Romania · Trekking

9-Day Retezat Mountains Backpacking Tour with Camping

9 Days Round trip from Oradea Challenging pace
Tents near Bucura lake
Zanoaga lake
To Judele peak
Panorama
Bucura lake
View all 9 photos

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Climb the great Retezat Mountains on a 9-day backpacking adventure
  • 02 Trek through glacial valleys, domes, gorges, caves, and cliffs
  • 03 Camp by Bucura Lake, the largest lake in the Retezat Mountains
  • 04 Visit Zanoaga Lake, the deepest lake in the range

Climb the great Retezat Mountains on a 9-day backpacking adventure through a landscape of typical glacial relief, with valleys, glacial domes, gorges, caves, cliffs, and 80 lakes. Discover Bucura Lake, the largest lake in the range, and Zanoaga Lake, its deepest, while trekking through one of Romania's most striking mountain environments.

Climb the great Retezat Mountains on a 9-day backpacking adventure through a landscape of typical glacial relief, with valleys, glacial domes, gorges, caves, cliffs, and 80 lakes.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Challenging
Accommodation Included · Budget
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Retezat National Park
Languages English, French, German, Romanian

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Transfer to Gura Apei and Start the Hike

Visiting on the tour:

  • Start from Oradea or Cluj Napoca, located in the Crișana region.
  • Deva, a city in Romania in the historical region of Transylvania.
  • Hațeg, a town in Hunedoara County with a population of 9,340.
  • Lacul Gura Apei, a rock-fill dam on the Râul Mare River, about 35 km southwest of Hațeg in Hunedoara County.

Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.

Trip time: around 6 hours.

Level difference: around 700 m.

Altitude: 1091 m.

Travelled distance: around 20 km.

2
Day 02

Hike from Gura Apei Lake to Pelegii Meadow

Highlights of the tour:

  • Gura Apei Lake.
  • Pelegii Meadow (stay overnight in a tent).

Trip time: around 6 hours.

Level difference: around 500 m.

Altitude: 1600 m.

Travelled distance: around 20 km.

3
Day 03

Acclimatization Hike to Bucura Lake

Destinations of the day:

  • Pelegii Meadow.
  • Bucura Lake (stay overnight in a tent).

Travel time: around 2 hours.

Level difference: around 400 meters.

Altitudes: Pelegii Meadow 1600 m, Bucura Lake 2040 m.

Travelled distance: around 6 km.

4
Day 04

Judele Peak and Zanoaga Lake Excursion

Destinations of the tour to be covered with your Romania guide:

  • Bucura Lake, a glacier cirque lake situated in the Retezat Mountains.
  • Judele Peak, situated on the southern side of the Scientific Reservation Gemenele-Tău Negru.
  • Lacul Zanoaga and return.

Level difference: 400 meters.

  • Overnight in the same place.

Altitudes: Peak Judele 2398 m, Lake Zanoaga 2010 m.

Travelled distance: around 15 km.

5
Day 05

Descend from Bucura Lake to Chalet Pietrele

Destinations of the tour:

  • Bucura Lake.
  • Chalet Gentiana.
  • Chalet Pietrele.

Travel time: around 4 hours.

Level difference: around 600 m.

Altitudes: Bucura Lake 2041 m, Chalet Gentiana 1670 m.

Travel distance: around 15 km.

Overnight in a tent or at Chalet Pietrele.

6
Day 06

Summit Hike to Lolaia Peak and Retezat Peak

Destination of the day:

  • Chalet Pietrele.
  • Lolaia Peak.
  • Peak Retezat.
  • Valley Stinisoara.
  • Chalet Pietrele.

Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.

Level difference: around 1000 m.

Travel time: around 8 hours.

Altitudes: Peak Lolaia 2278 m, Peak Retezat 2482 m, Valley Stinisoara 2,027 m, Chalet Pietrele 1480 m.

Travel distance: around 25 km.

7
Day 07

Long Mountain Circuit via Galesu, Păpușa and Peleaga

Visiting these places today:

  • Chalet Pietrele.
  • Pond among the fire trees.
  • Lake Galesu.
  • Peak Papusa.
  • Peak Peleaga.
  • Lake Bucura.
  • Chalet Gentiana.
  • Chalet Pietrele.

Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.

Level difference: 1100 m.

Travel time: around 9 hours.

Altitudes: Chalet Pietrele 1480 m, Pond among fire trees 1710 m, Lake Galesu 2040 m, Peak Papusa 2136 m, Peak Peleaga 2509 m.

Travel distance: around 25 km.

8
Day 08

Relaxation Day at Camp

  • A day to relax, make a campfire, and party.

9
Day 09

Descend Through Pietrelor Valley and Return

  • Descend through Pietrelor Valley, Nucsoara, Ohaba de sub Piatra, and continue to Cluj or Oradea.
Retezat Mountains, Bucura Lake, Zanoaga Lake

Where this trip takes you

Retezat Mountains, Bucura Lake, Zanoaga Lake

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Oradea 3 cities · 9 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • English-, German-, and Romanian-speaking tour guide
  • Camping

What's Not Included

  • Food
  • Drink
  • Transport

What to bring

  • Mountain tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Waterproof boots
  • Rucksack
  • Food for 9 days
  • Aluminum flask
  • Rain cloak
  • Thick clothes
  • Flashlight

Know before you go

You must have a very good physical condition.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tour start
Oradea, Romania
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 9 days finish where they began, in Oradea.

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Starting from

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Estimated room rates

Single Room €60.00 — €1,200.00
Double Sharing €60.00 — €600.00

When

Travellers

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