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Transfagarasan Adventure: Scenic Mountain Escape
4.9
33 Ratings
Curtea de Arges
Experience the breathtaking Transfăgărășan road, crossing the Carpathian Mountains and offering stunning views of Bâlea Lake. Discover the beauty of Transylvania, encounter brown bears, and visit the historic Poienari fortress.
Experience the breathtaking Transfăgărășan road, crossing the Carpathian Mountains and offering stunning views of Bâlea Lake. Discover the beauty of Transylvania, encounter brown bears, and visit the historic Poienari fortress.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Vidraru Dam - Located in Romania, Vidraru Dam was completed in 1966 on the Argeș River, forming Lake Vidraru. This arch dam was primarily constructed for hydroelectric power generation. It stands 166 meters tall, with an arch length of 305 meters, and has a storage capacity of 465 million cubic meters of water. The reservoir boasts a total…
- Vidraru Dam - Located in Romania, Vidraru Dam was completed in 1966 on the Argeș River, forming Lake Vidraru. This arch dam was primarily constructed for hydroelectric power generation. It stands 166 meters tall, with an arch length of 305 meters, and has a storage capacity of 465 million cubic meters of water. The reservoir boasts a total shoreline length of 28 km.
- Transfagarasan Highway - Known as Romania’s most stunning and renowned road, the Transfagarasan Highway gained fame after being featured on BBC’s Top Gear in 2009, becoming a major tourist attraction. Open fully from June to October, its highest point reaches 2042 meters at the tunnel connecting the northern and southern sides at Lake Balea (Balea Lac).
- Bâlea Lake - Situated at an altitude of 2,034 meters in the Făgăraș Mountains, central Romania, in Sibiu County, Bâlea Lake is a glacier lake. It features two chalets open year-round, a meteorological station, and a mountain rescue (Salvamont) station. Accessible by car via the Transfăgărășan road in summer, it can be reached by cable car during the rest of the year.
- Capra Waterfall - The Capra Waterfall offers a breathtaking view with its waters cascading over cliffs. Visitors can explore the surrounding area and enjoy the serene ambiance of the waterfall.
- Poienari Castle - Poienari Castle, steeped in legends and surrounded by forests, overlooks the abyss from its high-altitude perch. It is part of the legacy of the legendary Vlad the Impaler, a medieval prince celebrated for his victories against the Turks and his strong sense of justice, yet feared for his severe punishments of traitors.
What's Included
- On-board WiFi
- Professional English Speaking Guide
- Pick-up and Drop-off from Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Old Town Bucharest
- Small Group - limited to maximum 7 tourists
- On-board WiFi
- Professional English Speaking Guide
- Pick-up and Drop-off from Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Old Town Bucharest
- Small Group - limited to maximum 7 tourists
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Additional Information
This is a serene private day trip from Bucharest to the Transfagarasan region. The Transfăgărășan is a paved mountain road traversing the Carpathian Mountains and is the second-highest paved road in the country, reaching an altitude of 2,042 meters (6,699 ft).
The road also leads to Bâlea Lake, a glacier lake located at an altitude of 2,034 meters. Here,…
This is a serene private day trip from Bucharest to the Transfagarasan region. The Transfăgărășan is a paved mountain road traversing the Carpathian Mountains and is the second-highest paved road in the country, reaching an altitude of 2,042 meters (6,699 ft).
The road also leads to Bâlea Lake, a glacier lake located at an altitude of 2,034 meters. Here, visitors can enjoy the fresh air and cool temperatures, take in the stunning views of Transylvania, and enjoy a delightful lunch.
On the return journey, travelers will admire Bâlea Waterfall and make a stop at the Vidraru Dam for a refreshing break.
There is a good chance of encountering brown bears along the route.
Along the way, travelers will also have the opportunity to see Poienari Fortress, a mountaintop stronghold built by Vlad the Impaler.
- In the mountains area it is colder than Bucharest, dress thickly!
- We will NOT visit the interior of Poenari Fortress, we will only see it from from the roadside viewpoint
Location
Vidraru Dam
DN7C
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(33 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Anna_s
Aug 13, 2025
Great experience with... - Great experience with Octavia as our guide and driver. It’s a long day but we got to see all of the sights and bears along the way. We’d have a couple of providers cancel on us because it would be “too busy” being a Sunday in August but with Octavia we head straight for the lake and only sat in a very small amount of traffic waiting to exit the tunnel. It was brilliant, Octavia was really informative and a great driver too. Definitely recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Geoff_b
Jun 23, 2025
Great drive through the... - Great drive through the Carpathian mountains. Bears galore & great, easy to understand commentary from our driver/guide , Alin. The views from Balea Lake area at the end of our drive ( 2000m + above sea level) were spectacular. Don’t miss this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Angela_h
Oct 7, 2024
A great insight to Romania - This is a long day but made so much more enjoyable by the company of Vlad! We saw and learned so much about Romania and its people during the long drive. The countryside is stunning and the view over the Transfagarasan highway is spectacular! Note, you don't get to drive on it but do get a great view of it. We found the Dam stop interesting too. Great communications from both Vlad and HQ, collected and returned to our apartment with ease. Good to travel off season, as it could get busy along the single lane entrance to the mountain top in peak season. A lot of enclosed twisty turns along the road for several miles up to the summit, so take travel sickness tablets if you're so inclined. As a private tour, I was grateful to be sat in the front of the car! Thank you to Vlad and the team for a truly memorable day :)
Review provided by Viator
Dan_o
Oct 3, 2024
Brilliant value for money - We had an absolutely amazing time on this trip, our driver alin was very friendly , funny and informative, the whole trip is breathtakingly beautiful and very good value for money, there were stops for bathroom breaks and to stretch your legs, the highway itself is stubby and the views are unbeatable, we even got to see a wild bear! A must see experience and I would highly recommend this to any traveler
Review provided by Viator
Daryl
Oct 2, 2024
Must see and do trip - Had a wonderful experience from start to finish . We were picked up at hotel by our guide Alin who kept us entertained and informed there and back and on the attractions we visited he is an excellent knowledgeable guide .
We thoroughly enjoyed the experience it is a trip you have to do whilst in Bucharest/Romania you won’t regret it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Virginia_d
Sep 30, 2024
Awesome despite the weather - Comfortable ride. Great guide ☺️ The weather did not cooperate but we still see bears and were able to snap a few photos.
Review provided by Viator
Kay_w
Sep 7, 2024
Fabulous - Amazing trip from start to finish. Our guide was Alin, who immediately made us welcome and was really friendly. He had a really good knowledge of the history of each area we passed through. We had plenty of options to stop for breaks or coffee etc, nothing was too much trouble. First stop was a fortress
which was amazing and then on upwards to the mountain.
The views from the top of the Mountain down the Transfagarasan highway were stunning and we were given ample time to wander about taking pictures and sampling the local snacks on offer at Lacul Balea. He recommended Langos which we tried and it was absolutely delicious. I want the recipe. 😁 Stopped at a lovely waterfall, and onto Vidraru Dam, which had spectacular scenery. Alin let us take our time, no rush and nice and relaxed walk from one side to the other. We saw 7 different bears by the roadside, one with a cub, and we were able to get some lovely pictures whilst not disturbing the bears. The last stop was a beautiful monastery. We enjoyed every minute of our day. We had a great rapport with Alin and throughout the trip we shared many jokes and laughter. Would highly recommend this trip especially if you get a guide as good as Alin.
Kay and Stewart from Scotland.
Review provided by Viator
Kmc8955312
Sep 6, 2024
Amazing - Amazing trip from start to finish. Our guide was Alin, who immediately made us welcome and was really friendly. He had a really good knowledge of the history of each area we passed through. We had plenty of options to stop for breaks or coffee etc, nothing was too much trouble. First stop was a fortress
which was amazing and then on upwards to the mountain.
The views from the top of the Mountain down the Transfagarasan highway were stunning and we were given ample time to wander about taking pictures and sampling the local snacks on offer at Lacul Balea. Stopped at a lovely waterfall, and onto Vidraru Dam, which had spectacular scenery. Alin let us take our time, no rush and nice and relaxed walk from one side to the other. We saw 7 different bears by the roadside, one with a cub, and we were able to get some lovely pictures whilst not disturbing the bears. The last stop was a beautiful monastery. We enjoyed every minute of our day. We had a great rapport with Alin and throughout the trip we shared many jokes and laughter. Would highly recommend this trip especially if you get a guide as good as Alin.
Kay and Stewart from Scotland.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Muske2018
Aug 29, 2024
A very nice day in my life - Great experiences, lots of bears seen, great scenery and a great guide. It was one of my best days in my life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luanne_t
Oct 15, 2024
Nice drive if you had a safe driver - Most memorable was the driver not wearing a seat belt, the driver texting and talking on his phone the entire return trip. I think he forgot he was at work. We thought him texting while driving was totally unprofessional not to mention illegal, If you get a good driver the views are lovely and treehouse restaurant for lunch was excellent.
Review provided by Viator
