Transfagarasan Highway Tour: The Best Road in the World!
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What you need to know about this Transfagarasan Road Tour
- This tour starts from Sibiu and lasts 8 hours. Runs all year round: driving on the road in July-Oct, by cable car the rest of the year
- Included: transport by car, guidance, entrance fee at Carta Abbey and Clay Castle. Cable car ticket NOT included
- The main part of Tranfagarasan Highway opens for driving only between July - October. Outside this period, if weather permits, we can do the tour using the cable car which runs right above the road (extra fee of 13 Euro/person for tickets)
- You will see a 800 year old abbey, the Tranfagarasan highway and the Balea glacier lake at the top of the mountains.
- If you want, we can stop for lunch on our route - I know some good spots :)
- Unless you specifically mention that you want a private tour, there might be other travelers joining you on this trip
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Additional information
The weather changes a lot in the mountains so, we suggest proper equipment: sun hat, umbrella, rain coat, sport shoes or trekking shoes.
If you want we can also organize a short trekking tour up in Fagaras Mountains.
Between November and July the road is closed due to weather conditions. We can reach Balea Lake by taking a cable car (extra 13 Euro/ person). In case of extremely windy and snowy weather, the acces is totally forbidden.
Apart from the spectacular drive on the Transfagarasan winding road and the visit at the Carta Abbey you can choose a visit at the Clay Castle or Cisnadioara fortress.
Moments to expect in the Transfagarasan Road Trip
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The Cistercian Monks' Abbey
Built in the 13th century by the Cistercian monks, the Carta fortified abbey is one of the earliest gothic constructions in Transylvania. During our visit you will discover its well-preserved ruins and learn about the 800 year old history of this attraction.
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The Transfagarasan Road
Built by the communists as an access road across the Carpathian Mts. to link Transylvania with the Southern province of Wallachia, the Transfagarasan Highway is a spectacular scenic road situated in a mountain valley at 2,000m high. Enjoy a ride on the road that Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson called "the best road in the world."
*runs all year round -
Glacier Balea Lake
At the top of Transfagarasan Highway there is a small glacier lake hidden between the rough edges of Fagaras Mts. With its emerald green waters, there is something special and relaxing about this lake and you will have the chance to admire it and the splendid surrounding views!
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The Fairytale Clay Castle (optional)
There is a unique attraction growing in popularity nearby: the Clay Castle in Valea Zanelor. We will go for a short visit to see it and take a few pictures before returning to Sibiu.
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Balea Ice Hotel (only in winter time)
From December to April the glacier lake gets frozen and becomes... a hotel! Built from the ice of the lake, this hotel is the second biggest ice hotel in Europe. Every year it has a different theme which makes it spectacular and unique. The hotel of ice and the ice church are "a must" on our visit list!
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Cisnadioara Fortress (optional)
Cisnadioara fortress is one of the oldest in Transylvania (12th century). We'll climb up the hill and enjoy a great view towards the village and the mountains around
Location details
- Starting point: Sibiu
- Nearest airport: Sibiu or Cluj International
- Nearest train station: Sibiu Train Station
- Landscape: Mountains & countryside
Reviews from travellers
The tour was good and the views were amazing. Booking was easy and communication was smooth. Our guide brought us to the transfagarasan highway early and we manage to avoid the crowds! Recommended.
The tour went perfect, our guide Peter was on time, very friendly and knowledgeable. He showed us some more spots on the Transfagarasan Highway which was great! I highly recommend booking a tour with Romanian Friend, everything was organised well, and communication was easy.
My husband and I did the Transfagarasan Highway Tour. It was amazing! I was really worried as it was the only day that wasn't clear and sunny and as we started up the road there was very little visability due to the fog and clouds. But once we were a little over halfway up we got above the clouds and could see the road from the view point as well as the clouds as they crept up the mountain. It was a very cool sight, my husband especially loved it. It was clear at the top as well as on the other side. The whole day was great, getting to see the Abbey and Clay Castle were bonuses. Lunch was fantastic and our guide, Peter, was friendly and charming. Highly recommend.
Wow! Quelle belle expérience pour nous. Nous recommandons fortement ce tour. Nous avons fait la route transfagarasan, vu le lac et avons fait une magnifique randonnée. Adèle, do. Conjoint et Marius ont été très généreux. Ce fut la meilleure journée de notre voyage en Roumanie!
Everything was very well organized and adjusted to our needs. We had safe ride and nice conversation during that time. All the views were amazing and it was definitely worth going there. Our guide was helpful and really took care about us. I can highly recommend this tour on Romanian Friend with Adela :)
Fantastic day and great value for money! The road trip would have been enough on its own, but the visit to Carta monastery and the clay house were icing on the cake. Our guide Adela was friendly, chatty and knowledgable. She took us at a pace we felt comfortable with and gave us a real tour. Highly recommend!
Adela was informative , attentive and she added greatly to my experience of this part of Romania. This tour was excellent - thank you Adela and Romanian Friend.
We had a great day with Adela who was helpful, enthusiastic and really awesome as a guide. Everything went well and as planned and we found out a lot about Sibiu area and Transfagarasan, which was the highlight of our trip. Thanks Romanian Friend!
Other tours nearby
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2-day Hike in Fagaras Mountains
Start from: Brasov (pick-up)
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Transfagarasan Highway Road Trip
Start from: Bucharest
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Transylvania's Highest Peaks
Start from: Sinaia
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