Romania - the land of bears and endless trees
Back in the summer of 2021, my best friends and I took it upon ourselves to conquer our greatest challenge to date - Omu Peak in Romania.
looking back, this 3-day trek in the Bucegi mountains was what drove me in the years to come to pursue hiking and mountain climbing as a main hobby and an outlet for my stress and unused energy.
So what does it take to climb a Romanian Mountain?
To answer the question of the Romanian mountain, we first have to answer the question "What does it take to climb a mountain in the first place?".
The first few obvious answers would be :
- Mountaineering equipment
- Traveler's insurance
- A guide (depending on your level of expertise)
- Sleeping arrangements
And so on...
But honestly, the first thing you need is to set a goal for yourselves.
A doable, realistic goal; and by that I mean - a mountain that is within your fitness capabilities, a destination that is in season (or at least Low Season) when you can travel, and of course, within your price range.
If you've landed on Romania after all those former considerations, you're in the right place!
Let's talk about Omu Peak!
Story Time
I've found that the detail that separates a great trip from a decent or even a bad one, is preplanning and attention to detail - let me take some of the pressure off your back.
The best time to go exploring the Bucegi range in Romania would be between June and September; that's when temperatures are at their most convenient, there isn't a great chance for thunderstorms, and bears are common enough, but not too common so that you won't be able to leave your cabin.
We left for Romania in July of 2021, ready for 4 days of adventures in a new destination.
we landed in Bucharest, and after a quick stop at Decathlon for some supplies and new gear, we hopped on a train to Brasov, and the village of Predeal, where we had a room booked for the night.
The following day, after a hearty breakfast made by our lovely hosts, we left into the woods and up the mountain, through thick foilage and neverending meadows, all the way to Diham Chalet, a lovely mountain cabin overlooking the valleys and the great Varful Omu - the Omu Peak.
after spending the night eating homemade food, talking to locals and fellow hikers, and playing badminton in a nearby field with some local kids, we called it a night and headed upstairs to get ready for the day to come.
The following day we woke up at dawn, grabbed our gear, and left our cabin for a summit attempt.
walking through the trees, the sun barely over the horizon, gave an already special day an even more special feeling.
we stopped for breakfast at Cabana Malaiesti and prepared for the final ascent to the top.
we walked over gigantic boulders, snow patches, and fallen trees all the way up to Omu Pass, where the Peak and the giant cross on top of it were just at an arm's reach.
After a quick coffee and picture break at the cross, we headed for the last station of our trip the town of Bran.
walking down a steep mountain cliff wasn't as easy as it looked on the map, but 5 hours and 17km later, we were in Bran.
walking around the town's market, looking at the ancient castle, and eating all the great food the stands had restaurants have to offer was definitely worth the trip.
we settled in our beds, woke up at the crack of dawn, and caught our airport shuttle, heading home and leaving Romania behind, definitely not for the last time.
Equipment
Truth be told, me and my friends are all veterans, we're used to hiking using racks, and without changing our socks and underwear for weeks at a time.
Nevertheless, I've adjusted our gear list to what we would've used on a hike under normal scenarios, considering the weight and volume limits of regular equipment.
- A decent size Backpack (preferably over 35L)
- A sleeping bag Liner(!)
- A pair of hiking pants
- Hiking boots
- A breathable shirt (preferably long-sleeved)
- A hat
- Sunglasses
- SunBlock
- 3 Pairs of hiking socks (one per day)
- 3 pairs of Underwear (one per day)
- A base layer and a light jacket
- A camp stove or JetBoil (Optional, but a definite upgrade to your trip), and coffee/tea
- As many snacks as you can carry!