1, 2 or 3 Days Hiking Tour in Piatra Craiului National Park
What you need to know about the hiking tour in Piatra Craiului National Park
- This is a private only guided hiking trip starting from Brasov. Duration: approx. 8 hours. Can be extended to 2 or 3 days and also include Bran Castle
- Included: transport to the National Park & entrance fee, licensed English-speaking mountain guide. Not included: lunch (available as optional on booking page)
- You will hike through Piatra Craiului National Park, cross Zarnesti Gorge and visit two authentic mountain villages (Pestera & Magura) or hike to Curmatura Hut. Between June-September we can also stop at a sheep farm
- A medium physical condition is required: 500-700m altitude differences, 5-8h of continuous trekking, 5-10km. Trails will be discussed and agreed on the spot depending on weather and your preferences
- Extend this trip to 2 days and stay overnight in the mountains at a traditional guesthouse! Yo can "ride the crest" of Piatra Craiului and summit the highest peak at 2238m! Total price will be 300 Euro/person (incl. overnight in a double room with en-suite WC and 2 meals), must add the tour extension on the booking page
- Make this a 3-day trip: hike 2 days in Piatra Craiului and 1 day in Bucegi Mountains. Total price will be 520 Euro/person (incl. overnight and 4 meals), must add the tour extension on the booking page
- IMPORTANT: as this is a private trip, full payment in advance is required. Fully refundable if you cancel 3 full days before tour date
Additional information
Mandatory equipment: waterproof hiking boots, warm clothes depending on season, small backpack, water bottles / person, energy bars / snacks and hiking sticks if you think you need them [can also be rented from our guide].
Route can be changed because of the weather conditions.
The tour extension includes dinner on day 1, accommodation with breakfast at a traditional guesthouse, lunch pack, extra guidance & driving. If tour is extended to 2 days you need to cancel with 7 days before the tour to get a full refund.
Moments to expect in the hiking trip to Piatra Craiului Natural Park
Hike in Piatra Craiului National Park
The Carpathian Mountains offer many spectacular sights for those going on hiking trips but Piatra Craiului Mountains is undoubtedly unique: the 25km limestone ridge is a 'wall in the sky' fascinating to watch, exciting to hike! No matter which trail we take, we'll enjoy superb views! Piatra Craiului Park is also a well-preserved ecosystem for vegetation and wild animals. We will hike to Curmatura Hut on top of a hill to admire the entire area!
Zarnesti Gorge - a natural wonder!
On our hiking tour we will also pass through Zarnesti Gorge, one of the most popular and beautiful in Romania. While in its narrow pass you will feel isolated from the outside world and protected by the rocky walls around you. And the clean, fresh mountain air is going to make your trip so much better!
Traditional Romanian mountain villages
Romania is a country with many villages and each have adapted to their environment. Villages in the Carpathian Mountains are special because locals have a unique way of life, self-sustainable and isolated from the outside world. We will pass through the villages of Magura and Pestera and you will meet locals and learn more about what they do and their fascinating daily life.
[Tour extension] Turn this into a 2-day hiking trip in Piatra Craiului
If you extend this hiking trip to 2 days then we can attempt to summit the highest peak La Om at 2,238m and ride the main ridge of these famous mountains. The views from up top are breathtaking and worth the effort! A very good physical condition and medium hiking experience is required for this. But even if you don't want to do this there are plenty of other trails to do here. Exact routes will be discussed and agreed on the spot.
[extra 210 Euro/person; can add on booking page]
![[Tour extension] Turn this into a 2-day hiking trip in Piatra Craiului](https://www.romanianfriend.com/uploads/media/hiking-in-magura-5-frontend-thumbnail.jpeg)
[Tour extension] 3-day hiking in Piatra Craiului and Bucegi Mountains
If you extend this trip to 3 days then we can also go hiking in Bucegi Mountains which, by now, have been tempting you when hiking in Piatra Craiului. Bucegi Natural Park is wild in its own way but maybe the best part is seeing the limestone ridge of Piatra Craiului from an equal altitude point. The breathtaking views are worth it - let's go!
[extra 430 Euro/person with everything included; can add on booking page]
![[Tour extension] 3-day hiking in Piatra Craiului and Bucegi Mountains](https://www.romanianfriend.com/uploads/media/dsc06183mod-frontend-thumbnail.jpeg)
Cancelation & refund policy
EasySends us or the guide an email 24h 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: Brasov
- Nearest airport: Bucharest International Henri Coanda Airport
- Nearest train station: Brasov
- Landscape: Mountains, mountain villages, gorges
Reviews from travellers
We enjoyed this tour very much; everything worked out as planned. The guide took good care of the team and was always open to sharing insight from the country and the region.
Great tour by Mihai. Lots of information provided about Romanian history and traditional ways of life in the countryside.
We were a group of seven friends and enjoyed a 2 day hiking tour in the Piatra Craiului National Park which was brilliant in every way. Our guide Mihai was excellent and we learnt a lot about the area, wildlife and recent Romanian history. The B&B was in a beautiful setting in the mountains - the hosts were wonderful and food simple but excellent. We would highly recommend and wished we had booked three days. Romanian Friend were great and Marian in particular very helpful. Thank you
We had an amazing hike. Our guide Mihai was amazing. He is extraordinarily knowledgable about the mountains. A truly incredible and beautiful hike. I highly reccomend booking with Romanian Friend. They made setting everything up easy and advised us well - we just had to focus on enjoying the hike.
Bogdan was an excellent, knowledgeable guide who made sure we had a really great day out. He gave us lots of information on the local area and wildlife whilst we did a beautiful hike, and also continued to offer advice on places to visit afterwards. Highly recommend this trip!
Excellent hiking experience in national park with guest house stay. Moderate plus effort but well worthwhile. Bogdan our guide was great, an experienced mountain guide, excellent source of information on the outdoors, all things Romanian and life in general.
I made the 3-day tour as sole client with Bogdan as guide, who picked me up in his car and drove us to Magura. He also delivered me back at my hotel in Brasov at the end of the tour. The routes followed tracks taking in the Curmatura and Grind huts and the rocky side of Piatra Craiului. I was very pleased with the routes we made although the tracks were often continuously steep in difficult forest trails, equally demanding on leg muscles both up and down. We typically made about 16 km and 600-800 m altitude in 5-7 hours. The weather was cool and occasionally damp. One day saw a strong wind from the valley with very low temperartures which caused us to change our jackets several times. The accommodation in the Montana guesthouse was very good, warm and clean, with breakfast, dinner and packed lunch provided in the neighbouring restaurant – the hosts were very friendly. Bogdan is an all round sportsman and was sensitive to my limitations. He was an excellent companion at mealtimes and over a beer at the end of the day, very jovial and well informed of Romanian history. The routes are marked but not always easy to follow. We met three pairs of trekkers who had lost their way and Bogdan was gracious enough to guide them and give detailed instructions. On the last day we also took in the more touristic area with Bran castle and Poiana Brasov. I would readily use their services again and perhaps for winter sports, now that I have a better idea of the fitness level required. I would recommend these guided tours to anyone. They can accommodate all capabilities.
It was a really great hiking. We learned a lot of things about hiking. Bogdan is very nice, have an interesting life journey and know a lot of things about hiking. We are delighted about our hiking ! The landscape was amazing.
fantastic trip! everything was well organised and the guide super friendly. he told us what trail options are and we got to choose - and we went for a harder one. the guide kept a good pace, was very careful, and made breaks in good points so we can admire the views and also get fresh spring water. this area is so beautiful, this trip was really worth it!
we're both experienced hikers and initially thought about going on our own in Piatra Craiului but Marius at Romanian Friend advised us against it - and I'm so glad we listened to him. These mountains are beautiful - but not to be taken lightly. We did the 2 day trip and guide took us on trails up to the crest with difficult sections that I don't think we could have done on our own without extra time, risk and effort. And we also saw fresh bear marks as they just came out of hibernation. Our guide was prepared for that, but no close encounters luckily! The mountain guesthouse was great too, rustic and delicious food. We had a great time and made a great choice with this trip, thanks!
We had a fabulous trip in the mountains which were especially beautiful after a fresh fall of snow. It was a good length of day out and a good intro to the range. Bogdan, our guide is highly experienced and knowledgeable and we were fortunate to benefit from that.
We had an amazing two day hike with Mihai. He was knowledgeable and accommodating, letting us squeeze in other activities if we wanted. A beautiful way to explore stunning landscape. The chalet we stayed in overnight was also beautiful and cosy.
We had an intens and beautiful 2 day hike including sleeping in a mountain town with great views and food. Thanks Alex for guiding us to the top of the Om peak, was a great experience!
Our guide, Radu was very helpful, knowledgable, patient and easy to get along with. We had a really good experience with him and we are well pleased. I certainly recommend him and the rest of the Romanian Friend team for your adventures in Romania!
We chose the two day hike and enjoyed it a lot. Our guide, Mihai, was very knowledgeable and knew the area well. He shared many stories with us as we hiked and set a good pace for our entire party. The overnight stay was in a lovely inn with great traditional food and featured an extremely beautiful scenic view. Additionally, we met a lot of animals along the way. If you want a good hike through the mountains with good company, this tour won't disappoint!
The day was amazing won Piatra Criaului. I was travelling solo and worried about picking the right trails to hike safely. Romanian Friend provided a certified guide who worked out a great plan and provided transportation to and from my hotel. The route was matched to my skill and comfort level and the 2-3 hours on the ridge was full of picture perfect views. Thanks for a great day Iști and Marian!
I could not have imagined a better guide for this trek. His passion, patience and talent for guiding is remarkable and very much appreciated!
We had a great trip! Bogdan was a fantastic guide and the 2 days of hiking was exactly what we wanted. He quickly assessed our ability levels and tailored the trip around that. Finding some amazing routes that we never would have found alone. Would highly recommend!
The 2 day tour proved to be a great to experience the Romanian Carpathians. Romanian friend smoothly set us up with our guide from Brasov who was superb. He took us on a couple of glorious hiking routes that we wouldn’t have found without him. He was incredibly knowledgable and passionate about his beautiful part of the world. Highly recommended!
Absolutely fantastic experience. Mihai our guide was knowledgable, funny and warm and gave the perfect amount of info. Brilliant 3 day trekking in the snow on some fab walks, also the guesthouse made us grilled cheese (Buls) - shephard’s food. Would highly recommend Romanian Friend and Mihai. Very organised and informative. Impressed.
Romanian Friend helped me book an excellent mountain guide, Bogdan from Marian's team, for my one-day hike up to and then along the razorback ridge of the Piatra Craiului National Park. Having a guide was essential to finding my way, as the trails were not well marked. Bogdan also showed excellent judgment in adjusting our itinerary due to impending rain--a safety issue because the trails down become slippery when wet. The ridge, which is spectacular, requires relying on fixed cables for help in clambering up the steeper parts. The views are worth it!
We had some really nice days in the mountains - weather was perfect, tours where adjusted to our level, we meet nice people and had a good time where we got to see parts we would not have explored on our own.
I cannot recommend going on a hike through Romanian Friend enough. We were lucky to get to spend a day hiking through Piatra Craiului with Marian and it was absolutely fantastic. Romanian Friend helped us in selecting which national park in the area would be the best to hike based on the snow conditions - and not only were we safe in navigating the winter terrain, we were lucky to see Piatra in such beautiful conditions on a fun trail. Marian also offered to show us some traditional Romanian villages and have the opportunity to have a cheese tasting at an eco-house, which was an incredible local experience to add onto our hike (and the snack after a long walk was perfect!). Thank you and we hope to be back to hike again with Marian again in the future!
We had booked a day trip to hike to Piatra Craiului National Park in early March. The communication beforehand with Marius from Romanian Friend and Marian, our guide, was exceptional - we communicated right after booking and then the few days leading up to the trip to make sure we were prepared, gear-wise, and determined our pick up location. Unfortunately my husband hurt his knee and we were unable to do the trip so this feedback is more about their customer service. We got an immediate refund even if we canceled only 2 days before the tour. We are disappointed to not have done the hike and will definitely rebook with them if we revisit Romania!
We booked this 2-day trip for our family with kids on pretty short notice through Romanian Friend. Marius was very helpful to understand our needs and made an excellent recommendation with this tour. Our guide was Marian and he was extremely flexible and adjusted the route to the weather and our wishes and needs. We learned a lot about the nature and history of this beautiful country from him and the planning and accommodation was excellent. Besides this, he is a really nice guy. The nature varies a lot and you will enjoy forest, meadows, saddels, canyons, dramatic ridges and magnificent views. It is really wild nature and most of the time we were actually alone. Fantastic experience!
My boyfriend (a first timer hiker) and I had a wonderful hike with our guide Mihai. He was really good at adapting the tour along to way to our abilities and wishes, and both my boyfriend and I got an experience for life hiking Piatra Mică. He was also easy to talk with especially about nature, hiking and Romania in general, and is a very experienced climber and hiker - so you are safe in his hands. The tour itself can be somewhat adapted to your skills and abilities, and the first part of the way from Zarnesti Gorge to Curmătura Chalet is manageable for families and children. However, it is recommended to have good footwear and have a basis of physical form, both if you wish to go further up the mountain (there's gravel, rocks, possibility of actual climbing) and for the way down, which is strenuous and you are better of with at a good foothold. The nature along the way is simply gorgeous, and you'll get to see farm animals and possibly birds or other wild animals along the way together with streams, flowers and fantastic views. All in all: if you wish to experience Romanian mountains Piatra Crailului National Park is the place to go, and with a guide you are both safe and will experience the national park in ways you'd never be able to, unless you are a local who have fared the park for years. Highly recommend this tour!
It was amazing. I loved the beautiful nature. Our tour guide Marian was awesome. He was flexible, funny and amazing, thank you. We enjoyed the trip a lot. I would love to comeback again and recommend to all my friends hikers and everyone. Hope coronavirus will fade away...
I had such an amazing hike through the gorge and up to the top of the limestone ridge at Piatra Craiuli Park. Mihai was a great guide and showed not only great knowledge about the area, but cared deeply for the park too. Would definitely come back!
A great hike with an excellent guide. Despite the rain Marian kept us going with his humour and educational narrative. The rain lifted and the rest of the hike was even better with the mountain cabin showing us a very interesting part of Romanian life and food!
a great guide who adapted our tour and route on the spot. beautiful views and not too difficult. it was a great day, thanks
A beautiful hike with a great guide - thanks!
Our day hike in Piatra Craiului was really great! Our guide arrived on time and was really welcoming! We couldn’t have a better time if it wasn’t for Bogdan and his knowledge of the mountains! He helped us having the hike we wanted and more. I recommend the tour to anyone who wants a great time in the Romanian mountains!
This tour was absolutely fantastic! Our guide was really caring and took notice of requirements of all in the group. Made the whole journey memorable and ensured that we were fed well during and after the trip which was a very welcome surprise. Thank you!
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