3-Day Hiking & Wildlife Trip at an Eco-Luxury Private Cabin in Fagaras Mts
What you need to know about this private hiking & wildlife trip:
- IMPORTANT: due to the cabin's LIMITED places (6 beds) and VERY HIGH demand for this experience, please book in advance as soon as you can and keep your dates flexible so we can match you with a group
- STARTING POINT: from Rucar at 13:00 (Arges county, 70 km from Brasov) or Brasov (transfer on request). Trip runs early May - late October only.
- 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 our specially-built eco-luxury mountain cabin which has a basic kitchen, comfortable beds, bathroom with solar shower, all essentials and heating. No electricity, but spectacular views!
- ATTENTION: Physical effort can vary from medium to high. Each day you will go on guided hiking and wildlife observation trips. Routes and activities will be agreed on the spot depending on weather, your interests and the group fitness level
- LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCTS: Don't worry about food - all meals will be prepared by the guide with delicious, homegrown and locally sourced products. Local wines and traditional drinks included!
- 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 after your booking is confirmed. The full amount is refundable if you cancel 30 days before the tour.
Additional information
Transfers from Brasov, OTP Airport, Bucharest or Sibiu available at extra cost on booking page.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT: Hiking/outdoor clothing and footwear according to season and weather in the mountains at high altitudes (usually cold); Day backpack (min. 35L); Warm clothes (it might be chilly in the morning and late evening); Rain jacket; Sun hat/sunglasses; Headlamp or torch, batteries; Mosquito spray (optional)
Facilities at the hide: Eco-friendly, wooden building with rustic design; Cosy beds (a double bed and 4 bunk beds), bed sheets, pillows and warm blankets; Fully-equipped kitchen; Rustic fireplace; Dining room with large windows for viewing; Restroom with toilet, solar shower (weather-permitting), sink with running water, free toiletries, towels; Large windows for wildlife watching (additional windows for professional cameras/wildlife photography facilities); Slippers; Rain ponchos; Wildlife and birdwatching equipment: binoculars and telescope for star-gazing; Field guides: birds, mammals, plants and other relevant brochures; Fresh air, tranquillity and great company!
There is NO Wi-fi, phone reception or electricity!
Large trolleys and bags can be left in the car or in Rucar village 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.
Price fully refundable if you cancel with up to 30 days before the trip.
Moments to expect in the hiking and wildlife trip:
Day 1: Enter Fagaras Mts
We meet 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!) around noon and from there we venture into the wilderness, to the very heart of Fagaras Mountains. We go 1h30 min off-road in a 4x4 vehicle and then hike for about 30 min to arrive at our cosy cabin with great views of the area.
True to Romanian hospitality, we begin our stay with a glass of organic sparkling wine and appetizers while admiring the superb views of Pecineagu Lake from the cabin. Then we go on a short hike to explore the area and look for forest-dwelling 'locals.'
We come back before dusk, the best time to spot wildlife roaming free in their natural habitat. In the evening we feast on a delicious menu and local wines.
[please read the second page of info about transfers, bags and required equipment]
Days 2 & 3: Hiking and wildlife observation trips
We wake up early in the morning for wildlife observation while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. We may see bears, wild boars, red deers, roe deers or foxes from the comfort of our hide.
After a hearty breakfast, we go hiking in the alpine meadows of Fagaras Mountains to get some amazing views. We return in the afternoon, look for more wildlife and enjoy a delicious home-cooked dinner.
On the last day, we wake up in the morning for another chance to spot wildlife. After breakfast, we slowly start our descent and return to civilization. Please remember the trips will be customised according to your fitness level and/or medical conditions.
Our eco-friendly mountain cabin, your cozy home in the wilderness
You will stay at our specially built eco-friendly wooden cabin high up in the mountains with BREATHTAKING views of Pecineagu Lake and Fagaras Mts. The cabin has a private bathroom with solar shower and can accommodate up to 6 guests. You will enjoy organic food, locally sourced and local Romanian wines, too - all included in the package. How does that sound?
Amazing views from the cabin
There's a strong reason we call it a "nature observatory" - prepare for some spectacular views: sunrise, sunset, night sky - all perfect for admiring and nature photography!
NEW: Bisons reserve & rewilding programme
We recently 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 Mts, 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. Are you ready for this unique experience?
[Tour extension] Stay an extra night in the wilderness
For an extra 226 Euro/person [with everything included] you can stay another night 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!
![[Tour extension] Stay an extra night in the wilderness](https://www.romanianfriend.com/uploads/media/bunea-3-frontend-thumbnail.jpg)
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, Arges county
- Nearest airport: Brasov airport , Otopeni (Bucharest airport) or Sibiu
- Nearest train station: Brasov or Zarnesti
- Landscape: Mountainous & forest
Reviews from travellers
I loved this hike. Sebi was a terrific guide to the mountains and all things Romanian. All questions prompted interesting conversations. The mountains were glorious, the hide was super comfy and company was excellent. Saw 2 bison and a bear visited on 2 days! So good to learn about the conservation efforts. Highly recommended.
Very nice tour and our guide Alex was super friendly and gave us very useful information about wildlife, nature, and Romanian mountains in general. We highly recommend this trip! Thank you Alex :)
Very informative site. Quick responses, good communication. Everything was as said. Incredible tour and wilderness experience, highly recommend!
What a fantastic trip! Our tour through Romanian Friend was excellent. The knowledge of the guide, the wildlife we saw, the scenery….it was executed brilliantly. The communication from booking to the tour starting was also fantastic. Would highly recommend.
If you love nature, this is worth a trip. Very skilled guides who were very flexible. The cabin has nice comfort standards for the mountains but still retained the primitive look / experience we were looking for. We were all very impressed by the nature and the wildlife around the cabin. Thank you!
We stayed for 3 nights at the Wildlife Hide. It was a wonderful experience feeling this far away from the world. Our guide took a lot of effort showing us the area around and he delighted us with some Romanian cuisine. The hike up to the cabin is quite challenging (not far, but steep). If you visit the Carpathians, this is definately a recommendation to stay! There are hides near Brasov that you can visit in mornings and evenings and they will show you more wildlife, but this trip is a different experience all-together: complete wilderness and nature! Thanks to Romanian Friend for assistance with our questions and booking!
We really loved our time on this trip. It was absolutely magical to be up in the mountains, hiking in the wild, and staying in this beautiful cabin. Cristian was our guide. The man knows everything! He answered every question we had about the foundation, the park, Romania's history, our surroundings. We were stunned. He was so friendly, sorted my girlfriend out with some vegan nibbles, and wine for us upon arrival, and checked in with us every step of the way, giving us an amazing hike that was both manageable and comfortably challenging, for two hiking novices. He was able to tell us about the paw prints in the snow, the trees, the call of the birds, a genuinely lovely man. The cabin itself is very cool, surrounded by a most dramatic background of mountains, lakes and forest. It snowed all day before we had arrived, so be warned the cabin can be very cold when you arrive, or when you're leaving, but heats up so so quickly and it's the cosiest place once it does -despite the flies, who also seem to love the heat! We were also really grateful to be picked up and dropped off so conveniently, and the entire experience was an adventure we were delighted to have tried. Certainly hoping to try something similar in future. Many thanks to Romanian Friend for answering our questions before booking and making sure everything goes smooth. A highly recommended experience!
The trip was wonderful! The mountains were beautiful, the cabin stunning and well-equipped, Iulia our guide was well-informed and great fun, and Romanian Friend was flexible and communicative with our booking and questions. Would highly recommend this experience. Best of all, the money spent goes to support conservation works in this beautiful area!
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