TREKKING TOUR IN

Day 1(07.05.2019, Tuesday)

Time Activity 22:45 – 23:15 Meeting at the airport 23:15 – 23:45 Transfer to the hotel and check in

Day 2 (08.05.2019, Wednesday)

Time Activity 07:00 – 08:00 Breakfast at the hotel 08:00 – 09:00 Transfer to Piatra Hike: Piatra - Furceni - – Butuceni (~20 km) The remnants of the first human settlements, which are some tens of thousands of years old, were found in the stone caverns from here. On the rocky hill, you’ll find the ruins of a strong Geto- Dacian (Moldavian ancestors) fortification and the calendar, which 09:00 – 14:00 acted as a sanctuary for celebrating religious holidays and rituals in this prehistoric community. The originality of Orheiul Vechi's landscape is due to the defile of the Raut river, dug under the form of a canyon in the limestone layers of the former Sarmatia sea, about 14 million years ago. 14:00 – 15:00 Lunch in the guest house in Butuceni 15:00 – 16:00 Transfer to Cricova Excursion and wine tasting at Cricova Winery In Cricova underground galleries you will see over seventy streets covering an area of nearly 53 hectares, each bearing Bacchic names: Sauvignon, Cabernet, Cahor... Here you can admire one of the oldest bottles of wine in Moldova, dating from 1902. There is one story always told in this place about the Russian pilot Yuri 16:00 – 18:00 Gagarin, who during a visit in 1966, after getting tipsy, got lost and missed the exit. He went out the next day, having spent the night in the tasting room, currently named after him. In one of Cricova’s luxurious tasting halls, a couple years ago the former Russian president Vladimir Putin celebrated his 50th birthday. You will also have the chance to taste this wine in one of these halls. 18:00 – 20:00 Dinner in the restaurant in Cricova 20:00 – 21:00 Transfer to the hotel

Day 3(09.05.2019, Thursday)

Time Activity 07:00 – 08:00 Breakfast at the hotel 08:00 – 10:00 Transfer to 10:00 – 11:00 Participate at the military parade in Tiraspol Excursion in Tiraspol - Back in URSS In Tiraspol you will have the opportunity to travel in time back to 11:00 – 12:30 USSR. You will start by visiting the monument of Vladimir Lenin and tanks left from the Second World War. The city seems to be a ghost of the Soviet past. 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch in Kumanek restaurant Hike: Tiraspol – Chitcani (~12 km) In Tiraspol you will have the opportunity to travel in time back to USSR. You will start by visiting the monument of Vladimir Lenin and tanks left from the Second World War. The city seems to be a ghost of the Soviet past. You will cross the river Nistru and hike to Chitcani. The Monastery of Saint Ascension Noul Neamt from Chitcani is 13:30 – 16:30 perfect for retreat and meditation. The tour will take you to the outstanding picturesque landscape to be admired from the upper level of the highest bell tower in Moldova (64 m.). The monastery museum will be highly appreciated by those who are fond of history of religion. The museum houses icons dating from the 18th-20th centuries, as well as crosses, books, priest gowns and old pictures. 16:30 – 18:00 Transfer to Puhoi Excursion with wine tasting and dinner in Asconi winery Winery was founded in 1994 and achieved a lot, due to modernization of the manufacturing process. Nowadays, due to regular equipment investments, winemakers of the Winery use 18:00 – 20:30 up-to-date production facilities of the best Italian and French manufactures. The wines are made both from local and European grape varieties like Feteasca, Traminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Franc, Cabernet-Sauvignon and others. 20:30 – 21:30 Transfer to Chisinau

Day 4(10.05.2019, Friday)

Time Activity 07:00 – 08:00 Breakfast at the hotel and check out 08:00 – 10:00 Transfer to Socola Hike: Socola - Vadul- Rascov -Japca Monastery (~18 km) We will start our journey in Socola. Vadul- Rascov is one of the most impressive Jewish cemeteries from Eastern Europe. There are a few hundred gravestones located on a hill sloping to the banksof river Nistru. 10:00 – 15:00 Lunch break in Vadul lui Rascov (Lunch box) Japca monastery has an exceptionally beautiful location. The rocks above the monastery, the meandering Nistru River, which can be seen in the distance, and the gardens that surround it, create a special beauty. 15:00 – 16:30 Transfer to Soroca 16:30 – 18:00 Check in and free time at the hotel 18:00 – 20:00 Dinner in the restaurant in Soroca

Day 5(11.05.2019, Saturday)

Time Activity 08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast at the hotel and check out Excursion at Soroca Fortress and Gypsy Hill Soroca fortress is the "pearl of fortification art”. Not everyone knows that it is the perfect castle in South-Eastern Europe. It was built by the Moldavian Prince Stephen the Great in 1499 and during the medieval period, it formed a major part of the country’s defense system. 09:00 – 12:00 Soroca is also famous for the most numerous Gypsy community in Moldova. It influenced the architecture of the city. The Gypsy houses impress by their variety, diversity of colors, contrasts and luxury. About 20 hundred of Gypsy live in Soroca and very often, the Gypsy palaces pass ahead of local middleclass inhabitant’s houses according to the level of accomplishment. Hike to the "Candle of Gratitude" The monument was erected on a steep cliff on the bank of the Dniester river. Inscription before the way up as follows: "Traveler, 12:00 – 13:00 stop! There is Thanksgiving candle on top. And if you consider thankful to someone in this life – get up, pray and continue your way!” 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch in local restaurant 14:00 – 15:30 Transfer to Balti

Excursion and cognac tasting at Barza Alba ,,Brandy’’, ,,Divin’’, ,,Mature strong alcoholic drink made from cider’’ these drinks are recognized by standarts of moldavian wine-making. Every year, at many international exhibitions,,,Barza Albă,, presents its products and holds tasting 15:30 – 17:30 competitions in many countries like France, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Armenia. The most recognized divins are – ”Belîi Aist”, ”Bălți”, ”Speranța”, ”Bucuria”, ”Codru”, ”Dragoș Voievod” and many others which accumulated more than 150 medals, 80 of them are gold, 10 of them are ”Grand Prix”, there is also ”Star AWORD” for special merits in the quality area. 17:30 – 18:30 Transfer to Glodeni 18:00 – 19:00 Check in at “La Fontal” the guest house and free time 19:00 – 20:30 Dinner at the guest house

Day 6(12.05.2019, Sunday)

Time Activity 08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast at the guest house Excursion / Hiking at Padurea Domneasca Scientific Reserve and Bisons refuge (3 km) The biggest nature reserve of scientific interest in Moldova is situated on the meadowlands of the middle Prut river in a zone 09:00 – 11:00 known as the “Padurea Domneasca”. Along the river Prut, covering a vast area, a meadow forest extends with its characteristic species for this type of environment: willow-trees, oaks, poplars, beeches, etc. Transfer from Padurea Domneasca to Suta de Movile Landscape 11:00 – 11:30 Reserve (A Hundred Mounds) Excursion at Suta de Movile Landscape Reserve (A Hundred 11:30 – 12:30 Mounds) Following the road from the Prut Valley between Branesti and Cobani villages, we find the landscape reserve named «Suta de Movile» (A Hundred Mounds). This is a unique phenomenon in the space between Prut and Dniester Rivers. The mounds are much more than 100 as there are over 3500. Their heights range between 1,5 m and 30,5 m. Dimitrie Cantemir, who named in his book «Descriptio Moldoviae» this geological phenomenon as «Centum Monticulli», completed its first documentary attestation in 1716. Hiking from Suta de Movile Landscape Reserve to Cheile 12:30 – 14:00 Butesti gorge (4 km) 14:00 – 15:00 Lunch break Excursion at Cheile Butesti gorge Cheile Butesti gorge is dug by the River in a reef with a length of over 2 km and a width of 125 m, located in the south of Butesti village, Glodeni district. The coral limestone reef was 15:00 – 16:30 formed 15-20 million years ago from corals, mollusks, clams, algae, cattle and marine organisms that populated the warm waters of the Sarmatian and Tortonic Seas covering northern Moldova at that time 16:30 – 17:00 Transfer to the guest house 17:00 – 18:30 Free time 18:30 – 20:30 Dinner at the guest house

Day 7(13.05.2019, Moday)

Time Activity 08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast at the guest house land check out 09:00 – 09:30 Transfer to Duruitoarea Hike: Duruitoarea Veche- Varatic (~15 Km) The monument of natural and historical heritage of the Stone Age “Duruitoarea Veche” is located on the territory of the Riscani District in a picturesque zone on the bank of the largest Costesti 09:30 – 14:00 water impoundment in Moldova. This area has an important historical-cultural value and huge tourist potential, which remains unrevealed today. Even today it is possible to find remains of ancient animals in this zone. 14:00 – 15:00 Lunch break 15:00 – 18:00 Transfer to Chisinau 18:00 – 19:00 Check in at the hotel and free time 19:00 – 21:00 Dinner in “Acasa la mama “restaurant

Day 8(14.05.2019, Tuesday)

Time Activity 08:00 – 10:00 Breakfast at the hotel and check out 10:00 – 11:30 Free time for shopping 11:30 – 12:30 Transfer to the airport

The price includes: . accommodation in SGL room in a 4 * Hotel in Chisinau . accommodation in SGL room in Soroca; . accommodation in “La fontal “Guest House in Glodeni; . Meals according to the itinerary; . Excursion with wine tasting at Cricova cellar – 4 wines; . Excursion with wine tasting in Asconi winery; . Excursion with cognac tasting in “Barza Alba” . Assistance transportation on the entire itinerary; . transfers according to the itinerary; . English speaking guide; . water for the group (2 bottles of 500ml per person per day).