The 10-Day Roundabout Tour

Day 1.
Pickup from Budapest airport and drive through the Puszta of eastern Hungary. Traditional Hungarian “bogrács goulash” (evening meal) with accommodations for the night near the Hortobágyi National Park.

Day 2.
We drive through the Hortobágyi National Park and the Hungarian city of Debrecen in the direction of the Hungarian-Romanian border. Once in Romania, we drive in a northerly direction and make a brief stop in Satu Mare. We then continue toward the north, entering the Tara Oasului region and the Carpathian foothills. Evening meal and lodging for the night in Huta-Certeze.

    Day 3
We take our morning walk in the vicinity of Huta-Certeze. Following the river Tisza and the Ukrainian border, we enter Romania’s very traditional Maramures region. (spelfout in Ned. Tekst hier!) On the way we stop at Sapânta, the “merry cemetery,” and visit the city of Sighetu-Marmatiei. We then continue over the Gutâi Pass to Surdesti, where we pay a visit to the highest wooden church in the world. Passing through the traditional villages Cavnic en Budesti, we drive to the Bârsana Monastery in the Iza Valley and then to the “dead-end” town of Botiza. There, we enjoy our evening meal and stay the night.

Day 4

Morning walk in the neighbourhood of Botiza. We then drive in an easterly direction through the Iza valley, the town of Borsa, along Pietrosul Mountain and over the Prislop Pass (1416 meters) into the Romanian province of Moldavia. Stunning views on the way. A short stop in Câmpulung Moldovonesc before continuing on to Bukovina, famous for the many magnificently painted frescos of its monasteries.
Dinner and lodging for the night close to the painted monastery of Humor.

Day 5

A well-earned rest day! Some possibilities: visiting the Voronet monastery and/or that of Humor, going for a walk in the vicinity or just taking it easy, reading a book near the pension . . . It’s also possible to walk from one monastery to the other. Evening meal and lodging for the night nearby the monastery of Humor.

 Day 6

We take our morning walk through the rolling hill country of Bukovina, then drive over the Rarau Pass (1425 meters), continuing along the Bistrita River in a southerly direction, passing the Bicaz Reservoir (also [spelfout in Ned. tekst: ook wel los van elkaar in het Nederlands] called the Lacul Izvorul Muntelui) and then straight through the spectacular Bicaz Gap to the Lacu Rosu (the Red Lake). Evening meal and lodging for the night close to the Lacu Rosu.

Day 7

We leave early and drive in a southwesterly direction over the Bucin Pass, entering Transylvania, where we visit Praid and the chilly salt mines nearby. We then continue to the village of Corund, famous for its earthenware, after which we pass through Odorhei Secuiesc to Sighisoara, a Transylvanian fortified city dating from the Middle Ages and famous as the birthplace of Count Dracula (Vlad Tepes). Here, we enjoy our evening meal and take lodgings for the night.

Day 8

We drive in a westerly direction and visit the fortified churches of Malâncrav and Biertan, before continuing on to the Turda Gap, where we stop for a fascinating walk. We then continue our trip through the Apuseni Mountains to Gârda de Sus, where we take our evening meal and spend the night.

Day 9

We begin the day with a morning walk to the Scarisoara ice cave in the Apuseni Mountains. In the afternoon we set off for the Hungarian border, where we have dinner and spent the night.

Day 10

The end of the tour, with a transfer back to Budapest Airport.