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Maramures - A dream place frozen in time
Maramures
Romania
The impressive Carpathian Mountain Range frames beautiful Transylvania, its regal and rocky ridges creating a gigantic wall between the region and its Easternly neighbours. Time stands still in the quaint, traditional villages, hidden between winding hills and dominated by antiquated wooden churches that reflect their early oriental influences, the gothic cathedrals creating dark and haunting sillouettes against the bright skies. These imposing monuments, built entirely out of wood, are decorated with traditional motifs created by craftsmen that have continually passed their skills from fathers to sons, thus keeping alive these stunning design techniques for centuries.
This guided hiking holiday allows curious travelers to explore the remote destinations of Sapanta, Barsana, Bogdan Voda and Botzia, a region of the Carpathian Mountains still untouched by modern civilization. Here, the Romanian people still use a horse and cart to go shopping and they live a lifestyle almost forgotten throughout Europe, keeping their ancient traditions, clothing and spirituality. Our journey will allow us to experience their modest and natural way of life – we will visit the historic, gothic churches, the workshops of talented local craftsmen, a village museum, a local distillery, a cemetary and meet hard working Romanian bee keepers and weavers. This trip provides excellent hiking and exploring for the adventurous in the Maramures, Lapus and Rodna Mountains of the Carpathian Range and one day of cycling, all the time endlessly crossing the marvelous and extraordinary landscape of this mysterious country, stopping to discover the small, magical villages enroute, including one enchanting evening of Romanian folk music with the local musicians and with them sharing a delicious, traditional dinner!
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Meeting:
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Baia Mare
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Airport:
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Baia Mare / Bucharest
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Transfer:
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Baia Mare
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Riders:
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Min
6 riders
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Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2009 | 2010
Rates include:
8 nights in carefully selected guesthouse accommodations, all meals, all tour transfers, entry fees, bike for bhiking day.
| A | 2009 | 9 day trip | 9d / 8n | €875 | $1315 |
Transfer Option:
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2009
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Transfer from Bucharest airport included (min group size is 6)
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Rates do not include:
Drinks with evening meals.
Day 1
By car : Bucharest - Brasov - Sighisoara - Targul Mures - Bistrita - Dej - Baia Mare - Sighetul Marmatiei - Sapanta
We will meet you at the airport in Bucharest and transfer to the village of Sapanta, where our host will welcome us according to the local customs. Overnight at a local farm guesthouse. For groups smaller than 6 - we will meet you at the Baia Mare Airport instead.
Day 2
Sapanta - Sighetul Marmatiei - Botiza
After a delicious breakfast prepared by our host, we will head towards a very unique place in Romania - Merry Cemetery. This place is unique because of the way it presents the relationship between man and his destiny. The local traditions value death as a part of the life path, expressing this belief in many unique ways. They view life is a string with several knots that represent the different stages of a lifetime and which Death is considered to be one of these knots on life string, and in any case, certainly not last or tthe end. We will also visit the craftsman who is well-known for crafting infamous crosses and heve a look at his personal workshop. We enjoy a lunch at a trout farm and then we will say goodbye to our host and go onwards to Sighet to visit the Village Museum. Our final stop today will be in Botiza, where our new host will welcome us in a charming agro-touristic boarding house.
Day 3
By Bike : Botiza - Poienile Izei - Slatioara - Barsana - Stramtura - Rozavlea - Botiza
Today we will have the pleasure of a special cycle tour through the villages of the area. We will stop to visit some of the traditional wooden churches, silent and ancient witnesses of the life that congregates underneath their roofs. We will stop in Poienile Izei, where we'll see one of the most complex and horrific painted frescoes in Maramures that illustrates "Judgment Day". Then we will go to Glod Village in the foothills of the Lapus Mountains where we will visit a particularly beautiful church, different from the other churches because of the unique, hexagonal shape of the altar. Then on to Barsana, one of the most stunning wooden churches in Maramures, which has been put on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. In Stramtura we will see an atypical, but very special church. Our last stop today will be in Rozavlea where we will see a church with a rare expression: an exterior fresco. We will head back to host in Botiza who will be awaiting us with a special dinner!
Day 4
Botiza - Bogdan Voda - Dragomiresti - Salistea de Sus - Sacel - Botiza
Today a minibus will take us to the Sacel Village where a local craftsman will teach us how to shape clay with old traditional technique that dates back to the time when the Dacians, an ancient Indo-European population, lived on these very hills. On our way to Sacel, we will stop to visit more beautiful churches - Bogdan Voda an atypical chuch with a second tower and the church of Salistea de Sus with its uncommon placement within the small town. After the clay-modeling lesson we will return to Botiza by minibus.
Day 5
Botiza - Hiking in Rodna Mountains - Botiza
We will leave Botiza early this morning and we will head to the local giants that guards the land - the Rodna Mountains - with the highest peak of Pietrosul Rodnei at 2303m! The route we have chosen will not be difficult, so you will easily be able to admire and enjoy the landscape as you climb higher. From the Pietrosul Rodnei peak you will be able to revel in the breath-taking panoramic view of the Rodna Mountains and all their glory. Home to Botiza.
Day 6
Botiza - Ancient Mocanita Train to Viseul de Sus - Botiza
During this day we will take a ride on the Mocanita, one of the last narrow track, steam trains in Europe, which will lead us through the wild Vaser Valley with its spectacular landscape, both craggy and wooded. This ride is truly like a trip in time and a plunge into the feral wilderness of the mountains. You will be able to see how the local woods craftsmen used to work a century ago. Home to Botiza.
Day 7
Botiza - Hiking in Maramures Mountains
Today we leave for a trip in the Maramures Mountains towards Toroiaga Peak at 1930m. From Baia Borsa we will follow a path that will slowly immerse itself into the thick forest. When we reach the alpine area, we will see a sheep hold guarded by the Varatic Peak (1808m) where we will stop to have our lunch and rest. The beautiful alpine landscape of the mountains will accompany us all day as we hike.
Day 8
Woodcraftsmen - distillery - Beekeepers - Weavers - traditional dinner with the local folk musicians
In this day we will pay a visit to all the different local craftsman to see how the traditions of this land are being kept to this day and learn some about their lives and crafts.
Day 9
Transfer to Baia Mare International Airport
In the morning we'll say goodbye to our wonderful host and head to the Bucharest or Baia Mare Airport to catch your flight.
**Itineraries are subject to change
The Package Includes:
- One night accommodation in Sapanta and 7 nights in Botiza.
- All meals provided
- Local transportation to highlights and between
- Handcraft workshops
- Entering fees for visited monuments
- The ticket for the Mocanita
- The bikes for the biking day
*The price does not include souvenirs, other food on the route, alcohol served at evening meals.
Meeting:
Baia Mare
Airport:
Baia Mare / Bucharest
Transfer:
Baia Mare
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Tack:
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Horses:
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Pace:
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Level:
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(2
to
2
out of 5) Moderate
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Riders:
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Min
6 riders
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Passport and Visa Requirements:
Passports Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart except: (a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. Visa. more
A continental climate ensures that Bucharest experiences hot, dry summers and cold winters when temperatures often drop well below freezing. The city lies on the Romanian Plain, and this brings chilly winter winds. Summer temperatures are usually pleasantly warm with occasional heat waves, and humidity is low, but there can be occasional rainstorms. The rainiest seasons in Bucharest are spring and autumn.
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*Important Notice: The following ratings have been submitted by guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Hidden Trails, its partners or employees.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy but Hidden Trails is not liable for any errors or omissions.
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Our accommodations will be in agro-touristic boarding houses in Sapanta (our first night) and then in Botiza (for the next 7 nights).
We also include all meals while on your journey!
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Tack:
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Horses:
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Pace:
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Level:
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(2
to
2
out of 5) Moderate
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Riders:
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Min
6 riders
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Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for the following lengths of visit:
(a) nationals of EU countries for a three-month period (those intending to stay for a longer period than three months must apply for a registration certificate issued by the Romanian Authority for Aliens);
(b) 2. nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for touristic stays of up to three months.
Visa Note
Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
1 |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
No/2 |
| Canadian |
No/2 |
| USA |
No/2 |
| Other EU |
No |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
No |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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Maramures - A dream place frozen in time
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