Romania - Round trip on a Motorbike: 12 days

We start from our APUSENI LODGE in Avram Iancu (Vârfurile) at the foot of the Apuseni Mountains and ride via Hunedoara to Petroşani. Already on the first stage we can anticipate what awaits us the next days. The Danube at Moldova Nouă is our destination. We ride along the Danube to the Iron Gate and honor the statue of Decibala with our visit. We continue via Târgu Jiu in the historic region of Little Wallachia to the foothills of the Southern Carpathians. The Peștera Muierilor (Women's Cave) is on our way to Transalpina. This cave system, about 7 kilometers long, which houses remains of numerous bears, lions and wolves but also three Paleolithic humans, was often used as a shelter for local women and children during wars and other threats. The Peștera Muierilor is the first electrified cave in Romania.

We have arrived in Transylvania, Romania's most scenic and historic region, and as we continue our journey we touch on Râmnicu Vâlcea, stopping soon after at an Orthodox monastery. The Transfăgărășan is one of the highlights of our trip and, of course, we have planned plenty of time for photo stops and hopefully bear pictures here in particular.

We will spend the well-deserved rest day in a nice hotel. You can visit the Mini Transilvania Park or the bear reserve with us. Depending on your mood, you can also use the day to relax, visit the Black Church in Brașov, the peasant castle in Râșnov or a trip to the nearby Dracula Castle Bran. The fortress church in Prejmer is also within easy reach.

Rested and full of energy, we start the engines again and continue through the Cheile Bicazului (Bicaz Gorge) to Lacul Izvorul Muntelui before reaching Sighișoara. Particularly worth seeing is the historical center of the city and the castle. In hardly any other place in Transylvania, which is rich in historical sites, can one trace the past as excellently as in the upper town of Sighisoara, which is characterized by colorful authenticity. No less charming is Sibiu (Hermannstadt), ideally suited for strolling on the beautiful market square and shopping in the numerous stores. Soon after, we head back into the Apuseni Mountains and finally on the usual winding roads back to our starting point Avram Iancu.

So that you can really enjoy your tour and travel light, a transport vehicle accompanies us on the entire trip.

By the way, we don't charge for any arrival/departure days, but guarantee you a full 12 days of pure Romania!

You will receive detailed information about motorcycling in Romania with the booking confirmation.

Day 1: The adventure begins! We start at 09:30 from APUSENI LODGE Romania® and ride towards Hunedoara, where we pay a visit to Castelul Corvinilor. Due to its imposing beauty, today the castle is often used as a film set for national and international productions. Some scenes of Ghost Rider 2 with Nicolas Cage were shot here, for example. Our first destination, Petroșani, is the center of a mining district and known as the "City of Coal," but it is also a university town.

Day 2: Due to the winding route, today's stage takes a little longer, so we set off early. On a beautiful road we pass Târgu Jiu, over the 1466 meter high Vârful lui Stan of the Munții Mehedinți mountain range to the Sasca Montană region near the border with Serbia.

Day 3: We are going to the Danube. It is the second largest river in Europe after the Volga and the only one that flows from west to east. Its origin is in the German Black Forest and it flows into the Black Sea at Sulina. Traveling along the Danube, we pass the Baba Caia rock and pay a courtesy visit to the statue of Decibala in Serbia before arriving in Drobeta Turnu Severin, our stage destination today.

Day 4: We plan to ride the Transalpina tomorrow, so we head back towards the Southern Carpathians.

Day 5: The Transalpina, also called the Drum național 67C, is the highest pass road in Romania. It crosses the Transylvanian Alps, connecting Gorj County in Lesser Wallachia with Alba County in Transylvania, and reaches an altitude of just over 2100 meters. We are riding this magnificent panoramic road today! It can stay cool up here even in summer, so don't dress warmly just for the fantastic experience. As today's stage continues, it's bend after bend until we reach the Curtea de Argeș Orthodox Monastery, near which we'll spend the night today.

Day 6: It lies ahead of us, the Transfăgărășan! In total, the road measures 148 km and is the second highest road in Romania. Hopefully, the bears are also up early enough and are waiting for us at the roadside. Anyway, we keep our eyes well open and when we see a vehicle with its hazard lights on, we can be almost sure to get a glimpse of a Carpathian bear shortly after. On the Transfăgărășan we have to pay attention, stay behind the tour guide and strictly follow his instructions! Because even if the bears are only sitting here to be fed from passing vehicles, they remain wild, unpredictable, fast and extremely strong original inhabitants of the Romanian forests.

Day 7: Voluntary social program on the rest day:

- On the rest day, you can join us for a day trip to Băile Seiche. There is the 'Mini Transylvania Park' where you can see more than 90 models of historical monuments and medieval castles in Transylvania. You can also take a tour with the Mini-Szekler steam locomotive and visit the Orbán Balázs Visitor Center. (entrance fee 15,00 EUR/person; entrance ticket to the park 30,00 RON/pers., ca. 6,00 EUR)

- Or we can visit together the world's largest bear sanctuary, located closer to the park, where more than 100 bears rescued from adverse circumstances and captivity have found a new home in a huge free-range enclosure. Separated from them only by an electric fence, you are here on foot in the realm of the bears. Visits to the reserve are only possible with a guide. The fee you pay to us will be donated in full to the bear sanctuary, which is supported exclusively by donations and depends on them. (Fee: 10,00 EUR/person; entrance ticket to the park 65,00 resp. 70,00 RON/pers., ca. 13,00 resp. 14,00 EUR)

Depending on your mood, you can also use the day to relax, visit the Black Church in Brașov, the peasant castle in Râșnov, or take a trip to the nearby Dracula Castle Bran, or try to squeeze through the Fadengasse (Strada Sforii), one of the narrowest alleys in all of Europe. The fortress church of Prejmer, which is well worth seeing, is also within easy reach.

Day 8: Today's stage takes us on a total of 246 kilometers to the northeast of Romania to the Ceahlău National Park in the mountain range of the same name and to the 40 km long and 2 km wide reservoir Izvorul Muntelui, where we spend the night directly on the edge of the national park.

Day 9: With the southern Carpathian belt on our left, we ride today to the historically important town of Sighișoara (Sighisoara), which is also our stage destination. There is hardly any other place in Transylvania, rich in historical sites, where you can trace the past as excellently as in the upper town of Sighișoara, characterized by colorful authenticity. You will have the opportunity to visit the city's landmark, Sighisoara, one of the best-preserved medieval fortifications in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or to explore the winding streets of the colorful Upper Town, some of which are still paved with medieval brook stones.

Day 10: We continue through the Carpathian mountain range, past Agnita to charming Sibiu (Hermannstadt), our stage destination today and the geographical center of Romania. Sibiu has become one of the most beautiful cities in Romania in recent years. With its medieval city center, long history and important monuments, Sibiu is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Romania. Numerous stores invite you to store and on the beautiful market square you can stroll wonderfully and let the atmosphere take effect on you. Due to today's shorter stage there is enough time to enjoy the special flair of Sibiu.

Day 11: Slowly we turn back towards our starting point Avram Iancu. However, not without having taken another gorge under our wheels. We follow the Arieș River, a right tributary of the Mureș, which accompanies us to our stage destination today.

Day 12: The adventure is not over yet, because today we will ride on a grandiose route into one of our favorite secret gorges. On these last 300 kilometers of your Romania adventure, you will once again get your money's worth.

Back at APUSENI LODGE Romania you can pick up your luggage from the support vehicle and, if you have time and leisure, review the past days at our campfire.

Program, hotel and route may be subject to change.