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DURATION 4 nights DATE Thursday 28th Jan - Monday 1st Feb 2027 GROUP SIZE 12 people Max ACCOMMODATION
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LOCATION Romania ANNUAL LEAVE 3 days off work MEETING POINT
Luton Airport DIFFICULTY
Moderate |
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Flights from UK to Romania & BACK
Fly out Friday morning, back on the Tuesday lunchtime. (Luton Airport Lounge Included) Transfers
You'll be transferred from and to the Airport Accommodation
Meals
You’ll eat delicious locally sourced Romanian food throughout the trip, sitting down to dishes that make sense only here in this valley, at this time of year. Our local host builds each menu around ingredients from their small farm. |
Itinerary activities
Equipment
All your snowshoe equipment, permits and licenses 2x Day Hike Training Days -
Commemorative Adventure Tshirt |
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Travel insurance
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Personal expenses
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ItineraryDAY 1 - Welcome to Casa de Piatra!
Meet your host at the airport and drive to the small town of Turda for a late lunch. Next, continue to the village of Garda de Sus and then on to the Apuseni Mountains in the Western Carpathians. These secluded mountains comprise impressive karstic peaks up to 1800m, dotted with forests, prehistoric caves, deep gorges and picturesque villages. You'll stay in the remote hamlet of Casa de Piatra, where you’ll be welcomed by a local family in their simple, cosy guesthouse – a unique opportunity to experience traditional Romanian hospitality in a remote spot, away from the tourist hotspots of Transylvania. Enjoy a hot drink followed by a briefing with your guide and, time permitting, head out to explore the surrounding area by snowshoe before dinner. Guesthouse
DAY 2 - The heart of the Apuseni Mountains
Don your snowshoes and head deep into the Romanian wilderness across pristine snow. Stop for tea with a local family and learn about their life in the mountains, then follow narrow trails lined with wild animal tracks to return to your guesthouse in time for dinner. DAY 3 - Explore Transylvania's underground wonderland
This morning you'll hike to the Vârtop Cave, famous for the unreal beauty of its rock formations. Dripping with imposing stalagmites and stalactites, this fascinating site used to house fossilised footprints made by a Neanderthal about 67,800 years ago. You'll then head to Coiba Mare, the largest cave portal in Romania, to explore this unique system of caverns. After lunch back at your guesthouse, head out onto the snow once again to visit the Tauz karstic spring, the deepest underwater cave in Romania. With its blue-green eye of water at the foot of an impressive rock wall, it is without doubt the most beautiful spring in the Romanian karst landscape. DAY 4 - One last hike
Enjoy some final time on the pristine powder, then after a spot of lunch, head back to Romania's second largest city Cluj. Check into our hotel, a brief walkabout and celebration meal to reflect on the past few days. DAY 5 - Home
Early start back to the airport as we look to arrive back in the UK late morning. A full Itinerary with specific timings and kit list will be issued after the booking has been made and secured, if you have any initial questions or concerns, please get in touch ASAP as I am very happy to discuss. |
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow Fit or Skilled Do I need to be?
Level 3 - Moderate No special skills are required, just a good fitness level and the ability to handle three to seven hours of hiking or snowshoeing per day. There will be some some short uphill sections to climb, but overall no significant elevation gain. Prior hiking experience is recommended as it will make your experience more enjoyable (JOIN IN WITH THE TRAINING WALKS) Much depend on the snow conditions at time of travel. Between January and March, the Apuseni mountains are is usually covered in snow. If snow is present, all hikes will take place using snowshoes and poles. Snowshoes are a special type of footwear that enables you to spread your weight over a larger area, allowing you to move easily across powdery snow-covered terrain. If you have never tried this activity before, don't worry! Snowshoeing is incredibly easy, comfortable and safe. You simply clip your snowshoe to the outside of your hiking boot and off you go. You'll be in the hands of experienced and trained local guides who know the area intimately, who will guide you safely throughout the hike. You'll also have the opportunity to test the snowshoes on Day 1, before you head out on longer excursions on Days 2 and 3. How Many People will be in the group?
The trip will be 12 people maximum with myself included and will led by two local guides from a local company. What's the Weather like?
Cold climate: Factors to consider This trip includes locations or elevations where conditions can be extremely cold. Daytime temperatures may drop below freezing (0°C/32°F), and nights are often significantly colder. These conditions can affect physical performance and increase the risk of exposure-related issues, such as frostbite or hypothermia. Your guide is trained to manage these risks, adapting activity intensity and monitoring group wellbeing. However, it's important to take personal responsibility – bringing the right cold-weather gear staying hydrated and well-nourished, and recognising early signs of cold stress. We recommend assessing your personal comfort and resilience in cold environments, and consulting a medical professional if you have health conditions that may be affected. Will I be Hiking or SNOWShoeing?
This will very much depend on the snow conditions at time of travel. Between January and March, the Apuseni mountains are usually covered in snow. If snow is present, all hikes will take place using snowshoes and poles. Snowshoes are a special type of footwear that enables you to spread your weight over a larger area, allowing you to move easily across powdery snow-covered terrain. If you have never tried this activity before, don't worry! Snowshoeing is incredibly easy, comfortable and safe. You simply clip your snowshoe to the outside of your hiking boot and off you go. You'll be in the hands of experienced and trained local guides who know the area intimately, who will guide you safely throughout the hike. You'll also have the opportunity to test the snowshoes on Day 1, before you head out on longer excursions on Days 2 and 3. What do I do about DRINKING Water?
There are a plenty of Sea kayaks available for you to use with a mix of single and doubles available depending on your preference. What VAccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse. Do I need TRAVEL INSURANCE?
YES, most definitely! Please remember that Project Active is not a travel agent without any industry ATOL protection. We simply do our homework and due diligence to try to source and select the best itinerary, accommodation and ground agents we can that suit our group needs and requirements with a decent level of service and professional experience. Project Active can not be held liable if something goes wrong beyond our control so this is why you MUST have suitable travel insurance to cover yourself in the case of medical emergency and any unforeseen travel changes. What is THe official travel advice?
Project Active refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s). For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ. Who is guiding the trip?
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. Can my dietary requirements be CATERED for on this adventure?
At Project Active, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’. Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. BACKGROUND Romanian food has been shaped by Carpathian farming, Danube plain harvests and a crossroads of Balkan, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influences, so it’s often hearty, seasonal, flavourful and built around meats, soups, stews, maize and preserved vegetables. You’ll eat locally sourced Romanian food throughout the trip, sitting down to dishes that make sense only here in this valley, at this time of year. Your local host builds each menu around ingredients from their small farm. Because the trip is taking place during winter, the veggie options are limited, but there are plenty of preserved pickles, wild mushrooms and forest fruits, plus meat from free-range cows, sheep and chickens. Bread is homemade, and you should expect savoury Romanian doughnuts or traditional pies. Breakfast is usually continental, with a selection of cheese and local meats, eggs, wild mushrooms, bread, jam, coffee and tea. Dinner typically includes a soup, a meat or fish option alongside local vegetables, polenta, rice or potatoes, pickles, bread, and a dessert. Whilst snowshoeing, you’ll carry a packed lunch with a cooked selection of meat, rice or potatoes, fruit and a few salty and sweet snacks. SPECIAL DIETS Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided your host is aware in advance. There are plenty of appealing meat-free dishes to look forward to including smoky zacuscă (roasted veg spread), salată de vinete (aubergine dip), mushroom or potato stews, ciorbă de fasole (bean soup), mămăligă with cheese, and sweet apple or cheese pies. Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance, but you should expect fewer options and variety that you may be used to, especially in more rural areas where meals are traditionally built around meat and dairy. Vegan-friendly choices may include simple vegetable dishes and salads, sarmale with rice and mushrooms, ghiveci vegetable stew, fasole bătută (whipped beans), aubergine dips, pickles, grilled peppers and zacuscă (a traditional Romanian vegetable spread made from slow-cooked roasted aubergines, peppers, onions and tomatoes). Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Romania and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients may not be available, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide. Halal Romania is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, halal-certified kitchens, meat and supply chains may not be available so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide. INTOLERANCES Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, options may be more limited compared to those without dietary requirements. While your local hosts will do their best, it’s worth knowing that gluten-free provision may vary as it can be difficult to source specialist products and some kitchens may be unable to guarantee no cross-contamination, especially in rural areas. Therefore, meals will more-often be based on naturally gluten-free dishes more often than specialist substitutes. That said, many standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation, including meats, potato dishes, rice, eggs and salads. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure. Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads. ALLERGIES Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Coeliac disease), please get in touch with our team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. *Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip. What if I need to cancel? (Please MAke Sure YOU have a LOOK at our TERMS & Conditions)
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EARLY BIRD PRICEMembers Price:
£1,499.00 (£600.00 deposit + £899.00 Balance) |
Non Members Price:
£1,699.00 (£600.00 deposit + £1,099.00) |
