Hike Romania's Carpathian Mountains in Winter

This will very much depend on the snow conditions at time of travel. Between January and March, the Apuseni mountains are usually covered in snow. If snow is present, all hikes will take place using snowshoes and poles (these are included in the trip price and provided locally).

Snowshoes are a special type of footwear that enables you to spread your weight over a larger area, allowing you to move easily across powdery snow-covered terrain. If you have never tried this activity before, don't worry! Snowshoeing is incredibly easy, comfortable and safe. You simply clip your snowshoe to the outside of your hiking boot and off you go. You'll be in the hands of experienced and trained local guides who know the area intimately, who will guide you safely throughout the hike. You'll also have the opportunity to test the snowshoes on Day 1, before you head out on longer excursions on Days 2 and 3.

The local tap water is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles (at least 1.5L) to fill up to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive, and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location, and lodging, and in some places, options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND Romanian food has been shaped by Carpathian farming, Danube plain harvests, and a crossroads of Balkan, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian influences, so it’s often hearty, seasonal, flavorful, and built around meats, soups, stews, cornmeal, and preserved vegetables.

You’ll eat locally sourced Romanian food throughout the trip, sitting down to dishes that make sense only here in this valley, at this time of year. Your local host builds each menu around ingredients from their small farm. Because the trip is taking place during winter, the veggie options are limited, but there are plenty of preserved pickles, wild mushrooms, and forest fruits, plus meat from free-range cows, sheep, and chickens. Bread is homemade, and you should expect savory Romanian doughnuts or traditional pies.

Breakfast is usually continental, with a selection of cheese and local meats, eggs, wild mushrooms, bread, jam, coffee, and tea. Dinner typically includes a soup, a meat or fish option alongside local vegetables, polenta, rice or potatoes, pickles, bread, and a dessert. While snowshoeing, you’ll carry a packed lunch with a cooked selection of meat, rice or potatoes, fruit, and a few salty and sweet snacks.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided your host is aware in advance. There are plenty of appealing meat-free dishes to look forward to including smoky zacuscă (roasted veg spread), salată de vinete (eggplant dip), mushroom or potato stews, ciorbă de fasole (bean soup), mămăligă with cheese, and sweet apple or cheese pies.

Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance, but you should expect fewer options and variety than you may be used to, especially in more rural areas where meals are traditionally built around meat and dairy. Vegan-friendly choices may include simple vegetable dishes and salads, sarmale with rice and mushrooms, ghiveci vegetable stew, fasole bătută (whipped beans), eggplant dips, pickles, grilled peppers, and zacuscă (a traditional Romanian vegetable spread made from slow-cooked roasted eggplants, peppers, onions, and tomatoes).

Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Romania and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients may not be available, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

Halal Romania is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, halal-certified kitchens, meat, and supply chains may not be available so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Celiac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, options may be more limited compared to those without dietary requirements. While your local hosts will do their best, it’s worth knowing that gluten-free provision may vary as it can be difficult to source specialist products and some kitchens may be unable to guarantee no cross-contamination, especially in rural areas. Therefore, meals will more often be based on naturally gluten-free dishes more often than specialist substitutes. That said, many standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation, including meats, potato dishes, rice, eggs, and salads. Please do consider bringing your favorite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Celiac disease), please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip, and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority.

*Please note that when traveling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods, and labeling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. While your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

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All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Temperatures drop below zero during the night and down to zero during the daytime. It's usually colder in the mornings but warms up around noon.