Sightseeker – scenic riding tour

Early in the morning we meet for a strengthening breakfast in our rustic dining log house. We speak about the upcoming tour and choose your horses. On the surrounding natural meadow, we search our four-legged companions. After getting to know each other while brushing, we will demonstrate how to saddle the horses. 

We start our adventure in the direction of the main ridge of the caparthian mountains. The first small break after a steep uphill passage will be at ‘Lo Havas’ (1500 m). The path leads us past ‘Csofronka’ (1550 m) until we reach the pastures of ‘Tunseria’, where in the summer months shepherds graze their cattle. The panorama shows us the ‘Red Lake’ and the Bikacz Canyon behind it.

Deep in the national park of Hasmas we ride on the ‘White Meadow’, named by the rocks of limestones that peek out of the grass. From here we lead the horses downhill to the valley where we sleep in the village ‘Haromkut’ (translated ‘Three wells’). The people of the region and this village are called ‘Tschangos’ and live a simple, rustic life. Many families live from what their farms provide them with. A lot of the farm work is still done by hand, from sowing the grains to the annual hey harvesting. Here, horses are an important part of the daily work, from transporting wood, hey and people in the carriages. Our host for today, István, lives with his family at the edge of the village. While Maris prepares a traditional dinner, we have time to visit a geological phenomenon in the village: a warm spring whose temperature never drops below 4 degrees, even in the coldest days of the Harghita winter. The geologists still wonder why. 

Riding duration: 5 hours

Well rested and after a hearty breakfast we mount the horses and continue our way through the mountains. From the valley, we climb up to 1170 m to the Ilia pass. From here we spot many alpine dairies and in the summer shepherd with their various animals. We follow the main ridge, passing the ‘Javardi’ and reach the summit of ‘Terkö’ (1380 m), where a wide meadow allows us a long gallop.

Sometimes half-wild horses cross our path. In the summer the horses live free on the alpine pastures and are only in autumn rewatched by their owners and brought down to the villages for pulling trees out of the forests.

Again we climb high up and are rewarded by the view from the ‘Öcsem plateau’ (1707 m). If the weather allows it, we can spot the ‘Fagarasch’ mountain range on the horizon, where the highest summits of Romania are located. Before we can reach our destination and sleeping place for today (the Lonely Store Lodge), we have to manage the challenge of hiking down the steep paths of the shepherd stone. An especially adventurous and slippery task after a rainfall. Good thing we have our reliable, waterproof hiking boots with good soles. 

Aranka, our hostess for this night, awaits us at the Lonely Stone Lodge. For years she and her husband Zoli welcome tired hikers at the hut in the middle of the Hasmas national park. This scenic place can only be reached by foot or horse. Also the dinner, breakfast and the ‘after-ride-beer’ was carried up by packing horses. We will be sleeping in bunkbeds in oven-heated rooms. 

Riding duration: 6 hours

The third day of riding starts with a hike downhill to the Olt-river. We mount the horses and ride on the plain of ‘Fekete Rez’ (1568 m). Through thick spruce forests we ride down to the village Marasfö. A loving family renovated their farmhouse for guests and we are welcomed on the terrace by our hostess Katalin. The small pension has three bathrooms, and we can wash off the dirt of the last days with a hot shower. 

Riding duration: 5 hours

Our last day begins with a ride through the village and back to ‘Fekete Rez’. On forest paths we climb up to ‘Lok Nyereg’ where we have our lunch break and let the horses graze next to the alpine dairy. Refreshed we discover bear tracks along our way through the valley of Balan. Very near to our route are the grounds of a reintroduction program for orphaned brown bears. The last passage uphill is steep, but our horses know, they are near home and give their best. The first that are sensing our homecoming are our dogs. Now, also the human residents of the Ranch know we are back and we cheer to the successful trip with homemade blueberry liquor. 

After releasing the horses on the meadow, you can spent the time until dinner in the Hot Pot or in the hammock, letting the experiences of the last days sink in. Maybe, at the dinner table with a glass of good wine, the conversations will inspire you to already plan a new riding vacation? 

Riding duration: 5,5 hours