Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FROM BUŞTENI
Cabana Omu $
( 0744-567 290, 0244-320 677;
www.cabana-omu.ro
;
per person 40 lei)
This is a
simple electricity-free refuge with beds but no running water. The nearby weather station
has heat and electricity.
CABIN
Cabana Babele $
( 0744-567 290, 0244-315 304;
www.babele.ro
;
per person 50 lei; year-round)
Perched high at 2206m, this simple hikers' refuge dates from 1937. Doubles have private
bathroom. There's a restaurant on the premises.
CABIN
Cabana Caraiman $
( May-Sep)
Cabana Caraiman sits on an outcrop with vertiginous, breathtaking views
of the valley below. Cosy and basic this makes for a memorable night's stay.
CABIN
HIKING & BIKING
The two most common starting points are from the cable-car stations at Cota 2000 (from Sinaia) or from Cabana
Babele (in neighbouring Buşteni).
From Buşteni take the cable car up to
Cabana Babele
(2206m). From Babele a trail leads to the giant WWI
memorial cross at 2284m (one hour; it's marked with red crosses). From here a path (red crosses) leads to the top
of Caraiman Peak (2384m). On the peak the path becomes wider, turning into a trail that continues towards Omu
Peak across Bucegi Plateau. It gets close to the Coştila Peak (2490m) on top of which is a rocket-like TV trans-
mitter. Nearby is a weather station that has accommodation.
Alternatively, a trail (three to four hours, blue crosses) leads from
Cabana Caraiman
(2025m), where you can
pick up the trail to the WWI cross (30 to 45 minutes, red circles).
Cabana Babele is the best starting point for biking around the Bucegi - you can take your bike on the cable car,
but have to buy an extra ticket for the space. Bike trails are generally not marked. Well-beaten routes include one
starting at Cabana Cuibul Dorului, descending down into Ialomiţa Valley and then back around into Sinaia on
Hwy 71, or you can puff up to the Coştila TV transmitter and bomb down the access road into Ialomiţa Valley. It's
also possible to bike 'off-road' on the hiking trails, though only with due caution, staying alert for the sometimes
non-bikeworthy terrain and hikers. Note, biking trails are not marked.
From Cabana Babele you can hike south following a yellow-stripe trail to
Cabana Piatra Arsă
(1950m). From
here you can pick up a blue trail that descends to Sinaia via
Cabana Poiana Stânii
(three hours). An even more
interesting destination is the
Ialomiciora Monastery
, accessible by trail (1½ hours, blue crosses) or via a second
