Ciucaș Mountains
The fairy garden of the Carpathian Bend is an ideal place for those who want to try themselves on a varied terrain. Though it reaches "only" an altitude of 1954 meters, an awe-inspiring scenery opens onto the surrounding mountains from its summit. Its weirdly shaped cliffs embody fairy creatures, among the formations Porumbelul (Pidgeon), Turnul lui Goliat (Goliat’s Tower) and Babele la Sfat (Matchmakers) can be reached its highest point. You will have to struggle for the scenery, but without being dead beat for that. For this hiking tour you don’t need any mountain climbing experience, but if you want to reach the peak right from the writing-desk, you won’t get off without wheezing. If you are not committed to performance hiking tours and difficult alpine climbing, and you go to the mountains just to enjoy the nature, perhaps you’d like only to try yourself, this is a perfect option for you. Your mountain guide is a nature photographer at the same time, there is also a possibility to learn or to have an exchange of views or experience, and not at least to find out how to make compliments –or learn to curse from time to time -in the local languages (Romanian or Hungarian) with the Transylvanian people. To the heritage of the mountain belong the Prejmer fortified church and the Old town of Brasov, but you will see inevitably the living conditions of the Transylvanian people, as well.
Some information about the mountain
In general the mountains of the Carpathian Bend, but most of all the Ciucaș Mountains are an extremely windy area, therefore you’d better come prepared, especially, what concerns your equipment. The mountain is the whole year passable, but I would emphasize the rhododendron spring blooming period in May to the end of June, the late fall in the end of October to the beginning of November, as well as the period of winter. It is the result of an unusual type of rock formation, namely the conglomerate, and due to the weir characteristics of it, there are no springs in the alpine region, so you should carry also the recommended daily water kit in your backpack. Hiking along its trails, you won’t have the chance to come across the most dangerous animals –sheep dogs -of the Transylvanian Carpathians, they are not guarding their herds on the mountain, due to this, during the alpine blooming period of June the whole region turns into a wonderful, varied flower garden. In general it is worth to spend 2-3 days here, so that you get acquainted with the mountain.
A few words about the tours
The mountain is not widely extended, being divided into two main parts, and we traverse both. The accessibility of the mountain is very good, therefore we spent only a very little time in the forest. The towers of the unusual conglomerate rock formation are a more and more popular destination, and the rebuilt mountain hut situated in the middle part of the mountain is a comfortable starting point of our tours. It is about convenient, no strenuous hiking tours, requiring no physical preparedness. With a 7-8 hours walking you can tour the whole region easily, but there are shorter (or why not - longer) hiking possibilities, as well. The number of the team: 1-8 persons, independent of the season or the hiking tour. For the time being we cannot assure the equipment, but we do our best to solve this problem as soon as possible. For the meantime don’t forget that the equipment is very important for a safe hiking. Of course the most important is a pair of hiking boots that fit you well, comfortable clothing (that provide protection from rain, wind), sunglasses, suntan lotion, hiking stock, headlamp, sometimes could be useful a cap or a pair of gloves, too. In case of wintertime hiking you need crampon compatible hiking boots, of course the crampons itself, completed with ice axe, climbing harness. Take an adequate hiking food supply with you (ingredients for sandwiches, chocolates, energy bars, dried fruit, grains, water and isotonic drinks).
Accommodation
In the central part of the mountain situates the Ciucas Hut with 72 sleeping places. The modern house built on the ruins of an old building got in the tourist traffic in 2011, assuring a complete comfort. Restaurant, central heating, own bathroom, hot water, practically all comfort requirements can be satisfied. Of course you don’t have to bring any sleeping-bag or towel. You can buy cooked food, drinks etc. (breakfast is included in the accommodation price.) It situates at around 1600 meters.., being simply a perfect starting point. Certainly we have to get up there, too, but we speak about this later. By all means there are accommodation possibilities at lower levels, too, but we insist that we shall not have to walk too long in order to see the sunrise ...
In the mountains there are no restrictions regarding the camping, but those who choose this possibility, should carry along a few extra things (tent, sleeping-bag, feather bed, eventually cookware).