It was Angus’s turn to organize a hiking trip for his friends in 2016, and following a tradition of exploring less popular destinations, he opted for a trip to Romania to hike up the highest peak in Fagaras mountains. Up till now they went in self-guided tours, but going for a guided tour in the Romanian Alps proved to be a really great idea. The weather turned quite bad up at more than 2000m, with low temperatures, first snow of the year and disturbing winds.
The initial plan, going from Sambata all the way to Balea Lac, had to be abandoned, but the group was able to do a long day up on the main ridge, setting foot on the third highest peak in Romania, Vistea mare. Some easier but very scenic trails in Piatra Craiului were chosen to close the trip, leaving the high trails of Fagaras for a future trip.
A self-guided tour is always a valid option, but having a guide on your side can make a huge difference. As Angus put it after the trip ended, “your guiding was the difference between having a memorable trip and probably abandoning the walk”.
Horia, September 2016
