Hungaro Explorer
In these 7 days you will:
City Break in Cluj-Napoca
Test your hiking skills
Visit historic sites and ruins
Challenge yourself on a Via Ferrata
Visit the World's deepest amusement park
Visit the biggest salt mine in Transylvania
Visit Romania's smallest village
Learn about the Transylvanian country side
Try e-biking and river rafting
Explore the hidden villages of Transylvania
Cook typical Transylvanian food
Day 1
Arriving to Cluj Napoca
7 Day Itinerary
June 24th - Saturday
You are arriving to Cluj Napoca. Depending on the time of the day you might be able to explore Cluj a little bit, but if not you have the whole next day for a city break.
In the evening we are planning to have a group dinner in a nice restaurant with local specialties.
Day 2
City Break in Cluj Napoca
June 25th - Sunday
Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in the region of Transylvania, the name Cluj comes from Castrum Clus, first used in the 12th century as the name of the citadel surrounding the city. Clus means "closed" in Latin and refers to the hills that surround the city.
With one of the most vibrant economies in the country, Cluj is today a vibrant cultural and education center, this is the city with the highest ratio of students to total number of residents, in Romania.
The main square, resplendent with 18th and 19th century buildings and home to many shops and restaurants, is dominated by the 15th century St. Michael's Church, one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in Romania. The square also claims the 18-th century baroque Banffy Palace, housing the weaponry and Romanian art collections of the Art Museum. Visitors who want to learn more about the region should pay a visit to the open-air section of the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, a true display of folk architecture. For entertainment, spend an enjoyable evening at the Opera or attend a classical music concert offered by the Cluj Philharmonic.
Check out the free guided tours of Cluj-Napoca: https://clujguidedtours.ro/en
Later in the afternoon we all leave to Torocko, our basecamp for the next weeks adventure.
Day 3
Tureni Gorge &Turda Salt Mine
June 26th - Monday
Morning:
We will start the day with a little exploration trip to Tureni Gorge. After the hike we will have lunch before we enter the World famous Turda Salt Mine.
Afternoon:
Get ready to discover one of the most spectacular tourist attraction in Romania: The ancient salt mines of Turda.
Salina Turda is the world’s deepest underground entertainment park and museum!
Salt has been extracted out of the hills of Turda for more than two millennia. The chambers, tunnels and galleries form into a palace of salt hundreds of meters into the guts of the earth. After being refurbished, in 2008, the mines of Turda became a main tourist attraction, and a must-see for anyone passing through these parts.
The mines are up to 120m deep with a constant temperature of around 10°C-12°C (52°F to 53.5°F) all year round.
Day 4
Rafting / E-Biking
June 27th - Tuesday
Morning:
This day will start with a morning rafting session (optional). If you are not into rafting, you can go with another guide for hiking around the area. The rafting happens on a smaller river, but if the water level is not adequate the rafting trip will have to be cancelled.
Afternoon:
The village and the surroundings of Torockó deserves a bigger exploration. But we will do this in a more fun way, by riding e-bikes.
The history of the village dates back a long time: already in Roman times, active guard duty was performed on the mountain towering over the village, based on artifacts found on the ridge. Later, Slavs settled down in the valley, from whom the name Torockó originated: Toroszko comes from the word Troszk (ironstone). The word itself testifies to the ancient craft of the Torockó villagers. The village that once boasted of its city title, was known for being Transylvania’s metallurgy and metal processing center; iron was mined for a long time until all natural resources were exhausted. The mountain that towers over the village, Székelykő, was named after the Szekler villagers of Kézd, who saved the village during the Mongol invasion, and in return received the standing hilltop castle and its surroundings. In 1999, Torockó won one of the most important European architecture prizes, the Europa Nostra Award, in recognition of the village’s cultural heritage protection
Day 5
Cheile Râmețului - Satul Cheia (hidden village)
June 28th - Wednesay
Cheia is an old and very well hidden village in the Apuseni mountains, next to the Rîmet Gorge. Today, in the village there are just 3 houses that are populated, the rest are just abandoned and slowly taken back by nature.
Gabriel and his family decided a couple of years ago to move from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, to Cheia. He restored two old houses in a traditional way, it remained authentic, has no electricity, the road to their home is a small path through the forest, crossing springs, so the only available way to get there is by foot or by horse. His home, which is also a camping area, is always open to tourists, and he can provide accommodation in one of his restored houses. On our trip we will cross the Rîmet Gorge and visit Gabriels’ camping to drink a cold lemonade or beer, alongside some interesting stories from Gabriel.
Day 6
Via Ferrata
June 29th - Thursday
On our fourth day we are heading to Turda Gorge (Cheile Turzii), a natural reserve on Hășdate River. The canyon, formed through the erosion of the Jurassic limestone of the mountain, is 2 900 m long and the walls have heights reaching 300 m. Cheile Turzii contains one of the richest and most scenic karst landscapes in Romania. More than 1000 plant and animal species (some of them rare or endangered, like the wild garlic or some species of eagle).
Length of via ferrata route: 350m
Vertical climb: 200m
Difficulty: C - medium.
(Grades are from A (very easy) to E (extreme).)
This via ferrata route is medium difficulty, but in exchange it has the most spectacular views. You can see the Cheile Turzii gorge from above, and traverse Hili’s cave also. At the end of our ascent, we will arrive at the big cross on the hill, called the cross of Sandu, where we will stay a bit longer, to admire the landscape.
Day 7
Hiking Secler's Stone - Travel back to Cluj Napoca
June 30th - Friday
Morning:
We start our hike in the village on a trail which leads up to the famous peak called Secler's Stone, where the sun rises twice. Yes, you read it well, the sun rises twice: it appears on the horizon already in the early morning, followed by a period of time where it hides behind the Secler’s Stone, and only rises again in the late morning so high that it illuminates entirely the village. We will have an exciting hike straight up the mountain, then loop around to visit the Student's Cave and return to the village.
Trip distance: 10.5km (6.5 miles) about 5h - 6h.
Afternoon:
We are heading back to Cluj Napoca where you can stay another night before traveling back home or traveling somewhere else in Europe.
Things Included
All transportation to and from the treks
2 nights at a hotel in Cluj Napoca
5 nights in a country-style lodge
(2 person/room)
Breakfast
All guides and activities
Entrance fee to Turda Gorge
Entrance Fee to Salina Turda - The world deepest underground entertainment park!
All Equipment (E-Bikes, Via Ferrata Gear, Rafting Gear etc.)
Items excluded:
International Flights
Any Bottled Drinks or Alcoholic Drinks
Lunch and Dinner/Trail Snacks
Travel Insurance
Suggested Equipment List
The Basics:
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Hiking Shoes or Trail Runners
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Backpack 20L-25L
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Water Bottle or Hydration Pack
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Trekking poles (optional)
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Headlamp
Clothing:
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Hiking/Trekking pants
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Hiking shorts (2 pairs)
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Swimming Shorts
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Wool or synthetic socks (2-3 pairs)
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Sunhat
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Sunglasses
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Comfortable shoes to walk around villages and lodges
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Slippers
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Rain Jacket
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Extra Long Sleeves
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Base layer
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Light down or synthetic jacket (Patagonia Nano Puff or similar)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Visa to enter Romania?
No, you don't need a visa to enter Romania.
What is the best way to get to Cluj Napoca?
If you fly from the US, the best way is to catch a direct flight to Germany and from there a short 1.5h flight to Cluj Napoca.
Do I need travel insurance?
We strongly recommend travel insurance for this trip. In case of travel delays, lost baggage, or unwanted sickness you will be covered. World Nomads offers different plans depending on the activity you are doing and it is very affordable.
Can I pay by credit card or do I need cash while I am in Romania?
In most of the places in Romania, you can use your digital wallet or credit card to pay, but we will be around the countryside where you will need cash RON which is the money they use in Romania. There are plenty of money exchange places in Cluj city to change your dollars or euros.
What happens in case of bad weather?
In case of bad weather, we will adapt our itinerary and change plans accordingly. We will not let the weather ruin your trip!
Will I have my own room in the lodge and hotels?
Torocko is a small town with old country-style houses. Most of the accommodations are for 2+ people in a room. Two people in a room are optimal, but if you want to stay by yourself we will try to accommodate you, but you will have to pay an extra fee.
