2 days
Duration
Climbing, Hiking, Mixed
Activity
Difficult
Difficulty
Piatra Craiului
Location
May – October
Dates
The spectacular ridge of King's Rock
The spectacular ridge of King’s Rock

Piatra Craiului in English translation means the Kings’ Rock. Why is this name? Because this mountain is truly special: it has the most spectacular ridge of the Romanian mountains, it has exposure, has vertical huge walls, is always full of mountain goats and is simply beautiful. Piatra Craiului is the love of many mountaineers here in Romania and a must hike mountain.

Being at some distance from Bucharest it is best to be explored in at least two days. This tour is about enjoying more than one face of the many this mountain has to offer.

Thus, this tour proposes to you three different and unique experiences:

  • Hiking on the mountain on its fantastic narrow Southern ridge above its vertical precipices;
  • Sport climbing in the Dambovicioara gorges. The crags we know match all levels of skills and confidence. You may want to come to learn the sport as a beginner or to practice it using a top rope for more confidence or you may want to lead some climbs.
  • A spectacular series of rappels trough the tight canyon of Oratii.
DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION Bucharest
DEPARTURE TIME watch 18.00 the evening prior to Day 1
ARRIVAL TIME watch 22.00
Estimated duration of hike watcharound 10 hours
Elevation gained  chart   more than 1400 m
Maximum height  mountain 2238 m – Peak Piscul Baciului
Individual equipment needed
equipment
  • backpack -20 l
  • mountain boots or shoes
  • climbing shoes
  • hat
  • mountain jacket
  • long mountain trousers (short trousers will help in the summer months)
  • sunglasses
  • polartek blouse or something similar
  • synthetic t-shirt
  • water recipient
  • sun protection lotion
Accommodation houseWe will spend two nights accommodated in one of the guesthouses of Dambovicioara village.
Meals mealWe will eat in the evenings where we will be accommodated. During the days, some sandwiches and chocolate bars and/or biscuits will help.
INCLUDED   Transport from and to Bucharest by car

  2 Nights accommodation

  2 Dinners

  Professional Mountain Guide

  All climbing gear (harness, carabineers, rope, runners, belaying device etc.), except climbing shoes which may be rented

NOT INCLUDED   Other meals

  Pieces of individual equipment

  Insurance

  Climbing shoes – may be rented

Discount policy wallet For group bookings we apply a discount based on the number of the participants. Please book the tour and/or contact us to negotiate the discount.

Other good to know issues: 

  • Water is a problem along the route of the first day so each participant needs to carry enough of it.
1

Day 1

We need to be at the foot of the mountain the evening before the hiking day because it will be a long day of high effort.

We start early in the morning, at 8.00 AM and drive to the Brusturet motel. It is where we leave the car(s) and start hiking. In less than an hour the entire ridge comes into view. From a shepherd house the real effort starts because the trail gets steeper and aims directly for the beginning of the ridge. We meet the ridge in about 2 to 3 hours after the beginning of the hike. This is where the word amazing fits perfectly and it will stay like this for all the time we will be on the ridge because of the ridge itself and because of the view the surrounding mountains offer. And this will be for four hours.

The ridge trail is a demanding one requiring constant focus and from time to time easy scrambling. The exposure is high and the drops are huge. We finally reach the mid section of the mountain ridge near Grind shelter and on the highest peak of the mountain (Piscul Baciului – 2238m).

We head directly down from the peak and in about three hours we will back at the car(s) tired for sure but still under the spell of Piatra Craiului.

2

Day 2

We split Day 2 in two:

  • The first half of the day we will do some sport climbing in the local crags near Dambovicioara village. The crags we know match all levels of skills and confidence. You may want to come to learn the sport as a beginner or to practice it using a top rope for more confidence or you may want to lead some climbs. We will bring the full gear you need for the climbing and we will set prepare the climbing routes. We will discuss first about the equipment, about techniques, about safety rules, etc. Then you climb, we belay.
  • The second half of the day we have in mind something truly special: a series of abseils through a wonderful canyon, called Oratii. If you did not abseil before, do not be fearful! We will ensure that everything goes in total safety going through the procedure with you and checking that all is done correctly. By the way, just relax yourself, the abseils are not vertical. And the canyon itself worth the entire experience. First, we need to hike up about forty minutes until we reach the entrance to the river bed which dug the canyon. We follow the river bed and in less than 30 minutes we will reach the first abseiling station. Then the fun starts.

We finish the day and head back to Bucharest.