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Cycle the Apuseni Heartland, Romania
Location: Romania: Apuseni Mountains, start from Oradea or Cluj-Napoca. Other options can be arranged.
Date: On request.
Eight days and seven nights. Other dates can be arranged on request.
Group size: From two to fourteen persons.
Accommodation: Local guesthouse
Activity level: Moderate.
Price: 835 euros,- per person including accommodation (based on 2 persons per room), all meals, local guide, mountain bike rentals, transportation
(including return transfer to the airport) and activities as per itinerary.
Description: Biking in this area is about discovering the slower pace of life, from savouring each flavour you create at a special traditional barbecue evening to chatting with the locals as you bike through the villages. Pedal through quaint villages and picturesque valleys, explore mysterious caves and old traditions, relax in authentic guesthouses and relish delicious local cuisine. Enjoy the textured landscape of the karst plateaus Zece Hotare or Runcuri capture a diversity and charisma that eludes description. This biking trip offers the opportunity to indulge in the perfect pace in the perfect place.
Day 1: Arrival and warm-up.
Arrive Romania and transfer to Runcuri hamlet, located on the North-West side of Apuseni Mountains on a karstic plateu with a stunning view up on the west side of the mountains. An old wooden house will serve as your guesthouse and enjoy a dinner prepared on the campfire with mainly organic products in a true Transylvanian style.
Day 2: Rosia Village.Today you will head towards Alboiara valley to Rosia village. You will explore by bike two local villages and visit a horn violin workshop, a 200 years old water mill, still in use. Return to you guesthouse in the afternoon.
Day 3: Vida Valley. Cycle towards Vida Valley, with its 10 km long gorges that shelters several caves and rocky cliffs and a beautiful lake where you will have your packed lunch. This day will also include stunning views upon the gorges in the Apuseni Mountains.
Day 4: Cutilor Gorges. Today you will bike to Ponita village, a typical village in the mountains. The biking will go through the Cutilor Gorges, an iconic valley with many caves and rocky cliffs. Next pass is Lazurilor Valley, a long and rocky valley surrounded by forests and meadow. Return to your guesthouse in the afternoon.
Day 5: Zece Hotare karst plateau.
Today you will discover Zece Hotare karst plateau, punctured by many sinkholes and caves, and animated by the presence of 10 hamlets which gives this area
a special character. You will learn about their simple life and challenges that come along with it, their farming and way of living.
Day 6: Meziad cave.
Today you pack your bags and pedal to the Remetea village on the foot of the mountains. Remetea will be your host village for the rest of your trip.
The village is a mixture of Romanian and Hungarian population with a shared old history. Discover its 800 years old church, the local museum and
mixture of Romanian and Hungarian cuisine. Next on the program is a bike ride to Meziad cave which is shelter for large colonies of bats and home of
Homo sapiens in the past. Return to your guesthouse and enjoy a traditional dinner prepared by your hosts.
Day 7: Dragoteni village.
This is your last biking day and get ready to explore Dragoteni village, where old crafts are still practiced.
Here you can see the women, young and old, still wearing traditional costumes and painting eggs for Easter celebration, a very old tradition in the
orthodox communities. If weather permits, you will also have a 360 degrees view over Apuseni Mountains. Visit an old wooden church and discover its history.
Enjoy your farewell dinner with delicious local cuisine.
