Authentic running adventure in the wild Romanian Carpathians
Where: Fundata, Brasov (arrival and departure: Bucharest OTP Airport, Romania)
When: 9 - 13 July 2020
What: Trail & skyrunning, ridge running, local spirits tasting, traditional food, optional castle visits
Why: This camp is an opportunity to enjoy the undiscovered beauty of the wild mountains and nature, and the preserved authenticity of the Romanian countryside
BOOK NOWWhy Transylvania?
What do you think about when you think about Transylvania? Vampires? Wild mountains? Legends?
We created this trail running experience to show you the unexplored Transylvania.
The imposing heights of the mountains that we’ll run, the small wooden cottages, and the stories that elderly locals will share with us will make this camp feel like a time travel. One to a time and a place where nature and simplicity make your heart stop in awe.
The joy and the surprise of the runners who come in the running camps here is the best reward we could ask for. They never expected this kind of majestic natural beauty that they get to experience in the Romanian Carpathians.
Transylvania has been getting a lot more popularity since Prince Charles declared his love to the authentic saxon villages in the area and even bought a house there. But it’s still an undiscovered gem and its trails and peaks are totally worth exploring.
Join our camp and you’ll experience the most stunning mountain sceneries in Transylvania – Bucegi and Piatra Craiului mountains, as well as the rolling hills between these two mountain chains.
LEARN
Running technique and nutrition workshops
RUN
The wild and breathtaking trails of Transylvania
DISCOVER
Legendary unmarked routes of the Carpathians
taste
Traditional food and spirits
WITNESS
The authenticity of the countryside
VISIT
Castles and fortresses
Favorite Secret Spots
We’ve drank fresh water from the cold springs of the most beautiful valleys, we’ve scrambled up the most technical ridges, and we’ve raced down to the forests on the soft runnable paths, feeling like we just can’t get enough.
The surprising beauty of the green summer trails, wildflower meadows, and tough climbs are just some of the things that bring international runners back to Romania, time and time again.
Our accommodation
In our camps, we focus on choosing a mix of comfortable accommodation with top features, and a traditional influence.
We believe that we deserve a good night’s rest, a healthy restaurant, and a relaxing spa session after a training day, so these are elements we look for.
In Transylvania, we chose comfortable rooms in the mountains, in places that keep some of the local architecture. There are plenty of options for traditional food and drinks both at our accommodation, and at the closest restaurants.
Price
- Private transfer from Bucharest OTP Airport, Romania - to the hotel (+ roundtrip ride)
- 4 nights accommodation in double rooms in a 4 star hotel
- Guided group runs
- Breakfast and Dinners with delicious local food
- Snacks and drinks on the trails
- Running & nutrition workshops
- Surprise welcome package
- Flights to Bucharest, Romania
- Sports travel insurance
- Alcoholic drinks
*The early bird price for this all-inclusive camp is €749, available only for bookings made until 07.05.2020. The late booking price is €849.
In order to secure your spot, you only need to make a deposit of €250.
Gallery
Looking back at our own adventures, it's no wonder that international runners keep coming back to Transylvania!
Schedule
Our meeting point is Bucharest OTP Airport. From there, we’ll travel for 3 hours in our private van to our hotel that is located right between two beautiful mountains. In the evening we’ll have dinner and then a Camp Opening meeting.
We’ll have breakfast at the hotel and then head for the trails. Our route today will take us through some of the most iconic points of Piatra Craiului Mountains. We’ll make our way up to the ridge, and then descent through a village rightfully called The Little Swiss, and finish the run through some impressive gorges.
Today, make sure you fuel up enough at breakfast. Because this will be a day well spent in the mountains, with a longer distance. We’ll start with a short but challenging climb, and after a break to admire the views we’ll keep climbing up to the highest peak in Bucegi Mountains. From there, we’ll descent on a rollercoaster kind of single trail, going up and down until we reach the next peak, and then back down to our hotel. When we’re back, we’ll have some time to rest and then refuel with some traditional food for dinner.
After breakfast, we’ll do a shorter run on some of the most beautiful rolling hills in Romania, just between the two mountains explored in the previous days. We’ll reach an old mountain village, a beautiful restaurant right on top of a hill, and let our legs fly down the green trails until we reach our hotel.
In the evening we’ll have a dinner party to celebrate the memories we’ve made during our adventure.
We’ll start the day early, and after breakfast we’ll do a short Camp Closing meeting. Then, we’ll hop on our private van and head towards Bucharest Airport, to be in time for our flights.
About us
We’re those enthusiastic trail runners who left the big cities and moved to the mountains just to get to do what they love more often.
If you also forget the time when you’re in nature, love to spend quiet time on the mountains, days of adventure and running on trails, then you’re in the right spot.
Trails and Tales is the place we created to share stories from beautiful trails with you and others who share the same passion. The trail running camps we organize are also a way of sharing our favourite trails, the lessons that we’ve learned, and the passion that we have for the mountains.
We can’t wait to show you around these wonderful undiscovered trails.
Carmen Albisteanu
Certified Nutrition Coach // Trail Runner
My two passions are trail running and traveling. By running and hiking in the mountains, I get to see so much more than the regular tourist attractions. I lived in Barcelona for a few years and the Pyrenees were one of the reasons why I chose Spain. Mountains are where I feel at home, and nature is my playground, my constant source of joy.
Andrei Tale
Mountain Runner // Adventurer
Competing and maybe even winning a race makes it a good day out there on the trails. But what makes it perfect? Living a memorable adventure that lasts forever, spending as much time you can get in nature with your friends or watching the sunset high up in the mountains late in the evening. You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
What do runners say?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Transylvania Trail Running Camp is for anyone who is comfortable to spend up to 6-8 hours a day hiking on the trails. This time includes rest, snacks, and photo breaks. The distances we’ll cover and pace varies, so on the 2nd and 3rd days you can switch to easier routes if you’re tired.
The price of this 5 day camp is 749 € until 7th of May 2020, or 849 € between 7th of May and 7th of June. Your booking is secured by first making a deposit of 250 €, after which you have time until the 7th of June to pay the remaining balance. Read more about our booking confirmation and refund policy HERE.
You can contact us if you want to extend your stay after the camp is finished or if you want to arrive a few days earlier. We can help with accommodation extension, as well as with ideas of fun activities and places to visit.
We’ve planned some incredible routes. To get there, we’ll need to cover between 15 and 30k each day. But you choose the pace, so it can either be running, or a relaxed hike.
Some of the best traditional Romanian dishes are vegetarian or vegan, so there will be something to choose from. But if you have food intolerances, allergies, or any specific food requests, please let us know in advance.
This camp is mainly dedicated to runners. However, we can offer two spots for non running friends, with a 10% discount from the regular price (either early bird or full price, depending on the booking date). First booked, first served.
