Wild Summits Challenge in Romania's Retezat Mountains

In adverse weather conditions, it may not be safe to ascend the most exposed paths; therefore your guide will monitor conditions and adjust the route as needed. In the event of unusually high snowfall in June, you won’t be using crampons or ice axes on this non-technical trek, and alternative routes may be taken instead. Your host will stay in touch before departure and inform you if extreme weather is expected. There are contingency plans for the parts of the itinerary most likely to be affected by unseasonable conditions.

If your inbound flight is significantly delayed and there isn’t enough daylight to reach Buta Cabin on Day 1, your host will arrange an overnight stay in Cluj-Napoca, with an early transfer to the cabin on Day 2. In this case, the order of hikes and activities may be adjusted to ensure everything can still be covered comfortably.

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks, to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

The tap water in the mountains is generally safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles to fill up at the mountain hut 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 accommodation, 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, flavourful and built around meats, soups, stews, maize and preserved vegetables.

You’ll eat mainly locally sourced Romanian food throughout the trip, sitting down to dishes that make sense only here in this area, at this time of year. Your local host builds each menu around ingredients from small farmers, shepherds and foragers. Expect plenty of variety in the veg, fruits and locally sourced meat.

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. On the hiking days, you’ll carry a packed lunch with sandwiches, fruits 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 (aubergine 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 that 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), aubergine dips, pickles, grilled peppers and zacuscă (a traditional Romanian vegetable spread made from slow-cooked roasted aubergines, 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 Coeliac, 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 favourite 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 Coeliac 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 travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling 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. Whilst 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 are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

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

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

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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 are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers 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. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

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.

The Retezat Mountains offer excellent hiking conditions from late June to early October, with relatively stable weather and accessible peaks and trails. During this period, daytime temperatures in the valleys range from 18-25°C (64-77°F), while higher altitudes remain cooler, averaging 10-18°C (50-64°F). On warmer days, temperatures can reach 28°C (82°F) in the valleys, but nights at elevation can drop to 5-10°C (41-50°F). While summer weather is generally favourable, afternoon thunderstorms are more common in July and August. By late September and early October, temperatures begin to drop but the trails are less busy. In early summer, alpine meadows are lush and dotted with wildflowers, while glacial lakes remain full from melting snow. Forested valleys provide cooler, shaded trails, and by late September, autumn colours start to appear at higher elevations. Your host will monitor conditions and adjust the itinerary if necessary to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience in the mountains.