ROMANIA

ACT Romania track

Adventure Country Tracks Romania is a wonderful offroad /onroad Adventure through some of the most spectacular sceneries of Romania.

It starts in the beautiful mountainious region of Maramures, at the lovely farm Iz de Maramures close to the provincial capital of Baia Mare and loops through the region of Siebenbürgen/Transsylvania with its´ beautiful mountains and fascinating history, lovely people offering places to stay in local rural pensions all along the way serving the local specialities. Starting through forest roads and mountain roads close to the border to Ukraine, it meanders through some of the most historic and fascinating places of this region, leading the rider high up into the mountains up to more than 2000 meters, featuring some severe weather conditino changes, temperature and altitude changes,. The Track is connecting via the famous Transalpina Road crossing the so called Transsilvanian Alps and the Strategica towards the Transfaragasan. With the first and the last being paved and touristy, the Strategica is mainly dirt and gives the rider depending on the weather several challenges. Switching permanently between spectacular curvy roads and adventurous offroad tracks this 5 or more day Adventure can end near the capital Bukarest. Be sure that this is one of the last Adventures in Europe riding through wolf and bear country, so be careful when camping out.

WARNING: The route starts close to the border to Ukraine, so please be aware of “border traffic” and possible checkpoints, do not cross the border illegally and do not ride off the tracks and roads (gravel or tarmac).

OFF-ROAD PERCENTAGE

45%

EXPERTIZE LEVEL

Advanced

LENGTH

1370 km

TRACK TYPE

Tarmac, Gravel, Rocks, Forest roads, mud (on wet season)

RECOMMENDED DURATION

5 days

ACCOMODATION

Camping and small Hotels

LANGUAGE

Romania

DAY 1

OFFROAD PERCENTAGE
0 %

Barsana

START

Vatra Dornei

END

240 km

Length

Medium

Difficulty

With a start at the Barsana monastery, we are heading east, from the beautiful hills and valleys of Maramures County to Bucovina.

Sometimes the track gets so close to the Ukrainian border that your cell phones will connect to Ukrainian networks which can get very costy, so better put them in flight mode! Also there may be border police around in offroad vehicles who are usually pleased about a brief chat with moto adventurers!

After some beautiful and smooth country roads, the off-road section began earlier in Borsa. However, for some time now, the Maramures National Park has been closed to traffic, so the route takes us further through beautiful forests to Carlibaba, where it turns sharply left into the off-road section. There is a supermarket on the left just before the crossroads where you can stock up on supplies if necessary.
On the first 20 km of the off-road track, you have to watch out for timber trucks. Some of them travel very fast, so caution is advised. The road itself is easy to ride, alternating between rocky and clayey sections, but even when wet, there is enough grip.

We leave the forests alongside a beautiful river to finish the day off on nice country roads that will take us over the spectacluar Rarau Mountain and to Vatra Dornei, where it is easy to find a place to spend the night.

Please note that we changed the track as it is no longer allowed to enter the Maramures NP.

Hotel & Food

ACT Partner Hotel Katinca’s House offers a wonderful accommodation at the end of the first day, with space for up to 10 people. The two helpful hosts look forward to your visit.

GPS: 47.6998834,25.5386777

Contact Hotel 

OFFICIAL ACT PARTNER

Katinka´s House

DAY 2

OFFROAD PERCENTAGE
0 %

Vatra Dornei

START

Sighioara

END

290 km

Length

Medium / Hard

Difficulty

The day two takes us into the heart of Romania, the mystic region of Transilvania.

Starting with a smooth dam ride alongside the river, we dig deep into the forests. Scenic landscapes and well maintained gravel roads await us, so the going offroad will be generally faster and easier than the day before. Mind you: when it has been raining, some flat earthy sections of the trail will turn muddy and slippery, so adventure is – as always – just around the corner!

A long day ends at Sighisoara, one of the seven towns (=”Siebenbürgen”, seven castles) of Transilvania that were founded by German settlers in the 12th century. Sighisoara has a beautiful old town to visit and if you take a stroll, you will come across the truly creepy house in which Count Dracula is said to have been born!

Hotel & Food

DAY 3

OFFROAD PERCENTAGE
0 %

Sighioara

START

Marisel

END

300 km

Length

Medium / Hard

Difficulty

The longest day takes us northwest through Transilvania, to the beautiful commune of Mărișel, high up in the Apuseni Mountains.

Today, the roads take us through beautiful landscapes. In the past, they were mostly easily navigable gravel roads, but these are now increasingly being paved. However, this does not detract from the riding pleasure.

The track continues through little villages where you will every now and then have contact with one of the many dogs that run around freely in Romania. Just take good care, go slowly and don´t ever kick or attack them. Most are just as excited about the cool motorcycles as you are and want to follow you a bit, barking in sheer excitement. The final third of the track leads through some of the most amazing and spectacular mountain scenery of this ACT… hopefully in good weather, to enjoy the views there and in the 1200m high destination Mărișel.

Update: Unfortunately, the ferry no longer exists and has been replaced by a bridge

Hotel & Food

DAY 4

OFFROAD PERCENTAGE
0 %

Marisel

START

Sugag, Transalpina

END

270 km

Length

Easy / Medium

Difficulty

270 km, starting with a beautiful off-road section followed by easy-to-ride on-road sections all the way to the finish.

The highlands around Mărișel are extremely beautiful on a sunny morning and so is the trail that leads once again into the forest and soon comes across a river that can either be crossed twice or ridden alongside on the gravel road. Following the trail we move south with a spectacular view at the mountain ridge where the final day is going to take place

In the afternoon, the trail takes a big sweep west, around the town of Alba Iulia, first on a fast overland road, then moving south and east again on tiny country roads and offroad. The day ends in or around the town of Sugag, at the entrance to one of the best mountain roads overall: the Transalpina.

Hotel & Food

DAY 5

OFFROAD PERCENTAGE
0 %

Sugag, Transalpina

START

Top of Transfagarasan

END

270 km

Length

Medium / Hard

Difficulty

Finale!

Once again we hope you´ll have a sunny morning when you move up the extremely flowy and grippy asphalt of the Transalpina that touches Oasa Lake and its dam and leads to the highest pass of the Southern Carpatians, the Pasul Urdele at 2145m. You can go there and have a great look around, but the track actually leaves the Transalpina some kilometers before, to follow one of the most spectacular and scenic offroad bits in Romania: the Strada Strategica.

The Strategica is an old WW2 military piste that provides you with amazing riding and panoramic views. Not far after leaving the Transalpina you´ll come across a meadow that is often slippery, so take good care there. And not far after that, you´ll have a splendid view to your left, down on a lake. The road continues east and at km 23 offers you a choice: if you like a good challenge and if the weather is dry, you just continue the Strategica that becomes more difficult, with ridges and washouts that demand some offroad experience and courage. Otherwise turn right at the km 23 intersection and leave the Strategica by its easy exit through the forests and the village of Ciungetu. Both options take you back to the road that leads to Valea Măceşului and Voineasa.

Hotel & Food

en_GBEN

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