31 Oct 2021
This may not have been the exact tour we took but it was pretty close. This was the first of three tour that my wife and I took during our honeymoon/anniversary in Brasov. We were primarily led by Tudor, who was assisted by Mihai.
Mihai was the principal "outdoors" guide and had extensive experience with wilderness adventure and photography. This was primarily leisure for us though.
Tudor stopped briefly at the base of Bran Castle on the way to the mountain villages for us to take pictures. On the drive, he explained the history of the Saxon villages and their unique architecture. Once in the mountains, he deferred to Mihai, but it was clear that Tudor was working hard to learn and already had a great deal to contribute. They got us into a bat cave filled with bats and then led us up a lengthy walk into the hills/mountains. The views were breath taking, though honestly, we enjoyed spending time with two proud, intelligent, and passionate Romanians of different generations. They taught us a great deal about their culture and history and were great companions for the day.
The walk was a bit long but we were also tired from several days of travel. It wasn't rugged nor particularly grueling, though it is a few miles and much of it was uphill. They were very accommodating as we fatigued and made a great day out of it. We ended with an authentic lunch at a private restaurant that overlooked the mountains. It was a truly once in a lifetime experience.
I'd recommend this tour for anyone hoping to see the Romanian countryside but not looking for a truly wilderness experience of hiking, biking, or wildlife stalking. Bring water, decent shoes, a hat, and a good camera and you'll have a day you'll remember forever.