Bucegi Natural Park | Discover The Beautiful Carpathian Mountains

Bucegi Natural Park is a natural wonder of Romania and showcases the jagged peaks of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathian Mountains run through 7 countries, with the most famous section being the mighty Tatra Mountains that border Poland and Slovakia. The mountain chain runs through Czech Republic, Serbia, Hungary, and Ukraine. The Romanian Carpathian Mountains are unique and are best represented in the diversity of Bucegi Natural Park. Don’t miss the chance to explore this awesome park in Romania.

The mountains landscape of Bucegi are a mixture of jagged mountains peaks, lush forests, and barren meadows. The natural rock formations here are quite unusual and have gained world-wide attention. Bucegi Natural Park is known for a wide range of flora and fauna, and there have even been bears spotted in the dense forests. On top of the natural wildlife, the most common animal you will see are the many sheep who call this beautiful mountain range their home. The sheep are cared for hearty shepherds who have a number of protective canine friends.

There’s a wide range of mountain huts, villas, and guesthouses. Camping seems to be a bit of a gray area, but stray away from the main tourist attractions and the mountains become sparse and unpopulated.

This 3 day trek showcases the diversity of the Carpathian Mountains and gets off the normal tourist track of the Bucegi Natural Park.

Table of Contents

• Map & Overview | 3 Day Trek in Bucegi Natural Park
• Useful Tips for Planning a Multi-Day Trek in Bucegi Natural Park
• Detailed Schedule | 3 Days Hiking Bucegi Natural Park
• Bran & Where Next?
• Total Cost | Hiking Bucegi Natural Park for 3 Days
• Final Thoughts | Hiking in Bucegi Natural Park

Map & Overview | 3 Day Trek in Bucegi Natural Park

This is a map and overview of a 3 day trek through Bucegi Natural Park. Catch the cable car in Sinaia and take it up to the final stop Cota 2000, to begin this trek. On night 1, sleep at the artificial lake, Bolboci. Day 2, appreciate the diversity of the Carpathian Mountains and sleep at mountain peak hut of Omu. Day 3, wind down the stunning mountains and into the village of Bran.

Mileage distances are rounded to the nearest quarter of a mile.

• Day 1 | Sinaia Cable Car to Wild Campsite | 7 miles
• Day 2 | Wild Campsite to Omu Chalet | 11 miles
• Day 3 | Omu Chalet to Bran | 9 miles

⁉️ If downloading the map, please verify that the map is correct and follows the waypoints. Oftentimes, there are daily updates to the site, map platforms, and other external issues that may cause a bug in downloading. Be mindful that this map is solely for entertainment purposes. Always hike responsibly and respect the mountains by following a no-trace philosophy, avoid hiking alone, be conscious of the weather and personal limitations, and do not stray from the visible trail.

A Quick Overview of Bucegi Natural Park Logistics

• 3 Day Trek
  • Starts from the cable car drop from Sinaia & Finishes in Bran, Romania
• Mileage: 27 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate, but will ultimately depend on route and timeframe.
• Trail Markers: The trails are marked fairly well along the route. Look for white and black sign posts with the trail color marking at the top. The trail marker can be a variety of symbols including lines, triangles, and circles. There are a sign posts with information scattered along the Bucegi hiking trails.
• Utilize the shelter system. There are simple mountain huts along the route, look for them as “Refugiu.” There are also more guesthouse options in popular areas. Find, shared rooms, cafeterias selling food, water, and snack. Almost all have garbage drop-offs, and toilets.
  • Camping can be a “gray area.” Many of the trails have been marked by local hikers on maps.me. I had no problems camping and saw a few along the route. Sadly, some of the campsites are littered with garbage and human waste.
• Gear Essentials
  • Good Hiking Shoes
  • Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Liner for Mountains Shelters
    • This itinerary includes one night of wild camping (tent required)
  • Offline Hiking Map
  • Romanian RON (lei) for entrance fee, shelters, cable car ticket, snacks, and bus fare
  • Food & Snacks for a few days, possible to buy food along this route

➯ Hey… don’t forget your Travel Insurance! I love SafetyWing

Useful Tips for Planning a Multi-Day Trek in Bucegi Natural Park

From when to hike, what to pack, and other helpful tips to prepare for a visit to Bucegi Natural Park.

Bucegi National Park Fee: 10 lei per person ($2.50 USD) | Ticket good for 3 months | Ticket booths near cable car stations | More information here

When to Hike

Due to the weather and heigh of the mountains, it’s best to hike in the summer months. Although, keep in mind the weather can change fast. Make sure to have emergency blankets just in case and carry trekking poles to help navigate the snowy or wet trails.

To help navigate the rocky trails, it’s best to wear solid hiking boots with ankle supports. I found trail runners to be efficient during the month of August.

The middle of August is peak season and almost everyone from the Bucharest floods the mountains. Sadly, around many of the villas there was an excess of trash and human waste. Once you get past there “heavily trafficked areas” you may see no one except some shepherds and their dogs.

Local Tip | Avoid weekends in the middle of August at all costs!

Sleeping Tips

I’ve heard mixed reviews on camping in Bucegi Natural Park. There are plenty of “wild campsites” marked on Maps.me. I never had a problem or encountered anyone who challenged me about setting up a tent. There were several hikers carrying camping equipment. Some hikers suggest asking nearby villas and guesthouses to camp on their property. They may charge a small fee to use the facilities and to pitch a tent. Many of the mountain refugees en-route are locked and you must coordinate ahead of time to use them.

There are guesthouses and villas that are nicer and offer full facilities.

More Things to Pack for Bucegi Natural Park

• Sleeping Bag & Liner: For wild camping and to cut down on linen expenses in the mountain huts
• First Aid Kit: packed with all the essentials & emergency blankets.
• Water Filter: Hydration is key!
• Rain Gear: light weight & quick dry
• Snacks: Make sure to bring enough snacks for a few days. It’s possible to purchase snacks at the huts, but obviously, they are more expensive in the mountains than in town.
• Battery Pack: Many of the shelters have no electricity
• Headlamp: Essential for the shelters and for on the trail. Some shelters offer no electricity at night and the bathroom may be outside.
• Trekking Poles: To help with steep and slippery trails. Also, to help deter wild dogs with pack mentality and to “look big” incase of bear sightings.
• Romanian Currency of RON (Lei)
• Waterproof Map & Reliable Offline Map
• Optional: Animal pepper spray for bears and aggressive shepherd dogs

Tips on Shepherd Dogs

The mountain shepherds have many dog companions. They usually lead the sheep, while the shepherd stays behind his flock. The dogs may come up quick and appear agressive. It’s best to wait for the shepherd to call of the dogs. In the meantime, start backing up slowly from the dogs, but never turn your back to them. There may be some rogue and wild dogs, so you may have to detour a bit. Since I was traveling as a solo female, I picked up a pepper spray, just incase. I never had to use it, as the shepherds were on-top of calling off their dogs.

In Brasov? The Arrow International shop sells lots of different hunting and fishing supplies, including various protective sprays and more. Find them here.

Detailed Schedule | 3 Days Hiking Bucegi Natural Park

Keep in mind, there are multiple routes to discover Bucegi Natural Park. This 3 day itinerary skips the “Sphynx,” one of the park’s most notable highlights. Make sure to do a little research to see what points of interests you may wish to include. On this itinerary, Day 2 & 3 were my absolute days.

Skip to | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

How to Reach Sinaia

Sinaia is one of Romania’s most popular mountain resort towns that boasts the incredible Peleș Castle. This village is easy to reach from Brasov. There are multiple trains that run from Brasov to Sinaia.

Train Logistics | Brasov to Sinaia | Average One-Way Ticket Cost: 13 Lei ($3.25 USD) | Duration: 1 hour | Trains run frequently | Verify the timetable & Purchase online

Right near the train station is an excellent Carefour market and is a great place to grab last minute supplies. Since it was August, it was the busiest month in Romania for tourism. There will be hoards of tourists waiting to visit Peleș Castle. Due to the crowds and the horror stories I heard about people who had visited this site, I opted to skip touring the inside of the castle.

Pro-Tip | Load the cable car to the trailhead and look out the righthand side to appreciate stunning arial views of Peleș Castle.

From the train station, either walk or take a taxi to the cable car.

Cable Car Logistics | Gondola Sinaia | Find the lower cable car here | 45 minute walk from Train Station | Distance: 1.75 miles | Cable Car Ticket (One-Way): 35 lei ($8.75) | Take the cable car to the stop Gondola Sinaia Cota 2000 | Official Info & Ticket Purchase

Day 1 | Sinaia to Wild Campsite

Before loading you may have had to pay the Bucegi National Park Entrance Ticket. If not, you may have to pay it along the way.

Reminder | Bucegi National Park Fee: 10 lei per person ($2.50) | Ticket good for 3 months

Exit the cable car and continue on the gravel road. Look for the red path that winds through the meadows. Now that you are in the actual park, you will begin to see all the incredible sheep that call the rugged mountains their home. Be mindful of the shepherd dogs who protect the flock and their beloved shepherd.

The red trail winds through thick forests with epic views of the surrounding Carpathian Mountains. Eventually, the forest path will lead to a popular area with many mountain huts, shelters, and nicer villas. In August, sadly this area was overcrowded and polluted.

Try to leave this area fast and continue to follow the stream where there is a nice waterfall running over a dam. This is a great place to have a snack and take a break. Follow the stream to Bolboci Lake, which is actually an artificial lake. Look for an opening, which makes a great place to wild camp for the first night.

Wild Camp Spot

There is a small area where many people have camped. It’s a little off the road, so the trees protect the visibility of the tent. As stated earlier, camping in Bucegi Natural Park can be a “gray area.” Sadly, this campsite had lots of garbage left behind. Be responsible and leave no trace behind by collecting all garbage and personal items before departing.

Camp Spot Logistics | Marked on Maps.me | Fire Pit | Protected by trees | Close to water source and road | No trash drop

Logistics Bucegi Natural Park | Day 1

• Distance: 7 miles
• Duration: 4 – 6 hours, dependent on weather, break, fitness level, etc.
• Expenses | Train Ticket to Sinaia: 13 lei ($3.25) | Cable Car Ticket (One-Way): 35 lei ($8.75)

Day 2 | Wild Campsite to Omu Chalet

Leave the wild camp early in the morning and continue towards Mircea peak. Follow along a scenic meadow trail with lots of viewpoint. The yellow trails continue all the way to Refugiu Saua Strunga, a nice mountain hut that has stellar views. Note that this trail was locked, but there’s lots of green space to enjoy the valley.

Now, head in the direction towards the red trail. This epic stretch of trail continues through a barren meadow with tons of sheet and otherworldly looking cliffs. The trail move uphill and then offers stunning views.

This trail eventually climbs to the very distinct red and white circular shelter of Saua Batrana. Again, this tiny hut was locked, but there is a very clear sign for Omu Chalet, which is marked by a red line. Follow this trail all the way to the Omu mountain lodge, which is next to a meteorological station.

Saua Batrana to Omu Chalet | Marked Red Trail | Duration: 3 hours

Coming into Omu Chalet is stunning in itself and en-route are epic views of the entire valley.

Keep in mind | The other side of the valley is the most popular section of Bucegi Natural Park with highlights such as the Sphynx, Babele Natural Monument, and a giant cross honoring victims of WWI. With the popularity of these sites comes hoards of tourists. To reach the opposite side of the valley is about a 2 hour hike. Most tourist reach this park from the cable car that begins in the village of Busteni.

Omu Chalet

This shelter is built into an actual rock formation and has sweeping views from the back. The shared mountain lodge room is anything, but glamorous, but is a totally authentic hut experience. The views encircling the chalet are out of this world.

Sleep with 40 of your new closest friends. You may want that sleeping bag to act as a barrier. At night, someone comes in and cares for a fire in the woodstove that burns all night and keeps the dorm-room extra cozy.

Omu Chalet Logistics | Mountain hut that sits at almost 8,220 ft (2505m) | No water source, must purchase water | Cafeteria | Large shared dorm room with wood stove | No trash drop | Shelter Shared Room Cost: 35 Lei ($8.75)

Logistics Bucegi Natural Park | Day 2

• Distance: 11 miles
• Duration: 7 – 8 hours

Day 3 | Omu Shelter to Bran Castle

Leave Omu Chalet early to avoid the crowds by following the many trails behind the shelter. Expect some stunning views and follow the yellow triangle trail down the ridge line. This section of Bucegi Natural Park is so insanely beautiful. Make sure to look back at the scraggly Carpathian Mountains. On the way down, pass by the Salvamont Bran shelter. This mountain hut usually has a small cafe, but was closed when I walked by.

The mountain trail eventually ends and merges onto the main road that leads into the village of Bran. This road is graveled and continues all the way past Bran Castle. Once in Bran, there is a chance to visit the famed Bran Castle, which is also rferenced as the “Dracula castle.” There are frequent buses back to Brasov.

Logistics Bucegi Natural Park | Day 3

• Distance: 9 miles
• Duration: 5 hours
• A great option is to take the bus from Bran to the Transylvania city of Brasov.
• Expenses | Basic Bran Castle Ticket (Optional): 45 Lei ($11.25) | Bus Ticket to Brasov: 8 Lei ($2 USD)

Bran & Where Next?

Once in Bran, there is the chance to visit Bran Castle. This castle is the most famous in all of Romania and is surrounded by gimmicky shops of Dracula items. Many tourists associate this castle with Vlad the Impaler, the ruler who inspired Bram Stoker’s novel of Dracula; however, he actually had no ties or connection this castle. In fact, he probably never even visited this castle while he was living.

When I visited, there was a massive line of tourists waiting to grab their tickets. After spending a few days in the tranquil mountains, I opted to skip this popular tourist site.

Bran Castle Logistics | Basic Entrance Ticket: 45 Lei ($11.25) | Hours: Low Season: Mon: 12:00 – 16:00, Tue – Sun: 9:00 – 16:00 / High Season: Mon: 12:00 – 18:00, Tue – Sun: 9:00 – 18:00 | More info & online ticket purchase

Psst… Want to visit the castle where Vlad the Impaler may have actually visited during his bloody reign? Take the independent trip to Corvin Castle near Sibiu.

How to Reach Brasov

Multiple buses depart frequently from near the Bran Castle. Brasov is a great city to explore all the awesome things to do in Transylvania. This city itself has lot of interesting sites. There’s also the interesting fortified churches nearby and a plethora of other day trips that can all be experienced from Brasov.

Bus to Brasov | One-Way Ticket: 8 Lei ($2) | Buses are Frequent | Duration: 30 minutes | Catch the buses here, look for the Pepsi fast food stand

Total Cost | Hiking Bucegi Natural Park for 3 Days

So how much did this 3 day trek to hike in Bucegi Natural Park cost?

Prices on the table are rounded to the nearest 25¢

Expense	RON (Lei)	USD ($)
Train Ticket | Brasov to Sinaia	13 Lei	$3.25
Snacks, Water, & Food from CareFour Market	50 Lei	$12.50
Lift Ticket | Sinaia Cable Car to Telecabina Cota 2000	35 Lei	$8.75
Bucegi Natural Park Entrance Ticket	10 Lei	$2.50
Mountain Lodge Omu Chalet	35 Lei	$8.75
A la cart items Omu Chalet Cafeteria	25 Lei	$6.25
Bus Ticket to Brasov	8 Lei	$2
Total	176 Lei	$44

In total, this trek through Bucegi National Park cost me $44 USD. Of course, it’s possible to cut down on expenses by packing in all your meals meals and by wild camping.

Final Thoughts | Hiking Bucegi Natural Park

In short, visiting Bucegi Natural Park is a must on any visit to Romania. If you have the time, it’s worth it to tackle a multi-day trek in the incredible Carpathian Mountains of Romania. This useful guide includes how to reach the trailhead, a free downloadable map, tips and tricks, a detialed daily schedule, and a rough estimate at how much this trek costs for independent travelers.

Either before, or after visiting Bucegi Natural Park, explore the incredible region that is Transylvania. If interested in traveling deeper in the Carpathian Mountains, check out these complementary posts that cover Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, and more of beautiful Romania.

Have you visited any region of the Carpathian Mountains? Did you get to visit Bucegi Natural Park? What did you think? Have you added Bucegi Natural Park to your bucket-list? Let me know in the comments below!

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