A Deep Dive Into the Southern Carpathian Mountains
I have been visiting Romania several times throughout the last few years and the charming country in Southeast Europe has kind of turned into my safe haven during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Among the personal highlights are hiking trips in the Carpathian Mountains and the latest attempt was excruciating yet very rewarding.
During my previous stay of five weeks earlier in 2021, I already got to explore and re-discover several trails in the Bucegi National Park near Busteni, Sinaia, and Brasov. Two years ago, we actually went up there with a tent and stayed overnight to bask in the glorious morning views. It was an urgently needed peace of mind and subsequently became the first choice to return to normalcy as the pandemic is slowing down.
The one-day trip was essentially meant to push my own limits and see what I am capable of considering my improved fitness. Within the past 12 months, I managed to lose more than 18 kilos and that obviously helps a lot when crawling up the hiking trails. Yet, it was not easy by any means, and Garmin’s Fenix 6X Pro Solar tracking revealed how difficult the climb was.
It started with the usual surprise in Romania, which tends to bring mixed fortunes when taking the train. This time around, the engine of the private train company broke down and the weekend connections were canceled. The slightly more expensive CFR from Bucharest to Busteni departed some 20 minutes later and weighed in at 39.5 Romanian Lei, which equals around eight Euros.
On the way to the start of the hiking trail, two supermarkets provide the perfect opportunity to stock up on fruits and drinks. The average altitude of Busteni is around 875 meters and the first part of the hike on Jepii Mici was slated to include an elevation gain of more than 1,100 meters. This might be somewhat of a concern if you are tremendously afraid of heights, which happens to be the case for me.
Nonetheless, I started the ascend and it didn’t take me long to pass by several groups who had the same idea on a sunny Sunday with more than 30 degrees Celsius. About half of them were well equipped but plenty of young couples also climbed up in sports attire as if they were about to hit the gym and take plenty of selfies for Instagram, seemingly without being prepared too much for the difficulty.
Barely any of them spoke English when I was trying to strike up conversations but most of the hikers in their thirties replied. In general, I have only picked up some phrases and that’s something I need to work on going forward if I’d like to return more frequently.
There was actually still some snow around on Jepii Mici, which made the refilling with fresh water possible. As the climb continued, some parts were very rocky and it was required to grab onto iron cables and chains to continue. Hopefully, nobody noticed that I was clinging to them while avoiding looking down the cliffs.
The estimated duration to reach Cabana Caraiman at the start of the trail shows 3 1/2 to four hours but I managed to get it done in two and a half hours. According to the Garmin watch, the elevation gain was 1,129 meters after 4.74 kilometers and I burned 1,666 calories on the way up. It was possible to refill the water at the Cabana for free and after a short break, the next portion of the trip awaited.
Along the hillside, once more with some parts requiring chains, a 45-minute hike to the Heroes’ Cross on Caraiman Peak (Crucea Eroilor de pe Muntele Caraiman) awaited. It was my first time to follow that path as normally, we’d take a route on top of the hill instead. Scenic views awaited with the town of Busteni visible. The monument was built between 1926 and 1928 on Caraiman Peak at an altitude of 2,291 meters and the platform renovation was completed in the current year.
The final part of the ascend towards Cabana Omu awaited and that takes around 1h45 on the red cross trail. There is really just one difficult part right next to the Heroes’ Cross as a steep climb to the top is followed by a relaxed walk on the plateau. It was already possible to see the Cabana on the peak from far away since the usual clouds had vanished.
Sheep were guided along the hillside below and I couldn’t quite make out if they liked the grass or not, there was a constant “baa baa, meh meh” emerging. Once Omu at an altitude of 2,505 meters was reached, another break was in order and the Cabana was selling drinks and food.
The price for a 500ml water bottle was quite steep but that didn’t come as much of a surprise when you consider that all goods are brought up there by 4x4 jeep or helicopter. Hot cappuccino at 5 RON (1 Euro) was definitely a bargain and a very welcome way to pass a few minutes prior to the steep descend.
According to the trail description, it would take 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours to get back to Busteni where the trip started in the early morning. That would have been too late to catch the last cheap train back to Bucharest and I made sure to hurry up on the rocky parts, which lasted for more than one hour. A few sudden moves twisted my right ankle and hit my left knee but those were mere scratches without any consequences.
The valley (Valea Cerbului) once more provided stunning views as almost all rocks were gone eventually to make for an easier stroll. Once the woods were reached, I was rather certain to meet the deadline for the train and I even managed to surprise a married couple. They had seen me at the top and didn’t expect such a quick descend. Since the national park has plenty of bears as well, it comes in handy to keep the eyes peeled on any rapid movements.
Their company and the conversation made the final part of the hike much easier. Much to my own surprise, I was back on the street to Busteni far earlier than expected and ultimately hit the train station in just over 3 hours and seven minutes. The descend of 1,600 meters was completed in 11.57 kilometers with more than one hour to spare.
If you are in the Bucegi Mountains and don’t want to rely on Google Maps, there is also an app that contains all the trails and their color tags. It is called “Muntii Nostri” (our mountains), contains more than 800 hiking tours across the country and you can even download the maps for offline use.
Once back in Bucharest, the numbers of the daily activities were as follows:
- Busteni — Cabana Caraiman: 4.74km (2h29:44), 1,129m elevation, 1,666 calories
- Cabana Caraiman — Cabana Omu: 7.66km (2h17:51), 619m elevation, 1,164 calories
- Cabana Omu — Busteni: 11.57km (3h07:38), 1,054 calories
- Total steps: 46,760 and 34.4km walked
Perhaps, a different trail on the way back down for the next time might push the numbers above 50k steps. I now have a better idea of what to expect and what I can do despite regularly bitching on the way up the mountains. No matter how exhausting it might be though, the views more than make up for it.
There are hundreds of trails just in Bucegi with various peaks above 2,000 meters, each with their own merit to attract visitors from near and far.
Pana data viitoara :)