Up to Moldoveanu Peak

Summer is approaching slowly but surely. In order to take advantage of this marvelous season and to escape the high temperatures one can experience in the heart of the city, what better idea than withdraw for a moment in the heart of the nature and spend some time into the mountains, in the middle of the woods ?

Not only this outdoor experience will provide you with a breath of fresh air, peace and quite, far away from the agitation of the urban life, but it is also beneficial for your body because you will work out all your muscles.

Our suggestion for a great week-end is to hike in the Făgăraş Mountains, towards the Moldoveanu Peak (2544m).

We did it last year and it was a great experience. However, in order to fully enjoy the outing and not be physically exhausted, we recommend some training before. You don’t need to go to the gym 3 times a week and work with machines. But go out for a running session of 6 to 10km once a week during 2 or 3 months. Eat healthy and hydrate your body. Do some cycling, take long walks instead of taking the car or the subway, prepare your body a little bit. This way, you won’t suffer too much during the hike. And you will be able to appreciate the views, the landscapes, the people you meet and you won’t be literally breathless nor in pain.

The hike

When planning your week-end, bare in mind the fact that, for a pleasant hike, it is recommended to start it very early in the morning, in order to avoid climbing during very hot temperatures. The idea is to get up early. Be at the starting point at 6am the latest and do the first 3 hours of climbing while it is fresh outside. The beginning of the hike is not necessarily effortless as you can see in the picture below.

On the contrary, it is easier and more pleasant after the first versant.

So, here are our tips for a successful hike of the Moldovanu Peak:

Exercise before the hike. Running, cycling, taking long walks regularly are strongly recommended.
Have a good night sleep before the hike to Moldoveanu peak.
The nigh before the hike, rent a room ideally in Slatina or the nearby villages. Not far from the forest road that leads to the starting point (Stâna lui Burmei = Burmei Shepherd Hut)

Have a good and healthy breakfast before the trip.
Plan on being at Stâna lui Burmei (Burmei Shepherd Hut) at 6 am. Bare in mind that it takes around 1h to travel the 30km forest road even with a good car.

Use a car that does not have low positioned bumpers. The forest path is tricky and not always good/pleasant.
Have a backpack with sandwiches, cereal bars, fruits, some sweets and 2-3L of water per person.
Even if it is hot, don’t go only with a Tshirt. Have a warm sweater because up in the mountains it can get cold.

Have a raincoat because on top of Moldoveanu peak it might often rain a little bit.
Wear good walking shoes.
The sticks are not necessary (we didn’t use any). But if you have some, take them with you.

For your information, we did the hike (the round trip) in one day. If you have trained a little bit before and you are in a good physical condition, you can reach the top in 3 or 4 hours. And it takes the same amount of time to come back down on the same path, clearly indicated.

Below you will find some pictures taken during the hike: