Romania · Cave Exploration

10-Day Apuseni Mountains Backpacking Tour with Caves and Wild Gorges

10 Days Round trip from Oradea Hard pace
Main gate Ponor Fortress
Inside Ponor fortress
Panorama view
Radesei fortress
The house of stone village
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The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore the beautiful Chalet Vladeasa Mountains
  • 02 Camp at Piatra Tilharului
  • 03 Take in the breathtaking view of Stina de Vale
  • 04 Trek to the Radesei Fortress, the gem of the Apuseni Mountains
  • 05 Visit Ponor Fortress, the greatest Romanian cave
  • 06 Visit the Scarisoara ice cave, the greatest ice cave in the world
  • 07 Visit the Vartop ice cave, the most beautiful ice cave in Romania

Explore the wild gorges of Galbenei, Ordâncutii, and Ariesului on this 10-day journey through the Apuseni Mountains. Pass by and inside huge, marvellous caves such as the Ponorului Fortresses, Altarului Cave, the Live Fire Glacier, and the Scarisoara Glacier. Witness the majestic peaks of Bihorul and Piatra Grăitoare, and trek through Chalet Vladeasa, Piatra Tilharului, Galbena Valley, and more.

Explore the wild gorges of Galbenei, Ordâncutii, and Ariesului on this 10-day journey through the Apuseni Mountains.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 10 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Hard
Accommodation Included · Budget
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Apuseni Mountains
Languages English, French, German, Romanian

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Arrival in Oradea or Cluj and Trek to Chalet Vladeasa

  • Highlights of the tour to be covered with your Romania tour guide:
  • Start point: Oradea or Cluj
  • Bologa
  • Chalet Vladeasa
  • Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.
  • Travel time: around 8 hours
  • Level difference: around 1200 m
  • Altitude: 1800 m
  • Trip distance: around 25 km
2
Day 02

Chalet Vladeasa to Piatra Tilharului Trek

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Chalet Vladeasa
  • Piatra Tilharului
  • Stay overnight in a tent.
  • Travel time: around 6 hours
  • Level difference: around 200 m
  • Altitude: 1600 m
  • Trip distance: around 20 km
3
Day 03

Piatra Tilharului to Stina de Vale

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Piatra Tilharului
  • Stina de Vale
  • Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.
  • Travel time: around 7 hours
  • Level difference: around 400 meters
  • Altitudes: Piatra Tilharului around 1600 m; Stina de Vale around 1100 m
  • Travel distance: around 25 km
4
Day 04

Stina de Vale to Glavoi via Peak Poeni and Padis

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Stina de Vale
  • Peak Poeni
  • The Radesei Fortress
  • Padis
  • Glavoi
  • Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on the weather conditions.
  • Travel time: around 6 hours
  • Level difference: 500 meters
  • Altitudes: Peak Poeni 1615 m; Padis 1100 m
  • Travel distance: around 25 km
5
Day 05

Galbenei Circuit from Glavoi

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Glavoi
  • Galbena Valley
  • Live Fire
  • Glavoi
  • Stay overnight in the same place.
  • Travel time: around 7 hours
  • Level difference: around 400 m
  • Altitudes: Glavoi 1100 m, Galbena Valley 700 m
  • Travel distance: around 25 km
6
Day 06

Glavoi to the Fortress of Ponor

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Glavoi
  • Fortress of Ponor
  • Stay overnight in the same place.
  • Level difference: around 300 m
  • Travel time: around 6 hours
  • Altitudes: Padis 1100 m, the Ponor Fortress 900 m
  • Travel distance: around 10 km
7
Day 07

Lost World Excursion

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Glavoi
  • Lumea Pierduta (Lost World)
  • Glavoi
  • Stay overnight in the same place.
  • Level difference: 50 m
  • Travel time: around 4 hours
  • Altitudes: Glavoi 1100 m, Lumea Pierduta 1070 m
  • Travel distance: around 10 km
8
Day 08

Glavoi to Casa de Piatra via Vartop Cave

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Glavoi
  • Vartop Cave
  • Stone House
  • Level difference: 50 m
  • Travel time: around 6 hours
  • Altitudes: Glavoi 1100 m - Stone House 1050 m
  • Campfire
  • Party
9
Day 09

Scarisoara Cave Trek

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Stone House - Scarisoara Cave
  • Stay overnight in a tent or chalet, depending on weather conditions.
  • Level difference: around 300 m
  • Travel time: around 4 hours
  • Trip distance: around 20 km
10
Day 10

Scarisoara Cave to Garda de Sus and Return

  • Highlights of the tour:
  • Scarisoara Cave
  • Garda de Sus
  • Oradea or Cluj Napoca
Chalet Vladeasa, Galbena Valley, Vartop Cave, Scarisoara Cave

Where this trip takes you

Chalet Vladeasa, Galbena Valley, Vartop Cave, Scarisoara Cave

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Oradea 3 cities · 10 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
  • Aluminium flask
  • Rain cloak
  • Thick clothes
  • Flashlight

Know before you go

  • Season: Summer, Autumn (May - September)

Logistics

Meeting & route

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

Your 10 days finish where they began, in Oradea.

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Starting from

EUR 60 /person
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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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