Much Better Adventures

Adventures / Sub Zero

Snowshoe the Carpathian Mountains in Romania

Hike through untouched powder, see the beautiful Apuseni Mountains and explore a mysterious network of caves and chambers

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Trip Ref #9871

Adventures / Sub Zero

Snowshoe the Carpathian Mountains in Romania

Hike through untouched powder, see the beautiful Apuseni Mountains and explore a mysterious network of caves and chambers

DURATION
3 nights
LOCATION
Romania
ANNUAL LEAVE
2 days off work
SEASON
Feb, Mar
GROUP SIZE
Up to 8 people
MEETING POINT
Cluj-Napoca International Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Guesthouse
DIFFICULTY
Moderate

No special skills are required but expect hikes of around 3 to 7 hours with no significant ascents.

Featured as, 'One of the best activity holidays in Europe' by The Guardian

Snowshoe through a winter wonderland and cross deep spruce forests and silky meadows to visit remote mountain communities

Descend the deepest cavern in Romania and follow the famous Vartop ice Cave into the heart of an ancient glacier

Included

Guides

Local, fully-certified guides

Accommodation

3 nights in a guesthouse

Meals

Munch on tasty food throughout

Transfers

To and from the airport and everything in-between

Equipment

All your snowshoe equipment

Permits

All permits and licenses

Not Included

Flights to and from the meeting point

Travel insurance

Tips for your guides

The Area

Logistics

Starts

Cluj-Napoca Airport

13:45 on Day 1

Ends

Cluj-Napoca Airport

18:00 on Day 4

Transfers

Your adventure begins at Cluj-Napoca Airport (CLJ) with your airport transfer to Garda de Sus village at 13:45. Please schedule your flight to arrive more than 30 minutes before this time, your host will be waiting for you in the arrivals area. It is a 3 hours transfer to the guesthouse.

At the end of your adventure, you will be dropped back at Cluj-Napoca Airport at 18:00. You’re free to book any flight that departs after 20:00.

Travel options

There are regular flights to Romania from airports across the UK and Europe.

What about all the carbon?

We mitigate 4x the carbon generated by all our customer flights annually through our partnership with Cool Earth.

Day 1

Guesthouse · Twin or triple share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2 – Day 3

Guesthouse · Twin or triple share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 4

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

You'll eat delicious local food made with ingredients straight from the guesthouse farm. Usually this is a combination of vegetables, meat, home-produced dairy products and freshly baked bread. Warm soups are usually served as a starter and meals finish with herbal teas (mainly blueberry) and coffee.

Most dietary requirements can be accommodated, including vegan, vegetarian and dairy free, just let your host know beforehand.

What is the accommodation like?

Casa de Piatra

You’ll stay in a local guesthouse in the remote and beautiful hamlet of Casa de Piatra. The guesthouse offers comfortable twin or triple room rooms based on same-gender sharing with full-board meals.

Upgrades

Unfortunately private rooms are not available on this trip.

Day 1

Casa de Piatra

Snowshoeing

1hr

Grab a late lunch in the old but vibrant city of Cluj-Napoca and then drive to the village of Garda de Sus. From here you'll continue to the remote hamlet of Casa de Piatra by car or horse-pulled sledge. Enjoy a hot drink followed by a briefing with your guide and then explore the area by snowshoe before dinner.

Day 2

Heart of the mountains

Snowshoeing

6-7hrs

Don your snowshoes and head deep into the wilderness. Stop for tea with a local family and learn about life in the mountains, then return to your guesthouse in time for dinner by following narrow trails lined with wild animal tracks.

Day 3

Explore an underground wonderland

Snowshoeing

7hrs

Hike to the Vartop Cave, famous for its limestone jewels and the unreal beauty of its rock formations. Return to your guesthouse, stopping off at the Coiba Mare caves to explore this unique cavern system. After lunch, head back out onto the snow and visit the Tauz karstic spring, the deepest underwater cave in Romania.

Day 4

One last hike

Snowshoeing

3hrs

Enjoy some final time on the powder, then after a spot of lunch, head back to the airport in time for your flight home.

Please Note

All our adventures take place in wild places. Things can go wrong in wild places. Your perfectly planned itinerary may change a bit (or a lot) if the weather turns, someone gets hurt, or a volcano erupts. Usually though, changes make it all the better.

15% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 15% discount on us to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock, Runner's Need, and Cycle Surgery.

What's included?

  • Snowshoes
  • Hiking poles

What do I need to bring?

Bags

  • 20 to 35 litre: you should be able to carry your gear comfortably so a bag with a waist trap is suggested
  • Dry bag or plastic bag to keep things dry in the backpack

Clothing

  • Sun cap/warm hat/headband
  • Gloves
  • One pair of synthetic underwear (top & bottom)
  • One functional shirt for the hike (we recommend merino or synthetic)
  • One or two layers of socks (merino or synthetic)
  • One fleece or merino pullover/sweater
  • Rain/windproof (Gore-Tex) jacket with hood
  • Rain/windproof (Gore-Tex) trousers (we recommend either a combination of a thermal layer and a waterproof hard shell trouser, or insulated waterproof skiing pants)
  • Comfortable mountain boots

No special skills are required, just the ability to handle hikes of 3 to 7 hours with no significant ascents.

Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

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.

We’ve teamed up with the guys at World Nomads to offer insurance designed for adventurous travellers across 140 countries that includes overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities. To get yours sorted, click here.

We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book the trip, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

For current advice about travelling in Romania, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.

All of our group adventures are especially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded.

"I cannot recommend this highly enough! The people on the trip were amazing. Easily the best trip I've ever been on!" Charlotte, 2019, Trustpilot.

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.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

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Transferrable Deposits

Cancel up to 31 days before departure and we'll transfer your deposit into credit for a future booking.

Free Date Changes

Free date changes up to 31 days before departure.

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