ACT Romania track
Adventure Country Tracks Romania is a wonderful offroad /onroad Adventure through some of the most spectacular sceneries of Romania.
In our constant effort to preserve the quality of the journey and the right mix with adventure riding, ACT Romania has been newly scouted (Sep 25) and the process will continue, therefore the original movie is no longer an accurate illustration of the track, but rather an accurate reflection of the spirit of the country.
This five-day adventure through Romania blends genuine off-road riding with glimpses of the country’s rural spirit and rich history. The journey begins in Maramureș, Romania’s northern soul, where wooden churches and carved gates set the tone before the track winds east into Bucovina, land of painted monasteries and forest valleys. From here, the route opens toward Transylvania, crossing farmland and vineyards until it reaches the magic of Sighișoara citadel, a jewel of Saxon heritage and one of Europe’s most charming inhabited medieval citadels, with cobbled streets and towers watching over the valley. The following day carries you deeper into quiet valleys and rustic ridges, ending in the Apuseni Mountains, a land of old gold mines, mountain myths, Dacian echoes and timeless villages. As the adventure continues, forest trails and meadows lead across alpine pastures to the high ridges of the Southern Carpathians, a mountain-to-mountain adventure setting the stage for the greatest mountain roads. The finale is pure legend: the sweeping curves of the Transalpina, the panoramic military track of the Strategica, and the dramatic switchbacks of the north side of world’s famous Transfăgărășan culminating with the top panoramic view over the south side of the road and of the Bâlea lake, as a dramatic end, a closing chapter worthy of an epic journey.
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
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
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ACT Romania Jersey NEW fit 2024 Collection
59,99 €incl. VAT
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Delivery time: 5-6 Working Days
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ACT Riding T-Shirt Romania NEW 2024
39,99 €incl. VAT
plus Shipping Costs
Delivery time: 5-6 Working Days
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
DAY 1
Barsana
START
Vatra Dornei
END
266 km
Length
Medium
Difficulty
Wood and paint, hills and monasteries - a ride into Romania’s northern soul
The day start at Barsana monastery, offering a glimpse of religious architecture, famous and well spread in the northern part of the country, Maramures and Bucovina, were will spend the day.
A few kilometres north of Sighetu Marmației, the Maramureșan Village Museum is a must-see for anyone interested in traditional rural architecture. This collection of old, authentic houses from across the region has been carefully curated and reconstructed using traditional techniques.
Starting at the Barsana Monastery, we head east to the Moldovița River Valley, where we will experience two consistent forest and gravel roads, mostly gravel, that offer an all-weather grip surface, before crossing Rarău Mountain south on a beautiful curvy asphalt road that provides panoramic viewpoints along the way, and ending the day in Vatra Dornei by taking a narrow, quiet backroad recently used by more and more cyclist enthusiasts.
In the first part of the day, just after entering the first off-road section of the Cârlibaba forest, you should be aware of timber trucks that can appear around corners. They sometimes drive as if they own the road. The track then gets close to the Ukrainian border, meaning your phones may connect to Ukrainian networks, which can be very expensive. Therefore, it is better to manually select a Romanian operator than to let your phone pick up the strongest signal. Alternatively, you can put your phone on flight mode if you don’t mind being out of contact for half a day.
In the first part of he day you can also meet the police border , a normal presence and a good safety precaution, rarely stopping motorcycle and mostly to break their routine, admire some bike setup and chat about moto adventures.
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
OFFICIAL ACT PARTNER
Katinka´s House
DAY 2
Vatra Dornei
START
Sighioara
END
318 km
Length
Medium / Hard
Difficulty
A long ride through monasteries, villages, and vineyards, ending in the medieval magic of Sighișoara
Day two is a beautiful and long ride starting in the land of the painted monasteries of Bucovina (UNESCO heritage site), with its traditional wooden houses and old forests. It continues through the Transylvanian Plateau, with its wide valleys, agricultural landscapes and rural villages, before arriving in Central Romania, a gateway to Transylvania’s Saxon heritage with its medieval towns, fortified churches and vineyard-dotted hills. It is a journey through time, from medieval orthodox monasteries to Saxon villages, fortified churches and craftsmen settlements, and in the center of all, the medieval city Sighisoara. A remarkably preserved, inhabited citadel on a rocky hill, built by Saxon settlers in the 12th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Is a track with plenty of off-road challenges and peaceful countryside moments in between, a balanced mix of climbs and downhill tracks combining gravel mountain roads, forest trails, and open countryside tracks, remote forest passages, wide mountain views, flowing asphalt and dirt tracks leading into Transylvanian farmland.
Is a long day with 318 km and 44,5% offroad and the early start will be rewarded with some beautiful rural valley landscapes after first gravel section, a very nice area in the morning light. After successive forest gravel roads and asphalt sections, you will reach a refreshing and slightly challenging loop. From here, you can overlook Ditrau village before returning to the main road next to a beautiful church.
A well-deserved break on the asphalt will take you to the places of Ditrau and Remetea, where you can refuel the bikes and yourself before continuing on a nice forest road. This is followed by successive short sections of gravel and asphalt until you reach Sighisoara, where you will find a variety of places to stay overnight, from the medieval city to the beautiful surrounding villages, there are many options. However, it would be a huge loss not to spend some time in the medieval city.
Hotel & Food
DAY 3
Sighioara
START
Marisel
END
291 km
Length
Medium / Hard
Difficulty
From medieval towers to mountain myths - a day of contrasts that leads you into the Apusen
After visiting the old medieval city of Sighisoara, Day 3 begins in a quiet, rural landscape that will confuse many of you who are used to rural France or Italy, as you cannot spot too many differences. We recommend starting early and being prepared for a long day, as there is a good chance of seeing wildlife in the morning on this section of the route.
En route to Northern Transylvania, the road naturally winds through the rural southern plateau area, consisting mostly of narrow asphalt roads interrupted by a few gravel sections, a reward after the long previous day.
At midday, be prepared for a short section of agricultural dirt road which can become slippery in rainy conditions. There are two options for bypassing this section: you can take a short detour via Lopadea Noua, Ciumbrud and Leorint to return to the track and enjoy another gravel road section with plenty of grip after 20 km of easy asphalt road, or if you are feeling tired, you can take the shortcut back to the track higher up via a nice, fresh, panoramic asphalt road.
The road continues to alternate between valleys, rustic roads and panoramic ridges, as well as traditional mountain villages. It ascends and descends briefly on narrow, curvy roads, and you will arrive in the Apuseni Mountains in the evening. This area is known for its old gold mines (Roșia Montană), ancient Dacian fortresses and cave-dwelling traditions.
Update: Unfortunately, the ferry no longer exists and has been replaced by a bridge
Hotel & Food
DAY 4
Marisel
START
Sugag, Transalpina
END
232 km
Length
Easy / Medium
Difficulty
From hay meadows to high passes - a mountain-to-mountain adventure that sets up the grand finale
On Day 4, you will start high in the Transylvanian uplands, which are well known for their vibrant cultural mix of Romanian, Hungarian and Saxon heritage. You will enjoy riding along forest tracks and through open highlands, crossing rivers and valleys via rustic bridges, passing hay meadows and rural farms along the way.
This 232 km day features a variety of high-quality off-road sections through dense forests and panoramic ridges. It culminates in a time-travelling segment in the Şureanu Mountains, where steep valleys and alpine pastures abruptly end at the gateway to the Transalpina Road (DN67C) – Romania’s highest paved road.
Practically this is a mountain-to-mountain adventure journey, linking Transylvania’s rolling highlands with the wild Southern Carpathians, a collection of less known rural and forest roads ending with what is definitely the most scenic approaches to Transalpina.
Based on the time you spent lost in landscape contemplation and were you want to spend your night, end of the day you can choose between a longer easy gravel ridge road ending near Sasciori ori a refreshing offroad shortcut to Martinie and from there to the oficial end point of the day.
Hotel & Food
DAY 5
Sugag, Transalpina
START
Top of Transfagarasan
END
262 km
Length
Medium / Hard
Difficulty
Transalpina, Strategica, Transfăgărășan - a triple finale worthy of legends
On day 5, we travel from the shepherd areas and ridge roads between the small villages to the start of Transalpina, Romania’s highest paved road. Here, we begin our final day of ACT Romania, riding alongside many other riders who are enjoying the road.
As the road starts to climb gently, turn after turn brings you into the right mood just in time for the first rhythm-breaking section at Lake Oașa. Here, choosing the right side of the lake offers an unexpected view, a chance to find a spot to rest at the water’s edge, and the opportunity to return to Transalpina through the forest after a refreshing loop.
After climbing the most spectacular part of the DN67C road, it’s time to discover another off-road gem by following one of the most spectacular and scenic off-road routes in Romania: the Strategica road, an old WW2 military track offering amazing riding experiences and panoramic views. After 23 kilometres, you have a choice: if you like a good challenge, you can continue on the Strategica, which becomes more difficult with ridges and washouts demanding some off-road experience and stamina, especially on a rainy day. Alternatively, you can turn right and leave the Strategica via the easy exit through the forest and the village of Ciungetu. Both options lead back to the road to Valea Măceșului and Voineasa.
Not far from Voineasa, the final off-road section of the day will test your stamina again, as the rain has washed away parts of the forest road, leaving more small stones on the surface for excellent grip, but with the cost of vibrations and a few technical sections.
The asphalt road to Cârțișoara provides a well-deserved break and connects to the northern part of the epic Transfăgărășan road, which leads to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the southern part and Bâlea Lake.
