Camping Trail Ride
This is a one week horse riding trip through the Calimani mountains. You will experience high mountain trails of aproximately 1600m - 2000m altitude, impressive landscape and wildlife. Romanian mountains still hide one of the best preserved fauna and flora in Europe! You will meet shepherds and taste their freshly made sheep cheese and other products, you will ride in open fields, no fences to limit you and you will find yourself overwhelmed by the welcoming nature of the locals!
Itinerary description for the camping Trail Ride 2012
• 2 nights at the Equestrian Centre
• 4 nights camping
• 1 night in a Guesthouse on the trail
• 2 nights in 3* hotels in Sighisoara and Cluj Napoca
Day 1 (D) - Arrival at Cluj Napoca airport.
Meet the local driver and transfer to the Equestrian Centre in the Ilva Valley for the 1st night’s accommodation.
Dinner.
Day 2 (B,L,D) - Ride down to the nearest village, Lunca Bradului and riding through it head up into the mountains of Calimani, part of the Eastern Carpathian mountains. The ride continues into the Fintinel basin, then crosses a few meadows and finally arrives at the camping site. Overnight - camping in Capatina Meadow, at 900m altitude.
Day 3 (B,L,D) - After breakfast mount up and head towards Rastolita Basin, crossing a mixed area of forest and meadows with fabulous views looking over to the Calimani and Gurghiu mountains. After a relaxing ride enjoying the view, you'll descend a fairly difficult track to the Rastolita Valley. Then take the road to North on the Valley until you pass by the dam in construction through the forest and come out on a different road. Continue North and stop in the Meadow of Gura Scurtului.
Overnight - camping at Gura Scurtului, near a forestry road.
Day 4 (B,L,D)
After breakfast set off on another beautiful day's riding, on Scurtu Valley, reaching the meadow of Poiana Lunga, which at 1300m is the highest point of the day. Continue downhill to Lake Colibita. On the way pass by a little pond called The Fairies' Pond. Overnight - in a Guesthouse next to Lake Colibita – swimming in the lake!
Day 5 (B,L,D) - After breakfast ride down and through the village of Colibita then take the Izvorul Lung Valley to reach Terha Pass at 1470m altitude [here we witness the ruins of the 1st WW trenches of the Austro-Hungarian army who kept up the Russian army]. From here descend along the Dorna Valley until you reach Vorova Valley. Take this valley up East and reach the next campsite. Overnight - camping by the riverside along Prislop Valley.
Attention: you have to dismount for ½ of Km to reach the Terha Pass!
Day 6 (B,L,D) After breakfast depart from the campsite toward Tamau Peak (1862 m) reach the beautiful rock formation called ”The Red Stones”. Then short ride through the meadow where the pic-nic is. After the picnic take a path down the edge of the Calimani National Park border.
Overnight - camping by the riverside, at the border of the Calimani National Park
Attention: you have to dismount 2 times and walk by the horse on a torrent. First to reach the Tamau Peak through juniper bushes and then to descend after picnic to the border of the National Park
Day 7 (B,L,D) Ride towards Calimani Mountain, the biggest volcanic cone in Europe. Then cross a former sulphur mining site, a small mountain village, which was abandoned 15 years ago but which is undergoing an ecological process of reintegration to nature. Continue riding up to the volcanic plateau and then descend to Ilva Valley. Continue along a forest road to the lodge for a further nights' accommodation.
Day 8 (B,L,D) - After breakfast depart by vehicle on a tour to the Lipizzaner Stud Farm in Sambata.
Lunch in Fagaras, an old medieval city and then we head to the charming Saxon town of Sighisoara, a UNESCO site, with its imposing medieval citadel, overlooking the entire Tarnava Valley.
Overnight in a 3* hotel in the citadel.
Day 9 (B,L,D) - After breakfast we visit Sighisoara citadel.
Depart to Cluj Napoca, with lunch en route.
On request we can take you to another Stud Farm in Jucu, near Cluj Napoca, owned by a Norwegian company.
Upon arrival in Cluj Napoca tour of the old city.
C/in to a 3* hotel.
Day 10 (B) - Breakfast and transfer to the airport
What is included?
All meals during the trail ride - dinners are not included on the last 2 nights: the cultural extension!
Water, coffee, tea, 2 beers/person/day or half a bottle of wine/day during the trail ride
English/French speaking guide, monitor/horseman, 4x4 support vehicle, good quality double cover tents (tarp), sleeping bags and mattresses
Notes:
- During the riding periods, lunches are pre-packed (picnic type); dinners are cooked at open fire (kettle) and served fresh; Clients are welcome to participate :)
- The 4x4 support vehicles transport all the necessary equipment (tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, luggage) every day to the next camping site, following a separate road;
- Camping nights are set outdoors; the mountains we are riding in are quite wild; there are no camping sites, no toilets and no running water; as Calimani Mountains is a National park, it is preserved in its most original and natural state. We usually camp on a river bank and personal hygiene is made using water from the river.
- Our Equestrian Centre serves home made food, usually made of local fresh and ecological products, especially during summertime, when there is a large variety to choose from.
- The rider must take good care of his own horse and is encouraged to participate at the camping activities (gathering the firewood, bringing water for cooking, setting-up the tents, etc)
* ITINERARY MAY VARY DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORSEEABLE CIRCUMSTANCES
RIDING PERIOD 2012
08 JUN - 17 JUN
22 JUN - 01 JUL
06 JUL - 15 JUL
03 AUG - 12 AUG
17 AUG – 26 AUG
GREAT NEWS: We have dropped 10% off of our 2010 prices for the next season! Why don't you take advantage of the new rates:
Typical pricing:
- 2-4 pax » 1,032 Eur/pers - new price: 929 €/pers
- 5-6 pax » 962 Eur/pers - new price: 866 €/pers
- 7-8 pax » 930 Eur/pers - new price: 837 €/pers
- Sgl. supl. » 73 €
Please be aware of the fact that additional discounts may be available through our partners:
01.12.2010. 13:45
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