Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cable car from Babele, where you'll find a small hermitage built partially inside the Ialomiţa cave. Visitors are
welcome to spend the night there; there is also the Hotel Peştera nearby.
A more ambitious expedition involves taking the cable car from Buşteni to either of the two cable-car stations
and hiking northwest across the mountains to
Bran Castle
. Exceptionally fit people can do this in one strenuous
day, assuming an early start from Babele, but you are strongly encouraged to take two days and camp for free or
spend a night at
Cabana Omu
. From the TV transmitter there is a trail (two hours, yellow-marked) leading to
Cabana Omu on the summit (Bucegi's highest point, at 2505m). North of Babele the scenery becomes dramatic,
with dizzying drops into valleys on either side.
From Omu to Bran Castle is tough but spectacular - a 2000m drop through the tree line into thick forest, then
onto a logging road leading to the castle (five hours, yellow triangles). Don't even think of climbing up from Bran
to Omu.
A particularly nice route from Sinaia (seven to 10 hours, yellow and blue stripes) starts at either Cota 1400 or
Cota 2000 at
Cabana Mioriţa
, then heads to Cabana Piatra Arsă, down to the Ialomiciora Monastery and then up
to the Omul Peak (where there's also a cabana).
We recommend you discuss your desired route with the Sinaia Tourist Office, confirming duration, difficulty
levels and accommodation. Stock up on torch (flashlight) batteries, take some sweets, fruit and plenty of liquids,
and pack a lightweight jacket and fleece - with an average temperature of -3°C you'll be glad of it. Before you
leave your châlet, sign the Tourists' Traffic Register, that way they can keep track of you if you run into difficulty.
FROM SINAIA
Cabana Valea cu Brazi $
( 0732-249 844; bed 25 lei)
This is a so-so cabana at 1510m, a 10-minute walk up from
Cota 1400.
CABIN
Cabana Schiori $
Offline map
( 0244-313 655; Str Drumul Cotei 7; d from 100 lei)
Walkable from Sinaia's centre,
this is pretty fancy for a cabana, with a swank restaurant on-site too and 27 beds.
CABIN
Getting There & Away
Roads wind up from Hwy 71 south of the mountains all the way to Cabana Babele - al-
though much of the road as far as Piatra Arsa Cabana has been resurfaced, for the rest of
the journey an ordinary car may struggle. The easiest way into the Bucegi from Sinaia is
up two cable-car rides: one from the centre to the Cota 1400 station, then another up to
