di esprimere il nostro ringraziamento alla guida Julian che ci ha accompagnati sui monti Bucegi e Fagaras con estrema competenza e preparazione tecnica rivelandosi anche un ottimo cicerone (storia della Romania, situazione attuale del paese).

abbiamo inolltre apprezzato la sua elasticità nel saper adattare lo svolgimento del tour alle condizioni climatiche, non sempre favorevoli, in modo tale da rendere piacevole ed interessante tutto il periodo trascorso insieme.

Alberto Bosetti, Ernesto Brociero, Aldo Galeazzo, Giampiero Negri, Giorgio Perrone, Antonella Sarotto

Gruppo di sei italiani da Cuneo 12-19 marzo 2011 – photos here

Abbiamo avuto una splendida settimana,con neve,gelo ed un splendido sole nei monti Bucegi e Fägäras.Iulian ha organizzato una settimana perfetta,presentandoci non solo le montagne,ma anche la vita e l`ospitalita del paese. Con Tavi abbiamo avuto un autista simpaticissimmo!

Grazie per una splendida settimana in Romania!

Dr Hans Flechtenmacher e Anna, Christoph I, Christoph II, Helmut, Willi – photos here

Mit großer Vorfreude haben wir die Reise nach Rumänien angetreten. Wir waren psychisch, physisch ausrüstungstechnisch auf alles vorbereitet, aber keiner wusste, was uns dort erwartet. Erwartet haben wir abenteuerliche Landschaften, wilde Tiere und pures Abenteuer. Alle unsere Erwartungen wurden weit übertroffen. Iulian hat uns in einer Woche nachhaltige Eindrücke von Land und Leuten vermittelt. Auf den Skitouren haben wir unvergessliche Bilder gesammelt und viel Spaß zusammen gehabt. Iulian ist ein ausgezeichneter Tourenführer, der immer das richtige Tempo hatte. Auch im kulturellen Bereich blieb uns kein Wunsch unerfüllt. Wir waren beeindruckt von Iulians Netzwerk, da keine Türe versperrt blieb und immer und überall jemand war, der sich um uns gekümmert hat. Vielen, vielen Dank an Iulian Cozma für diese unvergessliche Woche.

Augsburg, den 21.03.2011

Anna, Christoph I, Christoph II, Helmut, Willi und Hans Flechtenmacher – photos here

Iulian hat mit uns zusammen eine individuelle Tour zusammengestellt die das sportlich-anspruchsvolle Wandern durch die wunderschöne Winterlandschaft in den Bergen mit vielen interessanten geschichtlichen Anekdoten optimal kombiniert hat. Eine Sonnenfinsternis, Kühe melken, frische Bärenspuren, unvergessliche Bergpanoramen im Abendlicht, Schweiß und viel Spaß waren inklusive!

Dear Julian, just a short note & thanks and appreciation for all the hard work that you put in, in order to make our trip to Romania such a pleasant and memorable one!

As it turned out from our side I feel that the group was a little too large and not equally matched, but the request to participate in the trip was great add how do you tell someone “No sorry, you cannot come because you are not fit enough”? and so I burned up!

You did well to provide a walking program that we were all able to participate in and enjoy! I usually charge around at great speed, everything’s a challenge and I have to be out in front, but on this occasion it was pleasant and enjoyable jut to relax, to stroll along, taking in the beauty of the countryside, absorbing the atmosphere and stillness of the mountain meadows and the harshness of the snow laden hills! It was not a hard psychical challenge and never meant to be, but the thoroughly enjoyable and in good company!

Thank you for the professional and friendly was in which you organized everything, we had no worries, no concerns over anything! Transport, accommodation, food, cultural visits all went like a clockwork and we were impressed!

Best regards! Good luck in your future!

Brian and Vera – The Crumblies, October 2010 – photos here

Crumblies in Bucegi Mountains – Having walked and climbed in India, Africa, Slovakia, Czech Republik, Morocco and all over the UK, Crumblies Walking Club (UK) turned their attentions to Romania in early October 2010. We have had a terrific holiday and walking adventure in the Bucegi Mountains and the hills of Bran and Prahova, all thanks to Iulian Cozma and the team at Iulian Cozma outdoor adventures! An ideal programme for a group of 16 walkers of mixed abilities, with just the right blend of tough and steady routes to keep us entertained and challenged, throughout. Superb accommodation and terrific organisation from Iulian, our Guide and leader. Brilliant; we will return!

Colin Beacock, Crumblies Walking Club (UK) – photos here

As many others have said, Iulian provides an excellent program, and we had a great hike. We can not really say enough. One added note: many in the USA are not used to paying for a guide. For those I would add that Iulian is very good at evaluating hikers and then tailoring the hike to their ability. If we had hiked on our own, we would have been too conservative in estimating the distance that we could cover, and not had as great a time.

Trudy & John Phillips, Lynchburg,Virginia,USA – photos here

Hallo Iulian, Hallo Mihai,

Wir sind alle wieder gut in Deutschland gelandet bzw. angekommen und bevor uns der Alltags-Stress wieder hat, wollte ich nicht versäumen, Euch beiden ein herzliches Dankeschön auch im Namen meiner DAV-Kollegen- und Kolleginnen zu senden! Diese Tour wird für uns alle unvergesslich bleiben: So viele Glücksmomente, überraschenden Eindrüce, eine fantastische Hochgebirgslandschaft, eine herzliche Gastfreundschaft sowie ein positives und optimistisches “Miteinander” haben diese Tour geprägt. Jeder einzelne hat hier sicherlich so seine eigenen Erfahrungen gemacht Ich persönlich bin froh, dass wir alle einigermaßen “heile” angekommen sind und bis auf Eberhardt keine weiteren krankheitsbedingten Ausfälle hatten. Die Karpaten sind sicherlich einzigartig und auf jeden Fall für jeden Wanderer eine sportliche und sehr interessante Herausforderung – und vielleicht wird der eine oder andere noch einmal die ganze Kammwanderung bei gutem Wetter wagen! Vielleicht … !

Lieber Iulian, noch einmal herzlichen Dank für Deine unermüdliche, schnelle und flexible Organisation und Reaktion auf alle unsere Wünsche und Sonderwünsche. Das war in der Tat ein Super-Service!Lieber Mihai, Dir noch einmal einen recht herzlichen Dank für Deine unendliche Geduld und Deine Hilfsbereitschaft. Du hast uns sicher und heile durch die Karpaten geführt, trotz Schnee, Regen, Nebel und sonstiger Hindernisse … wir waren sicherlich als Gruppe nicht immer einfach DANKE!

Karolin Noé-Kurzfeld – Deutscher Alpenverein – Sektion Worms e.V. – Tour in Karpaten

One again, Iulian, thank you for a wonderful trip! We enjoy being with you and consider you a friend, not just a guide! We hope to be able to see you again, either in Romania or in New York City !

All the best to you and your family!

Fondest regards,

Laura Picone, New York City, USA – August 2010, Fagaras mountains hike

Dear Iulian, we wouldn’t returned to Romania if we didn’t already know we would have an excellent guide waiting for us! Now that we have done more “challenging” hikes with you, your care, knowledge and expertise are even more obvious to us. As always, you have been extremely attentive and thoroughly efficient!

I hope we will stay in touch and share more experiences!

Best always,

Scott Isler, New York City, USA – August 2010, Fagaras mountains hike

Geführt von Iulian Cozma wanderten 10 Mitglieder des Pfälzerwald Vereins Ortsgruppe Worms in den Südkarpaten vom 06. – 15. August 2010

Wir flogen mit Austrian Airlines von Frankfurt über Wien nach Hermanstadt (Sibiu) und zurück. Die Wanderung begann von der Poiana Neamtului und ging über die Barcaciu-Hütte, Negoi-Hütte, Balea-Lac-Hotel, Podragu-Hütte und endete in Victoria-Stadt. Eines der Höhepunkte war die Besteigung des Moldoveanu-Gipfels (2545 m) des höchsten Berges der rumänischen Karpaten. Außer Bergwandern standen jedoch auch Sehenswürdigkeiten in „Siebenbürgen“ im Programm. Wir besuchten Hermanstadt (Sibiu), Kronstadt (Brasov), Schäßburg (Sighisoara), Birthälm (Biertan)und Mediasch (Medias).

Iulian Cozma ist es gelungen uns eine unvergessliche Wanderung erleben zu lassen. Seine Planung war ausgezeichnet und unserer Kondition angemessen. Er hat es verstanden alle Teilnehmer im Alter von 33 – 70 Jahren gleichermaßen zu begeistern. Iulian hat unseren Wünschen entsprechend viel Flexibilität entgegengebracht. Wir waren sehr gut betreut und haben uns stets sicher gefühlt.

Diese Wanderung hat uns bleibende Eindrücke über die wunderbaren Naturlandschaften und Landsleute Rumäniens geboten. Wir werden diese Wanderreise in guter Erinnerung behalten und in der Zukunft vielleicht noch das Bucegi-Gebirge oder die Ostkarpaten mit Iulian buchen. Wir sagen Danke und wünschen Iulian weiterhin erfolgreiche Führungen.

Dr. Artur Wolff, Worms, Deutschland – photos here

Iulian Cozma makes you feel like a guest in his country instead of a tourist. At all times I felt comfortable and enjoyed my stay. The organistation was tightly run and left nothing to be desired. The guide had firm control over our trek but with enough flexibility to allow me a significant say in our activities If I so chose.

Thank you Iulian and Horia for a great first impression of Romania.

Johan Beyens – August 2010 hiking tour in Bucegi and Bran county

Iulian Cozma geeft je het gevoel een gast te zijn in plaats van een toerist in zijn land. Het verblijf was aangenaam en comfortabel. De organistatie is strak geregeld en gaf volledige genoegdoening. De gids had de trek goed in de hand en liet ruimte voor persoonlijke inbreng.

Veel dank, Iulan en Horia, voor een geweldige eerste indruk van Roemenië.

Johan Beyens – August 2010 hiking tour in Bucegi and Bran county

Wat een geweldige trekking! Alles tot in de puntjes voorbereid, de wandelingen perfect op ons niveau afgesteld, mooie locaties om te slapen en nog mooiere wandelingen. En dat met een geweldige gids, Horia, die ons niet enkel goed liet zweten bij het hillwalking maar evengoed kon uitwijden over de politieke en financiele situatie in Roemenië of over de ingrediënten van ciorba (lekkere Roemeense soep). Absolute topervaring! Ik kan Iulian en Horia aan iedereen aanbevelen die van plan is Roemenië te ontdekken. Je zal er zeker geen spijt van hebben.

THX Iulian!

Tim, Johan & de rest aka the smokers – August 2010 hiking tour in Bucegi and Bran county

Great Trekking ! Everything was nicely arranged, the hikes perfectely matched our level, beautiful hostels and even more beautiful hikes. And with a great guide, Horia, who didn’t only make us sweat during hillwalking but could easily switch to the political and financial situation in Romania or the ingredients of the Ciorba (great Romanian soup). A good experience! I would recommend Iulian and Horia to everybody who wants to explore Romania. You won’t regret it!

Tim, Johan & the rest AKA the smokers – August 2010 hiking tour in Bucegi and Bran county

With the briefing to “go hiking and experience cities and Romanian culture and country life within a week time”, we approached Iulian to design a tour for us. One of our group´s members already did a tour six years ago and had a very good experience with him. We immediately received an individual tour recommendation. Slight changes and wishes from our side were implemented right away, Iulian had a very good sense and understanding for what we envisioned. The tour finally consisted of a three day hike in Fagaras Mountains (including climbing Serbota and Scara peak) plus a city tour through Brasov and Sigishoara with a short stop at Sinaia on our own. All we needed to arrange was the flight to Sibiu, everything else – from accomodation on the huts to “catering”, hotel bookings in the cities and transfers – were perfectly organized by Iulian. On top of that, Iulian did not stop with delivering the tour: his services also included individual restaurant recommendations for the cities, checking train connections etc.

Iulian picked us up at the airport and started the first day with a city tour through Sibiu and a nice dinner in a Romanian restaurant. The next Morning, the transfer to the mountains started to the Fagaras mountains. The hikes were perfectly planned, very well suited to our idea of the tour and adapted to our speed and physical condition. While we enjoyed the scenery, Iulian proved to be a competent, experienced and also flexible mountain guide, who always gave us a very secure and comfortable feeling.

Moreover, we learned from him a great deal about people and the country. Milking a water buffalo (!) and visiting a mill in a small village were a very individual and unique insight into parts of Romanian country life.

Thanks very much for the perfect and unforgettable holiday! We will definitely return for the next tour…

Karin, Martin, Sandra and Tobi from Hamburg, Germany – July 2010 – photos here

Mit den Wünschen: „Bergwandern, aber auch Städte und Kultur innerhalb einer Woche ein wenig kennen lernen“, wandten wir uns an Iulian, mit dem ein Teilnehmer aus unserer Gruppe vor sechs Jahren schon gute Erfahrungen gemacht hatte. Umgehend erhielten wir Antwort mit einem von Iulian geplanten Programm. Kleine Änderungswünsche von unserer Seite wurden sofort und problemlos von ihm aufgenommen und umgesetzt. So kamen wir auf drei Tage Bergwandern unter seiner Betreuung in den Fargaras Mountains, mit Besteigung des Serbota und des Scara – drei Tage Städtetouren durch Brasov und Sighisoara mit Zwischenstopp in Sinaia auf eigene Faust. Letztendlich mussten wir uns lediglich um den Flug kümmern. Alles andere – von Unterkunft und Verpflegung während der Wanderungen über Hotelbuchungen in den Städten bis hin zum Transport vom und zum Flughafen wurde von Iulian perfekt und zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit arrangiert. Darüber hinaus wurden uns selbst Zugverbindungen sowie Besichtigungs- und Restauranttipps für die Städtetouren mit an die Hand gegeben.

Schon am Flughafen von Sibiu erwartete uns Iulian. Gemeinsam mit ihm verbrachten wir den Abend mit einer kleinen Stadttour durch Sibiu und Abendessen in einem Restaurant mit rumänischer Küche. Am nächsten Morgen ging es zunächst mit dem Auto in Richtung Fargaras-Gebirge.

Die Bergwanderungen waren sehr gut aufgebaut, das Tempo an unser Können angepasst. Während wir die Ruhe und die wunderschöne Natur genossen, zeigte sich Iulian durchgehend als sehr kompetenter, erfahrener, umsichtiger und flexibler Bergführer, der uns ein hohes Maß an Sicherheit und Wohlbefinden vermittelte. Zudem erfuhren wir von ihm viel über Land und Leute und erhielten beim Wasserbüffelmelken und der Besichtigung einer Maismühle einen einmaligen Einblick in das rumänische Landleben.

Tausend Dank für den perfekten und unvergesslichen Urlaub Iulian!

Wir kommen auf jeden Fall wieder!

Karin, Martin, Sandra und Tobi aus Hamburg – Juli 2010 – photos here

Frohen Mutes starteten wir (Iulian, sein Freund Andrei und ich) am 25. Juli 2010 aus Rudarita nach einer Anfahrt aus Kronstadt über Zernescht und Plaiul Foii auf welcher das Fahrzeug Dacia Logan seine Qualitäten als Geländefahrzeug unter Beweis gestellt hat

Auf einem wenig begangenen Pfad meisterten wir die erste Etappe der Kammwanderung bei gutem Wanderwetter und kamen am frühen Nachmittag auf dem Berevoescu (nach einem adrenalinsteigernden Treffen mit 15 Schäferhunde) an.

Am nächsten Tag ging es bei zunächst trockenem Wetter weiter, aber ab dem Zarnei-Sattel gab es z.T. kräftigen Regen so daß wir im “Großen Sambata Fenster” schnell die Zelte errichteten und anschließend im warmem Schlafsack die auf dem Primus gekochte Suppe genossen. Manchmal machen auch kleine Dinge glücklich…

Am 27. Juli entschieden wir uns trotz Regen, bis zum Podragul-Sattel zu gehen und von dort zur Podragul-Schutzhütte (2136m) abzusteigen (ich kannte diesen Kammabschnitt seit 1998). Bei strömendem Regen erklommen wir Vistea Mare (2527m) und machten den Abstecher auf den höchsten Gipfel Rumäniens, Moldoveanul (2544m). Auf der letzten Wegstrecke zur Schutzhütte riß die Wolkendecke auf und gewährte eine Blick auf die wunderschöne, teils felsige teils tiefgrüne Fogarascher Berglandschaft.

Der Empfang auf der Podragul – Schutzhütte war herzlich und mir wurde die seltene Ehre zuteil, in einem Einzelzimmer mit holzbefeuertem Kachelofen zu übernachten.

Nachdem die Wolkendecke am nächsten Tag 50m über der Schutzhütte lag und für den Kamm Regen + Schneeregen vorausgesagt wurde, entschlossen wir, auf besseres Wetter zu warten und einen Ausflug mit leichtem Rucksack zur auf 1520m gelegenen Schutzütte “Turnuri” zu machen. Auf dem Rückweg blies ein heftiger Nordwind und bald setzte der wohlbekannte Regen ein.

Als am vorletzten Tag der Tour (Donnerstag, 29. Juli 2010) das Wetter noch immer nicht gut war – man will ja auf einer Kammwanderung schließlich auch etwas sehen – beschloss ich, die Tour abzubrechen und abzusteigen.

Iulian und Andrei waren sehr angenehme Bergkameraden, in Viktoriastadt nahmen wir Abschied von Andrei und in Kronstadt auf der Terasse des Kolpinghauses trennte ich mich mit der Absicht, die Kammwanderung nächstes Jahr fortzusetzen, von Iulian.

Die Tour war sehr gut organisiert (Einschließlich Flughafentransfer, Hotel- und Schutzhüttenreservierung), Iulian ist absolut zuverlässig und geht flexibel auf Kundenwünsche ein. Ich empfehle ihn auf diesem Wege herzlichst.

Christian aus Stuttgart, Kammwanderung Fogarasch Ost – West 25. – 29. Juli 2010

It’s quite possible that a vacation in Romania might pose some challenges for the average American tourist, especially when planning to visit castles, monasteries, and historical towns, as well as complete a 4-night hut-to-hut hiking traverse of the Fagaras Mountains. Challenging, that is, unless your trip is in the capable hands of Iulian Cozma. From our pickup at the Bucharest airport to our 4:30 a.m. departure back to the airport 10 days later, every step of our trip was handled by Iulian with the utmost efficiency and care for our comfort and enjoyment. His skills go far beyond his competence as a mountain guide or his organizational abilities in handling every detail of lodging and traditional Romania menus. It’s a rate individual who can teach his guests how to clear hundreds of sheep from a hiking trail (just whistle!), then several days later escort them to an elegant and extraordinary restaurant in Bucharest. He is one hard working individual, and it is amply demonstrated in the results achieved. We had the good fortune to enjoy many wonderful and memorable experiences thanks to Iulian and would highly recommend his services to anyone who wants an unforgettable and stress-free vacation in Romania.

Jim and Peggy Hilton – Seattle, WA USA – July 2010 – Fagaras ridge traverse – photos here

Chris and I would like to thank you so much for the walk you put together for us all. It was well prepared and planned, The meadows so full of wild flowers were breathtaking,and we were very impressed with your knowledge of where to walk, especially where there were no known paths. We felt you carried out the walk with true professionalism. You were extremely helpful at all times and very informative on all aspects of the walk,the area and customs of Romania.

The Pensions were really nice to stay in and the people we met were so lovely and friendly. It was a pleasure to visit your country and especially Transylvania, which you obviously love and care about. Once again thank you so much.

We wish you and your family best wishes for the future,

Chris and Yvonne Hartley – Leicestershire, England – June 2010 – photos here

Iulian was a very friendly and efficient guide, and took us on a great two-day, low-level route in the beautiful Piatra Craiului National Park through forest (which we were glad of in the heat) and lush meadows. We paid a fascinating visit to cheese-making shepherds (and had a robust encounter with some sheep dogs!)

Mary Byrne,London, UK – July 2010

After a very nice experience with Iulian in May where we discovered Omu Peak in the Bucegi mountains we decided this time to go hiking in the Fagaras Mountains on 19th&20th of June.

It is the best period because all Rhododendrons are blossoming and the top of the hills turn red. We slept on Friday in Brancoveanu Monastery and on Saturday morning we moved up from 800m to 2100m on the North Dragus ridge. The climb was tough but the scenery on the top with all the trees blossoming was worth all the efforts.We had a great lunch next to a stream before to start our descend to the Salvamont Hut on Valea Sambatei. At the end we had been covering a distance of 15km, walking up 1300m and walking down 800m.We had a great dinner with the Salvamont team before to rest under our blankets while the rain was pouring outside. In the morning the weather had improve enough and we walked down the Sambata Valley along the river to go back to the monastery.

All in all a great experience witch I recommend to anyone who wants to discover this unique scenery of the Fagaras mountains covered by red Rhododendron flowers.

Beth and Marc Desenfans, June 2010 – photos here

A massive thank you for arranging, and then personally guiding us through our amazing Romanian experience. The itinerary you put together perfectly matched our requirements – it covered mountain, country, forest and city landscapes -all in 5 days. In addition seeing a wild bear with her cubs, having a cup of fruit tea in a weather station on on top of Omu and watching the hay making process, were all unexpected bonuses.

Our biggest thank you goes to you personally for your attention to detail – from the fantastic Romanian food you ensured we had, sharing your knowledge and insight with us as we covered the many kilometers during our daily hikes. We would recommend you to anyone (and have passed on your details already) – and happy that you share this note, our photos and contact details with others who may be considering a Romanian adventure.

Until next time,

Dave and Jo, UK – June 2010 – photos here

My recent hike (May 2010) with Iulian will certainly be one I remember. He arranged and accompanied me on a one day 25km hike up over Piatra Mare which offered me a challenge, incredible scenery, a couple of places to stop along the way. This was my second hike with Iulian and I intend to use his guide services for many more. He is able to guide through well-planned routes that I would not be able to find on my own. Iulian chose this route based on my ability, schedule, and desire to see certain areas. His services are professional and his personality made the entire expedition a pleasure. The mountains of Romania are Iulian’s home and it’s clear that he enjoys sharing the beauty of the area to others.

Michael Eubanks, May 2010 – photos here

Lovely trip. Lovely senery. Silence and tranquility for those who want to get away from hum of busy city… Pestera is a special place, much different from Sinaia or Predeal. It’s a kind of a hidden valley located in the heart of mountains. The trip became my first experience in mountain walking. We’ve made around 15 km each day. In fact, I’ve never walked so much in a single day in my whole life:) Physically challenging, though exciting. Definitely a good excercize. Liked a lot walking on snow..

Presence of Iulian inspired the confidence and feeling of safety in a trip. Hotel was great, though the road imho requires SUV. Alternatively u can get there taking cable car up from Busteni and then descending down to Pestera with a backpack. There is a beautiful monastery located in a cave nearby. Those who like can even visit monastery service.

Looking forward to new mountain adventures.

Thanks to Iulian and my companions Marc and Beth.

Alexander Sidorov, May 10 - photos here

We had a great hiking on 8&9th of May 2010 with Iulian in the Bucegi mountains. The routes selected were great. Saturday hike to Cerbului Saddle was technically more demanding but we enjoyed it very much.

The hike on Sunday was more relax but with great scenery as well. Pestera is a great place for hiking because it is out of the beaten tracks. There are also easy hikes near the Pestera hotel witch means that even family with kids could organize a programe there. We appreciated Iulian technical expertise but also his knowledge of the environment.

We are looking forward for our next experience in the Faragas mountains.

Marc & Beth DESENFANS, May 10 – photos here

Á páskum 2010 var eg í Bucegi-fjøllunum saman við Iulian Cozma, sum ein vinmaður hevði viðmælt mær at brúka sum ferðaleiðara. Túrurin byrjaði við, at Iulian kom við mær til Bukarest at keypa útgerð, har eg fekk alt møguligt fyri góðar prísir, og síðani koyrdu vit suðureftir móti Brasov, har túrurin upp í fjøllini byrjaði dagin eftir. Veðrið var ikki tað besta, tann fyrsta dagin var kavin í so vátur og tungur til at kunna ganga við jørnum á skónum, og tí var tað ómetaliga strævið at ganga, ikki minst fyri eina, sum meg, sum eri á byrjunarstøði, hvat fjallaklintring viðvíkur. Dagin eftir var nógvur vindur, so vit gingu ikki so leingi tann dagin, og fóru ikki upp á Omu peak, sum vit upprunaliga høvdu ætlað okkum. Vit yvirnáttaðu báðar næturnar í 1950 m hædd, í einum ítróttarkompleksi, har rumenar venja til olympisku leikirnar, og tað var ein uppliving í sjálvum sær. Tann triðja dagin var høgur himmal og sól, og kavaklædda landslagið kom veruliga til sín rætt. Teir seinastu dagarnir vórðu brúktir niðan fyri kavahædd, í landslagnum kring Brasov, har eg eisini svav í tvær nætur. Býirnir Sinaia og Brasov eru ómetaliga vakrir, og tað sama er landlagið kring teir. Millum annað vóru vit ein góðan gongutúr í haganum omanfyri Moeciu de Sus.

Í heila tikið er hetta økið í Rumenia ein sonn perla. Og eg eri rættiliga vís í, at eg ikki havi verið her fyri seinastu ferð. Her er vakurt, søguríkt, fjølbroytt, sera fitt fólk, góður matur, bíligt, ja, alt tað, man sum ferðandi kann ynskja sær av einum landi.

Iulian kennir landslagið út og inn, og man kann trygt leggja sítt álit á hann; og eg hevði heldur enn fegin farið avstað aftur saman við honum. Tí Iulian er ómetaliga fittur, fyrikomandi, avslappaður, tolin, pliktuppfyllandi, samvitskufullur – OG vælorganiseraður. Hann er ein sera góður ferðaleiðari og ferðafelagi.

Guðrun Eysturlíð – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands – April 2010

I påsken 2010 var jeg i Bucegi-bjergene sammen med Iulian Cozma, som en ven havde anbefalet mig at bruge som guide. Turen begyndte med, at Iulian kom med mig til Bukarest for at købe udstyr, hvilket jeg fik til yderst rimelige priser. Derefter kørte vi sydover mod Brasov, hvor det bjergrige landskab åbnede sig for os, og hvorfra, turen op i bjergene skulle begynde dagen efter.

Vejret var ikke det allerbedste, sneen var for tung og for våd til at vi kunne gå godt med steigeise, hvilket gjorde, at turen for en nybegynder som mig var utrolig anstrengende. Så det var en lettelse, omsider at komme frem ud på eftermiddagen. Dagen efter blæste det ret meget, så vi ændrede planer, og gik rundt i dalen, istedet for at gå op på Omu Peak, som vi ellers havde tænkt os at gøre. Begge nætter overnattede vi i 1950 m højde i et olympisk idrætskompleks, hvor rumænere træner til de olympiske lege, og det var en oplevelse i sig selv. Den tredje dag var der høj himmel og solskin, og landskabet viste sig fra sin aller smukkeste side. De to sidste dage blev brugt under snehøjde, i landskabet omkring Brasov, hvor jeg også sov i to nætter. De to byer, Sinaia og Brasov er utrolig smukke, og det samme kan siges om selve området, hvor de ligger. Blandt andet var vi en dejlig vandretur i bjergene ved Moeciu de Sus. I det hele taget kan siges, at dette område i Rumænien er en smuk perle. Og jeg er ret sikker på, at det ikke er sidste gang, jeg har været her. Her er smukt, fyldt med historie, mangfoldigt, søde og venlige mennesker, god mad, billigt, ja, alt det, man som rejsende kan ønske sig.

Iulian kender landskabet som sin egen lomme, og man kan trygt sætte sit lid til ham, og jeg ville til enhver tid tage afsted sammen med ham igen. Fordi Iulian er sød, sympatisk, afslappet, tålmodig, pligtopfyldende, samvittighedsfuld – OG velorganiseret. Han er en meget god rejseleder og rejseledsager.

Guðrun Eysturlíð – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands – April 2010

Vom 7. bis 12. März 2010 war ich zum Tourenskifahren in den Karpaten. Mit Julian hatten wir einen Bergführer, der nicht nur organisatorisch alles bestens im Griff hatte, sondern sich auch als äußerst kompetenter und angenehmer Führer in allen Situationen erwies. Besonders beeindruckt haben mich seine detaillierten Ortskenntnisse und sein Geschick, auch bei manchmal schwierigen Umständen (Lawinengefahr durch viel Neuschnee, unterschiedliche Wetterbedingungen) immer sehr schöne Touren und ganz besonders schöne Abfahrten in herrlichem Pulverschnee zu finden. So konnten wir die Berge im Bucegi-Massiv und den Schuler (Postavaru) voll genießen und einen sehr guten Eindruck von diesem herrlichen Flecken Erde gewinnen. Die Karpaten sind unseren Alpen sehr ähnlich, aber wesentlich weniger erschlossen und sie haben ihren eigenen Flair, wobei ich meine, dass man das kontinentalere Klima schon deutlich merkt. Ich hatte mir nicht vorgestellt, wie groß das Bucegi-Plateau ist und wie schöne Skitouren man dort machen kann, auch wenn uns der höchste Punkt Om infolge dichten Nebels, eisigen Schneesturms und Lawinengefahr versagt blieb. Dass die Abfahrt dann doch ein wahrere Genuss wurde, beweist, wie gut wir bei Julian aufgehoben waren. Leider sind auch die Fogaraser Berge infolge Lawinengefahr (1,5 m Neuschnee!) ausgefallen, aber mit Julian würde ich gerne nochmals hinfahren.

Dr. Eike Roth, Klagenfurt, Österreich

Con il tour della Romania concludiamo il trittico di scialpinismo dei Paesi dell’Est,che ci ha visti prima in Slovacchia,Bulgaria,ed infine in Romania. Oltre all’esperienza sportiva in sè,siamo stati molto soddisfatti della preparazione professionale di Iulian e soprattutto del rapporto di amicizia creatosi con lui. Iulian ha capito fin da subito ,grazie alla sua mentalità molto aperta,che il nostro gruppo,non essendo abituato ad essere accompagnato da guide alpine,avrebbe faticato a seguire le direttive di un leader,e ci ha difatti resi partecipi di tutte le sue decisioni sullo sci tour,facendoci sentire assolutamente a nostro agio.Un altro aspetto di Iulian che ci ha piacevolmente colpiti è la voglia da parte sua di far crescere il movimento alpinistico Rumeno per portarlo ad un livello europeo,cercando anche in questo modo di far uscire il suo paese da un periodo storico non esaltante. Grazie alle ottime condizioni meteorologiche siamo riusciti a portare a termine l’intero programma stabilito,tour che prevedeva pendii da scialpinismo classico,con belle montagne anche se non con dislivelli elevati,infine sottolineiamo l’ottima organizzazione di Iulian,con la sistemazione in alberghi di buonissima qualità,molto curati,mai scelte improvvisate anche durante le visite turistiche a Brasov e Bucarest.

Grazie Iulian per la splendida settimana passata assieme.

Lecco Italy,Marzo 2010,Felice con Beppe,Giamma,Gianni,Sandro e Stefano.

For me it was the second time that I went on a trip with Iulian. Like last time (when I hiked to the highest peak in Romania – Moldoveanu) everything was very well organized by Iulian. We enjoyed good weather, snow was maybe not so ideal (too wet and heavy the first day and too icy the second day), but at least we knew at the end of these two days why we were tired. The Bucegi mountains are ideal for ski touring – and it’s good to have a guide like Iulian who knows the region and prevents you from going in the wrong direction. We stayed the night in a cozy and clean chalet in Pestera which allowed us to have a well-deserved rest after the first day. On the second day the temperatures were much lower and we found out at the end of the day that below 1700m it seemed as if the entire day it was foggy, windy and really cold. Fortunately we stayed above this altitude most of the day.

Thomas Bubendorf, Zurich – Bucegi mountains ski tour, 20-21 February 2010

Dear Iulian, you definitely deserve this! Sorry that it’s US currency – we didn’t have enough lei and we couldn’t find any banks in the Danube Delta. But you can send this directly to B&H photo … We hoped that our guide in the mountains would be as knowledgeable as responsible as you were. We were truly impressed, though, by your thoughtfulness and attention. I certainly never expected to borrow a tripod and long lens to get better photographs. I hope we’ll keep in touch and get to see you again, either here or in New York. Thanks very much for all your help in introducing us to your country and its people. We enjoyed both!

Scott Isler, New York, October 2009

Dear Iulian, thank you so very much for a wonderful time in your wonderful country. I appreciate your patience with us, (especially on the hiking part) but most of all I thank you for the wonderful options you offered when the weather didn’t cooperate and especially for putting together this week’s adventures. I certainly didn’t expect to spend my birthday in Bulgaria! The Danube Delta was wonderful and beautiful! It was a pleasure to be with you and to get to know you and, as Scott says, I too hope we can keep in touch!

Kindest regards, Laura Picone, New York

Min kusine Britt og jeg fik , takket være Iulian Cozma , en fantastisk og oplevelsesrig uge i Rumænien fra den 19de til den 26de september . På den første dag , i Bucegi Bjergene , skinnede solen fra en skyfri himmel – og det fortsatte den med resten af ugen . Fra Sinaia tog vi tovbanen 700 m op til vi var over trægrænsen . Her var goldt og koldt , så vi måtte have handsker og huer på. Vi gik 300 meget lange meter op til Omu Peak . Hvor vi , foran en lille hytte hvor man kunne købe suppe , kaffe og meget sød te , nød udsigten udover bjerget . Vi følte os klar til en en uges dejligt hård bjergvandring ! Desværre blev et dårligt knæ genoplivet af en lidt lang tur ned af bjerget , så det stod os klart at vi ikke ville kunne fortsætte ugen med de samme ambitioner som først antaget . Modstræbende måtte vi sige dette til Iulian ! Det accepterede han bare uden videre og i løbet af fem minutter havde han i sit erfarne hoved lagt lettere ruter til os , booket nye pensioner og aflyst andre som ikke passede ind i den reviderede plan . Desuden gav han os dagen efter en hvile og sightseing dag i Brasovs gamle , hyggelige bydel . Her viste det sig at han ikke bare ved noget om bjerge men også om Rumæniens historie , kultur og ikke mindst kager ! Vi blev fyldt med kager , mens vi nød godt af Iulians , sjove og vidende selskab . Dagen blev rundet af med et endnu et par hjemmebagte kager , som Iulians meget søde kone syntes vi skulle have med hjem til hotellet ! Sikke en dag ! I løbet af resten af ugen fik vi vandret i en masse skønne bjergområder , overnattet i de hyggeligste pensioner , og desuden på et utroligt hotel , Balea Lac , ude i en spejlblank sø , højt oppe i Fagaras bjergene, som er lidt mere golde men alligevel særligt spektakulære. Vi så gemser i elegant firspring nedover bjergskråningen . Vi så masser af ravne . Vi fik følgeskab en hel dag af en meget sød hund . Vi fik friske valnødder af en gammel hyrde og sidst men ikke mindst , tog Iulian os med til sin bedstemors landsby . Her overnattede vi hos hendes søster , fik en lang og fantastisk hyggelig snak med Silvio , en uforglemmeligt venlig mand som viste os alt . . Grisene , hønsene , kartoflerne (de små til grisene ! ) og , hans stolthed – værktøjet , samt hatten han har på til jul. Vi så køerne komme hjem fra engen ved solnedgang og blive malket , på den gode gammeldags måde . Vi fik dejlig hjemmelavet mad , brændevin , en masse kaffe og nykogte blomme knødeln . Vi følte os yderst privilegerede over at have fået lov til at få denne oplevelse , den satte et glad smil på vores ansigter som endnu ikke har fortaget sig ! Alt i alt var det en tur vi kun kan anbefale . I bjergene følte vi os fuldstændigt trygge med Iulian som guide . Desuden er Iulian er ikke bare professionel til fingerspidserne men også godt selskab og en god kammerat . Alt forløb som det skulle , lige fra vi ankom og blev hentet i lufthavnen af Iulians meget rare chauffør , Manu , til Manu satte os af en uge senere i lufthavnen . Med os havde vi hver en cd med billeder fra ferien som Iulian lige havde nået at brænde og aflevere på vores hotel aftenen inden . Effektivt og imponerende . Turen gav os stor appetit på at komme tilbage og se mere . De venligste hilsener til Iulian

fra Therese Hernø og Britt Treu

Thanks to Iulian Cozma , my cousin Britt and I had a fantastic and eventful week in Romania from the 19th to the 26th of September. On the first day , in the Bucegi Mountains, the sky was clear and the sun was shining as it did throughout the week. From Sinaia we took the cable car 700 m up till we were above the tree line. It was barren and cold, so we had to put on our hats and gloves. We walked 300 very long meters up to Omu Peak. Here we sat, in the sun, in front of a wooden cottage where one could buy soup, coffee and very sweet tea, and enjoyed the view over the mountain. We looked forward to a week of delightfully tough mountain tramping! Unfortunately an old knee injury was revived by a rather lengthy descent, so that in the evening it was clear to us that we would not be able to continue our week on the same ambitious level . Reluctantly we informed Iulian of this. Like a true pro he just took it in his stride and within five minutes he had, on the basis of his vast experience, outlined a different route of easier trails for us and in the same breath he booked new pensions and canceled others that did not fit into the revised plan. Moreover, the day after he let us have a day of rest and sightseeing in the pleasant Old Town of Brasov. Here it turned out that not only does Iulian know something about mountains, he is also knowledgeable about the history and culture of Romania and above all – Romanian cakes! Between sights , and while we enjoyed Iulian’s fun and informative company, we were literally stuffed with cakes, not only once but twice ! The day was rounded off with yet another couple of cakes that Iulians very sweet wife gave us to enjoy back home at the hotel. What a day ! During the remaining four days we walked through one picturesque mountain area after another, we stayed in the pleasantest pensions. And high up in the Fagaras Mountains, that are more barren than The Bucegi and yet particularly spectacular, we stayed in one incredible hotel, the Balea Lac – virtually built on a lake which , smooth as a mirror, reflects the scenery around it . We saw chamois elegantly galloping down a mountain slope. We saw a lot of ravens. We were accompanied for a whole day by a very nice dog. We were offered walnuts, fresh from the tree, by an old shepherd. Last but not least , Iulian took us down to his grandmothers village where we stayed the night at her sister’s house. We had a long amazing conversation with Silviu, an unforgettably friendly man who showed us everything they owned . . . The pigs , the chickens, the potatoes ( the small ones for the pigs ! ) , the hat that he wears for Christmas and his pride – the locker with his tools. We saw the cows come home from the meadows at sunset, and how they were milked, the old fashioned way. We had lovely home cooked food, and plum dumplings, we had lots of brandies and coffee. We felt very privileged to have been given this experience , it put a happy smile on our faces that still lingers. In short it was a trip that we can warmly recommend. In the mountains we felt completely safe with Iulian as a guide . Iulian is thoroughly professional , a nice companion and a good friend . Everything ran smoothly, from we arrived at the airport and were picked up by Iulian’s nice driver Manu , till we were back at the airport one week later. We each had with us a CD , with photos from the holiday , that Iulian had had time to make the night before and deliver at our hotel . Impressive !This trip certainly made us want to come back and see more . The friendliest greetings to Iulian from

Britt Treu and Therese Hernø, Denmark September 2009

We had a marvellous 6 –day trek in the beautiful Carpathian mountains of Transylvania, mostly at an altitude of 1800 – 2500 metres. The landscape is beautiful and varied, with impressive forest at lower altitude and alpine as one gets higher. Wildlife is plentiful. We saw chamois on several occasions, came across fresh bear droppings and wild boar tracks. The trails are good and well maintained. The terrain can be quite challenging but still well within the abilities of a bunch of fairly fit 50 – 60 year olds. We were lucky with the weather in mid-September, very pleasant daytime temperatures of up towards 20 centigrades even at high altitude, but cold nights, of course. Our trek was very well organised by Iulian Cozma, with charming, professional English-speaking guides. Accommodation is comfortable and on the whole of significantly higher standard than the Cabanes de Montagne in France and Switzerland, generally with hot water and good, clean beds, except Podragu where the standard was rudimentary (no heating,no hot water). The food is good, as is the wine and beer. We also appreciated the good administration part, i.e. the process involving the pre-booking, booking and general follow up of info and exchange of ideas.

Ted Wachtmeister – The Dilettante Society with members from Sweden, UK and Switzerland- September 2009

Die Fagaras Gratwanderroute bietet fantastische Bergwanderungen in einer atemberaubend wilden und einsamen Natur, wie man sie in Westeuropa nicht mehr findet. Berggewohnte Touristen aus den Alpen sollten allerdings die Anforderungen von Wanderungen in den Südkarpathen nicht unterschätzen: Obschon die Gipfel und Grate ?nur? Höhen zwischen 2000 und 2500 m erreichen, können die Touren dennoch recht anstrengend sein: Sie weisen teilweise ziemlich steile und auch rutschige Stellen (T3) auf, welche die volle Aufmerksamkeit des Wanderers erfordern. Die grossen Horizontaldistanzen zwischen den einzelnen Cabanas führen zudem zu recht langen Tagestouren: Tagesmärsche von 8 Stunden und mehr. Wie die Alpen bilden die Südkarpathen auch eine Wetterscheide zwischen Nord und Süd und kurzfristige Wetteränderungen sind deshalb häufig: Eine Stunde, nachdem wir in schönstem Sonnenschein den Gipfel des Moldoveanu (2544 m) verlassen hatten, war das ganze Gebiet voll im Nebel eingetaucht und man hätte wohl kaum mehr den Aufstieg zum Gipfel geschafft, geschweige denn noch eine Aussicht geniessen können. Bei Julian Cozma sind Bergwanderer in den besten Händen östlich der Alpen: Julian ist ein absoluter Spitzenprofi und führt seine Gäste ausserordentlich professionell. Er kennt nicht nur buchstäblich jeden einzelnen Stein in der Fagaras-Region, sondern hat auch eine erstklassige Nase für Wetteränderungen: Ohne dieses Wetterfeeling hätten wir das richtige ?Zeitfenster? für den Moldoveanu sicher nicht getroffen. Als Bergführer ist Julian Cozma auch ein richtiger Sicherheitsfreak: Er kann im Interesse der Sicherheit auch einmal streng mit einem Touristen sein: Aber er hat natürlich immer recht ! Wir wünschen Julian Cozma recht viel Erfolg (und vielleicht Hilfe aus Brüssel ?) bei der Verwirklichung seiner vielen ehrgeizigen Tourismusprojekte !

Prof.Dr. Fritz Dolder – Hochschule für Technik, Zürich / Schweiz – September 14-20, 2009

Der Moldoveanu mit Iulian in zwei Tagen (9-10 September 2009) Für Westler liegt Rumänien etwas ‘grau’ im Osten, das trägt – wie bei jeder ernsteren Bergtour – zur Spannung bei, wird alles klappen oder bleibt der Gipfel fern? Weil Iulian englisch spricht, seine Frau und Mitarbeiterin Rosana deutsch, werden alle Unklarheiten schon in der Vorbereitung per Email bedacht. Dieser prima Service bleibt während der ganzen Tour. Nach der Ankunft in Braşov/Kronstadt war es regnerisch, so musste die Tour um einen Tag verschoben werden. Erstaunlich: Iulian wurde zum kenntnisreichen Stadtführer einer 3,5stündigen Stadtbesichtigung (ohne einen Leu mehr zu berechnen!). – Um 11 Uhr stehen wir am markierten Pfad und gehen 6 Stunden erst durch viel Laubwald, dann Nadelwald, dann über Matten bis zur Podragu Hütte auf 2136 m. Der Wald wirkt herrlich wild, dabei ist der Weg gut, selten etwas ausgesetzt – trittsicher sollte man sein, die Karpaten sind ein alpines Gebirge. 2544 m ist der Moldoveanu hoch, 300 m höher als die Hütte, das ginge man in den Alpen in einer guten Stunde. Das Hinweisschild bei der Hütte sagt 2,5 – 3 Stunden. Grund – auch für den relativ langen Anmarsch – ist, dass hier das Gebirge erfreulicher-weise nicht so total erschlossen ist wie die Alpen, wo fast jeder bedeutendere Gipfel (4000er evtl. ausgenommen) direkt von einem höhergelegenen Parkplatz in Tagestouren zu erreichen ist. Bemerkung zu den Zeitangaben auf den Wegweisern: Sie sind knapper bemessen als in den Alpen. Von der soliden Hütte, die mit Alpenhütten mithalten kann, wobei die Wirtin nicht nur deutsch spricht, sondern als Besitzerin sich auch mehr sorgt als mancher Alpenwirt, was wohl auch daran liegt, dass der Andrang und somit der Stress nicht so ‘alpin’ ist. Weil der 18 m tiefe Hüttensee nicht bis auf den Grund durchfriert, leben sogar Forellen darin. Das Entlegene, die wirkliche Ruhe der Berge sind die Besteigung wert; selbst die Gämsen sind scheuer, halten größere Distanz als in den Alpen, von den Bären sieht man nur den ‘Schitt’. Erfreulich, bei der Moldoveanubesteigung ist: der 3.höchste Berg Rumäniens Viştea Mare ist Zugabe; alles auf guten und sicheren Wegen, so dass man die weite Bergwelt geniessen kann. Vom Viştea geht es über den Verbindungsgrat auf den ersehnten höchsten Karpatengipfel außer der Tatra. Hier finden sich zwei ganz kurze Kletterstellen der Schwierigkeit I nach Alpenvereinsmaßstab, was nur heißt, dass jetzt die Hände einzusetzen sind. Da Iulian ein Profi mit der Kamera ist, wurden auf dem Weg, oft unbemekt, und werden auf dem Gipfel viele Fotos gemacht, die ich gerne zur Erinnerung annehme. Der sehenswerte Rückweg durchs Viştea Mare Tal fordert meine ruheständlerische Flachländlerkondition, so dass ich den kommenden Muskelkater stolz abgehen werde.

Heinz-G. Kattlack, Norderstedt (Schleswig-Holstein) Deutschland

Trois jours dans les monts Fagaras. Et il n’est pas peu dire que Iulian est d’une inestimable aide pour mener à bien un programme de cette ampleur. De l’organisation du parcours à la réservation du gîte et des couverts, Iulian a permis au groupe d’effectuer cette randonnée en toute sécurité et sans aucun problème grâce a sa connaissance des monts Fagaras. Et même quand la météo s’est retournée contre nous, Iulian nous a emmenés sur un sentier dans une magnifique forêt entrecoupée de torrents. On en viendrait presque à remercier la météo de n’avoir pas été au beau fixe pour ce dernier jour. Pour résumer ce week-end : de très beaux paysages, une compagnie sympathique et une sensation géniale d’épuisement et de travail accompli. Merci encore Iulian, et bonne continuation.

Aurélien Thinat – Climbing Moldoveanu peak, 4-6 September 2009

Anfangs September unternahm ich mit einer Gruppe von 4 jungen Franzosen und Iulian einen dreitägigen Ausflug in die Fagaras-Berge. Das Ziel war der Moldoveanu, der höchste Berg Rumäniens. Treffpunkt war Balea Lac auf dem Transfagasaran Highway; von dort aus ging es über Berg und Tal (insgesamt vier Mal rauf und runter, d.h. etwa 5-6 Stunden Marschzeit) bis zur Podragu-Hütte, wo wir zwei Mal übernachteten. Die Hütte ist sehr spartanisch eingerichtet, aber die Bewirtung (deutschsprachig!) war extrem freundlich und der gute Tsuika half auch, den Schlaf besser zu finden. Am nächsten Morgen ging es dann in Richtung Moldoveanu, den wir ohne viel Stress in etwa 3 Stunden erreichten. Kurz nach unserer Rückkehr zur Hütte fing es an zu regnen – Glück gehabt. Am letzten Tag mussten wir leider das Programm wegen dicken Nebels ändern. Anstatt auf einem Höhenweg wieder zurück nach Balea Lac gingen wir den sichereren Weg ins Tal runter. Der interessante Weg durch den Wald und einem Wildbach entlang entpuppte sich aber als sehr gute Alternative, v.a. auch da wir mehreren Feuersalamandern über den Weg liefen. Zum Glück wurden wir auch dieses Mal nicht eingeregnet – es fing erst 5 Minuten nach Ankunft in Victoria an zu regnen. Iulian organisierte dann einen Minibus, der uns hoch zu unseren Autos in Balea Lac brachte. Während den drei Tagen zeigte sich Iulian als äusserst kompetenter und umgänglicher Bergführer, der immer um das Wohl seiner Gäste besorgt ist. Es lohnt sich ohne Frage, mit ihm zusammen einen Ausflug in die tollen rumänischen Berge zu wagen.

Thomas Bubendorf, Zurich – Climbing Moldoveanu peak, 4-6 September 2009

Danke Julian für die außergewöhnliche und beeindruckende Zeit in Rumänien. Wir hatten eine wunderbare Tour bei traumhaftem Wetter in den südlichen Karpaten – dem Himmel ganz nah. Ich hatte das Gefühl mit einem guten Freund unterwegs zu sein, der mit unglaublicher Erfahrung jeden unserer Schritte im Voraus geplant hat. Julian hat die Tour perfekt auf unsere Bedürfnisse abgestimmt und uns voller Charme und Leidenschaft die Besonderheiten seines Landes erläutert. Er konnte mit seinem breitgefächerten Wissen zu allen Themen Auskunft geben, sodass wir Panoramabilder von den Bergen und Eindrücke von Land und Leuten mit nach Hause nehmen konnten. Nochmals vielen Dank für den herzlichen Abschluss beim Lunch mit Deiner Familie.

Maria Böhmer, Nürnberg, Deutschland – August 2009

Mit Julian Cozma haben wir ein unvergessliches Karpatenabenteuer erleben können. Das Besondere daran war, dass wir nicht nur die Schönheiten der Karpaten sehen und genießen konnten, sondern durch Julians Wissen immer etwas mehr erfuhren. Julian hat uns Land und Leute näher gebracht. Seine Planung der 6-tägigen Tour war perfekt. Die Abwechslung zwischen schönen und einfachen Wanderwegen aber auch anspruchsvolleren Pasagen war genau richtig. Zu jeder Zeit haben wir uns sicher gefühlt. Vergleichbares hätten wir ohne Julian nicht erleben können – dafür nochmal vielen, herzlichen Dank.

Renate und Steffen Jordan, Eggolsheim, Deutschland – Bergwandern in Fagaras Berge, 23-29 August 2009

Wir hatten in Julian Cozma einen sehr erfahrenen Führer, mit dem wir auch als Neueinsteiger Rumänien von der besten Seite kennen lernen durften. Julian hat uns das Land von der Seite gezeigt, die bisher noch vielen verborgen ist: wir erhielten einen großartigen Einblick in die Vielfalt der Natur der Karpaten. Besonders genossen haben wir die Momente, die unserer Reise so einzigartig machten: Wir genossen die Ruhe der Karpaten, erhielten einen Einblick ins Klosterleben und hatten das Glück tolle Stimmungen einer beeindruckenden Wetterlage einzufangen. Vor allem freuten wir uns, dass wir auch die Herzlichkeit der Familie von Julian kennen lernten durften. Viele Grüße an die Oma!

Christa Ertel, Nürnberg, Deutschland – Bergwandern in Fagaras Berge, 23-29 August 2009

Lieber Julian, welch Glück einen Guide zu finden, der professionell und zudem leidenschaftlich und motiviert seine Arbeit macht. Nicht nur, dass Du uns Deine fantastische Heimat gezeigt hast, auch Deine Hilfestellung vor, während und nach der Tour zeichnen Dich aus. Mit Deiner sympathischen und offenen Art hast Du Dich ständig bemüht, uns etwas Besonderes zu bieten. Danke für Alles. Ich werde bestimmt immer wieder mal auf Deiner Homepage vorbeischauen um mich an die schöne Zeit zurückerinnern. Vielleicht sehen wir uns ja wieder. Dir und Deiner Familie alles Gute und liebe Grüße aus Berglen/Deutschland.

Peter Elsäßer – Bergwandern in Fagaras Berge, 23-29 August 2009

This is his country. His mountains. You can feel it from the first moment. He knows everything: the people, the history, the current challenges and no doubt about it: every path and every stone in the mountains. Passionate and a perfectionistic. Having centered every single minute of our tailor-made tour around an exciting vacation adventure for us he brought us unexpected, surprising and overwhelming insights into yet undetected landscapes and people. Just by offering. Nothing forced, artificial. He managed to show us the normal life far off the touristic mainstream. He offered us a very special view into a young country on its way from the stiffness of comunism to modernism, a breathtaking landscape and an unforgettable hiking experience. If you plan to spend your holidays in Romania don’t miss the opportunity to get to know Iulian. And if you wonder about the immediate feedback from him – no mountain too high to be online, no hiking trip too challenging to answer customer’s e-mails within short. Simultanously 100% attention for the group. And he does all this without any fuss.

Karin Krieg, Erlangen, Germany – Bergwandern in Fagaras Berge, 23-29 August 2009

Vom 20. – 27. Juli 09 waren wir – Silja (33) und Thomas (32) – in den Karparten unterwegs. Was neben der Schönheit der Natur und den freundlichen Menschen diesen Trip zu einem wirklich einmaligen Erlebnis machte, war die Begleitung durch Iulian. Durch seine professionelle Vorbereitung, seine perfekte Kenntnis von Land und Leuten, sein Improvisationstalent und die tolle Unterstützung vor, während und nach der Tour haben wir uns die ganze Zeit sehr wohl gefühlt und sicher viel, viel mehr gesehen und erlebt, als wir das im Alleingang getan hätten. Und wir hatten jede Menge Spaß dabei! Dass Iulian ein engagierter, sehr kompetenter Bergführer ist, haben ja diverse Karparten-Begeisterte vor uns schon beschrieben. Wir können uns nur anschließen! Die besonderen Herausforderungen, mit denen wir Iulian konfrontierten, waren allerdings weniger unsere bergsteigerischen Ansprüche als vielmehr zum einen meine Schwangerschaft (Anfang 4. Monat) und zum anderen einige Pannen bei der Anreise. Tipp an dieser Stelle: sollte man Probleme mit den Papieren haben oder einen unverständlichen Strafzettel in rumänischem Gekritzel erhalten (weil man versehendlich ohne Licht in eine Polizeikontrolle geraten ist) – gleich Iulian fragen! Er weiß auf jeden Fall Rat und löst jedes noch so unsinnige Problem innerhalb kürzester Zeit. Schwanger war ich noch nie in den Bergen unterwegs – drum wußte niemand im Vorfeld so genau, wie das wohl werden würde. Auch in dieser Hinsicht war Iulian ein echter „Glücksgriff“. Zum einen hat er total nett auf die Nachricht reagiert und uns schon im Vorfeld die Unsicherheit genommen. Vor Ort konnten wir dank ihm unseren Tourverlauf und die Tages an die „changed physical conditions“ anpassen. Er hat ein sehr gutes Gefühl dafür, wie es einem grade geht, was körperlich sinnvoll und machbar ist, weiß immer einen alternativen Weg oder eine andere Unterkunftsmöglichkeit, ist durch nichts aus der Ruhe zu bringen und versorgt einen mit interessanten Hintergrundinformationen und guter Laune. Apropos anderer Weg: mit Iulian ist man immer dort unterwegs, wo es spannend, schön und abwechslungsreich ist. Sprich kaum auf offensichtlichen oder viel begangenen Wanderwegen und dafür viel auf Pfaden, die einem das Gefühl vermitteln „mittendrin“ zu sein, in diesem schönen Fleckchen Erde. Unterm Strich hatten wir den Eindruck, sogar noch mehr gesehen zu habe, als wir uns ursprünglich von dieser Tour erwartet hatten. Was auch noch richtig schön war, war zum einen Iulians nette Familie kennen lernen zu dürfen. Liebe Grüße an dieser Stelle! Zum anderen die Tatsache, dass wir auch im Anschluss an die Tour mit hilfreichen Tipps bezüglich der geplanten Route und Unterkünfte für unsere restliche Zeit in Transsilvanien versorgt wurden. Iulian hat z.B. kurzerhand ein Hotel für uns umgebucht, so dass wir eine wunderbare Übernachtungsmöglichkeit in Sighisoara hatten. Und uns einige Tipps abseits der Routen gegeben, die uns in lauter interessante Ecken führten. Ein Dickes Dankeschön noch mal dafür! Iulian, wir haben dank deiner Hilfe den Trip doppelt genossen, wünschen dir alles Gute für die Zukunft und kommen das nächste Mal zu dritt!

Silja, Thomas+ ? Bauer – Deutschland – 20-27 July 2009

I can thoroughly and unreservedly recommend Iulian as a guide. We made lots of changes before our holiday even started and Iulian calmly accommodated them all. From the moment he picked us up at our hotel in Bucharest, to the moment he dropped us of in Brasov, we felt as if we were in very safe and competent hands. Our five day trek in the Fagaras Mountains was challenging at times but never uncomfortably so. He pitched it at just the right level. We never felt pushed beyond our limits, but at the same time felt pretty chuffed with our achievements, which included the highest peak in Romania, taking in stunning scenery, but also little dozes after a well deserved sandwich. You get the best service when traveling with Iulian, like the only private room in a rural cabana that mostly consists of dormitories. He also offers a priceless insight into the country and its history that you simply don’t get from the books. Even after the trek had finished, Iulian planned an itinerary for our onward journey and even booked our hotels for us. He’s a fun, knowledgeable and kind man and really did enhance our trip. If you are sitting on the fence about whether you need a guide or not, I’d say get one and opt for Iulian. The mountains can be hazardous and it really put my mind at rest to know that Iulian would always get us to our destination pretty much before the rain arrived and always before we crumpled with exhaustion! We’d have been lost (quite literally) without him!

Hannah Frankel and David Taylor, London, UK – 14-18 July 2009

In July 2009 we asked Iulian to help us organize a 5-day trip through Romania with 3 days hiking in Fagaras mountains including the highest peak of Romania and 2 days sightseeing tours in Brasov and Sibiu. Right from the start Iulian was very helpful and friendly. He helped us putting together a plan that will fit with our hiking experience, he suggested what kind of equipment we need and he took care of our transportation between the two cities. Moreover, he recommended us two very nice and comfortable hotels in Brasov and Sibiu. We highly recommend his services and we believe that without his help our trip would not have turned out so fantastic as it was. Thank you, Iulian!

Delia and Christian, Germany – 2 – 9 July 2009

Vi var 18 svenskar som vandrade med Iulian Cozma i juli 2009. Iulian driver sitt företag “Step by Step Agency ” mycket professionellt. Under vår veckolånga visteles i Fagarasbergen och i Maramures fungerade allt perfekt. Vi lärde oss mycket om Rumänien och vandrade i fantastiska miljöer.

Anders Elmfors, Sweden – July 2009

Eine Abschlussfahrt nach Rumänien, und auch noch mit einer zweitägigen Wanderung durch die Karpaten. Da habt ihr euch ja viel vorgenommen. Hoffentlich geht das mal gut – so die einhellige Meinung vieler Mitschüler, Kollegen und Freunde im Vorfeld der Tour. Doch wir, 25 Kollegiatinnen und Kollegiaten des Leistungskurses Geographie am Albert – Schweitzer – Gymnasium in Erlangen und zwei begleitende Lehrkräfte, hatten einen Trumpf im Ärmel, der durch nichts und niemanden zu ersetzen gewesen war – Iulian. Von der Vorplanung über die Routenwahl bis hin zur mitunter kurzfristigen Buchung von Unter-künften, jede Anfrage wurde innerhalb kürzester Zeit zur vollsten Zufriedenheit aller gelöst und per Email kommuniziert. Und dazu ließen die vielen Bilder auf der professionell gestalteten Homepage die Vorfreude auf die Zeit in Rumänien weiter anwachsen. Mit diesem guten Gefühl war es für uns somit kein Problem dieses Wagnis Rumänien zu starten. Und diese positive Grundstimmung sollte durch die Freundlichkeit und Offenheit Iulians, die wir bereits in den ersten Minuten unserer gemeinsamen Zeit spüren konnten, noch weiter übertroffen werden. Weder eine plötzlich sich in Revision befindliche Seilbahn noch müde deutsche Abiturienten brachten unseren Guide aus der Fassung. Immer gab es ein paar klärende Worte („Don´t go out after dinner. Take care about the bears. I´m not joking. Honestly ), eine Randnotiz zu Begebenheiten am Wegesrand oder eben nur einen aufmunternden Blick. So sollten wir zwar die für uns doch ungewohnten Höhenmeter und Streckenkilometer noch längere Zeit in allen Knochenspüren, doch war der Geist beseelt von den Erlebnissen und Eindrücken dieser zwei intensiven Tage. Iulian eröffnete uns viele Gelegenheiten, das eindrucksvolle Land zwischen Bucegi – Nationalpark und Schloss Bran (Dracula), die freundlichen und warmherzigen Menschen, aber auch die vielen Hunde kennen zu lernen. Und er gab uns die Zuversicht, dass wir die weiteren Tage in Sibiu „allein“ in vollen Zügen genießen werden. Wir denken aber, dass es auch für dich, lieber Iulian, eine interessante Zeit war, denn während du es die meiste Zeit deiner beruflichen Tätigkeit mit „Bergerprobten“ zu tun hast, so war unsere Gruppe doch in weiten Teilen anderer Gestalt, wenig trainiert und denkbar unerfahren. Aber auch das hat dich nicht aus der Ruhe gebracht. So danken wir dir nochmals für eine unvergessliche Zeit mit Ursus, für deine überragende Auswahl aller Unterkünfte und dein unvergleichliches Talent, kleine und größere Probleme mit einem Lächeln oder einem Telefongespräch beiseite zu räumen.

Christian Bier – Geography teacher at Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium, Erlangen town, Germany – June 2009

היה לי העונג להזמין את שירותיו של יוליאן לטיול תרמילאים בהרי בוצ’גי ופגראש. מרגע האיסוף שלי בשדה התעופה ועד להחזרתי לבוקרשט, השירות היה ללא דופי וכלל את כל מה שהובטח. הטיול התחיל ב”יום חימום” בהרי בוצ’גי, שהם נמוכים יותר מפגראש אבל לא פחות יפים. התחלנו השכם בבוקר, עברנו יום נהדר, כולל טיול למבצר בראן, שלא היה בתוכנית המקורית. החלק העיקרי של טיול היה חציית שמורת פגראש, תוך לינה במקומות מחסה הרריים או בבקתות מצוידות היטב בדרך. הארגון הלוגיסטי של המסע היה יוצא מן הכלל, בקטעים מסוימים יוליאן אף הסדיר העברת התרמילים שלנו ישירות לנקודה הבאה, מה שאפשר לנו לקחת ליומיים האחרונים רק ציוד יומי. אחרי 4 ימים בהם סחבנו את מלוא המטען על גבינו, זה היה פינוק מבורך. יוליאן מכיר את ההרים כמו את כף ידו וניתן לתת בו אמון מלא שיוביל את הטיול בדרך בטוחה. הוא גם אדם ידידותי, המכיר היטב את רומניה במובן הרחב, וניהלנו שיחות ארוכות במהלך הימים בהם בילינו יחד. בסיום חציית הפגראש, בלינו לילה אחד אצל סבתו בכפר Ucea de Sus . כמוהו, גם משפחתו מאוד ידידותית ומכניסת אורחים, אורחים מרגישים במהרה “כמו בבית”, שלא נדבר על ארוחת הערב המדהימה. Ucea הוא כפר רומני אותנטי, ביקור שם מאפשר הצצה בחיים הכפריים הרגילים, הצצה שבדרך כלל לא נגישה לתייר המסורתי, זה הופך את הביקור לאחת מנקודות השיא של הטיול. יוליאן גם הכניס מספר תוספות מעבר לתוכנית, כמו ביקור בעיר Sibiu ביום האחרון של הטיול, וכל זאת ללא תוספת מחיר. בשורה התחתונה, אני יכול להמליץ על יוליאן כעל מורה דרך ידען, ידידותי ונותן שירות, שיעשה הכל כדי שתפיק את המקסימום מהטיול. מומלץ ביותר, ערן וידר

I had the pleasure of engaging Iulian as a guide for a backpacking trip in the Bucegi and Fagaras mountains in June 2009. From the pick up at the airport, until the drop off in Bucharest the service was flawless, and included everything that had been promised. The trip started with a ‘warm up’ day in the Bucegi mountains, which are smaller than Fagaras but also quite nice. We started early, and overall had an excellent day, including an added trip to Bran castle which was not in the original plan. The main part of the trip was a six day crossing of the Fagaras range, staying in mountain refuges and in some of the well equipped huts on the way. The logistic organization of this part was excellent, at some point Iulian arranged for our backpacks to be collected to allow us to do the last two days with day packs only. After four days of carrying a full backpack this was a real treat. Iulian knows these mountains inside and out, and can be completely trusted to lead the way in a safe manner. He is also a very friendly person and very knowledgable about Romania in general and we had quite long conversations in the days we spent together. At the end of the Fagaras crossing we spent the night at Iulian’s grandmother’s house in the village of Ucea de Sus. Like him, his family is very welcoming, and guests are made to feel at home, not to mention the excellent dinner ! Ucea is a traditional Romanian village and a visit there affords a view of Romanian countryside life normally not available to regular tourists, and so is one of the highlights of the trip. Iulilan also included a few small extras at no extra cost, like a side trip to Sibiu at the end of the trip. In short, I can recommend Iulian as a very knowledgable, friendly and service oriented guide, who will do his utmost that you get the most out of your trip. Highly recommended !

Eran Wieder – London, UK – June 2009

We take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks for your efficient organisation of our Romanian mountain hiking tour . Be assured we were impressed by the variety of sceneries and the authenticity of the places you made us discover. Our expectations, both in terms of discovery of new horizons and of hiking challenge were more than fulfilled. Sometimes we arrived exhausted indeed, but satisfied by the result achieved: it was worth the while! Definitely, you gave us good reasons to feel our choice for the Transsylvanian Alps was right! Best regards, and with our best wishes for further success in your untertakings,

Bocancii nerabtadori / Bottines Impatientes , Belgium – Alain Cé, Jacques, Albert, Doumé ,Philippe ,Thierry, Marc, Michel, Vincent, Christian, Alain Vé – June 2009

A thoroughly great experience to be guided through the back country and history of Romania by you! Our group enjoyed the guided tour – it was a very informative and entertaining where we got a broad perspective on Romania and history. Your approach to the job as a guide is inspiring; the care to details, flexibility and depth of knowledge far surpassed most guides that we come across – a fine experience! Exactly the kind of tour we were looking for!

Joe Walker,USA, March 09 ski tour

We just returned from an amazing 6 days of hiking tour in the Romanian mountains and any expectations that we had were well surpassed. There is so much beautiful countryside in the Bran county area of Romania, and having Iulian as a guide meant that we got to see the real way of life in this area (which in some cases has not changed for 100′s of years) rather than just the tourist sites and mapped trails. There were many hours of walking when we saw no people…just cows, sheep and horses. Iulian’s knowledge of the area is invaluable on a trip like this, and he did everything he could to make sure we got the most out of our trip. The food we were served in the different boarding houses in the mountain villages was of very good quality and delicious…even though we were vegetarians in a largely meat-eating country! Iulian even made sure that we had a bus ticket to Bucharest to get to the airport on time, going out of his way to meet us in the early morning at the station and make sure the driver knew where we needed to get off. We would highly recommend Iulian to anyone visitng Romania. No matter what you would like to do I’m sure he can make it happen!

Kelly and Lauren Kohnut – London UK and Banff, Alberta (via Sarnia, Ontario Canada) – 21- 27 May 2009

We did a 5-day hiking tour of the Romanian mountains in April 2009. I was very impressed with the efficiency and level of customer service we received from Iulian in planning our itinerary. And when we arrived, the tour did not disappoint. Everything was very well organised and we had a great trip! MULTUMESC!

Amy O’Beirne and Kieran, Ireland, April 2009

Saludos desde KAOS Club de muntanya (Valencia). Hace unos días que estamos en Valencia después de haber hecho el trekking por Rumanía con vuestra excelente compañía. Nos habéis enseñado el espléndido paisaje de los Cárpatos y en primer lugar queremos agradecer vuestra paciencia con todos nosotros y vuestra hospitalidad. También agradecer la seguridad que nos habéis transmitido en el recorrido por las montañas de Rumanía que hasta el momento desconocíamos. Nos ha gustado descubrir y aprender con vosotros una parte de la cultura y de las costumbres de Transilvania, siempre con la amabilidad y simpatia que demostráis con vuestro trabajo. Agradeceros también vuestra eficacia y rapidez para resolver los pequeños inconvenientes que tuvimos y que para nada han ensombrecido el recorrido por vuestra maravillosa tierra. Para terminar, decir que cada día que pasaba, cada ruta que emprendíamos, superaba felizmente la anterior(Bucarest, Moieciu de Sus, Bran, Magura, Brasov, Predeal, Azuga, Sinaia), realmente un tour maravilloso y sorprendente.

MULTUMESC, MULTUMESC!!

Iulian, Ioana: mucha suerte para vosotros y para vuestro país y hasta luego.

Kaos Club de muntanya Horta-Nord – Semana Santa 2009, 9-14 de Abril 2009

We did a one week ski tour with Iulian Cozma from March 21-29, 2009. We were seven friends who have ski-toured all over the world. Iulian, who had been recommended to me on a ski-tour in Russia, exceeded our expectations in every way. He was extremely well organized, was happy to be flexible with the program depending on mountain weather and the desires of the group and gave us all a great experience in Romania. The Romanian Carpathian mountains are excellent for ski touring and we found deep powder with stunning alpine terrain. I can highly recommend him as a mountain and ski guide.

Andy Bourne, Mammoth Lakes, California USA – March 2009

Grazie mille Julien, la settimana passata (6-13 Mar) sui tuoi Carpazi è stata organizzata molto bene grazie alla tua flessibilità e organizzazione non ci hai fatto mancare nulla di quello che potevi dare in quelle condizioni meteo così brutte ma che hanno dato lo stesso la bellezza e il fascino delle tue particolari montagne. Lo scialpinismo da te è veramente indicato non per amanti del ripido o collezionisti di cime, ma per amanti della natura dei boschi delle traversate in sci da un paese all’altro dei Carpazi.. le due zone visitate si prestano a questo e sicuramente noi abbiamo visto solo un decimo di quello che scialpinisticamente potevamo vedere a Sinaia e a Balea.. però con un mio certo occhi che mi sono fatto sulle montagne del mondo negli ultimi 20 anni di professione di guida alpina posso dirti che tornerò presto sulle tue belle montagne..A presto,

Mario Castiglioni – March 2009 – Fagaras & Bucegi mountains

Iulian was great. He took care of every detail; efficient travel, very comfortable accommodations, wonderful and plentiful food all while guiding us safely through the beautiful Bucegi and Fagaras mountains. Why would a group of skiers from the Wasatch, Sierras and Cascade mountains would travel to Romania to ski? After they had to dig out the tram at Balea Lac and we had the opportunity to ski in the Fagaras with over a foot of light powder, we all knew the trip was worth it.I highly recommend Iulian and his Romanian ski touring experience.

Richard Koehler, Seattle, Washington-USA, March 2009

Skitourenwoche Rumänien – Lieber Iulian, Vielen Dank für die tolle Skitourenwoche Ende Februar in Rumänien. Beim zweiten Versuch hatten wir nun auch Wetterglück und konnten einige schöne Touren im Bucegi- und Ciucas- Massiv geniessen. Speziell die Uebernachtung auf dem Omu mit atemberaubendem Sonnenaufgang und die wild-romantischen Chiucas-Mountains haben mir sehr gut gefallen. Wie immer hat mich dein Organisationstalent beeindruckt. Trotz Programmwechsel hat von Transport bis Unterkunft alles bestens geklappt. Nun zuhause kann ich mit den schönen Fotos in Erinnerungen schwelgen und mich auf die nächsten Ferien in Rumänien freuen.

Liebe Grüsse, Monika Schoch, Schweiz, Februar 2009

Nous remercions très chaleureusement Iulian pour cette magnifique semaine de snowboard et de raquettes à travers les Carpates : Lac Balea, Poiana Brasov, Sinaia, Ciucas. Iulian est le guide qu’il vous faut si vous voulez découvrir ou redécouvrir la Roumanie et ses montagnes. Nous avons passé une semaine superbe en sa compagnie, tout était très bien organisé, j’ai hâte de revenir en été ou pour une session héliportée… Encore merci Iulian, à très bientôt en montagne!

February 2009 – Nicolas Angot, Manu Bauchet, Stephane Touvenot, Thomas Mialot – Paris & Montpellier – France

I had the pleasure of being guided by Iulian on a 12 day trip to Romania in September 2008. We were a group of 15 people from Israel wishing to combine walks through the ravishing scenery of the Carpathian Mountains with visits to some of the historical attractions of the area’s cities and towns (e.g. Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Bucharest). By leading a group of people no longer in the bloom of their youth, each with his personal requirements and desires, Iulian had taken on quite a job. Well, I must say, he did this with the utmost sense of diplomacy, sensibility and talent. We had the chance to gaze upon grand sceneries; to stay in chalets and hotel accommodations that could easily stand up to comparison with those one might find in Austria or Switzerland; we crossed valleys and climbed mountain tops; all of these we would never have reached without a professional guide like Iulian, who is intimately acquainted with every little nook and cranny, every obstacle and temptation along the way. We also got to taste the delicacies of the Romanian kitchen – rich food, which was not only tasty, but absolutely healthy as well, so that our „western” tummies were far from complaining. During our tour we bumped into other groups of tourists from Israel, who came to Romania through some of the most renowned Israeli tourist agencies. It was then, that we realized how lucky we were to have booked our tour with Iulian! We listened to their complaints and looked into their exhausted faces and wondered at the stark contrast to our own feelings. Our eyes were still filled with the beauty of the landscapes that had been revealed to us again and again along our tour which we could not put into words; and our spirits still high and utterly impressed by the high level of service and assistance that accompanied all this. Iulian is not only a complete master of his field but is also on close terms with the people he interacts with and whose input is quite important for a successful tour. Iulian is fair and on time (like a Swiss watch), receptive to everyone’s needs, but also flexible enough to operate certain changes due to terrain and/or weather conditions. He was undoubtedly worth our every penny! There are two ways you can visit Romania: one, is by going there and marking just another checkpoint on your agenda; the other one, is by booking a trip with Iulian and having the chance of living an unforgettable adventure. Your guide is the key to success and Iulian stands up to the challenge. You can be sure that he will manage all your requirements professionally. Mountain tour in the Bucegi Mountains („Pestera” Hotel) and the Fagaras Mountains („Negoiu” and „Balea” challets), with sightseeing tours in the following cities: Sinaia, Brasov, Viscri, Sighisoara, Sibiu and Bucharest

September 2008 – Mrs. Mila Barak, Tel Aviv, 141 Jabotinsky Str., Israel.

I am glad to write a testimonial about a trip that me and my wife had in Romania with Iulian, but first a few words about me and Romania. I have been a lot of times in Romania in my childhood, amassing country, amassing and very kind people (even at hard times – before 1989). At the beginning of 2008 I decided to have a trip with my wife in Romania around August, we decide that the trip will be a trek without courts but a lot of walking and will include the highest peak of Romania. The area of the trip I choose my self after a lot of reading about Romania and I was looking for a guide (not necessarily a Romanian). The search on the internet led us to Iulian time after time. I contact him and we talked a lot of times by phone and by email, he left a very good impration of a real pro that know and love his country. During April to August 4 more people join us to our “Adventure”. At the preparation time (4 month) I was in contact with Iulian daily with a lot of equations and every time I was answered with a lot of patience. Our first meeting was at the airport, just on time, and we hit the road. At the beginning of the trip Iulian helps us with some missing equipment from his own, high end, and don’t ask us for extra money. Always answer with a smile. During the trip he always was available few questions about the view, about Romania and for any conversation. He was patience, we were six young people, always punctual, all the slipping chalets were in a very good condition. To summaries – I was looking for a guide and I find a friend. I have no doubts that I will be a lot of times in Romania and most of them with Iulian. Our trip with Iulian was – 3-11/8/2008

From Israel – Paz Roth, Etti Roth, Nataly Lisitsin, Hanna Shapira, Ronny Tuttnauer, Esty Golerkansky Bucegi and Fagaras mountains traverse – August 2008

אני שמח לכתוב הקדשה\ עדות על טיול שערכתי ברומניה עם יוליאן כמדריך, אך קודם אקדים כמה מילים על היכרותי עם רומניה. בילדותי טיילתי מספר רב של פעמים ברומניה, ארץ מדהימה, נוף מדהים ואנשים נחמדים וטובי לב (גם בתקופות קשות – לפני 1989). בתחילת שנת 2008 החלטתי לצאת באזור אוגוסט עם אישתי לטיול ברומניה כשהכוונה היא טיול בעל אופי של מסע, ללא שינה באוהלים אך הליכות מרובות וטיפוס על הפסגה הגבוהה ברומניה. את האזורים לטיול החלטתי בעצמי תוך קריאה מעמיקה על רומניה. חיפשתי מדריך (לאו דווקא רומני) על מנת להדריך אותנו בהרים, לדאוג להסעות בקטעי הקישור ולדאוג למקומות לינה. חיפוש באינטרנט הוביל אותי פעם אחר פעם ליוליאן כיועץ וכמדריך טיולים. יצרתי איתו קשר דיברנו מספר רב מאוד של פעמים בטלפון ובמייל תוך שהוא משאיר רושם עמוק של מקצוען אמיתי אשר מכיר, וחשוב לא פחות אוהב את ארצו. במהלך הזמן (ינואר עד אוגוסט) הצטרפו עוד 4 אנשים ל”הרפתקה”. בכל תקופת ההתארגנות (4 חודשים) ניהלתי עם יוליאן קשר כמעט יום יומי עם שאלות מיני שאלות ותמיד נענתי בסבלנות רבה. נפגשנו בפעם הראשונה בשדה התעופה, בדיוק בזמן, ויצאנו לדרך. בתחילת הטיול יוליאן עזר בהשלמת הציוד החסר (מקלות הליכה לדוגמא) מציודו האישי, ציוד ברמה גבוהה ללא תוספת תשלום ותמיד בחיוך ובהנאה. במהלך הטיול יוליאן היה זמין לכל שאלה על האזור, על הנוף, על רומניה ובכלל לכל שיחה בכל רמה. הוא גילה סבלנות, גם זה צריך בקבוצה של 6 אנשים צעירים, דייקנות בזמנים, כל מקומות הלינה היו מסודרים מראש, ברמה גבוהה מאוד. אם לסכם – ציפיתי למדריך ומצאתי חבר. אני שומר עם יוליאן על קשר גם היום ואין לי ספק שעוד נכונו לי טיולים רבים ברומניה שמרביתם יהיו עם יוליאן. הטיול נערך 3-11/8/2008.

We, Karina (27) and Tom (33), are a couple from Germany and visited Romania from Nov. 08th until Nov. 17th, 2008. We traversed the Fagaras Mountains from East to West within 5 days. It was our first hike in the autumn and from our point of view one of the most beautiful trips we have ever made. However, the perfect weather conditions as well as our nice mountaineering guide, who knows his business thoroughly, were decisive for this successful holiday. Especially the last two days in Ucea de Sus village were a great experience for us. It was very interesting to see and live trough the Romanian’s everyday life in the countryside. The people there are perfect hostess and unbelievably friendly and sociable. We would like to thank Iulian for his great efforts to turn this holiday to an unforgettable experience. Rating: absolutely recommendable!

Karina and Thomas, Trier, Germany – November 2008

My wife and I contracted with Iulian to put together a 10 day trek in the mountains of Romania in Sept 2008. We had hiked extensively but knew nothing of Romania and needed some guidance on how to cover the best areas effectively in that amount of time and also to arrange overnights (huts, inns, small hotels). We didn’t need a guide- just guidance. Iulian did all of that and more. The self–guided trek he put together for us exactly met our needs and the planning and follow- through was faultless. We were extremely impressed with the level of personal attention Julian gave us and how he made himself available throughout the trek, if needed. We hope to return to the Carpathians and, if so, we will definitely call on Julian again for assistance.

Karen and Peter Smith from Bermuda – September 2008

לפני כחודש חזרנו (קבוצה של 15 אנשים) מטיול של 12 ימים ברומניה, טיול שמטרתו הייתה לשלב בין טיולים בהרי הקרפטים היפיפיים של רומניה, לבין ביקורים באתרים ה”קלאסיים” שבערי רומניה : ברשוב, סיביו, סיגישוארה, בוקרסט. יוליאן לקח על עצמו משימה לא פשוטה, להוביל קבוצה לא קטנה של אנשים, שעברו לא מכבר את גיל הנעורים, כל אחד עם הדרישות והמגבלות שלו ועשה זאת בכישרון, דיפלומטיות , והרבה רגישות. ראינו נופים מדהימים, התארחנו בפנסיונים ובתי מלון שרמתם לא תבייש אף את אלה שבשוויץ או באוסטריה, טיפסנו לפסגות אליהן לא הינו מגיעים לעולם, אילולא היה זה עם מדריך מנוסה כיוליאן, שמכיר היטב כל פינה, כל מכשול, כל פיתוי. אכלנו ממיטב המאכלים הרומניים, מבלי שהקיבה ה”מערבית” שלנו תסבול – אוכל טעים להפליא, אך גם בריא! פגשנו במהלך הטיול קבוצות ישראלים רבות, שהגיעו בטיולים מאורגנים ע”י סוכנויות התיירות הישראליות הידועות. רק אז הבנו שזכינו! שמענו קיטורים, ראינו אנשים עייפים וחסרי התלהבות, בזמן שאנחנו היינו נפעמים מהיופי ומרמת השירותים. יוליאן מכיר את השטח ואת האנשים, הוא דייקן ברמה של “יקה”, קשוב לצרכים של כל אחד מהמשתתפים, גמיש מספיק בכדי לבצע שינוים בתוכנית על פי צו הזמן והמקום. אין לי שמץ של ספק שקיבלנו תמורה מלאה על כל פרוטה ששילמנו. אפשר לבקר ברומניה ולשים V , אך אפשר להפוך את הטיול לחוויה בלתי נשכחת. המדריך הוא המפתח ויוליאן עמד בכל הדרישות! טיול הרים בהרי בוצ’ג’י ( קוטה 2000

, מלון פשטרה) ובהרי פגרש ( בקתה נגויו ובקתה באלאה), כמו כן ביקורים ב סיניה, ברשוב, ויסיקרי, סיגישוארה, סיביו, בוקרסט. מילה ברק רח’ ז’בוטינסקי 141/2 תל אביב ישראל

Greetings, I recently took a rugged full two-day trekking/climbing tour (shoulda done it in three days if I had the time) with him in the Fagaras mountains and it was outstanding. I was impressed with his level of knowledge of the area as well as the fact that he very well knew many of the people that offered services in the area. At the end of the tour I felt as if the fee he charged was low for the quality of service he provided. I told Iulian exactly what I wanted to accomplish on my trip (climbing the highest mountain in Romania in a weekend) and he set the schedule accordingly – he was also very communicative during the whole process for a month before the tour. I am an avid outdoorsman and am an amateur photographer and he even spent much of the time giving advice on outdoor photography; as a result many of my photos were fantastic. He knew the area well enough to know how long it would take to get to certain areas and what the light might be like at that time. Beyond all that he was extremely personable and a great conversationalist.

Mike Eubanks, USA- September 2008 – climbing Moldoveanu peak in Fagaras mountains

Julian Cozma has asked me to write a reference/testimonial. I can’t vouch for him as a ski guide as we went on a summer hiking trip, but I can make the following observations Organisation: Julian is THE MAN. He has good on the ground contacts. Great logistics (pickup at airport, booking of hut/refuges, ability to create a Plan B in event of sickness). Julian knows the network of huts and their managers, and is able to get flexible arrangements (he used to manage a hut himself). He also had us to stay with his granny and uncle in their village farm, which was charming and great window on Romanian peasant culture. Mountain skills: Julian has excellent mountaincraft and has a strong command of location technology (GPS etc). He is a good leader able to reconcile the (sometimes) conflicting desires of clients of varying abilities. he did not push us very hard but from what he told me, he’s ready to do considerably more challenging expeditions if clients have the balls for it. Language/culture: Julian has good English and good exposure to gringos so he has a broad range of conversation for those long evenings in the hut. (He used to work in TV as an editor/producer). He is a thoughtful and intelligent guy able to give a general panorama of Romanian culture and he understands how/where mountain guiding fits into the economy of mountain regions. Netnet: I felt safe but not overmanaged, and he represents good value for money and is as good a guide as you would find anywhere to spend a week with — and I use a lot of guides, both for fly fishing and in the mouuntains. Romania was great!

Richard House, Director, Celebrand Ltd, London, UK – July 2008 – Fagaras mountains traverse

We planned to spend two weeks in Romania as our summer holidays 2008: 1 week trekking and 1 week sightseeing in Transylvania but we didn’t want to go with one of these big tour operators, which have one guide and more than 10 guests. So we started searching on the internet for a more independent travel guide. We were really very lucky that we found Iulian’s homepage. Reading through all his offers published on his webpage, we realized that the hiking trips were either too short or too long for us. So that we asked him whether or not he could arrange a special tour just for us: A hiking trip for just 7 days in the Romanian mountains and the following week a round trip with a rental car. After we mentioned some places we would like to see and some areas where we would like to go hiking, he posted to us his first proposal for our summer holiday 2008 in Romania. Iulian prepared our whole trip in Romania, the hiking week in the Bucegi & Fagaras mountains as well as the sightseeing week in Transsylvania including all the arrangements as pick up service from the airport in Sibiu and the transport to Brasov, all accommodations and our rental car. All his arrangements worked out very well and were really organized in a perfect way. During our hiking week we climbed the three highest peaks of Romania (Vistea Mare, Negoiu & Moldoveanu). Our car tour was planned as a round-trip through the former German part of Transsylvania (a circle from Brasov – Viscri – Sighisoara (2 nights) – Sibiu (only 1 night but it is worth it to spent 2 nights) – Sambata de Sus – Brasov). Thanks to Iulian competence and friendliness we spent two very beautiful and unforgettable weeks in Romania. He really does know the region very well. As a person he is very open minded (we had very interesting conversations about politics & economy in Romania) and he was always absolute flexible regarding our needs (i.e. on one occasion he was able to organise us a Burduf cheese [Romanian speciality] directly from the shepherd who produced it).We really can recommend Iulian as THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL AGENCY for Romania. Romania needs more people like him! Iulian, thank you very much for our fantastic holiday in Romania!!

Monika Schuster & Joerg Rompf from Munich/Germany – hiking on Bucegi and Fagaras mountains – August 2008

Julian is a brilliant and patient mountain guide. He took me and my friend, both of us are mountain novices, on a 2 day mountain tour in the Fagarasch mountains. The tour was amazing, tough but very rewarding when we stood on the top of mount Moldoveanu. Julian managed to get the best out of both of us. Next time I would love to do a longer trip. I can recommend him warmly.

Brigitte and Harry, London, UK – climbing Moldoveanu peak, the highest peak from Romania – August 2008

We recently returned from an amazing hiking and cultural trip to Romania, provided in partnership with Iulian Cozma of Step by Step Agency and Bredeson Outdoor Adventures. Our lively group, informally self-named the Walkers & Talkers for our love of conversation and hiking, travels together every year, and this year’s adventure brought us to Transylvania. Iulian provided us with a truly unique insider’s view of Romania, leading us in village to village hikes across a beautiful, almost medieval landscape. We enjoyed the conversations with Iulian about his country, and the very special “backstage” visit to his grandmother’s farm. The logistics were all handled beautifully, and Iulian’s integrity and responsiveness to our many custom requests during the extended planning process combined to make this a truly great experience.

Deborah Lewis (Bredeson Outdoor Adventures) and Mike Useem (lead Walker & Talker), USA – trip to Transylvania, July – August 2008

We spent three memorable days in the city of Brasov and Fagaras Mountains this summer. Our share was to select these places, all the remaining was taken care by Iulian. He actively proposed the time schedules and chose the hiking paths which fitted perfectly to our expectations and to the level of our ability. This must indicate superb guide skills. Iulian is also an inexhaustible source of knowledge what comes to the local region and the whole Romania. We also noted that he is an excellent photographer. Iulian took pictures all along the hiking trip and created from the pictures an enjoyable diary telling the twists and turns of our hiking tour. Iulian is really warm-hearted and friendly. We also take the opportunity to say that Carpathian Mountains constitute an excellent region for outdoor activities. The mountains and the small historical Transylvanian cities and the rapidly developing capital Bucharest will certainly attract more and more visitors. It is not only the beauty of the landscape and country but also the mixture of centuries-long cultural influences that will impress the visitor in Romania.

Marja Bruun and Lauri Toivonen, Helsinki, Finland – July 2008 Fagaras Mountains trekking

I have been on two trips with Iulian. One last July involving day trips to the mountains, villages and fortified churches around Brasov, and this July on a hut to hut trip in the Fagaras range. It is difficult to imagine how a mountain guide could be better than Iulian. He is completely trustworthy and professional in terms of looking after your safety, organising your trip, dealing with the money aspects and generally everything you would expect of a guide. He is very knowledgeable about the region and on subjects such as natural history and local culture. He is also highly sensitive to your needs, excellent company and very good at fending off sheepdogs! All in all, a dedicated professional and a good friend.

Charlie Swan, London,UK – July 2008 – Fagaras mountains traverse

Together with four friends we trekked with Iulian for a week in the Bucegi,Piatra Craiului and Fagaras mountains. Over the last ten years we have done such walks in other mountains in Europe and this was the first time we used a guide. Iulian prepared our whole trip in Romania, including hotel and transportation in Bucharest and a concluding visit to Brasov. All arrangements worked out according to plan and exceeded our expectations. Iulian has everything that you expect from a good guide. He knows every track and every ridge of the mountains. Without him we would never have found the hidden paths through the flower covered meadows and never had the opportunity to be served homemade wine and potato stew under the vines in his grandmother’s farmyard. He adapts the tours to the weather as well as the condition of the group. He is always friendly and courteous and has a quiet, natural authority, which enabled him to lead without frictions a group of six individualistic people around sixty who are all used to having their own way. Iulian is more than a mountain guide. He is knowledgeable about and prepared to discuss most aspects of Romanian lifestyle, economy, politics etc. He has a friendly and personal approach with total dedication to the experience of his guests. Our conclusion when we came back to Stockholm was: “how can we ever do another trip like this one?”

Margareta and Rutger Blennow, Hans Forssberg, Helene Grundström, Annika Linde, Björn Weingarten – Sweden, June 2008, Tour in Bucegi mountains, Piatra Craiului mountains and Fagaras mountains, visiting Ucea de Sus village.

We first planned to saty 3 days in the Fagaras Mountains part of a one week trip in Transilvania. We were looking for easy trekking as we traveled with our 2.5-years old daughter and my husband had to carry her (over 13 KG). I contacted Iulian via his web page and agreed with his advise to spend 3 days in Balea Lake region. As soon as we met with him, our daughter adopted him, which is the best sign! Iulian advised us “easy” tracks and help us a lot to climb the first day (he also carried part of our belongings). This day was just fantastic, nice weather, kind stop at a shepherd house tasting “illegal” cheese. The arrival at Balea Lake was magic. Iulian took us out late afternoon for a 2 hours walk to the other mountain side, to show us the trekking we would have the next day. This was a very good idea as next morning after a sunny breakfast the weather changed and we had strong rain. We decided to wait and had nice talks with Iulian on Romanian country, politic and social life. Around mid-day Iulian advised us to change our plan and to go back to Brasov one day earlier. This was really the best option.Iulian arranged the transport down and helped us to re-organise our plan (we re-booked the night in Brasov for one day earlier and spent one night in Sighisoara, which we did not regret). In Brasov the weather was nice and we had the possibility to do some trekking there. I hardly recommend to use Iulian’ guiding services, he knows the region very well, is open-minded, flexible and is able to arrange the right trip for any kind of people. You will not regret it! Do not hesitate to ask me for more information; N’hésitez pas à me contacter pour toute information complémentaire, je me ferais un plaisir de vous répondre, Iulian me fera suivre votre message; Für weitere Information stehe ich Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung, Iulian wird mir Ihre Mail weiterleiten.

Sabine Muller, David & Chloé, Bruxelles, Belgium – June 2008

To Whom It May Concern: I am very pleased to write a positive testimonial for Iulian Cozma following a weekend snow-shoeing tour in the Bucegi mountains. My husband and I had an absolutely fantastic time and we thoroughly enjoyed Iulian’s company. Obviously he is extremely knowledgeable about the mountains, the terrain and routes, but we were also really pleased that he could tell us about Romania as a whole. Iulian’s trip far exceeded our expectations and I thoroughly recommend his tours.

Abigail and Alex Neame, UK – April 2008 – snowshoeing tour in Bucegi mountains

2 Days hiking in the Piatra Craiului mountains with Iulian March 2008. We were going to Romania and wanted to get in a couple of days hiking. Luckily, we found Iulian’s website and so managed to organise our trip in advance – a 2 day trip in the mountains near Brasov – to see local village life and to stay in a mountain refuge. Iulian was a great guide. He planned our walk so that we saw exactly what we wanted, the mountain hut was prebooked and so cosy and warm when we arrived. We had a lovely dinner and got to see the four five week-old St. Bernard pups. It was very pleasant and relaxed and very well planned. Iulian is a very professional guide as well as very pleasant company. When we finished our trek Iulian was also very helpful in recommending other places to visit and in giving us the necessary information to help us plan the remainder of our trip. We would not hesitate in recommending Iulian to help you plan your hiking trip to Romania.

Avril Murray and Patsy Mccarthy, Dublin, Ireland – March 2008

Unsere Gruppe stand im Dezember 2007 fest: Udo Krause aus Bremen (Snowboard), Thomas Schlimbach aus Erfurt (Ski), Volker Schmitt aus Berlin (Snowboard) und ich (Ski). Mit unserm Tourguide, Iulian Cozma, haben wir eine seht gute Wahl getroffen und schließlich ging’s am 29. Februar mit Wizzair nach Bukarest (Baneasa), wo uns Iulians Fahrer freundlich empfing. Das „Basislager“ im Kopling-Hotel Braşov (Kronstadt) hatte gutes Niveau und am Folgetag erkundeten wir mit Iulian Braşov, Pejmer (Tartlau) und Hărman (Honigberg). Vergangenheit und Gegenwart der siebenbürgischen Kultur sind allein eine Reise wert. Hoffen wir, dass auch in Zukunft ein Platz dafür bleibt.

Udo Krause, Thomas Schlimbach, Volker Schmitt, Hartmut Willmitzer – March 2008

By coincidence we found the www.mountainguide.ro in the internet and got in contact with Julian. After a few weeks mailing back and forward we had the pleasure to spend seven days in the Rumanien Mountains with him for skitouring. As we met Julian being a responsible guide with great qualities like flexibility, sensitive, behaving with integrity and discretion, interested in politics and having a great sense of humour.(By the way he likes to eat sausages. Be sure that he gets his ration nearly every day… J) Julian, thanks a lot for this fantastic time we’ve spent together.

Franziska Bitterli, Rolf Hunziker and Shanti from Switzerland – February 2008, Ski tour in Bucegi and Fagaras mountains

Hi Iulian, We were very happy with the guiding Iulian Cozma arranged for us. Despite not being able to guide us himeself he arranged two competent guides for us. Iulian was also able to arrange some equipment hire which was delivered to our hotel as pre-arranged. This was all organised over email prior to our trip and everything that we had arranged happened at the time arranged and at the agreed cost. The guides that Iulian arranged, Bogdan and Catrinel, spoke very good english, were excellent company and fun to be with. They made us feel very welcome in Romania. Thank you Iulian for arranging our trip, and a special thanks to Catrinel and Bogdan for looking after us.

Regards, Jason & Steve, UK, March 2008, Poiana Brasov and Bucegi mountains ski touring

Hi! Received an email from Iulian Cozma in Romania asking if I would provide you with a reference on him. I understand you are considering a ski trip in Romania with Iulian… I worked with Iulian to organize two summer hiking tours for our clients in the Romanian mountains–one in 2005 and one in 2006. I ended up traveling with both groups, so I know Iulian personally. Iulian is a skilled mountain guide, knows the Romanian mountains well; we couldn’t have been in better hands. All the arrangements we had agreed to–guiding services, bus transportation, hotel and restaurant bookings–were implemented without a hitch! I look forward to an opportunity to work with Iulian again. If you have any specific questions, I’d be glad to answer them.

Best regards, John Osaki, Director – Walking Softly Adventures

Skiing at Balea Lac, Fagaras mountains,February 2008. Neither my boyfriend nor I had ever used a guide before, so we didn’t really know what to expect, but if I had been asked to imagine what a perfect guide would be like, then Iulian would be it. Our relationship began a week before we met, via email, where Iulian responded quickly to my last minute request, patiently answered all my questions, and instantly solved all the problems I’d been worrying about. He made everything seem easy for us, because he was already doing all the hard work at his end. Even via email, it was easy to tell that Iulian was a trustworthy, honest guy, with a great sense of humour. We were only hiring him for a couple of days, but he was full of advice and helpful tips for the rest of our ten day holiday too. We first met Iulian in Brasov a few days before our trip to Balea. It was nice of him to give up his time to meet us, to finalise arrangements for the trip, but also to give us advice on how to spend our time in Brasov, including great knowledge of the ski resorts in the area. I was surprised when I asked him what he was doing over the next couple of days before our trip, and he replied “getting married tomorrow!” – I felt rather guilty to be dragging him away from his new wife to take us on our mountain trip, but he didn’t appear to mind! As we’ve never used a guide before, my boyfriend and I are quite used to travelling alone and getting by with very limited knowledge of the local language, and are very capable of doing this. However, it was really nice for a change to have someone to sort everything out for us, so all we had to do was relax and enjoy ourselves. At the start of our trip, we picked Iulian up in our very tiny, very noisy rental car in Brasov early in the morning, and travelled to the cable car which would take us up to Balea Lac. Iulian was a total gentleman from the start, carrying my skis for me (and anything else that he could manage), and waiting in the queue for the cable car, demanding that we sit down and relax! On arrival at the Balea Lac Cabana, Iulian set up a tab for us, sorted out our room, and ordered drinks – all stuff we could have done ourselves, but not as quickly, easily or as well, given that the staff there spoke limited English – it added to the relaxing experience. Iulian seemed to know everyone at the Cabana, and they were all pleased to see him – he’s obviously very well liked and respected. It was great having him with us at mealtimes, as the staff couldn’t do enough for him, so the service was excellent. Ariving at Balea Lac was amazing, it took my breath away. I was so overwhelmed by the beautiful landscape, it felt like we’d got out of the cable car in a different world! It really was stunning. Just being there is an unforgettable experience. After admiring the view over a cup of coffee, Iulian suggested we get ready to go out and practice skiing (boarding for my boyfriend). This was a bonus, as we’d only asked for one day skiing. We got ready and strapped the skis on to our backpacks, and set off across the frozen lake, and began the walk up the mountain opposite the cabana. Walking in the snow was really hard work, as the powder is 10-20cm deep, so it was quite an achievement to get to the point from which we would ski down. Walking up a mountain in the middle of this otherworldly winter wonderland was spectacular and exhilirating, we really loved it. Then it was time to ski back down – I’ve never skiied in powder before, and didn’t know what to expect. It was crazy! I was like a total beginner all over again, I couldn’t stay on my feet for more than thirty seconds that first day. The good thing is that at least it doesn’t hurt when you fall in 20 cm of powder! Iulian was fantastic – so kind, patient and encouraging despite my rubbish skiing. He never went far without turning around to check on me (I was generally on the ground!), and kept believing in me even when I didn’t believe in my own ability. When I finally made it to the bottom, we went straight back up for another go – when you have to walk back up the hill, it makes you appreciate coming back down even more! Despite my performance, It was a really enjoyable afternoon, and skiing off-piste was fantastic. The next morning, we set off on the 10km run down to the cable car station. I was quite apprehensive after my disasterous efforts the previous day, but Iulian was great at reassuring me. The first 5 km involved skiing down the valley, and was amazing. Iulian picked out the easiest routes to take me down, but pointed out more adventerous ways for my boyfriend to go. The weather was great, the valley was beautiful, and it was amazing to look back and see your own ski tracks on an otherwise blank canvas. There were some bits of the route that were too steep for me, and I walked/slid down, but that was fine, I’d expected it. I have a terrible fear of steep things, and my technique just goes out of the window when confronted with anything ‘too steep’ – maybe skiing’s not really for me, we joked that I should maybe take up sledging instead! The last half of the route we took was on the road. I really enjoyed this part, as it was a really gentle slope, which involved pushing along with the poles at some points, great exercise. However, it’s not recommended for boarders – my boyfriend had to walk for most of the time on the road, as the incline wasn’t enough in powder for the board to slide down. Not only was Iulian endlessly patient and professional out on the slopes, his service continued whenever we were in his company. We thought he went above and beyond what we expected a mountain guide to provide. All we had to do was turn up, Iulian did everything else for us! Not only is he great at his job, but he’s also brilliant company. His almost faultless English meant we could have proper conversations, and laugh and joke with him without any misunderstandings. He has a great sense of humour, and we had some interesting chats over dinner. He’s full of information about Romanian history and culture, and I found his stories about growing up under a communist regime particularly fascinating. If you’re looking for a mountain guide, you couldn’t find anyone better than Iulian. He plans things well, is very knowledgable about the mountains, and we felt very safe with him. He’s also great company, a really nice, easy-going guy (quite important if you’re going to spend a few days with someone). He provides a fantastic, personalised service, which I would recommend to anyone. Thanks Iulian for an unforgettable weekend, and a fantastic end to our holiday in Romania.

Natalie and Andy, Glasgow, Scotland, February 2008

Aufgrund kurzfristiger Pläne, in den Karpaten im Oktober / November 2007 zu wandern ohne selbst jegliche Vorbereitungen treffen zu können, nahmen wir Kontakt auf mit Iulian Cozma um eine Gebirgstouren Beratung (mountain tours couselling) in Anspruch zu nehmen. Leider kam der Wintereinbruch früh und unerwartet, was die Planung für Iulian erschwerte. Trotz unbeständigen Wetterverhältnissen haben wir in 3 verschiedenen Gebirgeketten, nämlich Piatra Craiului, Bucegi und Fagaras, tolle Wanderungen unternommen. Iulian organisierte die Übernachtungen in den Hütten/Hotels und unseren Transport. Wir bekamen Karten und ausführliche Informationen hinsichtlich der Bergtouren aus der entsprechenden Gegend zur Verfügung gestellt, sowie weitere nützliche Empfehlungen und zusätzliche Infos. Alles klappte ausgezeichnet und über SMS konnten wir Kontakt halten. Durch Iulians Kompetenz und Flexibilität haben wir das Beste aus dem Urlaub machen können in dieser Jahreszeit; deshalb können wir seine Beratung nur empfehlen. Ausgezeichneter Service! Ein großes Dankeschön an Iulian.

November 2007, Ingrid Prieschl und Gabriel Waechter, Deutschland

If you’re looking for a fantastic winter wonderland holiday, look no further than this site run by the most experienced Iulian Comza. My girlfriend and I weren’t sure what to expect on our first venture into Romania, but Iulian made our experience amazing. We went snow-shoeing into the Carpathians, a hike that was just right for our level of fitness. The views were stunning, and the lack of hordes of tourists refreshing. He also took us to his grandmother’s village on Boxing Day where we experienced great Romanian hospitality, including a local traditional treat in the form of costumed parade. Simply amazing. Iulian is extremely well versed about the countryside and Romania on a whole, and gave us very practical advice on how best to spend the rest of our holiday there. We recommend his services highly, as they truly made our holiday.

December 2007 – Aaron Trinidade and Kelly from London, UK

Iulian knows a variety of beautiful trails and will tailor the hikes to fit your condition and desires. The photographs he takes will make for great memories. Iulian created an ambitious itinerary that included all the features that i requested.

October 2007 – Michael Woloch, NY, USA

Nach fast drei Wochen rund-um-die-uhr Betreuung im September 2007 kann ich Iulian in jeder Hinsicht nur empfehlen: kenntnisreich, zurückhaltend und politisch interessiert, habe ich vieles nicht nur über die Karpaten, sondern auch über Land und Leute erfahren. War stets gut und dennoch unaufdringlich umsorgt und hatte stets das Gefühl, jederzeit improvisieren zu können, wenn ich das möchte. Die Touren durch das Bucegi, Piatra Craiului und Fagaras waren voll lohnender Anstrengungen und intensiven Erlebens. Als Hobby-Fotograf habe ich die Wanderungen mit Iulian immer auch als gemeinsame Foto-Safaris betrachtet – und nebenbei noch so manchen Tipp abgestaubt. Jederzeit wieder gern,

September 2007 – Michael Heine, Berlin / Germany

Aufgrund unserer schon früh feststehenden Pläne, in den Karparten einmal ein Trekking / Wanderungen im September 2007 durchzuführen, nahmen wir im Dezember 2006 Kontakt auf mit Iulian Cozma, dessen Adresse wir über Internet fanden (contact@mountainguide.ro). Schon bald konnten wir uns auf die Route / Preis etc. einigen, was auch unsere Planung, die darauf folgenden Wochen in Rumänien auf eigene Faust zu entdecken, vereinfachte. Iulian gelang es sehr bald uns durch seine kompetente Art, Vertrauen zu geben, dass auch wir im Alter von 67 Jahren die vorgeschlagenen Touren schaffen könnten. Er organisierte die Uebernachtungen in den Hütten und schickte uns hin und wieder seine wunderschönen Aufnahmen aus dem Gebirge, um uns einzustimmen. Nachdem wir unsere Reise durch die Ukraine via Schiff auf dem Dnjepr beendet hatten, flogen wir via Kiew/ Wien nach Bukarest, wo uns – gottseidank – Iulian am Flughafen abholte und uns mit dem relativ vielen Gepäck via Bus / Metro sicher zum Nordbahnhof und dann mit dem Zug nach Brasov führte, von wo wir den Ausgangspunkt unserer Wandertour geplant hatten. Abholung, Transfer etc. klappte ausgezeichnet, auch die diversen Gespräche mit Iulian über Land und Leute gab uns schon viele zusätzliche Infos und half das Bild, das wir bereits von Rumänien hatten, zu vervollständigen. Aufgrund von Neuschnee konnten wir eine Tour nicht durchführen, doch das konnten wir erst durch Augenschein feststellten, als wir in der Nähe des Passes aufgestiegen waren. Iulian organisierte daraufhin einen Transfer, der dieses „Mittelstück“ unserer Tour überwand. Durch einsetzenden Regen/keine Sicht mussten wir am darauf folgenden Tag deshalb wieder auf ein anderes Gebiet ausweichen, was aber für Iulian kein Problem darstellte, denn sein Kontaktnetz ist so ausgebaut, dass er auch hier Alternativen anbieten konnte. Durch diese Vielseitigkeit / Kompetenz haben wir sehr viel erlebt und gesehen und sind rundherum zufrieden. Iulian gab uns stets Sicherheit, das Gefühl, unser Anliegen das Land / die Leute zu sehen und zu erleben (auch unter einfachen Bedingungen wie Uebernachten bei Bauern), ernst genommen zu werden, ohne das daran stur festgehalten wurde. Seine grosse Flexibilität lies nie das Gefühl aufkommen, wir würden etwas „Unmögliches“ verlangen, sondern durch Gespräche und Austausch von Gedanken, gab es für alle Teile eine befriedigende Lösung. Wir können Iulian als kompetenten, erfahrenen, gewandten Guide, der ebenfalls durch durch seine internationalen Kontakte geprägt ist, nur empfehlen. Er kann in Gesprächen sehr amusant sein und wir haben trotz manchmal miesem Wetter viel gelacht. Wir danken ihm nochmals auf diesem Wege sehr herzlich für die mit ihm verbrachten Tage in seinem wunderschönen Heimland.

Oktober 2007, Niklaus und Margarethe Gerber, Jahrgang 1940, Oberrohrdorf / Schweiz

After travelling accross the breadth of europe by train from england we arrived in Brasov (close to the carpathian mountains) at 5:00 in the morning, bleary eyed and tired i jumped out of the train to meet a tall Romanian with a large and welcoming grin on his face. From the start he was great; inviting and informative speaking near perfect english and knowing a great deal about romanian culture. My first impressions of Iulian were positive and throughout the trip I learnt how steadfast, proffesional and experienced he was at mountaineering. Despite his evident experience as a mountainguide he showed passion for the job which was quite surprising and made the whole experience one i will never forget. I would definitley recommend Iulian to anyone who needs a mountainguide in romania: you quite simply will not find anyone better. The aim of my venture scout group (the 5th Cambridge) was to complete an 8 day charity work scheme and an 8 day trek. Both of these had been organised by Iulian inclusive of helping us find houses to stay in during our charity work (including is grandmothers house) and taking us to the best shops to purchase food and supplies for the whole expedition. Without him the whole expedition would most definitley been a lot more costly. I would like to write about the trekking stage in full detail but i feel i will have to write many pages to do justice to Iulian and his guidance. However I can say that the trek was breathtaking with Iulian taking care of us every step of the way whether through hints and tips on packing/ walking speed/ tent pitching, feeding us chocolate when we were tired or finding a warm rescue hut when the fog came down and bad weather came in. Throughout all this he walked around with a big grin on his face and kept us all going. A particularly memorable point was the ascent of the highest peak along the carpathian ridge when our AS exam results were to come in by satelite phone. Iulian asked what all the excitement was about and could see how tense i was and just said ‘nah don’t worry about exams you’ve got to cross that (scary looking) ridge (traverse; as he likes to call it) to reach the real peak as the one we were on was actually a false peak. That put things in perspective as i concentrated on controlling my fear of heights to reach the peak (one of the best points of the whole expedition for me). After our 8 day trek we went on to paint a school within Ucea de sus where Iulian’s grandmother lived and i spent memorable days listening to romanian music on the radio and painting a romanian school in bright colours in the blistering heat. The whole experience was amazing and Iulian with his SLR camera of the peaks we had climbed. He even went to the effort to travel with us to the capital to show us to the airport and make sure we were safely on our way before saying his goodbyes. If you are interested in trekking, skiing, mountain photography or rambling in the carpathian mountains, without doubt Iulian is the mountainguide you will gain the most from. It does not matter how experienced you are he has so much experience, knowledge and passion that you cannot leave without having had an amazing time. I certainly gained a great deal from the trip and i can only say thankyou to him for his hard work and guidance.

Ben Parker 18 (United Kingdom) – Fagaras traverse from Rudarita tu Suru, Augus 2007

I did a tour with Iulian to the Moldoveanu Peak in August 2007. The purpose of the trip was to reach the peak and Iulain recommended that we did it in two days – a good recommandation which gave us the chance of enjoying the beautiful environments of the Fagaras Mountains without going to slow or being exhausted. Unfortunately the weather was not very good on the day we went to the peak, but that did not stop us from making the top. Even though we did not see very much, the trip gave me a very good impression of the impressive Fagaras Mountains. It might well be that our view was not one of the best when we stood on the peak, but I am pretty proud af making it all the way to the top in such bad conditions. When I drove the Transfagarasian road the following day, the sky was clear and it was a bit surrealistic too imagine that we had acutally been on the highest peak of them all. I would highly recommend Iulian as a mountain guide. You feel safe while walking the mountains with such an experienced guide as him. He is extremely knowledgeable of the mountains and the nature arount them. It is also very interesting to share views with him on both political and social issues about e.g. Romania and EU. Thanks for a very good trip Iulian!

Regin Reinert, Copenhagen, Denmark – August 2007

I trekked with Iulian, with the 5th Explorer scouts as a Doctor of the expedition in August 2007. It was a fantastic experience. Iulian was very professional. He organised everything over the weeks we were with him, including home stays and community work as we requested, which made for a very successful expedition. I would highly recommend him.

Dr Jeremy Evans, Little Walden, Essex, United Kingdom – – Fagaras traverse from Rudarita tu Suru, Augus 2007

We have recently returned from an Explorer Scout expedtion to Romania. Iulian co-ordinated a programme for 25 of us from the Perse School in Cambridge. After meeting us at the train station in Brasov at 6am, the group spent a weekend acclimatising before splitting into two groups. One headed into the Fagaras mountains with Iulian on a 7 day trek while the other stayed in his homevillage of Ucea de Sus with Romanian families. While we were there, we repainted the village school and were warmly welcomed by the local community. The groups swapped over half way through the trip. As well as being extremely technically competant as a mountain leader, Iulian knows his country, and seemingly everyone in it, in minute detail. He is efficient, helpful and very good company, getting on well with both the leaders and students. Having run expeditions all over the world, I can fully endorse Iulian as a guide and location manager. As you will have seen from the rest of the site he also takes the most amazing photos. Just don’t believe him when he says it’s going to be flat or that there will be coca cola in the Podragu hut ….

Chris Brickel – GSL 5th Cambridge Scouts – Perse School – Cambridge – – Fagaras traverse from Rudarita tu Suru, Augus 2007

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN I walked on a series of day walks guided by Iulian Cozma of the Step by Step Agency in Romania during July 2007. Iulian guided us for a number of day trips in the Brasov area. We were a party of three walkers, old friends who like to get into the hills from time to time. We found Iulian to be very reliable, a very pleasant and knowledgeable walking companion with a good knowledge of his routes, the countryside generally, and Romanian history and customs. Iulian had organised everything well in advance, and the trip itself passed off very enjoyably. Iulian was very resourceful and I would happily recommend his services as a mountain guide to anyone thinking of travelling to Romania. His partner Rosana also gave up some of her valuable vacation time to help us, which was very kind of her. The trip itself was wonderful. The mountains are spectacular, and we followed some great routes. We always felt safe when walking with Iulian. He is 100% honest, professional and reliable year. He is a great character, someone whom I thoroughly enjoyed meeting, and I look forwards to walking with him again next year.

Yours sincerely, Brian O’Cathain, DUBLIN, Ireland

Thank you Julian for the trek in Romania, it was truly an unforgettable experience. Now that I have had a week of school back in England I am beginning to appreciate how amazing the expedition was and how spectacular the scenary was. I am beginning to wish I was back in Romania now. Thank you especially for the panoramic photos, they are a good reminder of what we did. I hope all is well and the next group you take up into the mountains will enjoy themselves as much as we all have.

Tom Parker, Perse School – Cambridge, England – Fagaras traverse from Rudarita tu Suru, Augus 2007

On August 4-6, 2007 my wife and I embarked on a hiking tour in Romania’s Bucegi Mountains led by mountain guide Iulian Cozma, from the Step by Step Agency in Brasov. Our tour took us from the Prahova valley town of Busteni up by cable car to the Babele Chalet, the Heroes Monument, Omu peak, and back to Babele for the night. On the second day we went from Babele past Omu and all the way down to the Bran area, where we stayed at a wonderful inn in the village of Simon called Inn on Balaban. On the third day, we saw the Bran Castle and took a brief tour of Brasov’s historical area. I can honestly say that our experience with Iulian was great. Our relationship with him began long before the actual tour, via email several months ago, when we first approached him with our request. From the very beginning, we sensed that we can absolutely trust Iulian. He was very honest, professional and dependable, and he patiently answered each and every question and concern we had (and we had SO many!) in a timely fashion. He has also been sending us some wonderful photos he has taken of my beloved mountains. I think he also has great talent as a photographer, as he has a keen eye for lovely landscapes, and, in my opinion, the caliber of his photos equal that of a professional photographer. He also trusted us with money issues, which reinforced my feeling of security and comfort. Also, Iulian was VERY organized and dependable in making all the arrangements regarding housing and meals for the duration of our trip. He found us the best possible room at Babele, not to mention the terrific room at Balaban. Our opinion was confirmed during the actual hike. First of all, his fiancée, Rosana, was very kind to pick us up at our hotel in Sinaia, as well as retrieve us by car at the end of our trip. Iulian devised a great hiking plan for us. To begin with, he stood in line ahead of us at the cable car station in Busteni, so that we could get an early start in the morning. He proved himself a very experienced and capable guide, and not only advised us brilliantly on which routes to take or not to take given weather and time availability, but was equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art technology re. weather and route finding in case of poor visibility. I also appreciated very much his advice on what to bring with us re. mountain gear (all proved very useful, especially the warm clothes, hiking boots and rain gear!) and lent us trekking poles. He also took lovely photos of us and lent us his camera when we run out of memory on ours. He is very knowledgeable about Romania in general, and gave us good tips on hotels for future visits. I also thought he had a good sense of humor, and enjoyed talking to him in my native, if slightly rusty, Romanian. We enjoyed our trip very much, we felt safe, secure, and were in good hands. I only have 2 suggestions: first, perhaps you could adjust your pace more to ours—you actually did that sometimes during the first day—so that we don’t fall behind too much. You did wait for us, though, which was good, but sometimes we were not within ear shot. Second, even if this would take more time in colder temperatures, perhaps we could somehow all have a just few more quick rests, approx. 3-5 minutes long, interspaced with the walking. That would make a difference in preventing my wife from getting too tired. All in all, it was a great, memorable experience! We heartily recommend Iulian to anybody wishing to have a beautiful mountaineering trip and hope to hike with him again in the future when we return to Romania—I would love to come back to the Inn on Balaban for a few days, after which, do some hikes in the Fagaras Mountains using Bilea Chalet as main headquarters. Thanks for everything, Iulian. We could not have done it without you; congratulations on a job well done, and see you next time.

Eugene & Elisabeth Alcalay – Wisconsin, USA – August 2007

I’ve hired a few professional guides over the years and Iulian is by far the best and the nicest I’ve come across. He’s totally competent and professional, which is what you pay for and expect, but you don’t often get the feeling that your guide is enjoying the programme as much as you. Iulian goes way beyond the call of duty. I can’t fault him in any way, and we certainly tested him! On top of having such a congenial guide, the Carpathians are a wonderful combination of really wild mountain country like you probably can’t find anywhere else in Europe, plus a rich and colourful history that’s left its mark all around, including ancient buildings such as the amazing Saxon fortified churches which Iulian will take you to and are a delight to visit when your leg muscles are screaming at you to take a break. We’ve already diarised our next trip with Iulian in 2008. I can’t wait to go back.

Charlie Swan, London UK – July 2007

Full of energy, full of useful information, a fully tailored experience; this was our ideal guide for a time-starved trip through Romania. Iulian not only provides everything you’d hope, he is also an outstanding character. I don’t remember ever experiencing such charm and magnanimity from someone I previously didn’t know. I plan to return to the Carpathians for this very reason, and I cannot emphasise enough how much our mountain experience, and Romanian experience, was enjoyable directly due to Iulian’s assistance (which was at all times professional, kind, considerate, responsible and often far beyond the call of duty). The most memorable, most photographed, most enjoyed, and most talked about part of our trip to eastern Europe. Quite an impression – thanks very much!

Peter Johnson, London UK – july 2007

We, 6 Estonian women, visited Fagaras Mountains with the help of Iulian in the beginning of July. Some of us had had experience in trekking in the mountains but in general we consider ourselves amateurs. We expected many Kodak, Pentax, Canon, etc. moments and to move around the Fagaras range as much as possible. Our expectations were fulfilled, even more; we learned a very good lesson. We were preparing ourselves going to Podragu chalet (from Balea) on our third day but it was pouring and even snowing. The wind wanted to fly us back to Estonia…. Our attempt up the mountains on that day lasted 20 minutes and then we gave up and spent yet another day in Balea chalet. Thinking back, we are quite sure Iulian that you had already cancelled the hike to Podragu in your head but you simply wanted us to see the real weather and what it can do up in 2000 meters. Thanks to you, we are much smarter now when it comes to planning a trekking trip in the mountains. We are grateful for the 3 days up in the mountains and for organizing the train tickets. Your recommendation about Peles castle was really worth it. We are definitely going back to the mountains!

July 2007: Ruth, Tea, Agnes, Signe R, Signe E, Anu-Mai

Thanks Iulian for organising such a great trip for us! Our guide was friendly, generous, flexible and professional at all times. Very difficult to organise such a trip without a guide. Mountains were spectacular, hikes varied, some challenging – some easy, as we requested.

June 2007 – Dick Delaney, Galway, Ireland

The hiking tour in the national parc Piatra Craiului was really a fantastic experience for all of us. It was tuff. But is was very rewarding as well. The steep parts of the tracks, the rock climbing and the gletchers gave us some trouble here and there. But at the samed time these were the highlights of the tour. Along of course with the great views of the area and yes! yes! yes! … the four bears (not beers) which we spotted from a short distance. Really great! We didn’t see a single human being for more than three days, that’s very unusual for Dutch people. Thanks for pointing out such a spectacular tour and also thanks for making up the beds in the yellow hotel (Cabana ?? in the middle park with nobody around) and leaving the key (ha ha ha).

June 2007 – The guys from Hollanda … Mario, August, Nard, Erik, Sem, Ernie, Jos, John-Paul, Antonie, Winthrop, Willie and Michel

Julian gave us good service before we even met. He kept in touch by e-mail, promptly responding to our queries regarding our traveling arrangements. He was able to avert a likely disaster by alerting us to an airline timetable change and helped us formulate an alternative travel plan. This even involved him travelling to Bucharest from Brasov in order to meet us at the airport. A taxi took us to the train station where he negotiated the purchase of train tickets (which would have been difficult and time-consuming for us on our own) and he accompanied us on our journey to Brasov. He had arranged all our accommodation and meals which greatly smoothed our way. We consider we had very good value for money. He is an excellent guide, and he set his pace to suit ours. He took us to areas we would not have found for ourselves, and was aware of public transport timetables so that time was not wasted. Our route took us through beautiful villages, gorges, forests, snowy meadows and included an overnight stay in a remote mountain refuge, certainly more primitive than we had anticipated but an exhilarating experience none-the-less. Added to these advantages, Julian is great company. His English is very good and he has an excellent knowledge of Romania in regard to its history, its current status in Europe, its geography, its flora and fauna and much else. We would wholeheartedly recommend Julian’s services to anyone who wishes to get to know Romania by exploring its countryside on foot.

April 2007 – Christine and Norman James, Adelaide, Australia

Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie reisen im Februar in die Karpaten. Klar, zum Skifahren. Und – genauso klar – das war unser Problem: Kein Schnee. OK, ein bisschen schon. Aber eindeutig zu wenig. Die Pisten waren abgeschabt bis runter auf eine duenne Schicht, darunter Eis, teils Stein und Erde. Keine Aussicht auf Neuschnee. Da sassen wir in unserer Huette. Was tun, bevor der Lagerkoller kommt? S.O.S an Iulian! Im Nu hatte er ein skifreies Tagesprogramm für uns entworfen und rollte im wahrscheinlich neuesten, bequemsten und bestpolierten VW-Bus Siebenbuergens heran. Die Enterprise brachte uns zum Ausgangspunkt einer großartigen Wanderroute: Spektakulaere Schluchten, Waelder, Taeler, schmale Pfade, weite Ebenen voller Schnee(!), nach jeder Wegbiegung ein neues, großartiges Panorama. Mountainguide.ro immer vorneweg. Das Mittagessen in der urigen, von einem wuchtigen Kachelofen beheizten und zwei riesenhaften Bernhardinern bewachten Cabana Curmatura war koestlich. Mein Favorit: Die Karameltorte zum Dessert. Es war ein großartiger Tag, der anfaengliche Frust ueber die entgangenen Schwuenge im Pulverschnee – im Keim erstickt. Ohne Iulians Spontaneitaet, Ortskenntnis uns sein Organisationsgeschick waere die Reise anders ausgegangen. Fuer mich war der Kurztripp ins winterliche Siebenbuergen ein unvergessliches Erlebnis. Und ich glaube, die anderen in unserer Gruppe waren auch recht angetan. Danke, Iulian. Alles Gute und weiter viel Erfolg.

Christian Schaudwet, Deutschland – February 2007

Skiing in Balea Lac, Fagaras Mountains – a thrilling adventure. This is the story of one of the best days in my skiing life. In the middle of March 2007, I was staying with some friends on a mountain hotel in Balea Lac in Transylvania. There were only one option to come to the hotel and that was to use the cabin. During the summer there is normally an open road, but during our stay it was buried in lots of snow. Beside the skiing adventure I must highlight the amazing cultural experience with excellent local food and drinks. Morning The alarm on my mobile was set for seven o’clock, sharp. A quick glance through the window to check the sight. Yesterday afternoon the fog had been thick like porridge and it was still making the sight poor. I went down to the restaurant and joined some of the guys for a fresh cup of delicious Rumanian coffee. Iulian, our professional mountain guide was also there, calm as always. He made the energy level rise when he told us that the fog would disappear after breakfast and that everybody should be ready for our first climb at eight o’clock. As a result of this statement there where a lot of enthusiastic faces that loaded energy during the delicious breakfast. Am Everybody was ready outside the hotel at 8:00. Iulian had planned where to start and we headed north over the lake, covered with ice and snow. Then at last it was time for the first climb (not walk). With the skis hanging on the backpack and the sticks in our hands the crew formed a line that slowly moved up the steep slope. I realised that the “heat was on” and opened my clothes more and more to get better cooling. Learning by doing is a useful method and after this first climb I was able to avoid filling my sunglasses with sweat. During the climb the sky cleared up gradually and we reached the ledge that was the target for our first climb one by one. We waited for everyone to join and recover. Then, finally it was time for the first run and now the sight was good. The conditions were good with hard crust and you could choose a line of your own. The first run ended at the lake and the motivation was on top for another climb. As a reflection of our spirit the sky cleared up totally and the sun was shining like our happy faces. The second climb had two optional targets. The same as the first, or continue to a higher ledge. It was a personal choice and the crew slpitted up. When we reached our targets this second climb we had learned to enjoy even more. It really is an amazing feeling to sit down, drink some water, admire the surroundings and start to analyze possible lines for the coming run. No hurry, concentrate on the feeling and store it back in your head for the future. This of course increased the joy of the second run. Now we didn’t stop at the lake. We continued down the valley to the starting point of the cabin. As an example of the hospitality a bar opened and you could enjoy a local beer when waiting for the cabin driver to show-up. Back at the hotel we refuelled with a tasteful soup. Pm After lunch Iulian had made new plans. Due to the heat of the sun the targets from before noon was too dangerous and we headed on the opposite direction. The climb started outside the hotel. This slope was even steeper. After some 30 minutes Iulian stopped and ordered us to cross a slope one by one. More could be risky. We had two optional targets with different altitude. Eventually everyone was in place enjoying life like never before and learning that water is the best possible drink in the right circumstances. The snow was hard crust and easy to ski on. The run down the valley was fantastic. Iulian found a safe and varied way down with different rake and snow conditions behind every turn. I will always remember when he stopped, pointed with a stick and said; “look here, tracks from a bear”. We continued quickly and after the same procedure as last time we took the cabin back to the hotel. We took a short break and then it was time for climb no. four. Now the legs felt a bit soft, but we made it and could finalize the skiing this marvellous day outside the hotel. The sun was still shining and we ordered “Ursus” (bear) beer, relaxed and admired the surroundings. Many thanks to Trajan, Iulian and the rest of the crew.

Staffan Barrefors, Sweden, march 2007

Skiing in Bale Lac, 2007. We are a group of Engineers from Sweden who like to try out new ski places in the world. After skiing in places in Norway, the US (Park City and Vail) we decided to try something new. Out of the blue came a suggestion, Romania. So Romania it was although most of us new very little about this country. To ski in Romania might seem to be far away. As it turned out, it didn’t take longer to get there then going to Norway to ski. Romania is known for its beautiful nature, however to our knowledge not very known for its skiing. The snow condition this year turned out to be rather poor although the mountains are high, up to 2500 m, so we had to look around to see where to find the snow. A snow report shortly before or planned trip indicated some fresh snow in a place we newer heard of, Balea Lac. That is how we found out about Balea Lac and our mountain guide Iulian Cozma. Iulian helped us to plan the whole trip. A driver meet us at the airport in Bucharest and took us to Brasov where we spent our first night. The next day we headed for the mountains to see if we could find any snow. After driving a few hours in a flat landscape and poor roads we finally approached the Fagaras Mountains. Yes there was snow here. Balea Lac is to be found in the Fagaras mountains, located at an elevation of about 2000 m. To get up there you need to use the only cable available. As we approached the Balea Lac facility where we would stay for a few days, we noticed how incredible beautiful the mountains were. Plenty of snow, untouched virgin mountains and the best of all, no people. Yes, we had the whole mountain to ourselves, which was unique to us. All of us have been skiing for many years, however none of us had skid of pist in this manner. It was quite obvious how important it was to have an experienced mountain guide to help us Find the right paths. To ski and hike on a mountain with no ski lifts and no people makes you feel part of the nature in a way, which is hard to describe and must be experienced. To pause in the middle of the slope, look around and observe the nature, the contrast of the light and breath in the mountain air is a great feeling. This was a new experience to all of us and due to the help of an experienced guide like Iulian, a very positive one. Thanks Iulian for a great ski week, we hope to be back rather soon and try out new places. (Yes, the food and the service at the facility in Balea Lace was great, say thanks to Tomita.)

Trajan Badju & friends, Sweden – March 2007, Balea Lac, Fagaras Mountains tour

Die Reise hat uns sehr gut gefallen, organisatorisch perfekt. Auch die Skitouren – leider keine langen Abfahrten durch den massigen Schnee.

Franziska Rapp und Walter Cilecek, Wien – Austria – Ski tour, March 2007

We enjoyed a fantastic trip hiking the mountains of Romania with Iulian Cozma in September 2006. Others have documented the beauty and rewards of climbing in this region, our comments are about Iulian. Iulian is a true professional who knows the mountains of Romania as only one who has spent years hiking and climbing there can. The behavior of the climate, terrain, trail, light, wind, fog, ice, and water are dynamically in his grasp at all times. This, together with his understanding of the skill and condition of the people hiking with him, allows him to maintain a high level of safety. He’s a great teacher and we finished our trip better hikers, better photographers, and with a better understanding of Romanian culture and history. Thank you, Iulian!

Erika Schuster and Clay Biberdorf Portland, Oregon, USA – September 2006-Bucegi, Piatra Craiului,Fagaras and Retezat Mountains tour

Well in advance of a trip my wife, Susan, and I were planning to go to eastern Europe for some snowshoeing/winter hiking in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. We began looking for a guide. We are both experienced walkers and ordinairly don’t use guides or join groups because we enjoy the adventure of getting maps, guide books and the like to find our our own way. Because much of the geology in the areas we planned to visit includes limestone formations with caves and sink holes that could be hidden under snow, we opted to use a guide, at least on the portion of our trip in Romania. Susan discovered Iulian’s web site, and we made arrangements with him online. It is somewhat an act of blind faith to put your trust in a cyberperson to lead you in an unfamiliar environment, but we plunged ahead with plans and made our deposit well in advance. I am not sure how other guides conduct their business relations with clients once commitments have been made, but Iulian was terrific at communicating with us between the time we agreed to hire him and when we actually met him in Brasov. We got perodic updates on weather and conditions along with photos of some of the territority we’d be trekking. In addition, Iulian inquired about our travel and accomodation needs in Romania prior to and after our time together and offered to make some arrangements and reservations as part of his service. By the time we actually met, we were feeling very comfortable that we had picked a reliable and capable guide. From the moment we arrived, tired from 36 hours of cars, planes, airports and trains, we began to relax and enjoy our vacation. Over dinner that first evening, Iulian quickly explained that due lack of snow, he had somewhat revised the plan to accomodate conditions. Our four and a half days of tramping thru the Transylvania Alps were wonderful. Besides getting an opportunity to visit the quaint and bucolic mountain farm villages where little seems to have changed (except for the satelite dishes) in many generations, we just enjoyed walking and talking with Iulian. As one might expect from a guide, he is very knowledgeable about local history, flora, fauna, geology, traditions and culture. It is clear that he is proud of his native land and loves to introduce newcomers to it, but he is also very candid about what he recognizes as shortcomings and blind spots among his countrymen who are perhaps not as worldly and enviromentally aware as he is. If the Romania were smart, they would make Iulian Minister for Tourism, Transportation and Environment. I mention Transportation since we were notified, on short notice, that our flight out of Romania had be arbitrairly cancelled. Iulain not only made numerous calls on our behalf to rearrange our flights, but also spent extra time pointing out to TAR/Rom Air officials that the way they conduct their business was irresponsible and detrimental to tourism. In the end all worked out for our departure. Our two final days on the trails were especially fine as the counrtyside was transformed by a fresh blanket of snow and Iulain saw safely aboard our train the next day. Susan and I have the highest regard for Iulain as a professional guide and would recommend him without reservation. You will be well cared for and end up with a new friend in Romania.

Susan Davis and Richard Seiferheld, Nappa Valley, CA, USA – December 2006

Our trip in Romania during September, 2006 provided the perfect combination of cultural and hiking activities. I especially enjoyed hiking in the Fagaras Mountains to Varful Laitel and to and from the Podragu Cabana. All of the peaks in the Transylvanian Alps are spectacular. Highlights of the trip included lunch at your grandmother’s home and the farewell dinner in Bucharest. I also enjoyed visiting the towns of Sighisoara and Sibiu. There is so much wonderful history in such places. You are to be commended for organizing such an excellent trip. From my perspective, everything went smoothly.

Best Wishes, Ralph H. Nafziger, USA – September 2006, Bucegi, Piatra Craiului, Fagaras and Retezat Mountains tour

In the late fall 2006 when I was on a business trip to Romania, I found I had a few days without any direct work activities, and I decided to try and book some hiking in the Carpathian Mountains, which I had always wanted to do. I found Iulian Cozma’s details on his web site, and in no time at all I had made contact and booked a short hiking trip with him. We met the day before, as arranged, in Brasov. I would like to say that immediately, any concerns that I had were alleviated by his very professional manner. The overriding impression that I received was that I was dealing with a man of high integrity and with high professional standards. The business side of things, which can be awkward with hidden expenses, was quite clear and well explained. This was such a relief, because doing business in a foreign country can mean that language barriers lead to misunderstandings. Not so with Iulian, as he was quite comfortable in English. The hiking trip which covered the Bucegi and the Piatra Craiului Mountains was absolutely beautiful, and I was able to indulge my hobby of photographing mountain flowers without being harassed by Iulian or other hikers. I also should note that Iulian displayed a very high standard of safety, and would not tolerate any risky behaviour, and his leadership style was not abrasive, but it was firm. When we came across some unsustainable logging practices being conducted in Piatra Craiului, it was also clear that Iulian was willing to do what was necessary to bring about a culture of responsible environmental management. We stayed in a charming bed and breakfast establishment in the Dracula village and had really good food. I have no hesitation in recommendaing Iulian as a responsible and caring guide for mountain trekking, and I am already planning some winter snowshoeing with the rest of my family.

Dominic Mitchell – Durban – South Africa, september 2006 – Bucegi and Piatra Craiului tour

Dear Iulian, I want to thank you for the wonderful day you arranged for me on Saturday. It was so much more than what I was expecting and I enjoyed every minute. I’m, looking foward to the next adventure. Best regards,

Heather Steil, Los Angeles, USA – 21 october 2006, Piatra Craiului Mountains hiking

I found Iulian through his website and asked him to put together a 2-day program of day hikes for my wife and me. Iulian proposed some hikes in the Fagaras range and made the logistics very easy so we could easily rendezvous with him in Bran. I am certainly comfortable hiking on my own in my own country but I know we were a little more confident in these mountains because we had a guide. The views were beautiful and the terrain was a good mix of alpine meadow and bare rock. Iulian is an excellent hiking companion and we never were at a loss for things to talk about. I also appreciated that he was always accessible before and after our trip together. The day before our rendezvous he and I were text messaging back and forth, and several days afterward I called him for help navigating the ticket sales window at the Cluj train station. I would certainly recommend Iulian for getting the most out of any outdoor activities in Romania.

Lambert W, Westchester County, NY, USA – Fagaras Mountain Tour – october 2006

The whole trip was fabulous. If we need to choose, certainly our top two highlights were the hikes from Cabana Balea Lac to Cabana Podragu and back. What glorious views in every direction! The grasses and wildflowers were lovely. It was fun hiking along the high ridges, slipping in and out of clouds. One minute, we were in warm sun; the next, we were almost hidden from view. Those two hikes are probably the most spectacular we have ever done anywhere. The hike from Lac Balea to Varful Laitel was lovely, too. That’s the first time I think we have ever lain on the grass and just soaked up the views and sun on a spectacular day. Our lunch with your mom and grandmother was very special and is something we will always remember. We are very grateful to them for their warm and gracious hospitality. Lunch was delicious, and it was nice to meet part of your family. Other highlights included our tours of Sighisoara, the castles of Sinaia and Bran and the monasteries. You and John arranged a perfect tour that offered unforgettable hiking combined with interesting cultural sites to give us a chance to know Romania better. Again, many thanks for a wonderful trip. You live in a very beautiful country, and your family is lovely.

All the best, Francis and Nancy Passavant – Boston, USA – September 2006, Bucegi, Piatra Craiului, Fagaras and Retezat Mountains tour

We have been on mountain treks in several countries, always with guides, and in varying degrees of difficulty and exposure. We were most pleased with Iulian Cozma’s services during our recent hike in Romania (early September, 2006). He is professional in every respect and always has the interest of the hikers in mind. Safety is the most important factor and this was shown on several occasions on our trip with him. Adequate food and water (bottled), comfort, and educational experiences were emphasized and enjoyed by all. We left Iulian feeling that we had a wonderful trek and that we have a life-long friend.

John Schoon & Phyllis Shoemake – Salem, Oregon, USA – September 2006, Bucegi, Piatra Craiului, Fagaras and Retezat Mountains tour

Stimate Domnule Cozma, Iti multumim frumos de ajutorul si stima acordata catre noi. Am avut 4 zile de calatorit prin muntii Carpati si am ramas foarte multumiti de ocasia acordata noua. Totul a fost la un nivel SUPER organizat si petrecut. Cu placere om oferi sa se foloseasca de Fa. Julian Cozma cunoscutilor si prietenilor nostri care iubesc muntii. Dar si noi vom veni din cind in cind la Romania. Muntii Carpati sint mari si se poate urca din mai multe directii. Data viitoare dorim sa stam mai multe zile in tara. Vrem sa vedem Brasovul si imprejurimile.

Piotr Kshokar si Sabine Birkeneder din orasul Dresden, iunie 2006

It’s hyperbole — but only a little — to say that all I knew about Romania before going in August 2006 could be summed up in three names: Dracula, Nadia Comaneci, and Nicolai Ceausescu. In large part, Romania has been a sphinx to me, and, I suspect, to many others in the West. When I announced this trip to friends, the first question I often received was “Why Romania?” Why, indeed? You would do well to put that question to Iulian Cozma, whose obvious love and pride for his native land made the week I spent under his guidance memorable and wonderful. Sometimes the familiar becomes ordinary, but Iulian has not lost his enthusiasm for the terrain he knows so well. Much of our time we wandered through the Transylvanian Alps, through old forests of pine and beech, along rivers and lakes, over narrow ridges, and up steep trails. Iulian has an artist’s eye for seeking out the unusual and beautiful — wild goats playing in the peaks above, a shepherd’s hut in a high valley, a pretty flower pathside — and he is always keen to share. I appreciated, too, Iulian’s attention to detail, his promptness, and his follow-through. He responded to my initial queries quickly, prepared a compelling itinerary with map and photos, and was quick to explain the various costs and procedures. Once on trek, he laid out the safety rules (“Rule 1: When you are walking you are walking, not looking or photographing.”) and reminded me to be careful at trouble spots. Our days in the mountains went largely according to plan, but Iulian was resourceful enough to find alternate activities when bad weather called for them. Iulian capped off my visit to Romania by preparing a short visit to Brasov. I have seen mountain guides lose their footing in the city, but Iulian understands the urban tourist’s sensibilities too. He took me to some of the most representative and charming parts of his hometown, and showed me the best of its restaurants. I would recommend Iulian’s services unreservedly.

Brent Bigler, Los Angeles, CA, USA – Fagaras Mountains Tour, august 2006

Nous avons fait en juillet 2006 un voyage de 9 jours avec Julian en Transylvanie et dans les Carpates méridionales. Nous avons visité diverses cités et villages d’origine saxonne et roumaine (Brasov/ Kronstadt, Harman/Honigberg, Viscri/Deutsch-Weisskirch, Sighisoara/ Schässburg, Biertan/Birthalm, Villea Viilor/Wurmloch, Sibiu/ Hermannstadt, Carta/Kerz; Christian, le monastère de Sambata da Sus, le village d’Ucea et Sinaia). Les cités historiques et les églises fortifiées sont superbes et dans l’ensemble remarquablement conservées. Lors de notre trekking de 4 jours dans les montagnes Fagaras, depuis le lac de Balea jusqu’au sommet du Moldoveanu, nous avons découvert des paysages sauvages magnifiques. Julian a été un guide attentionné, un compagnon agréable et un excellent organisateur, aussi bien lors du circuit transylvanien que lors des randonnées. Il nous fit découvrir diverses spécialités culinaires locales (ah! ces délicieuses soupes…) et nous a beaucoup appris sur les us et coutumes de son pays.

Juillet 2006 – Alexandra et Philippe Gerber, Suisse

Nous revenons juste d’une semaine de randonnee avec Iulian et sommes ravis: d’abord, Iulian est tres sympathique et c’est tres agreable d’etre avec lui. La conversation avec lui est tres interessante et il nous apprend beaucoup de choses “de l’interieur” sur la Roumanie. Ensuite, les Fageras sont des montagnes tres attachantes, encore tres sauvages. On y trouve ce qu’il n’est presque plus possible de voir en France ou en Suisse: d’immenses troupeaux de moutons, de vrais bergers, et des refuges tout a fait authentiques. En hiver, ce doit etre un paradis pour le ski de randonnee.

Juillet 2006 – Famille Florin, CH-1272 Genolier

Lieber Julian, ich möchte mich für die 14 Tage in den Karpaten herzlich bedanken. Die Wanderungen durch die Berge waren ein wirklich beeindruckendes Erlebnis. Für uns aus dem norddeutschen Flachland war es toll so durch das fremde land geführt zu werden. Wir werden Dich gerne wieder besuchen und deine Führung geniessen. Durch dich haben wir mehr vom Land gesehen und erlebt, als wenn wir alleine die Wege gegangen wären. Auch waren unsere ausführlichen Diskussionen über Land, Leute und Politik wichtig, um Verständnis für die Menschen zu erlangen. Wer nicht nur Landschaft sehen will, sondern auch verstehen will was passiert sollte sich von Dir führen lassen. Alles Gute für die Zukunft.

Edo Lübbing von Gaertner und Alexander Künzel – Bremen – Deutschland – Juni 2006 – Bucegi, Piatra Craiului, Fagaras Gebirgstour

Wir sind ein Ehepaar aus Norddeutschland. Wir verbrachten eine sehr eindrucksvolle Woche in Siebenbuergen, in welcher wir die Stadt Brasov/Kronstadt kennen lernten und eine Hochgebirgswanderung in den Fagerasch-Bergen machten. Bei dieser Wanderung wurden wir von Julian Cozma gefuehrt, und ohne seine Fuehrung haetten wir diese aufregende und anstrengende Wanderung nicht bewaeltigen koennen. Julian zeigte sich nicht nur als ein sehr erfahrener Leiter, der jeden Pfad und man kann sagen jeden Schritt in dieser Bergwelt kennt (und darueberhunaus jeden Einheimischen!) und uns das Gefuehl grosser Sicherheit in dieser fuer uns neuartigen Umgebung vermittelte, sondern auch als jemand, der sich in jeder Hinsicht – Unterbringung, Transport und Verpflegung mit grossem Einsatz um uns gekuemmert hat. Wir konnten viele interessante Gespraeche mit ihm fuehren und viel ueber die aktuelle Situation und die Vergangenheit in seinem Heimatland erfahren. Julian zeigte uns die Besonderheiten der Fauna und Flora und hatte immer einen Tipp bereit, wenn wir ihn brauchten. Wir koennen ihn als professionellen Bergfuehrer und sehr angenehme Begleitung von ganzem Herzen empfehlen. Nicht vergessen wollen wir herzlichen Dank zu sagen an Julians reizende Freundin Rosanna, die ihren freien Sonnabend opferte, um uns die Sehenswuerdigkeiten Kronstadts und seiner mittelalterlichen Umgebung zu zeigen und in perfektem Deutsch zu erklaeren, so die Kirchenburgen in Honigberg und in Tartlau und die Burg des Grafen “Drakula” in Bran.

Dorothea und Axel Barre – Melsdorf – Deutschland – Juli 2006 – Fagaras Gebirgstour

Iulian was our guide for a trip in June, 2006. We can recommend him wholeheartedly. Iulian has the “Big 4″ characteristics of a great guide – safety first, – his client’s enjoyment 24/7, – an intimate knowledge of the area – and flexibility. From the moment we first made contact almost 2 years ago via email, Iulian has provided us with all the information we needed in a timely manner. As soon as we met, he quickly sized up the physical abilities of our group, our expectations and integrated that into the area we were headed to and put together five great days of hiking and cultural experience. Whenever we needed anything, Iulian was there to make sure that it happened. Whether it was eating lunch on a peak with undescribable views, inside a shepard’s house tasting fresh cheese, or sipping Iulian’s father’s home-made wine, Iulian brought an intimate experience of the Romanian mountains and countryside that we wouldn’t have experienced without him. We are already planning our next trip with Iulian Cozma!

Alan & Dayna Fisk-Williams – Darmstadt, Germany

Sue George & Miles Epstein – San Francisco, USA – june 2006, Fagaras & Piatra Craiului Mountains

Transylvania : Cold Mountains, Culture and more… Andrew Kydd 25 Feb – 5 Mar 2006 – Eagle club journal. Having bumped into a kitted-up ski tourer on a previous non-skiing visit, Steve Gould had been researching a Romanian trip for some time. Enter Iulian Cozma (RMGA) who put together a complete package for us, and turned out to be a great guide, host and organiser, and a mine of local information (www.mountainguide.ro). The original plan was for day tours in three areas: the Bucegi massif, SW of Brasov, and huts in two different parts of the Fagaras, further west. In the end, conditions and illness meant abandoning the Bucegi and one of the Fagaras, huts, but Iulian had interesting alternatives for us, and we had more time to savour the cultural delights of mediaeval Brasov, the unique fortified Saxon churches that are dotted around the area, and the nocturnal iguanas (no, don’t ask – you wouldn’t believe it). We spent a decent first day amongst the trees at the small but cheery Poiana Brasov resort. The following day we donned skins for a beautiful circular tour on the forested SE flank of the Piatra Craiului massif – or maybe it was the Chilterns, the lower beech woods seeming oddly familiar. Lunch at Cabane Curmatura (1470m) was delightfully typical: meatball soup and rum tea. The descent ran through the dramatic, but sole-destroying, Zarnesti gorge, apparently used in the film Cold Mountain. Transferring by minibus to Balea Lake in the Fagaras Mountains, we took a day to explore its valley, finding the most perfect powder in cold sunshine up on the west col. We indulged in an afternoon of old-fashioned skiing, all by ourselves, again and again skinning up and swooping down in style through the fresh stuff. The next day we crossed the same col to ski down a totally empty Lady Valley, battle back round the forested shoulder on a summer path, and return to the chalet via the ageing cable car – a good workout. The chalet at Lake Balea was new and large, with all mod cons and a wide menu – a very comfortable place to be in increasingly bitter weather. Except that someone (who shall remain nameless if he’s very good) persuaded us to drink the water… So instead of heading East to the Sambata valley for the final stage of the week, the minibus took our malfunctioning constitutions back to Brasov, sadly foregoing lunch en route with Iulian’s gran. On the last day, those who weren’t too stricken by the bug went for a gentle but tremendously scenic tour through some typical Transylvanian landscape and traditional villages of Magura– we seemed to step back in time for a while. Transylvania is a fascinating area with a mountain tradition and good food – could be worth considering for a summer visit, as there are waymarked paths and good huts. But it doesn’t appear to be a paradise for classic hut-to-hut ski touring, due to tough terrain on the ridges and inconvenient or closed huts. There may be hard-core (M4-ish) possibilities in the Fagaras, and the Iezer-Papusa offer more achievable itineraries, but using shepherd huts. And, as we found, there are a number of low-level options. The conditions seem colder and more continental than the Western Alps, so instability may last for longer after snowfall. May is reputedly much more stable, but of course no chance then of powder.

Party: Alex Bregman, Steve Day, Steve Gould, Andrew Kydd, Julian & Shelagh Wang – Eagle Ski Club UK, Iulian Cozma (RMGA) – february & march 2006

Moldoveanu 10.06.2004, Piatra Craiului 31.03.2006. It was my second meeting with Julian. The first one was in June 2004, I was determinate to hiking to Moldoveanu and I had only two days to do it (break in the business trip). First of all I fall in sleep (it happened first time in my live) and we lost the train but it wasn’t a problem because Julian found another way of transportation. During the first day of tracking we had a very nice weather conditions but during the evening started to rain, during the night an early morning next day it was even worst – thunder storm. I couldn’t stop to think how I can get the plane next day in Bucharest. But for luck at 8th morning the weather conditions improved a little beat that we were able to leave the mountain house. Finally the Julian arrange even the sun at the pick but we pay the bill on the way back visibility was maximum 10m and strong rain came again. I really don’t know how he found the right way. Directly from the mountains we went to the railway station. In this was thanks Julian experience I realized my plan. This year I haven’t any plan when I called to Julian, he suggested ski-tour trip. It was great idea. When I was waiting for boarding (four hours) I checked the weather forecast. It wasn’t good. First think which happened when I arrived to Sibiu was SMS message from Julian that he is in the mountains and there is a big snowstorm. Finally we decided to make a one day trip to Piatra Craiului mountains and next day try to ski. Due to fact that the weather condition still was not stability the second day we also went for walk. Julian showed me same historical places – Castle Peles property of first King of Romania in Sinaia. I would like to say that even if the weather condition are not good Julian is able to arrange the program which satisfied everyone. If you decide to visit Romania, what I strongly recommended, the best way is do it with Julian helps.

Mariusz Wojtczak, Poland, march 2006

Telemarking in Balea Lac in Fagaras mountains. My name is Conny Linusson and I am from Sweden. For some years now I have been travelling to Romania in business and have been thinking about skiing in the Carpathians. Finally it come to a reality. Me and my girlfriend Marie decided to go skiing in February 2006. Since we both enjoy the adventure running in less crowded areas using seal skins the choice fell on Balea Lac. However, in such areas it is good to have an educated mountain guide that knows the area. When searching on the internet we got in contact with Iulian Cozma. After some mails and phone calls we picked up Iulian in Brasov and headed for a three days visit to Balea Lac. In Balea Iulian had made all the arrangements at the lodge which turned out to be very nice. First evening we started with some warm up runs close to the lodge. Clear blue sky and quite cold it was (-18degreeC). Next morning we climbed up the ridge again and headed down the Lady Valley. Clear blue sky again and some nice fresh powder snow that always gives nice energy into your body and mind. This morning it was even colder (-25degreeC), but it didn’t stop us to have a nice run. Climbing back to the lodge took some 2,5 hours and it was rather freezing in the end. Brrrr. It was good to be back inside with a nice warm soup and a cold beer. Unfortunately the second day turned out to be very cloudy and the weather forecast wasn’t promising any change for the next couple of days. Hence, we decided to go back to Brasov. Me and Marie enjoyed the stay at Balea Lac a lot as well as Iulians personal qualities (friendly, helpful and warm) and his mountain guide skills and experience. We can gladly recommend Iulian as a mountain guide in order to have the best out of a visit to the beautiful Fagaras Mountain in Romania.

Conny & Marie, Sweden, febryary 2006

Iulian, A short mail to thank you for arranging and guiding a really enjoyable ski trip to Romania. Sadly the weather prevented us from completing the proposed itinerary but you made the most of the conditions to provide us with a memorable trip. The organisation was excellent and you could not have been more helpful. I would recommend you to anyone interested in visiting the mountains of Romania. All my best regards,

Simon Chafer, UK- february 2006, ski tour

Lieber Julian, Nach den gemeinsamen Tagen im Sommer möchte ich die Bergwelt Rumäniens auch im Winter kennen lernen. Ich habe mich sehr gefreut, dass ich mit deinen Gästen aus England eine Skitourenwoche mit dir verbringen durfte. Leider hat sich das Wetter und die Verhältnisse nicht von der besten Seite gezeigt. Trotzdem hast du uns ein abwechslungsreiches Programm präsentiert, das den aktuellen Bedingungen angepasst war. Dein Organisationstalent und dein unermüdliches Bestreben, uns ein interessantes Alternativprogramm anzubieten waren toll. Deshalb konnten wir bei bestmöglicher Sicherheit den ca. 50cm tiefen Pulverschnee geniessen. Vielen Dank, ich komme sicher wieder einmal.

Monika Schoch, Schweiz – february 2006, ski tour in Fagaras mountains

Thanks for making a very enjoyable week in Romania. We were all very impressed with your skills on the hill and the way you made sure that we all got the best out of the week. You are very talented guide and an excellent ambassador for your country! The photos were a great bonus and coke never tasted so good!

David Vincent, Sheffield, UK – february 2006, ski tour

Lieber Julian, Nochmals herzlichen Dank für die Tage, die ich mit dir verbringen durfte. Als Rumänien-Neuling konnte ich mit dir den höchsten Berg deines Landes, den Moldoveanu besteigen. Sehr geschätz habe ich deine fürsorgliche Beutreuung besonders wenn es um Essen und Unterkunft ging. Zudem haben mir dein Rat und deine Tipps für meine weiteren Tage in Rumänien ohne Führer sehr geholfen. Schon jetzt bin ich sicher, dass ich die Bergwelt Rumäniens weiter erkunden möchte.

Vielen Dank, bis bald Monika Schoch, Schweiz

Nous avons passé neuf jours mémorables en compagnie de Iulian dans les montagnes de Piatra Craiului, chez les bergers, dans les Fagaras et dans sa famille à Ucea de Sus. Iulian est très connaissant des montagnes (il connaît chaque détour et chaque roche par son prénom…) et avait une approche sécuritaire et discrète. Tout était organisé au quart de tour sans aucune inquiétude. Grâce à son sens de l’humour et à sa jovialité, nous avons eu l’impression de faire un trek avec un ami. Il nous a beaucoup appris sur les us et coutumes roumaines, la vie rurale de l’arrière-pays, la Roumanie authentique hors des clichés et la Roumanie d’aujourd’hui. Il a fait toute une différence! N’hésitez pas à communiquer avec nous à redum (at) videotron dot ca si vous avez des questions; ça nous fera plaisir d’y répondre.

Marie Dumontier et Jean Renaud, Chelsea, Québec, Canada – Septembre 2005

Hello Iulian, thanks for the photos. We finally saw some romainian rain when we were waiting to board the plane. The bus took us directly to the airport and we were there far too early, but better than too late. Thank you for giving us a wonderful holiday, both you and Radu are lovely people, we enjoyed your company and kindness, but most of all your profesialism as mountain leaders. All of the accomodation was excellent and the food like the brandy MAGIC!!!! Because after two glasses your legs dissapear. Thank you again for everything we would never have found our way round Romania without you. Regards to Radu and Andreea!

Love, Denise and Roger, England – den.regor (at) ntlworld dot com – September 2005

We enjoyed our recent visit to the mountains of Romania immensely. Iulian was a great host and guide for our two-week visit, which included hiking in the Fagarash and Retezat Mountains and Bucegi Plateau. He was professional and well-organized throughout the trip, from the dining and sleeping arrangements at each of the chalets to the perfect timing of the comfortable bus meeting us at the trailheads. Each day of hiking led us to incredible views and Iulian’s companionship and knowledge of the region added a lot to our enjoyment. I’m still thrilled to tell my friends that I hiked to the top of the three highest peaks in Romania! Thanks for a great trip, Iulian!

Freda Sherburne and Jeff Hawkins, Portland, Oregon – USA – July-August 2005

Dear Iulian, Good to hear from you and thank you for the great photo’s I need not have bothered taking my camera it’s extra weight no doubt slowed me down! The trip was really great giving us an insight into Romania, the sights, Sinaia, Brasov, Sighisoara and Sibiu and not forgetting the main reason for our visit, the mountains, the varied accommodation gave just the right mixture. Your personality, input, and patience made the trip so much more enjoyable and I particularly thank you for your kindness to daughter Susie and being so caring about myself particularly with my slowness and care coming downhill. I will sing your praises here and please feel free to use me as a referee any time. Thanks again for a superb and unforgettable trip. Finally perhaps when time allows you might think about a trip that would suit Judy and myself just for us to dream about at the moment.

Best wishes, Ian Jollie, UK, July 2005

Julian, Thanks so much for making this trip a great adventure, plus for the extra efforts you made on our behalf for taxis, accomodationa and changes the plans. We would love to come back and experience more of Romania . We’ll look forward to the posting of your pictures.

Patrick and Suzanne Feeney, USA , July-August 2005

We spent eight enjoyable days in June with Iulian, hiking and touring in and about Brasov . It was our first trip to Romania . Our knowledge of the Romanian language is very little. With Iulian’s help, we were able to see more, do more, and go more places with less hassle, less confusion and more enjoyment. By knowing the area and the resources well, Iulian suggested alternatives to limitations imposed by the weather, our gear and our abilities. Iulian is value oriented and an effective negotiator. He is personable, helpful, and knowledgeable. We quickly looked upon Iulian as a friend. Our trust in him was always rewarded. Iulian’s guidance is one of the reasons we hope to return to Romania next year.

Bev and Ron Zaremba, USA, may 2005

Reference for Iulian Cozma from Matthew LaCompte: My wife, Helen, and I had a great experience hiking and traveling with Iulian Cozma in Romania. We spent 8 days with him from May 27, 2005 until June 4, 2005. For the first 3 days we had a wonderful time hiking in the Fagaras Mountains. Iulian’s knowledge and expertise in the mountains were extremely impressive and he really made sure that we were comfortable and safe during our mountain hikes. He also discussed knowledgeably the flora and fauna we encountered. We were fortunate to see beautiful spring flowers as well as a number of balck mountain goats and 4 shy marmots! Once we left the mountains during the afternoon of the 3rd day we also had the opportunity to have a wonderful traditional meal at his grandmother’s house in Ucea de Sus village, where we also met his parents and sister. It was great fun and we really enjoyed the delicious food, home-made wine and the tsuica! Iulian also accompanied us to the beautiful Samabata Monastery as well as the Cities of Brasov and Sighisoara. His knowledge of Romanian culture and history is wide-ranging and he made every effort to ensure that we learned as much as we could about these areas. During our final 3 days we traveled with Iulian up to the Maramures region. Iulian had organized some interesting historical and cultural activities and we had a great time in this beautiful area. We stayed with a local family in their house and greatly enjoyed hiking through traditional villages with amazing wooden churches and beautiful traditional wooden homes. At the end of one hike a passing farmer insisted we hop on to his hand-crafted wagon (consisting of flat rough planks over automobile tires) and we had a fast and laugh-filled ride as he put his horse through its paces! Helen Lynn: before our trip, we told Iulian about my interest in photography and regional cuisine. He is a talented photographer, with a very keen eye, and was able to give me a lot of valuable advice that helped ensure I came home with some extra good pictures. His familiarity with the areas we visited enabled him to show me some particularly fine vantage points. On the dining front, he introduced us to some great local foods. His grandmother’s silky and sinfully-delicious rice pudding made with rich buffalo milk was especially memorable. The warm welcome that Iulian received where ever we went, and which was extended to us, demonstrated the reputation he has earned for his knowledge, expertise and honesty. He also has a great sense of humour, which is a real asset when spending long days in each other’s company. Throughout our time with Iulian, we found him to be unfailingly polite, extremely knowledgeable and very hard-working. While his mountaineering expertise is quite evident, we were equally impressed with the extent of his knowledge about Romanian culture and history. We were very impressed with his professionalism and quickly learned that he is completely trustworthy in every respect. We highly recommend the services of Iulian Cozma to anyone who wishes to have a well-organized adventure in Romania.

Helen Lynn and Matthew LaCompte, Canada 2005

I went ski-touring with Iulian in March 2005. We are a group of five, and after having climbed and skied mount Damavand in Iran we decided to look for some skiing adventure in Romania. One of us located Iulian through the internet, whereupon Iulian pretty much told us he could arrange everything and would show us the best skiing places. Not only did he guide us to the impressive Bucegi range, beautiful Balea Lake and Sambata valley for some terrific powder skiing (and I mean loads of powder!!) but Iulian told us a lot about his country, and showed us many of the cultural highlights of Romania such as Peles Castle, Brasov (great night-life by the way), Bran Castle and Sigisoara. We did not exactly know what to expect from skiing in Romania, but although the maximum altitude does not exceed 2600 m. it was possible to make beautiful tours with descents of more that 1000m. We stayed in the weather station at Omu, at Balea Lake in a very good hotel (much more luxury here then a swiss mountain cabin), and in a cabin in Sambata valley. One of the huge advantages of Romania was that it’s not crowded and we were almost everywhere the only skiing group. We had a great holiday! Iulian continuously gave us the feeling that everything was arranged (which it was), as he has skied and climbed in Romania his whole life he really knows where to go en when to go and we have the impression that he is a very good mountain guide for whom safety is important. It was a lot of fun travelling with Iulian, it is only too bad that he picked up the game of poker so fast that others had to lose…. Iulian thank you for the fantastic trip and for your and your families hospitality!!

Katelijne Kohnstamm & friends, the Netherlands

We spent three days in the Piatra Craiului area despite heavy snowfall on the previous few days before our arrival which meant a lower level hike. The tour was well organised to include plenty of walking on different terrain. We walked through the town of Zarnesti followed by a steep hike through forests then across open hills towards the mountain chalet (Cabana Curmutura). At the chalet there were fantastic views of the Bucegi range in the distance and of Piatra Cruialulai close by. On the following day we hiked up towards Piatra Mica kicking through the snow with a small scramble to reach the top. Then the last day a fast-paced 12km walk passing through a gorge and through the lovely villages and farmland of Magura. Our final destination was Bran where we visited the Bran Castle. There was no strict timetable to follow, the tour felt personalised and options of routes were discussed. Each day we experienced varied walking scenery and landscape. The mountains were amazing and we only wished we were able to go higher or have a few more days. Our trip was significantly enhanced by being with Iulian who carried out his role as a mountain guide excellently, making correct decisions regarding mountain safety as well as showing sensitivity to our ability. Iulian is knowledgeable and passionate about Romania and the environment and is enthusiastic and keen share his local knowledge. Iulian also provided assistance above what was expected (e.g., making reservations for the rest of our trip, providing information etc.). Iulian is a gentleman and a genuinely good companion and we have no hesitation in recommending him as a mountain guide.

Rob Holtom & Lie Ping Tang (Birmingham, England), april 2005 For further details contact: robert.holtom (at) mottmac dot com

Nous remercions Iulian Cozma pour nous avoir guidés durant 6 jours à travers les Carpates méridionales entre Balea Lac et la vallée de Sambatta. Voici le récit des jours que nous avons passés en compagnie de Iulian.

David Aubert & friends, France, february 2005 – TOUT LE JOURNAL – http://www.ski-roumanie.iweps.com

Highly recommended!!!! I recently moved to Romania from Sweden and I am a great outdoor fan. Having been skiing a lot in USA, Canada, Sweden and the Alps I was very curious about what the Romanian mountains had to offer. Unfortunately I quickly realized that it’s not so easy to access the more remote, mysterious places that Romania is so famous for. Luckily I found Iulian which proved to be more than an excellent guide. Not only because his great knowledge about the mountains and his great expertise when it comes to safety but also his great hospitality. If you are looking for something different, whether you live in Romania or you plan to come here on a visit, I can highly recommend Iulian as a mountain guide. My weekend in the Fagaras Mountains with Iulian proved to be something very special and memorable. You can always find great powder and steep runs wherever you go but the wilderness and the remoteness that the Romanian mountains offer is really something special and not so easy to find nowadays. Thanks for a great weekend Iulian and I’ll be back soon.

Mikael Fredholm, Sweden, february 2005

I went for my second time to Romania, in the Piatra Craiului & Fagaras Mountains with Iulian for the last 2 weeks of Feb 2005, and as the first time between Christhmas and New Year in 2002 I was there it was in all great! We went to Cabana Curmatura in Piatra Craiului Mountains, for a couple of days, went climbing, and allthough the weather wasn´t perfect it was nice fore the climbing. Allso we went to Balea Lake in Fagaras Mountains and went for some climbing there to for 3 days. Between all this climbing we where in Ucea de Sus Village, at Iulian’s grand mother, visiting friends, going to see the 26 th´military ski competition in Predeal and allso we went to a very nice disco in the skiresort of Poiana Brasov. Iulian had planned all the accomodations in the chalets ahead, I rearly enjoid my stay both places, in Cabana Curmatura in Piatra Craiului Mountains I had the best apple cake ever!! (and in Balae Lake I can recommend the house speciality..Anca!!) Iulian is a very nice person, with a professionel apperence, and I can recommend him for all type of alpine vacantion, and I am planning to go back in Romania next years!

Troels Jaeger, Denmark

Having lived in Romania for almost a year, I decided it was time to get myself out of Bucharest and visit the mountains “properly”. So I found this wonderful website and requested a weekend tour. To my delight, a weekend tour was granted. 24 hours after arriving back in Bucharest, I am exhilerated. Not only is Iulian a very personable and fun chap to spend a weekend hiking with, he is a true professional in his work. Not only was he constantly finding the balance between finding me challenges and taking sufficient breaks, he provided a friendly continual stream of coaching on mountain ‘tips’. I went to try something different for a weekend. I think Iulian has inspired in me a new hobby and i will definitely be returning a few more times this summer. Thanks for a great weekend Iulian!

Tom Grafton, P&G Romania, july 2004

In July 2004 we have been hiking in the Fagaras Mountains with Iulian Cozma for five days. Both my friend and myself are beginners in mountaineering and have almost no experience? except for skiing in well prepared skiing resorts in the Alps. To cut it short: from the organization and communication in the beginning to the actual trip, it was an absolutely fantastic and valuable experience. The first two days Iulian chose smaller and less difficult tracks for “warming up” and getting used to the mountains. Then we traversed from one chalet to the other. The mountains are fantastic, it is hard, if not impossible, to describe the beauty of the nature in the Carpathian Mountains. It is untouched nature in its original sense. We can recommend it to anyone who wants to combine a beautiful scenery with great hiking routes. It was only possible to enjoy the trip as much, because Iulian guided us in a professional way. Which does not mean, that we didn´t relax. The whole trip was big fun with quite some laughs. When we came down to the valley on the last day, we almost directly ended up in a outdoor swimming pool of the small city. This is what we call a perfectly organized trip

Martin Bardeleben (28), Hamburg and Torsten Linz (28), Berlin

Looking for splendid views? Aiming at climbing to the top, hiking to lonely places, enjoying the feeling of breathing fresh air? Then go hiking in the Romanian Carpathians! In summer 2003, we enjoyed hiking the ridge trail in the Fagaras mountains. During the 5-day hike, we could let float our mind, forget the daily routine and of course, we got a lot of new impressions. Although the ridge hike may not be underestimated we mastered all challenges without troubles – not least because we could always count on our mountain guide Iulian Cozma. With his very professional attitude, competence and humor he made the trip unforgettable for us. So, if you are looking for a demanding but fulfilling hiking tour away from worn-out paths, do not hesitate to go for a trip with Iulian! And if you are lucky, you might even have the chance to meet ‘muzumuzu’. Iulian – thank you very much for being such a professional guide and caring friend!

Patrizia Baur (27), Stephan Osterwald (27), Horgen, Switzerland, trip in august 2003

Stimate Domnule Cozma, doresc sa va multumesc pe aceasta cale pentru week-end-ul deosebit de agreabil pe care l-am petrecut in Muntii Fagaras impreuna cu partenerii nostri. Programul realizat de Dvs. ne-a oferit ocazia sa descoperim locuri pitoresti,peisaje deosebite, pe parcursul a doua zile de distractie si relaxare. Invitatii nostri au apreciat ideea de a participa la o drumetie montana, s-au simtit foarte bina si deja intreaba de urmatoarea intilnire.Au fost impresionati de atentia care li s-a acordat din partea organizatorilor si de dorinta ghizilor de ai sprijini in orice imprejurare. Va doresc mult succes in activitatea desfasurata si sper sa ne reintilnim cit mai curind.

Cu stima, Eduard Oancea, DSE Account Manager Xerox Romania SRL

Iulian Cozma organized for our departament a outdoor team-building trip in the Bucegi mountains in february 2003. The trip represented a real fun and entertaining exercise, and Iulian was very kind and helpful to us-he facilitated for our group a great time in the Bucegi mountains and, therefore, offered us the opportunity to become a better team!

Christoph Blattler, Consumer Marketing Director British American Tobacco (Romania) Trading SRL

A wonderful combination of good walking, interesting wildlife, spectacular scenery and culture. Iulian proved to be the best possible guide – thoughtful, selfless, organised and highly knowledgeable and informative. Don’t go to the Fagaras Mountains without him!

William Stock, England, August 2003, Fagaras Mountains main ridge, from Urlea Chalet to Bircaciu Chalet

Romania is the “Wild East” of skiing and Iluian is a great guide to explore it with. During my week there it snowed constantly- light, smoky dry powder that rivals anything I’ve skied in the Rockies or Alps. We had fresh tracks almost every day, whether skiing the trees at the resort of Poiana Brasov or exploring the back country of the Simbata Valley. The terrain is wild, the snow is fantastic and at the end of a hard day’s skiing you can relax over a meal of bear steak and wash it down with some of Iulian’s grandmother’s plum brandy (beware of this stuff!). I highly recommend hiring Iulian to show you some of last, real wilderness skiing in Europe.

David Addison, Canada, March 2003

As a professional photographer, I travel around the world visiting various locations to do photographic and journalistic work. I initially contacted Iullian and he was happy to help me through the planning stages of our trip, including weekly snow conditions updates. He was gladly waiting for us at the airport when we arrived! When travelling on these types of trips, we need knowledgable and flexible guiding so that we are able to find the best shooting conditions possible at any given time. We also travel with a lot of equipement and had the obvious hesitations travelling to Romania. Iullian sorted out all the details from arrival to departure and was instrumental in ensuring us a safe, productive trip. His help made it possible for us to go about our mission with peace of mind, he had all the keys to unlock Romania’s culture and locations. We really appreciate all your help,Iullian, we definitely would have been lost without you. Thanks for being so patient and putting up with us!

Regards, Jeff Webb, professional photographer, february 2003

Our trip to romania blew me away, i didn’t expect there to be such huge mountains, and great terrain to ride. our maountain guide iulian took us to all of the good places without any problems, he was great. we couldn’t have done it without him. thanks Iulian.

Mikey Rencz,Canada, BURTON team rider, february 2003

Recently, january 2003, BURTON team riders, Mikey Rencz and Donny Ellis visited Romania, accompanied by Senior photographer Jeff Webb, and Finnish Rider Tapio Kuusakoski, to do a story on Snowboarding in Romania, for Snowboard Canada Magazine. The trip was a success, and the story is amazing, here is what they had to say about this experience: ” Without Iulian Cozma, Mountainguide, our trip would have been a flop. Iulian new exactly where we needed to go, and got us there with no problems at all. Thanks to Iulian Cozma, Mountainguide, we will have an epic story for Snowboard Canada Magazine, as well as a new outlook on a country we had never visited before. The culture is so interesting and unique, and the Fagaras mountains are beautiful! This is one trip I will look forward to doing again in the future. Thanks Iulian!”

Donny Ellis,Canada, BURTON team rider, february 2003

Eine Empfehlung: Mein Name ist Helmut Gargitter und bin hauptberuflich Bergführer. Ich organisiere Skitouren-, Kletter und Wanderreisen in der ganze Welt. Dieses Jahr war ich 2mal in Romänien unterwegs. Mein Begleiter war dort der junge Bergführer Julian Cozma aus Brasov. Zusammen mit ihm habe ich eine Skitourenroute ausgearbeitet die sich je nach Verhältnissen gut für Gruppen eignet. Diese Routen befinden sich an 2 verschiedenen Gebirgszügen der Südkarpaten. Jetzt im Herbst habe ich mit ihm noch eine Trekkingwoche mit wieteren 6 Teilnehmern unternommen. Alle Teilnehmer sei es in der Winterwoche oder jetzt beim Herbst Trekking Waren sehr begeitert von Julian. Abgesehen daß er hervorragende Organisations- und Führungsqualitäten hat, besitzt er auch die Fähigkeiten den Teilnehmern zusätzliche Eindrücke vom Land zu vermitteln. Durch das besichtigen einiger Romänischer Dörfer, Bauernhöfe usw. bekommt eine solche Reise noch einen größeren Wert. Seine feine und freundliche Art lassen ihn einen sehr beliebten Bergführer sein. Für eine Romänien Reise mit Skiern, Rad oder zum Wandern kann ich ihnen Julian Cozma empfehlen.

Südtiroler Bergführer Helmut Gargitter, september 2002

Hiking the Fagarasch Mountains is like entering in a world of natural beauty. Even with an average altitude of only a little more than 2000 meters the mountains are sometimes rough. Beginning at the hilly part in the east, you sonly let the last trees behind you and reach the ridge, from where you can almost see (with a little imagination) the whole trail. Hiking the ridge trail is an extraordinary experience. On the right there are the steep valleys on their bottom you can see the mountain villages (in Romania the mountain villages are apparently those villages which are closest to the mountains, even they are still at their bottom). On the left, on the contrary, there are the long and peaceful valleys on the south side. Even hiking on the ridge means a lot of elevation gain and loss during the trip. Each day ends in a hut. But be aware, the cabins are not on the ridge, but down in the valleys. So you can either enjoy going down or already thinking of climbing up again the morning after. The hospitality of the Romanian people is unique. Staying in a hut or being in the city, you always meet friendly people. Forget about all you might have read or heard about Romanians in western media. You will hardly meet friendlier and more hospital people anywhere. Traveling with a guide like Iulian is a guarantee to get in contact with interesting people and to see a lot of fantastic places. Even if hiking in the mountains is your main goal you should not miss the opportunity to visit Barsov City and the church castles located in the villages around. There are a lot of cultural monuments for all kind of interests: churches, castles, cities and so on. In most cases the pearls are a little hidden. But Iulian knows them all. Many building that look quite unspectacular from outside but are full of beauty inside. So do not miss the possibility to visit a country of so much beauty as long it is untouched from the mass tourism that is destroying the beautiful places all around the world.

july 2002 – Kern Daniel,Switzerland

We will never forget our wonderful trip to the Carpathains thanks to Iulian. We stayed four days with him, and he prepared everything in a way that our ski tours with him were perfect. We had a lot of fun, and enjoyed every minute we stayed together. He is a perfect Mountain Guide with an incredible knowledge of every single mountain, but he is much more than that: He is is a great cook, he can prepare nice and different plans plans adapted to the fitness of everybody, he even became my backpack porter when he felt I was too tired, and most of all, he offers a sincere friendship. We will always remember the long conversations we held with him on the Simbata Chalet, after a ski tour day.When we were back from the montains, he kindly arranged accomodation for us in a very nice private house in Brassov, took us for dinner here and there, gave us information about trains and buses schedules, proposed day trips… In general, thanks to Iulian, we had the opportunity of visiting a much real Romania, as without him, it would have been impossible for us to find the nice places he took us to, out any Travel Guide.Back in Madrid, we feel that Romania is worth several visits as it has so many things to offer. So far away from us, but so close in the heart. Having Iulian as a guide and as a friend, we are planning now another trip for summer treks. Congratulations Iulian for your good job!

María del Pino Bartolomé. Spain, January 2002

I should begin by describing how I came to meet Iulian. I was travelling alone in Romania, and at this point in my trip I was at the beginning of a three-day hike in the Fagaras Mountains. We met at the Simbata Chalet. It seems that Iulian had been hired by two young men from France, and from what I understood through conversation with them, I learned that they had hired Iulian as a guide for the full duration of their trip in Romania. Iulian took care of all the planning, lodging and meals and on top of that, he had extensive experience hiking in the mountains. Their trip included visits in cities as well as hiking in the mountains. Iulian was helpful to me personally in that I had many questions about the trails that lay ahead of me on this trek. In fact, after the second day (a quite demanding day by my inexperienced standards) I was looking for alternatives, and Iulian suggested what he thought was the lightest of the choices that I had. I must say that it worked out nicely, and the trail was far more beautiful than I had imagined. This doesn’t yet explain to the reader why I am writing this letter. So I will tell you at once. There is a mountain in the Fagaras range, called Moldoveanu, which is the highest peak in the region. It was sort of rainy when I hiked it, so I didn’t take any pictures. When I returned home to Canada, I was searching the internet for photos. I came upon a site with some photos, and sent a letter to the site contact asking specifically for these pictures. In his reply, he wrote, “by the way, I think we met this summer”. He was indeed right. He agreed to send me photos (which I have since received), and when I inquired as to how I could return the favour, he asked me if I would mind writing something for his site. I will conclude by telling you this: I thoroughly enjoyed touring Romania, on my own, for 2 weeks. If you would enjoy the luxury of having a full-time native guide and companion, I think you needn’t search any further. By my estimation, Iulian is a good guy, and at the same time a knowledgeable and experienced guide.

Daryl Vineberg, B.Eng. Montreal, Canada

P.S. I gain nothing by writing this. And I should tell you that in the mountains I was a bit jealous when I saw what his guys were eating, compared to what I was eating…there are benefits to having a local on your side. P.P.S. Please feel free to contact me if you have any related questions

I went in Romania during three weeks, in August and september 2001. I get in touch with Iulian by e-mail, and we planed the tour together. I decided to be with him during the first ten days, with a friend of mine.We agreed that all the accommodation, the meals and the information would be provided by Iulian. The first five days, we hiked in Fagaras mountains from chalet to chalet. During this trek, we rose to the higher pick of Romania (Moldoveanu peak, 2543 m).The five last days were devoted to visit the most interesting places of Transylvania : Sibiu (with its outdoor traditional houses museum),Sighisoara, Sinaia and its Peles castle, Bran castle, Brasov and its old downtown, the saxon fortified churches around Brasov. Then Iulian gave to me all the information I needed for the rest of my trip. In particular, he indicated me the timetable of trains and buses, places to go, places to sleep, itineraries in the mountains… It was a great pleasure to do the first part of my trip with Iulian. Indeed, he always cared about us, with a real professional consciousness. He’s a reliable man. Besides, he knows a lot about Romania, and gives sound advice. Finally, I did like the mere kindness and warm welcome of his parents, in Fagaras, and his grand-mother, in Ucea. It’s a real good plan to travel in Romania with Iulian.

Jean-François GACHET, France, September 2001

Merci de nous avoir mis en relation avec Iulian Cozma; il nous a été pour nous quatre un guide parfait, en premier lieu au plan de la randonnée en montagne mais aussi aux plans des visites culturelles et des contacts avec la population du pays. N’hésitez pas à la recommander pour de tels programmes.

Merci encore. Yves Gonnord, J.F. Laurensberge, France, august 2001

I was very pleased to be asked to write this recommendation. I “discovered” Iulian via his website and all our communication was by email. I led a party of 11 for a four day trip to Romania with the emphasis on walking. Iulian was not only an experienced mountain guide. He stayed with us from morning until night and he was enormously helpful in enabling us to avoid all the pitfalls of travel in a genuinely foreign country. He arranged to meet us at the airport with a minibus, took us to the good accommodation he had arranged and stayed with us in the evening providing invaluable advice on local restaurants and wine. Dire warnings we had received about the food proved wrong – but perhaps only because we had good advice! Romania is beautiful and fascinating. In our four days we packed an awful lot in. A common reaction from our group was that the trip felt like a lot longer than four days. The mountains are wonderful and a fair bit higher than we are used to in the UK. There is plenty of original forest high up the slopes that looks for all the world like the set of a Dracula movie. I am told there are some bears and wolves in the forest but they stay well out of sight. After all, this is Transylvania! Monasteries and castles abound and you can see horse-drawn ploughs in use in the fields. I strongly recommend a trip to Sighisoara. This is the oldest mediaeval town in Europe since the tragic destruction of Dubrovnik. It is also the birthplace of the infamous Vlad, who spawned the legend of Dracula. If Sighisoara was in the West it would be an horrendous tourist trap but it is hardly developed as a tourist resort and a wonderful experience. Iulian can organise walking and climbing trips to suit all levels from gentle summer strolls to ice climbing in guaranteed winter conditions. I have no hesitation in recommending both the country and Iulian as a guide. I will also say that Romania is very cheap and easily accessible from the UK. It took us less time to get to the hills than it takes to get to many of the Scottish Munros. If anybody wants to contact me, please feel free to email me at phil.royal@btinternet.com

Phil Royal, may 2001

I visited Romania on a tour organised by Iulian Cozma to his homeland, a country largely fresh and un-exploited by tourism. My advice would be to visit while it is still such good value for money. The people are friendly, the food and wine excellent, the sights intriguing, and the scenery breathtaking.

Terry Ashton. may 2001