Responsible Travel in

CELEBRATE SPRING IN THE MOUNTAINS

The price includes: The price does not include: personal drinks and A Family Programme • transportation by car including transfer refreshments, insurance, souvenirs, other personal from and back to airport costs. • 3 meals per day (starting with lunch/dinner on first day and ending with breakfast on Note: departure day). We are always open to our customer’s demands and needs. • accommodation 4 nights in family run Therefore, the itinerary described above can be adjusted guesthouse ranked with 2** and 3*** (daisies, accordingly in what regards the period and the activities according to Romanian legislation for rural included. Please contact us for more details. tourism); rooms have 2, 3 beds with ensuite or shared bathrooms Contact persons: • guidance and all expenses related with the Mihai (Mike) Olenici / GSM: +4 0740 062 862 guide Paul Iacobas / GSM: +4 075 602 301 • equipments rental and caves’ entrance fees E: [email protected] • transportation by horse pulled cart Apuseni Experience Ecotourist Programme • costs related to trip preparation

Lacul Crasna ZALÃU E60 Poiana Halmãºd Florilor Bãlan ªinteu Crasna Furta Biharkeresztes Borº inu’s hay-covered wooden house stands on the Trip details: Valcãu de Jos D Românaºi Darvas ORADEA Bãniºor Ineu top of the hill, pastures of wild flowers blanketing the Lugaºu Bar Repede cãu Hilda ºu de Jos ri Aleºd Sîntandrei C Tileagd Sig Köröszegapáti Panticeu E60 Start/end: Oradea or Cluj-Napoca (options to pick Oºorhei Bucium slopes. Inside, the flavors that define the Romanian Szeghalom Auºeu Sãcãdat Aºtileu º a

lm

A Sînmartin P. Igriþa Nojorid Bãile Topa de Criº you up/drop you at Timisoara or Budapest airports Bãile Mãgeºti cuisine: smoked pork speck, wine, home made 1 Mai Iclod y Felix Copãcel Borod Zimbor Piatra Craiului Aºchileu Leº Osoiu Vadu Criºului Vultureni Hidiºelu 624 are available too). r Vîrciorog bread and telemea (a type of sharp sheep cheese) are E671 de Sus Cuzãplac ªuncuiuº Ciucea Tãºad E81 Vésztö a Cefa E79 P. Vîntului Bratca Almaºu P. Ungurului Bulz Poieni Trip length: 6 days/5 nights Okány ready for the quick but tasty dinner. Mâncaţi! (Eat!), Drãgeºti Tomnatic E576 g Vida P. Lesiana P. Moanei Zece Valea Lãzãreni Hotare Drãganului Criºu Repede Aghireºu Jucu n says Dinu determined, but with a kind smile on his Activity level: easy to moderate n Ceica Chinteni Lacul Huedin Sînpaul Vida Dobreºti Drãga Izvorul Runcuri Criºului Mic u Iad Remeþi Mãdãraº Husasãu face. Consider it just a reward after the day’s scenic Group size: min 3 – max 15 Someºu de Tinca Motel Leºu Sîncraiu Sãcuieu E60 Apahida H Salonta Topa Roºia Holod Lacul Baciu CLUJ-NAPOCA Pomezeu Leºu walking trip in one of the typical hamlets of these Tulca Sîmbãta Cabana Vlãdeasa Tinca P. Meziad Lacul Cãpuºu Drãganu Cãlãþele Vlãdeasa rd th th Sarkad Cociuba Mare Cabana Ardeleana Doboz Meziad 1836 Availability for 2011: April 3 - 8 ; 10 - 15th and Rãbãgani mountains. This Apuseni Experience 5-day spring Remetea Mãrgãu Riºca Lacul Gilãu Ciumeghiu Cãpîlna Gilãu Meziad Lacul Floreºti Tarniþa Feleacu rd th st th th th th th Batãr Rãchiþele Stîna de Vale Butea Someºu Cald trip will combine moderate walks and cave visits, 23 - 28 (Easter) ; May 1 - 6 ; 8 - 13 and 15 - 20 Urviº Ne Budureasa 1792 Aiton Olcea Criºu gru Beiuº Prislop Beliº Sãvãdisla Ciurila Avram Iancu ªoimi E60 Lacul Fîntînele GYULA E81 Price: 599 euros/person P. Onceasa Casa Piatra with samples of Romanian rural life and easy-paced Altarului d u Cal Valea Ierii Apateu Finiº Drãgãneºti Someº Mãguri- Zerind P. Cetatea Criº Rãdesei Rãcãtãu u P Tureni ietros hikes in the typical mountain landscapes. Beyond walking: Transylvanian cuisine, cave visits, Sudrigiu P. ªura Boghii Padiº Lazuri Pietroasa Sat de vacanþã Boga Miºca TURDA de Beiuº Poiana Horea Rece Rieni Galbe Salina Turda u º º ti Petreºtii P. Focul Viu Bãtrîna a Bãiºoara ar r traditional way of life. me Beyond walking: Transylvanian cuisine, cave visits, S na Glãvoi o Ia de Jos Chiºcãu 1579 S Cermei P. Cetãþile Iara Ponorului Cheile Turzii Cheia P. Urºilor Groapa Chiºineu- Pleºul ªtei Ruginoasã P. Vîrtop 5 Ch. Galbenei Muntele Elek Cîmpani P. Mãgura P. Coiba Casa de Piatra 1112 C Criº Mare h Vîrtop Cacovei e i traditional way of life. Sintea Mare le Grãniceri Lunca 4 R Sighiºtel 3 u Socodor n Buru 1160 c Gîrda Horea u Ocoale lu i P. Fînaþe P. Scãriºoara 2 Muntele Mare Beliu Nucet Sea Albac Cheile Pociovaliºtei 1826 c P. Poarta luii Ioanele Runc Vaºcãu ã Casa Speo Moneasa Arieºeni 6 Scãriºoara º rie Cãrpinet 1 A Cãrand P. Liliecilor A rieºu Negru Bihor Gîrda de Sus Albac Rimetea Criºu Mare During this trip you will ªicula 1849 ªimand Criºtioru Bocsig de Jos Ineu P. Huda lui Paparã Dezna Vadu Moþilor explore some of the finest natural Arieº Sãlciua hike and discover typical landscapes of u Mic Baia de o Seleuº Vidra o E671 Sebiº Arieº Mirãslãu Bîrsa Poiana Sîntana Gãina Lupºa Avram Iancu Cîmpeni Aiudului Apuseni Mountains: forests, glades, caves, highlights of the area: Tauz karstic 1486 Sohodol Curtici Poieniþa Ponor Pîncota Buteni 1437 Rîmeþ Criºu Alb spring, Coiba Mare and Coiba Mica caves, Pleºcuþa Roºia Montanã Cheile Rîmeþilor underground glaciers, karstic springs and Vîrfurile Bulzeºtii de Sus AIUD º Chiºindia Almaº Hãlmagiu b Abrud Al Zimandu Nou Abr Bucium Scarisoara Ice Cave, Vartop Cave ºu Mure sinkholes ªiria Gurahonþ ud Mogoº Cri Întregalde Galda E81 Sãlaºul de la Rãscruce o discover and learn about the occurrence, o discover and learn about traditional crafts, Teiuº Cricãu Vaþa de Jos Þebea Buceº mechanisms and the way a karst system local cuisine and mountain culture ARAD Galda de Jos Vladimirescu Ghioroc E68 Mihalþ Ighiu works and interacts with the natural interact with local people, listen to their Bucureºci P. Liliecilor Roºia Nouã Brad o Pãuliº Zlatna Conop Bîrzava Am Criºcior p o Meteº i E79 environment stories and learn about their lifestyle Lipova Almaºu Mare Valea Frumoasã ALBA IULIA Hanul Cerbu Vãliºoara Petriº Bãiþa Geo Balºa Sãvîrºin agiu Vinga Bata E68 Vorþa Zam Seb Maºloc eº www.apuseniexperience.ro [email protected] Mada Vinþu Mureº de Jos Lunca Certeju de Sus Birchiº Gurasada ªibot Oradea 410068 -Romania, 1 Decembrie Square 4-6, room 8 Tel./fax: +4 0259 472434 Geoagiu Bãi SEBEª E68 Geoagiu E81 Ohaba Lungã Dobra Apuseni Experience is a trademark of EcoTransilvania Ltd. Brãniºca Mureº Bara DEVA Bobîlna

Fãget E68 Simeria Orãºtie ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival and warm-up Day 4: Casa de Piatra hamlet

Transfer from the airport to Albac village where we will Today we will leave Ghetar Plateau and will hike, following have a short rest, meal and refreshments. a marked tourist trail, towards Casa de Piatră (the Stone Then we will start hiking in the fresh, mountain spring House) – a hamlet where most of the houses were wooden air, towards Runc hamlet - a typical mountain settlement, made, decades ago and where archaically architecture hidden somewhere in the heart of the mountains, with is still alive. Being quite far from “civilization”, the traditional wooden little houses and warmly welcoming hamlet remains an isolated and picturesque settlement people. The trail will take us through forests and glades with a romantic name given by the place – a large glade with large perspectives upon Bihor Mountains revealing surrounded by spectacular white stone walls. It is said the beauty and charm of Apuseni landscapes in this that the whole settlement is actually a stone house. Once season. we’ve arrived, we check-in at a guesthouse run by a local Arrival at the guesthouse. Warm-up, rest, dinner and family of Motzi, have lunch and a short rest and then start accommodation at guesthouse in Runc. to discover the area. After lunch, we’ll have a short walk in the area and visit Day 2: Ghetar karst plateau Coiba Mare Cave. The impressive entrance is 74 m large and 47 m high. Large halls, narrow galleries, underground Breakfast at the guesthouse and then prepare for reaching stream, lakes and waterfalls – in total the cave is 5050 m our next destination – Ghetar hamlet. The 5 hours trip will long. We will explore only the first hall, which is easily continue our yesterday adventure. accessible for any visitors. Coiba Mică Cave can be visited inside only by specialists Our destination is Scărişoara guesthouse where Dinu and properly equipped and only when the weather is drought. Iuliana, a young family of Motzi, will be welcoming us and There is a connection gallery between the two caves - Coiba invite for lunch/dinner. Motzi is the name given to people Mare and Coiba Mica through a stream which springs out living in Apuseni Mountains in very small communities – further on. hamlets - spread over the montain. On the way back to the guesthouse we will take a hike Good opportunity to start knowing each other and learn around and visit the hamlet – a small community of 14 about the lifestyle these mountain people have. families. We will not miss the old wooden church, probably the smallest wooden church you have ever seen. Day 3: Scarisoara Ice Cave Day 5: Vartop Ice Cave & Calineasa Today we’ll start our trip with a short walk in the village, through meadows covered with amazing flowers and hay Another cave is waiting for us – Vârtop Ice Cave. Despite its covered wooden houses. Once in the center of the village name, the cave is not that famous for ice (actually there is we will stop at Gheţar Tourist Information Centre, located in just one hall covered with ice, the rest is just snow) but for an old traditional wooden barn. Here, besides detailed its limestone jewelries and more, for the 25000 years old tourist information about the area we will hear the sound footprints in the limestone ground left by Homo Fossilis. of tulnic (the local version of the alpenhorn) performed by our We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch on a meadow and, after a short friend, Paşca Ilisie. At his age of 74 he has already 60 years rest, we will head on towards Călineasa Glade. A pleasant of experience in wood carving – traditional occupation trip, not too long and not very demanding, through typical for Motzi - and he will prove this through a demonstration Apuseni landscapes with forests, meadows, sinkholes and of this amazing craft, showing how everyday domestic or glades. ritual objects have been made since centuries, here. Scattered at around 1300 meters, Călineasa Glade displays Then, we will continue our hike to the Ice Cave, no more a typical Apuseni Mountains landscape and is used by local than 10’-15’. The impressive Scărişoara Ice Cave contains, mountain people as an impermanent summer settlement, according to last researches, the largest cave glacier in mainly for forestry and raising animals. From here, if we Europe The cave, with an entrance of 48 meters deep and are lucky enough to have a clear weather, we will be able 60 meters large hosts Scărişoara Glacier - an impressive to have a great perspective upon the southern part of block of ice of 110.000 cubic meters, 22 meters thick and Apuseni Mountains, including the highest peak: Cucurbăta 3500 years old. Certainly, a lesson of geology that should Mare Peak (1848 m). be not missed, especially during spring time, when the ice formations are in Day 6: Departure After Return to the guesthouse and enjoy a good rest before lunch. Later, we will start to discover the area. A After a traditional style breakfast, we will descend to Gârda 3.5 – 4 hours hiking through Ocoale and Hanasesti hamlets de Sus on a horse-pulled cart (still specific for Romanian will reveal a classical picture of these special mountains: rural and countryside areas), along Gârda Seaca Valley. small traditional mountain communities living according Once arrived in the village the group will be transferred to their own time and rhythm of life, somewhere up in by car to its next destination (airport). the mountains.