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Start Bucharest; upon arrival we will be greeted by an Exodus leader and transferred out of Bucharest to the small town of Vulcan in Brasov Country, Transylvania. This transfer is roughly three hours long but will be broken up with a short break en route.Comfortable guest house
Once we are happy and comfortable after the bike fitting, we set off for our first experience of cycling in this region. We begin on the flat, accompanied by views of the snow-covered peaks of the Bucegi Mountains. Today we also take time to visit the oldest flour mill in Romania, powered to this day by the river by which it was built. The tale of how it survived the communist period is also well worth our time.Our goal is the town of Bucium however if the weather is favourable we may take a detour to a nearby cave that served as a place of worship over two centuries ago. At that time the local people – the Dacians – would have prayed to Zalmoxis, a popular deity in the lower Danube region. Little is known about Zalmoxis, thought what is known is based mainly on the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus.Once we are happy and comfortable after the bike fitting, we set off for our first experience of cycling in this region. We begin on the flat, accompanied by views of the snow-covered peaks of the Bucegi Mountains. Today we also take time to visit the oldest flour mill in Romania, powered to this day by the river by which it was built. The tale of how it survived the communist period is also well worth our time.Our goal is the own of Bucium however if the weather is favourable we may make a detour to what is known as aIf the weather is good we will make a detour to a nearby cave that served as a place of worship over two centuries ago. At that time the local people – the Dacians – would have prayed to Zalmoxis, a popular deity in the lower Danube region. Little is known about Zalmoxis, thought what is known is based mainly on the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus.
Distance in Km: 59
Distance in Miles: 37
Altitude Gain: 400
We ride to the village of Lisa, with the ridge of the highest mountain range in Romania, the Fagaras Mountains, as our constant companion. There we visit a wool mill to see how woollen blankets and clothes are still being made using old methods. There is even a 100-year-old machine still in operation. We then cycle to the village of Cartisoara and on to Carta itself and visit the Cistercian Monastery. The oldest buildings on the site date back to around 1205 and like many buildings in the area it has a fascinating history.Please note that on some departures our groups stay in the town of Cartisoara and will visit the Monastery in Carta on day 4. The distances of each day would, therefore, change by 5km.
Distance in Km: 65
Distance in Miles: 40
Altitude Gain: 300
Today’s ride starts with a crossing of the river Olt and continues along quiet country roads. We cycle past the fortified church of Richis as we make our way towards Biertan. Once in Biertan, we have a tour of the UNESCO listed fortified church set up on a hill overlooking the vineyards and surrounding fields. Building began in 1486 by the German Transylvanian Saxon community when the area was part of the Kingdom of Hungary.As a late Gothic church, it stands out thanks to the concentric ringed walls and huge towers, and is often considered one of the most impressive of its kind in Romania. It achieved UNESCO status in 1993 and has numerous interesting buildings in the complex. The church contains some beautiful Renaissance pieces, while there are also three bastions, six towers and three rows of walls to ward of undesirables.
Distance in Km: 65
Distance in Miles: 40
Today we have a beautiful ride through the countryside and remote villages of Transylvania. Following the river Tarnava Mare we pass hop fields and set our sights on Sighisoara. This truly is a place worth visiting, as one of the few medieval citadels in Europe that is fully inhabited. Another to feature on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites, we have a free afternoon to wander the streets and immerse ourselves in place so wonderfully preserved and faithful to its origins. There is even the house where Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad the Impaler, was born.
Distance in Km: 40
Distance in Miles: 25
Today’s ride follows a lovely quiet country road through the Transylvanian hills to Apold village. After looking around the fascinating old town before we hop back on the bikes to continue our ride through small farming towns and pastures. The medieval church at Bradeni will provide the backdrop to our lunch spot. Today’s ride ends in the small town of Soars; here our accommodation will be split over four small family houses. This is a great opportunity to experience real Romanian rural life and get to know your hosts. Today’s evening meal is taken as a group at the largest guesthouse house and will be a traditional Romanian meal cooked by the family.
Distance in Km: 48
Distance in Miles: 30
After breakfast, we ride out of Soars. The day starts with a short climb through the forest before a lovely stretch of road through several small towns takes us to Viscri. Here we have the opportunity to explore this lovely old town as well as visit Viscri’s well-known fortified church and meet the brickmakers and blacksmiths who helped restore the building. The church was restored with the help of the Prince of Wales Foundation in 1991 and is now regarded as one of the best examples of a fortified church anywhere in the world. There will be plenty of time to fully explore Viscri as we stay in the centre of town.
Distance in Km: 35
Distance in Miles: 22
After breakfast, we have a private transfer to Bran Castle, situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. Bran castle is promoted as Dracula castle, where will make a detour for a photo stop of this spectacular building and hear its story.Afterwards, we will hop back in the vehicle and continue our journey to Bucharest. On the way, if time allows, we will have another stop at the scenic castle of Peles, the summer residence of the former Romanian Royal family. We will have a short walk around its spectacular gardens. We arrive at Bucharest late afternoon.Please note: Bran Castle is an extremely popular tourist destination and can be very busy. That’s why we consider it more convenient to have 2 shorter stops (Bran and Peles) and have the time to enjoy a stroll in Bucharest.
After breakfast we have most of the day to explore Bucharest; we can wonder the old streets and do some last minute shopping or visit some of the fascinating old museums and Palaces before the trip ends here.
6 days cycling with partial vehicle support (limited seats) 80% tarmac
roads, 20% hard pack dirt pathsScenic route, some climbs to be
expected Group normally 4 to 14 plus leader, min age 16 yrs6 nights
guesthouses, 2 night hotel with en suite facilities
All breakfasts, 6 picnic lunches and 6 dinners are included in the price of
the trip.Romanian cuisine has strong influences from its surrounding
countries like Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary.We get to indulge in some
fantastic home cooked meals on this trip as we spend most nights staying with
local families and in guesthouses. Breakfasts will consist of homemade bread
and cheeses as well as a selection of locally sourced meats, salad and tea of
coffee. The picnic lunches are made by our guesthouses and will usually be
sandwiches, salad, fruit and more of their homemade cheese. Some days we will
have a traditional vegetable soup for lunch with homemade crème fraiche and
bread.Dinners are usually centred around pork or beef. Lots of guesthouses
will prepare Sarmale cu Mamaliguta which is a traditional Romanian dish made
of minced pork wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves and served with polenta and
a chilli.It’s not all about the food though; every household makes their
own Tuica (pronounced “tsweeka”) which is a spirit usually made from
plums and flavoured with herbs from their garden or the surrounding area.
This is usually drunk whilst being welcomed into the house and after dinner.
6 days cycling with partial vehicle support (limited seats) 80% tarmac
roads, 20% hard pack dirt pathsScenic route, some climbs to be
expected Group normally 4 to 14 plus leader, min age 16 yrs6 nights
guesthouses, 2 night hotel with en suite facilities
Activity Level: 3 Moderate6 days of cycling with an average distance 50km,
80% tarmac and 20% gravel tracks with partial vehicle support. Our routes
follow mainly quiet backroads and paths. There are some undulating sections
but the distances are not challenging. This tour is run at a very relaxed
pace allowing you to stop and take in the surroundings, or chat with any
locals you might meet along the route. The support vehicle follows the group
and carries all essential items like food, drinks and tools. You are welcome
to put any items you don’t want to carry in the vehicle and can access them
at any point throughout the ride. All hire bikes are supplied with a rear
pannier rack and one large bag, this allows you to carry any small items you
might need quick access too, like cameras and waterproofs.
Guesthouses and hotels For the majority of the tour, we stay in guesthouses and family-owned
B&B’s, all the buildings are very well kept, clean, comfortable and are
truly one-off places to stay. These old buildings were never designed to be
hotels, this means that a very limited number of single rooms are available
and only on some nights. In some locations, bathrooms will need to be shared
between a maximum of two rooms. Our hotel in Bucharest is a modern building
with good facilities located in the city centre.Single supplement is only
available on 5 nights (Days 1, 2, 5, 7, 8; limited availability). For all the
other nights accommodation is on room share basis.
Usually between 4 and 14 people plus cycling leader and support driver.
All breakfasts, 6 picnic lunches and 6 dinners are included in the price of
the trip.Romanian cuisine has strong influences from its surrounding
countries like Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary.We get to indulge in some
fantastic home cooked meals on this trip as we spend most nights staying with
local families and in guesthouses. Breakfasts will consist of homemade bread
and cheeses as well as a selection of locally sourced meats, salad and tea of
coffee. The picnic lunches are made by our guesthouses and will usually be
sandwiches, salad, fruit and more of their homemade cheese. Some days we will
have a traditional vegetable soup for lunch with homemade crème fraiche and
bread.Dinners are usually centred around pork or beef. Lots of guesthouses
will prepare Sarmale cu Mamaliguta which is a traditional Romanian dish made
of minced pork wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves and served with polenta and
a chilli.It’s not all about the food though; every household makes their
own Tuica (pronounced “tsweeka”) which is a spirit usually made from
plums and flavoured with herbs from their garden or the surrounding area.
This is usually drunk whilst being welcomed into the house and after dinner.
All transfers are on a private bus.
Travelling flight inclusive from London: 9 daysThe group flight from London
is a daytime flight departing on Day 1 of the itinerary.We normally use the
scheduled services of Blue Air (depending on availability). As flight timings
and schedules change regularly we recommend you call one of our specialist
sales staff or your agent to confirm up‐to‐date timings. Please note
timings may change at a later date and cannot be confirmed until
approximately two weeks before departure.Please note: We include baggage for
all clients we book on Blue Air. Additional payment will be required if you
choose to take your own bike.UK Regional FlightsThe Flight Inclusive price is
based on a London departure, but we are happy to tailor this to your local or
regional airport. Please visit www.exodus.co.uk/regionaldepartures for a
useful overview of the options available, and contact our sales team for
expert advice. If booking regional flights other than with Exodus, you must
allow a minimum connecting time (in addition to the international check-in
time) of 1 hour at Gatwick, and 1½ hours at Heathrow; this is longer than
the official minimum, but baggage handling is known to be subject to
delays.Travelling land only: 9 days starting and ending in Bucharest We
recommend joining the group at Bucharest Airport and taking the transfer on
day one as it is a three hour transfer to Vulcan. If you are arriving
separately to the group flight please make sure you are at Bucharest Airport
for the time of the group flight arrival. We recommend you check the details
of the group flight two weeks before departure.
Airport transfers are included for those on the group flights. Please note
that transfers are not included for clients arriving on any other flight,
even if Exodus has booked it. If you require airport transfers, you may (by
prior arrangement only) be able to join the group transfer. Transfers are
arranged to coincide with the arrival time of the group flight ‐ please
check the group flight details 2 weeks before departure. If you do not take
this transfer, or miss it, you must make your own way to the joining point at
your own expense.
Spring – Cool morning and evenings, warm in the day time. Pack some warm
and waterproof clothes if traveling at this time of the year as showers
cannot be ruled out and can last all day. Daytime temperatures in spring can
vary between 7c – 17c. Summer – Warm with longer daylight hours; maximum
temperatures of 35c and an average of 23c in the lower areas. Expect to be
cycling in shorts and a t-shirt at this time of year. Autumn – Normally
cool and dry. Temperatures can vary between 20 – 10c though we recommend
packing some warm layers for early mornings and evenings if traveling at this
time of year as well as some waterproof cycling kit as showers cannot be
ruled out.
We recommend you bring the following items: Normal daily clothes Padded
cycling shorts Cycling gloves Breathable cycling top Cycling helmet
(Compulsory on this tour)A couple of warm layersSunglasses, sun cream and
sunhatStiff-soled shoes suitable for cycling Waterproofs and long cycling
trouserFor earlier departures you may need some warmer layersWearing a helmet
is mandatory for anyone taking part in any guided Exodus cycling holiday.
Group members must bring their own helmets, as they are not available for
hire, even if they are hiring a bike from Exodus. For self-guided cycling
holidays wearing a helmet is highly recommended. Customers who choose to
ignore our advice do so entirely at their own risk and on the understanding
that it may affect the validity of their travel insurance. It should also be
noted that in some countries we travel to wearing a helmet is already a legal
requirement. Cycling of all kinds has its dangers and accidents can happen
from time to time. Please ensure that you are properly prepared for the
riding you are going to undertake.
You may like to bring your own pedals and saddle (excluding the seat post) or
gel saddle cover to fit to the hire bikes. We encourage this, if it is your
preference. However, please note that you are responsible for your own
equipment, and removing your saddle/pedals at the end of the trip. We cannot
guarantee the return of any bike parts left behind.If you prefer the
familiarity of your own bike, you may of course bring it along. Please advise
us at the time of booking and you will receive a discount off the price of
the holiday, as specified above. You will be responsible for any extra
baggage charges, please speak to our Sales team for individual airline fees.
Any clients bringing their own bike should ensure they have adequate cover
for loss, damage or theft under their travel, home contents or a specialist
insurance policy. If Exodus is confident that we have taken all reasonable
care to ensure the safety of your bike, in the rare event of loss, damage or
theft you will need to claim under your own insurance policy.
Discount for bringing your own bike: £90.
It is best to change your money on arrival as the exchange rates are fair.
There are places to change money at Bucharest airport. Some small towns will
have places to change money during the trip; the guide will be able help with
this.
Although optional, a tip for the leader at the end of the trip is greatly
appreciated. As a guideline we recommend a contribution of between EUR15 and
EUR20 per client per week. It is also customary to leave a tip for any
additional local staff who support your holiday – for example drivers,
cooks and hotel staff. This can be handed in to your leader at the end of the
week to distribute accordingly. In total for the leader to distribute to all
relevant staff, we recommend to budget approx. EUR10-EUR15 per person per
week.
Travel insurance Single accommodation (very limited availability)Visas or
vaccinations
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.