Via Transilvanica

There are 7 sections with a total of 68 stages and 1,428 km. Most of the stages are between 10 and 25 km long, the longest is just over 40 km and unfortunately not divisible (you can easily go around it by train). The landscape is hilly, the northern part is mainly above 1000 meters, which is very pleasant in summer, the southern part is lower and can get very hot. You’ll for sure be interested in learning more about the multi-ethnic population as you walk through the different regions as well.

The Via Transilvanica is very well-marked along the entire route. In addition to the markings, there is also a stone stele every kilometer. Each of these stelae is individually designed by an artist. The trail is divided into seven sections, which correspond to Romanian provinces. There is a GPX track for each of these 7 sections.

The organizer, Tasuleasa Social, is very helpful. You can call them if there are any problems. We had to do this once because all the accommodations were fully booked and the weather was so bad that we didn’t want to camp. Tasuleasa Social takes care of hikers and has written a free guidebook that is constantly updated (available in Romanian, English, German, Hungarian, and Spanish).

In addition to the usual information, this guide also contains the telephone numbers of potential hosts (most of them respond to WhatsApp). These hosts are mostly small guesthouses and families. Not only do they offer food and a place to sleep inexpensively, they are also very caring and welcoming. You’ll feel like you’re spending a night with friends. In this way, you also get to know the mentality and living conditions of the individual ethnic groups. Camping on the Via Transilvanica is of course also possible, but not necessarily advisable outside the villages because of the animals.

The landscape is predominantly hilly and no special skills are required, apart from the fitness levels that long-distance hikes always demand. There are no exposed stretches, the stages that overlap with roads are kept to a minimum and where there is no other option, the roads are usually not very busy.

The best time to hike the Via Transilvanica is May – October. Winter in the Balkans can be an extremely unfriendly time of year, with heavy rainfall, often large amounts of snow, and cold northerly winds. It is therefore advisable to wait until spring. In midsummer, i.e. between July and mid-September, it can get extremely hot at lower altitudes, while at higher altitudes, from around 1000 meters, it is warm but pleasant.

Everywhere in the Balkans, there are shepherd dogs, which can sometimes be perceived as frightening. Mostly, however, they are not dangerous. Hearing a strong word, or seeing a determined gesture, usually makes them turn back or seek your friendship, which can also be bought with a small piece of bread.

Bear tracks can be found everywhere. There are a lot of bears in Romania, but they avoid humans. It’s rare to see them. However, it is not advisable to go into the forest after dark. Many signs explicitly warn against this. You should be careful with pepper spray: Bears avoid people, but if you do encounter one, it is always when the wind is blowing in such a way that the bear cannot smell you. So you would attack the bear against the wind, and the wind would blow the pepper spray in your face.

We have not heard of any wolves or accidents with wolves, but there are definitely wolves present in the area.