3-day Hiking & Wildlife Trip in the Wild Carpathians
What you need to know about this wildlife hiking trip in Romania:
- IMPORTANT: due to the cabin's LIMITED places (8 spots in 1 double bed and 6 bunk beds) and VERY HIGH demand, please book in advance as soon as you can and keep your dates flexible in case we have trips already scheduled
- PERIOD: Trip runs from early May to mid October. This is a small group trip for people who love nature, mountaineering & want to see animals in the wild
- INCLUDED: transport with 4WD vehicle from Rucar, 2 nights accommodation at the cabin, all meals, hiking guidance and wildlife observation with a specialized guide. Trip can be extended with 1d/1n
- FACILITIES: You'll stay in a newly renovated shepherd's hut, whcih has a basic kitchen, one double bed and 6 bunk beds, all fully equipped, outdoor dry toilet. No running water or electricity. We provide full bedding, so there is no need to bring your own sleeping bags.
- ATTENTION: Hiking in the area requires a good physical condition (medium to high difficulty). Routes will be agreed on the spot depending on weather, your fitness and preferences.
- LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCTS: Don't worry about food - the guide will prepare meals with delicious, locally-sourced products and ingredients. We provide beer and wine at Comisu hut!
- WILDLIFE CONSERVATION: The trip is organised by a Romanian non-profit organisation for wildlife conservation in a non-tourist area. All funds will support their work!
- This is NOT a touristic area and there are no shops or guesthouses in the area. No roads either. This is complete wilderness! Please read next page for more info
- IMPORTANT: due to high demand for this trip, limited spots in the cabin and complex logistics of this trip, our partner will ask you to pay the full cost of the trip immediately after your booking is confirmed. The full amount is refundable if you cancel at least 30 days before the tour.
- STARTING POINT: Rucar at 13:00/14:00 (Arges county, 70km from Brasov) or Brasov (transfer on request for extra 140 Euro 2-way).
Additional information
Transfers from Brasov, OTP Airport, Bucharest or Sibiu available at extra cost on booking page.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT: Hiking/outdoor clothing and high-cut footwear according to season and weather in the mountains at high altitudes (usually cold); Personal toiletries; Day backpack (min. 35L); Warm clothes (it might be very chilly in the morning and late evening); Rain jacket; Sun hat/sunglasses; Headlamp or torch, batteries; Mosquito spray (optional)
The hut is an Eco-friendly building with rustic design. It can accommodate up to 8 people in 6 bunk beds and 1 double bed, all fully equipped; It has a basic kitchen, Towels; Rustic fireplace; Outdoor dry toilet; Large windows for wildlife watching and wildlife photography; Binoculars; Fresh air, tranquillity and great company!
There is NO Wi-fi, Electricity, Running water or Shower
Large trolleys and bags will be left in the car as they CANNOT be taken up to the cabin. Please bring a backpack to take the essentials with you to the cabin. You will be escorted by a mountain guide at all times during your trip.
Wildlife observation in safe conditions, but spotting animals is not guaranteed - nature cannot be controlled.
10% deposit of the tour price will be paid when booking. Balance will be paid right after your booking is confirmed, by online payment or bank transfer. Cash is not accepted.
Price fully refundable if you cancel with up to 30 days before the trip.
Moments to expect during the wildlife observation trip
Day 1: enter Fagaras Mountains
We start our journey in Rucar village, Arges county (please be very careful, there is a village with the same name 120km away, in Brasov county, which is not the correct meeting point!) or Brasov (pick up on request) around noon and enter Fagaras Mountains, by offroad car. We cross a lake on an electrical boat and then hike 1h30min, deeper into the mountains only with our backpacks.
On our way, we become familiar with the area and look for signs of wild animals or their tracks.
Our observation refuge
We hike our way up the mountains to reach the Comisu hut, situated at 1625m. This completely renovated shepherd's hut, located in a completely wild and unpopulated area was rebuilt using natural materials. Having a rustic feeling and large windows, it blends in with the natural setting and offers spectacular views of the surrounding area and valleys.
Wildlife observations can be done from this building or from the Comisu wildlife hut, situated just below, one minute away.
We guarantee magical and memorable evenings and nights in the wilderness.
Day 2 & 3: Wildlife watching and tracking
On this trip you'll learn about the ecosystem Mother Nature created in the Carpathian Mountains. Our specialised mountain guides will give you binoculars and teach you about animals' natural habitat and take you on wildlife tracking and observation trips.
We check forest observation cameras, look for animal tracks and enjoy the superb views in the area while hiking.
Keep in mind that seeing animals is not guaranteed as nature cannot be controlled but the chances are very high: bears, deer, boars, foxes, eagles etc.
Hiking in Fagaras Mountains
We are in the heart of Fagaras Mountains - Transylvania's Alps. There are plenty of hiking trails to choose from, of various difficulty and rewards. We can go up to 2,100m, circle Pecineagu Lake or explore other nearby peaks. Prepare for some mountain adventures!
[Tour extension] Spend another day in the wilderness
For an extra 230 Euro/person [with everything included] you can stay another night and day here and enjoy the wilderness! Besides the obvious reasons for this, there's one you can't anticipate right now: the silence, fresh air and raw beauty of this wild area is absolutely addictive!
NEW: Bisons reserve & rewilding programme
We started a bison rewilding program hoping to reintroduce these precious, gentle and large animals in the wilderness of Romania! The bisons were recently released from a protected camp so we might have a chance to see them, learn why they became extinct and how the process of rewilding is done.
Ready to disconnect?
We are DEEP in the wilderness of the Carpathian Mountains, in a non-touristy area with no roads or other villages nearby. There is NO phone signal (except on certain peaks in the areas), no wi-fi or electricity. You will be completely immersed in nature's beauty and silence and disconnect from busy civilisation.
Ready for this unique experience?
Cancelation & refund policy
HardSends us or the guide an email 30 days before the tour informing us you can't make it and you'll get a full refund of your payment, no questions asked.
Location details
- Starting point: Rucar village, Arges county
- Nearest airport: Brasov airport , Otopeni (Bucharest airport) or Sibiu
- Nearest train station: Brasov or Zarnesti
- Landscape: Mountainous & forest
Reviews from travellers
Romanian Friend led us to this amazing team who run excellent conservation projects. The hide we stayed in was really special, great views, comfortable, remote. Our guide was very friendly and answered our constant questions about the Carpathian Mountains, the forest, Romanian history and culture. He was also a great cook.
The wildlife tour in Carpathian mountains was an excellent experience. We saw bears, vipers, toads and loads of frogs. Thanks to our guide Jeno.
All our dreams were fulfilled. We saw bears, had a great hike of 30 km in the mountains and last but not least we had the brilliant guide Razvan. He was so good with our son who has a mental handicap, was responsible, … The hide was so beautiful and the food was excellent,…It was a ‘top experience’! Thanks a lot to Romanian Friend who made this possible after many attempts!
Great tour! We got to see various wild animals (bears, bisons, a boar, deers) and enjoyed some hikes and tranquility in the beautiful nature of Fagaras mountains. Our guide Radu provided us with a lot of information about wildlife, romanian history and geography. We recommend!
Amazing! We had a very nice tour. Everything was good, with beautiful sight from the cabin, wonderful nature and really nice guides. We will definitely come back one day
We loved our stay in the Fagaras Mountain Cabin. Andrei, our guide, was a really nice guy to hang out with. He talked with passion about wildlife in the Fagaras Mountains and the work that is done by their non-profit organisation and life in general in Romania. We were lucky to see a mama bear with her cub in the evening, hanging around in front of the cabin. The European bizons were around several times. We booked this tour for 2020 but Romanian Friend was very flexible with us changing dates and other details, I highly recommend their service!
Our time at the hide with Vlad was absolutely brilliant. We can’t help but feel very lucky to have seen boar, bear and deer up close and personal all in one evening! The views from the mountain top were breathtaking and we saw lots of tracks on our hike. Thank you Romanian Friend for a wonderful experience - we will never forget it!
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