Exactly this time a few years ago, I took a journey spanning over 15,000 kilometres that ended up being one of the most memorable trips of my life.
They say that the longest journeys are often the most rewarding. Well we all know that this isn’t always true, but fortunately in my case, this long journey to Romania proved to be extremely fulfilling.
It was my first time in Romania my first order of things was to see ‘must-visit’ places. I made sure to allot at least a couple of days to visit its iconic castles, including Bran Castle in Transylvania, which is more famously known as ‘Dracula’s castle’.
And I have to agree that the castles are an absolute must-visit especially if it’s your first time in Romania. You can read all about these recommended castles in Romania here.
But the thing that made my Romania trip really, REALLY unforgettable was spending time in the countryside.
I will forever be grateful that back when we were planning and getting ideas for our Romania trip, we were introduced to Dan Chitila of Outdoor Activities in Romania.
After Dan found out about what we wanted to experience in Romania, he created a unique Romanian itinerary that combined history with local culture and the outdoors. To this day, it’s in my top three unforgettable travel moments ever.
I have received a number of queries on how I was able to plan my Romanian itinerary. I have to be honest and say that without Dan, I not only wouldn’t have thought of our incredible itinerary, there would also be no way for me to plan all logistics of that trip seamlessly.
It’s been a few years since our Romanian trip and I’ve been feeling nostalgic. So I was absolutely thrilled to see that Outdoor Activities in Romania had incredibly grown since, and are continuing to offer private and shared tours all over Romania.
What makes Outdoor Activities in Romania stand out from any other tour operator is that they specialise in combining an active element in their itineraries. You don’t even need to be expert or a hiker to enjoy their tours. As long as you appreciate the outdoors, don’t mind amazing landscapes, relish unique local Romanian culture, and most of all– up for a good adventure, then you will have an amazing time with Dan and his company.
Outdoor Activities in Romania
The main perk of booking a tour with Outdoor Activities in Romania was that we managed to explore off the beaten track (and thereby discovered many hidden gems) because of Dan our guide, who also owns the tour company.
Outdoor Activities in Romania keeps things simple. They simply want their guests to have a unique and unforgettable experience in Romania by showing them the side of the country that not many people know of.
Before I flew to Romania, my limited knowledge of the country led me to believe that the main allure of Romania are its castles and Dracula.
Yes I did visit Dracula’s castle (and more) but I knew that I want to return to Romania to explore more of its landscapes and outdoors. This is what took my breath away, and I got to experience that by combining the outdoors, culture and history with my itinerary in Romania which was arranged by Dan.
Who is Outdoor Activities in Romania for?
Even with the age of social media, it would still have been impossible for us to organise and navigate our way around Romania. So I really appreciated the help of Outdoor Activities in Romania because prior to my trip, they helped me in creating and customising my Romanian itinerary. This alone saved me hours of research.
So if you are the type of traveller who loves nature and outdoors, prefers to explore the local culture of the country, discover hidden gems and off-the-beaten paths, but at the same time know the convenience of getting a guide — then you will enjoy your tour with Outdoor Activities in Romania as much as I did!
Outdoor Activities in Romania also has partners and guides all over the country, and they cater to any region in Romania. All the guides they work with are qualified and are very experienced.
And one thing that really sets Outdoor Activities in Romania apart is that they have the ability to find hidden gems everywhere they go. Just when you think you your tour cannot get any better they will unexpectedly pull more rabbits out of the hat!
The Man Behind Outdoor Activities in Romania
Dan Chitila is the man behind Outdoor Activities in Romania. It all started in 2012 when he had an idea to bring memorable travel experiences to people wanting to discover the real Romania.
Since he has a deep passion for hiking, climbing, photography, visiting and discovering local Romanian villages and meeting new people, it all came naturally for Dan. In 2015, Outdoor Activities in Romania was founded by Dan and several years on, they are continuing to provide guided tours in Romania with an active twist.
Exploring Retezat Mountains in Romania
And if I can pull a travel rabbit out of my hat right now, I would want to be transported to Romania and go on a hike.
Currently on my wishlist is the Best of Retezat Mountains tour offered by Outdoor Activities in Romania.
Retezat Mountains, which is part of Retezat National Park (Romania’s first national park), is an absolute paradise for hikers and photographers.
Being part of the Southern Carpathians, the Retezat Mountains are one of the highest in Romania, with its highest peak, Peleaga, measuring an altitude of 2,509 metres (8,232 feet).
Just from the photos alone, it’s easy to see why the Retezat Mountains are the perfect destination for hikers and photographers. Retezat Mountains contain many glacial lakes, including Bucura Lake, the largest glacial lake in Romania, covering 8.9 hectares (22 acres). Outdoor Activities in Romania’s Retezat itinerary includes a four-hour hike to, and an overnight at Bucura Lake!
Another reason why Retezat National Park is an ideal location for nature and wildlife lovers is that 55 species of mammals can be found within the park range. All shots in this post were taken from an actual (and recent) Retezat tour by Outdoor Activities of Romania.
As you can see, this tour/ hike is extremely picturesque so it’s well-worth taking your camera on this trip. Retezat is abundant in nature and wildlife. 55 species of mammals can be found within Retezat National Park, and out of Romania’s 3,500 plant species, over a third (or about 1,200) can be found in Retezat National Park.
And another good reason to explore Retezat with a guide like Outdoor Activities in Romania – that stunning photo of a green island above? You can only reach it with an experienced guide like Dan Chitila.
The Best of Retezat Mountains tour with Outdoor Activities in Romania is also quite intimate. With a minimum number of 3 and maximum of 10 people in a group, you can be sure that your small group will receive a very individual and personalised service and care. This is normally a shared tour but can also be offered as a private tour when requested.
This is what I liked the most about Outdoor Activities in Romania. They are reasonably flexible as they try to cater to your needs, and at the same time they offer the best advise logistics and tour-organisation wise in order to maximise your time in Romania.
Having a guide to explore the Retezat Mountains is not only a must, it will make your experience more enjoyable. From my experience, Dan, who is also a photographer himself, knows the best photographic spots and we took necessary photo stops (because we all know that photographs are the best travel souvenirs, right?)
We are now well into the end of the year, and this means that it’s time to plan our travels for 2020. Just a tip, the best time to visit Retezat Mountains is late June to late September.
Contact Outdoor Activities in Romania now to start organising your Romania trip!
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I HAVE BEEN HIKING WITH DAN IN THE TRASCAU AREA SOME YEARS AGO AND IT WAS INDEED A GREAT EXPERIENCE. WOULD LIKE TO Follow Your trips experiences which are described so well and detailed