This centre-based one week riding program includes three day-rides and one two-day trip with an overnight stay in tents. On one of these days, we learn about the rich history of Transylvania as we travel by minibus through medieval villages and towns. Endless forests and spectacular views are the characteristics of this journey. On one of the evenings, we have the opportunity to watch brown bears from a bear-hide in the forest. The trails lead us through meadows and forests of the Carpathian Mountains and their foothills between 500 and 1,400 m altitude. We ride mainly on grass-covered paths and trails, or on forest roads. Sometimes, we come across tracks or markings of bears, occasionally even of wolves. To protect our horse's joints, we dismount and lead the horses on steep descents.
During the two-day camping portion of the trip we ride through some beautiful Carpathian forests before we reach a mountain settlement, where people still live a very simple life without electricity and running water. In the vicinity of one of these mountain farms, we set camp and spend the evening by the campfire. We ride in groups of up to 8 people and are accompanied by two guides. We cover between 20 and 30 km daily which takes us between six or seven hours, including our lunch break. The rides are a good mix of walking, trotting, and cantering.

Sample Itinerary - Subject to changes.

Day 1: Arrival  
Arrival at the Bucharest airport, where we will be picked up and transferred through the spectacular mountains to our guesthouse in Sinca Noua (ca. 3 hours). You will receive a welcome drink, a local dinner and will spend the evening with your hosts to prepare the week.

Day 2 and 3: Trips over the hills and into the mountains
After breakfast you will be shown around the farm and introduced to the horses. Soon we take off for a first ride along the meadows at the foot of the mountains. The hills offer a fantastic view over the area and the meadows invite for some first trot or canter. You will be stunned by the variety of wild flowers and we might already come across the first tracks of bears or wild boar. We enter on a forest road into the vast forests of the Carpathians and follow a long valley up into the mountains. Parts of the forests have never been cut and huge beech and fir trees hem our way. After lunch break on a mountain meadow with spectacular view we return in the early evening back to the stable. In the evening you will have the choice to see a video presentation about the research and conservation projects, which your hosts have carried out over the last 10 years.
The next day we will ride again through the hills and valleys of the area, pass a more than 100 year old railway viaduct built during the Austro-Hungarian empire, might come across shepherd camps, cow herds and water buffaloes, and should find tracks of bears, boars, red deer, wolves or lynx. There will be lots of possibilities for canters and even gallops over the meadows.

Day 4: Rest for the horses and the history of Transylvania
Today we give the horses a rest and experience the true history of Transylvania. We leave Sinca Noua and drive for about two hours through sleepy villages to the north, until we reach the medieval town of Sighisoara, one of the cultural centres of the Transylvanian Saxons. Thereafter, we continue to the village of Viscri with its famous fortified church (UNESCO World Heritage Site) from the times of the invasion of Turks. It is just a gravel road, which gets us the last 10 kilometers to Viscri, which has been a settlement of the Saxons, the German minority, for the last 900 years. In 1990, most of the villagers have left to Germany, but a small number of people stayed to continue their traditional life. Although by now a minority in their own village, the people started to build themselves a future where their ancestors lived for centuries. On personal invitation of Prince Charles, who visited the village in 2002, representatives of the village have even participated in a symposium in London. We will be served a traditional Saxon meal with food from our own gardens and home-made wine and plum brandy. Thereafter, we visit the fortified church, stroll through the village and return back to our guesthouse in Sinca Noua in the late evening.

Day 5 and 6: 50 km round trip through the Transylvania forests
A 50 km round trip leads us through the endless forests of Transylvania, home of the large carnivores. We pass through forests and cross beautiful mountain meadows, will have the possibility for some long canters and arrive in the afternoon in an area, where people’s life has changed little since the middle ages. Their little mountain farms are still being worked with oxen or horses, people lack even facilities such as running water or electricity. Camp is being set for us at one of these farms with a fantastic view around. We will enjoy a rustic dinner cooked at the campfire and have a long evening around the fire to tell stories. The next morning we pack our stuff and ride along forest trails and roads through the wild forests of Transylvania. We can enjoy the spectacular view over the Carpathian mountains and tracks of wolves or bears are commonly found along the trails. In the afternoon, we arrive back at the guesthouse.
If you don't fancy camping out in tents, we are happy to pick you up after dinner (20min walk is necessary) and drive you back to the guesthouse for the night. 

Day 7: A ride through time and a visit to Dracula's castle
On our last ride for the week, we ride for about 3 hours in a large loop around Sinca Noua through wild forests, beautiful meadows, enjoy canters and great scenery. We are back for a late lunch and continue the afternoon to the nearby Bran castle, commonly known as Dracula's castle. However you will learn that the history is much more exciting than the legend...

Day 8: Time to say good-bye
After breakfast we pack our luggage and are being brought back to Bucharest.

The above sample itinerary is subject to changes at the tour operator's discretion.

Winter
The riding weeks during the winter months will explore the snow capped peaks of the Carpathians on 5 riding days. You will have opportunities to take a sleigh ride and with a bit of luck we will will find tracks of bear, wolf or wild pigs. On one day we will visit the Castle Bran (Count Dracula) and drive to Brasov for a visit.

Sample Itinerary - Subject to changes.

Special Weeks for Novice Riders   Wolves and Bears in Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains represent the largest area of pristine nature in Central and Eastern Europe. More than one third of all wolves, bears, and lynx west of Russia roam these impressive mountains. At the foot of the Carpathians is the village of Sinca Noua, “New Shinca”, a small and picturesque village of some 2,000 inhabitants. Time stands still here, shepherds take their flocks in the mountains as they did for centuries, in the evenings, cows and water buffaloes are brought back from the pastures to the village and there is little noise except the buzzing of insects and the twittering of sparrows and swallows. Hoopoes, bee-eaters, black storks or lesser spotted eagles are commonly sighted and the area has an incredible richness of flowers in all colors.

Day 1: Arrival
We fly to Bucharest airport, where we will be picked up and transferred through the spectacular mountains to our guesthouse in Sinca Noua (ca. 3 hours). You will receive a welcome drink, a local dinner and will spend the evening with the Equus Silvania Team to prepare the week.

Day 2 and 3: Riding lessons
After breakfast you will be shown around the farm and get an introduction into horses. Throughout the next days, we will explain you all about equipment, horse care, saddling and whatever you want to know about horses. For the first two days, you will get two riding lessons each day to learn some basic skills of riding. The rest of the day there is plenty of time for walks through the nature or to hang out on the veranda and read a book.
On Monday evening, you have to possibility to visit a hide in the forest not far from the center, where the chance to see wild brown bears is very high.

Day 4 and 5: Riding lessons and half-day trips
On these two days you will continue to learn with each one riding lesson in the morning, after a lunch you will be taken to some of the interesting spots in the nearby: One day we go by minibus to the famous Dracula Castle, learn about the true history of the place. We continue to the farmer’s castle in Rasnov, which is less famous, but at least as interesting.
The other day we will go for a hike into the Zarnesti canyon in the nearby Piatra Craiului National Park. Stunning rock-walls are along this hike, which will take us for about 2.5 hours through one of the most amazing geological highlights of the Carpathians.

Day 6 and 7: Riding lessons and first trips on horseback into the country side
Again, you will get a riding lesson each morning and in the afternoons you will first time experience a 1.5 hours trip on horseback through the stunning nature.
On one of the days, we will drive into nearby Strîmbisoara Valley and visit the virgin forests there: Here you find huge, hundreds of years old beech, fir, and spruce trees, fallen giants make way for the next generation. An impressing nature!

Day 8: Time to say good-bye
After breakfast we pack our luggage and are being brought back to Bucharest.

The above sample itinerary is subject to changes at the tour operator's discretion.

A HARD HAT IS OBLIGATORY FOR ALL RIDERS! We have a few hats that other guests have left, and that can be used, but we do not know the history/size or fit of these hats and therefore cannot guarantee them.

Operator's Remarks:
-- Due to weather conditions, the order of the programme might change.
-- We reserve to change the program, as long as it doesn’t change the character of the trip.
-- Drinks are included in the price.
-- Guests are kindly asked to contribute with a 40 € donation to our conservation project.
-- The bear hide is a service from the local wildlife management organization and so we cannot guarantee the visit 100%. However, all our guests over the last 3 years have actually seen wild bears. This service costs extra 30 Euro/person.