Walking tour, Dracula county to painted monasteries in Moldova

June 2010 was a awkward summer month in Romania, with plenty of rain and cold weather. Not for Sonia and Scott, who spent about two weeks in the mountains, at the painted monasteries in Bucovina and in the Danube Delta.

We trekked through the Bucegi mountains, around Bran, Poarta, Simon, Moeciu, Fundata mountain villages and we enjoyed really good weather. It only rained over night, when we were safe back at our pension in Poarta (great food, brilliant place, quiet and relaxing place to rest after a long walking day) or at Padina.

After a short stay in Brasov, the road up north to Bucovina was pretty rainy – it wasn’t really a problem, it just made the road trip more bearable. The three days of visits to the painted monasteries were perfect for trekking. Chilly and windy, the kind of weather that offers perfect visibility and pushes you further on and on the trail. The mixture of thrilling archeological and religious monuments and impressive forests and pastures was really something else.

The painted monasteries in Bucovina are for good reason one of the Romanian touristic high-lights. Sucevita, Moldovita, Vornet, Humor – these are the names you’ll find in any tourist guide, but don’t miss Probota. Probably the best preserved inside-the-church painting in Bucovina.

We left Sonia and Scott on the banks of the Danube, in Tulcea, ready to head for their last part of the Romanian vacation, deep inside the Danube Delta. It was a great time spent with them across Romania, enjoying the mountains, the rural life, the food, the conversations…

Horia Marusca, July 2011, Brasov


Testimonial:

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

       

       

       

       

       

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Last update - 14 May 2012

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Da, am si primit ceea ce mi-am dorit – o tura adaptata doar pentru mine, ceea nu este nici uzual nici de la sine inteles. Atat raspunsurile tale prompte la e-mailurile mele, cat si expresia “Vom gasi o cale!” m-au impresionat. Apoi a urmat adevarata provocare si anume ca in loc de o persoana, au aterizat in ultimul minut doua la aeroport! Chiar si asa, nu am avut niciodata sentimentul ca asta ar fi prea mult pentru tine sau ca nu te-ai fi putut descurca! Ai un adevarat talent organizatoric.
Micha, Germania, Martie 2012

Dann die richtige Herausforderung – da kommt jetzt nicht nur ein Mensch am Flughafen an sondern in letzter Minaute eben zwei! Ja wir hatten zu keinem Zeitpunkt den Eindruck es wird Dir was zu viel oder Du kannst das nicht bewältigen! Man kann Dich uneingeschränkt als Organisationstalent bezeichnen. Zu keiner Zeit war spürbar, das Du sicherlich auch Sorgen mit der kurzfristigen Erkrankung Deines Vaters hattest. Ja Du warst immer der gutgelaunte und unterhaltsame Guide – frühmorgens wie auch spätabends!
Micha, Germany, March 2012

It has been a wonderful week for both of us. We came with a backpack full and heavy within a lot of themes from our everyday life. We're back at home now, relaxed and satisfied. Therefore we have to say thank you so much for the breath-taking tours, the delicious food, the great accommodations and lust but not least for your ministrations respectively all you've done for us. We think, we'll meet again next year for a great biking tour.
Alois, Germany, March 2012

Thank you also for being such a brilliant and enthusiastic guide. You are not only great fun to be with but also a very competent and extremely sporty and you really know how to connect to nature - Thank you for taking such good care of us and sharing and teaching us your love for this wonderful country. It is rare to find a guide with whom you can feel both safe and familiar but you managed to always adjust perfectly to what we needed and wanted and the demands and challenges of the tour were perfectly right for us. It was an interesting and challenging tour and we were having the greatest fun throughout while experiencing the wonderful nature.
Micha, Germany, March 2012

Wir sind gesund und voller Erlebnisse wieder in der Schweiz angekommen. Die Reise nach Rumänien war für uns alle eine Bereicherung. Die fünf Tage blauer Himmel haben uns natürlich gefreut. Aber viel schöner war es, als Freund und nicht als Gast empfangen zu werden. Das macht ein grosser Unterschied. Du hast uns die Herzlichkeit Rumäniens näher gebracht.
Claude, Martin, Beat, Marc, Fritz – Schweiz, März 2012

We have arrived well and loaded with memories back home to Switzerland. The trip to Romania was for all of us truly enriching. Not only have we enjoyed five days of cloudless skies, but it was also nice to be welcomed as a friend, not as a guest. This makes the difference. You brought us closer to the Romanian hospitality.
Claude, Martin, Beat, Marc, Fritz – Switzerland , March 2012

Thanks a lot for the 4 incredible days spent in Romania! A wonderful experience! And next time we’ll think about bringing heavier gear… ;- )
Izaskun, Alejandro and friends, Zaragoza, Spain, March 2012

Iulian gav mig en konstant følelse af tryghed, da han kender alle bjerge, og tager hensyn til dit niveau. Derudover, har han en stor historisk viden om landet, hvorfor han er en god guide alle steder. Han går virkelig udover pligten som guide, hvorfor at jeg følte at jeg rejste med en ven, og ikke en guide. Jeg kommer tilbage en dag, både for at rejse med Iulian, men også for at møde det dejlige og inspirerende folk og se den smukke natur.
Jan Swensson, Roskilde, Denmark – February 2012

Iulian gave me a constant sense of security because he knows all the mountains, and takes your level into account. Additionally, he has a great historical knowledge of the country, why he is a good guide anywhere. He really goes beyond the obligation as a guide, so I felt that I traveled with a friend and not a guide. I’ll come back one day, both to travel with Iulian, but also to meet the lovely and inspiring people and see the beautiful scenery.
Jan Swensson, Roskilde, Denmark – February 2012

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

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

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

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