High alps cross-country ride

1st day:

After your arrival in Gheorgheni, we will take you on an adventurous off-road ride: In our van we will take you to our Hipparion Ranch, which is remotely located in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains. With a little luck we might spot a deer, a capercaillie bird or even a bear. Once you have arrived on our ranch, you can unwind after your long journey by immersing yourself in the warm salt water of our Hot Pot. After having familiarized yourself with our horses and moving into your room, our cook Brigitta, will indulge you with an original Szekler dinner, in our rustic log cabin.

2nd day:

The start of an exciting week 

We start the day with a sumptuous, local breakfast. At the buffet in the rustic log cabin you will find homemade eggplant cream, homemade jams, Romanian Zakusca, sausage from our own beef and cheese from the dairy. And of course the fresh eggs from the farm chickens are a must.

Full and full of energy, we look for the horses in the pasture. After everyone has found their hoofed partner for the week, we clean and saddle the horses and set off; Today we climb the main ridge of the Carpathians.

Meter by meter it goes uphill and the view gets better and better!

Once at the top of “Lo Havas” we take a lunch break and enjoy our picnic on a high mountain pasture over which sheep and cows migrate in summer.

We continue directly on the main ridge to the summit of “Csofronka”, from where we move back towards Hipparion Ranch. 

We lead the horses downhill and sit up again at a bear station in the valley.

The last part of today’s route takes us along a romantic forest path, with a small mountain stream repeatedly crossing our path.

This route is at its most beautiful in the afternoon, when the lower sun conjures up a wonderful play of light and shadow in the small mixed forest.

After taking care of the horses, the sauna and hot pot are ready to pamper you.

Today’s riding time: about 4.5 hours

3rd day:

We saddle up our horses before the first sunrise today. Today we want to show you our mountains as an ordinary tourist never gets to see them. Before the day dawns and the ‘human world’ awakens, the forest whispers the secrets of the previous night to us. 

The special thing:

We spend the first part of our 5-hour ride in silence, listening only to the footfall of our horse and the sounds of nature around us. You will be amazed at how your attention suddenly turns to completely new things! Is there a herd of deer in the misty grey clearing? Or is it even a mother bear with her cubs?  

After a gallop through the dew-covered spruce forest, we reach a high plateau from where, weather permitting, we can enjoy fabulous views of the sleeping world below us and the main ridge of the Carpathian Mountains.

Then it gets adventurous: we follow a hidden forest path through an old, creaking spruce forest, following the footsteps of bears and deer. 

The ponies carry us safely over the many fallen trees and after about 2.5 hours of riding we reach the summit of the ‘Großer Sipos’ at 1568 metres. We take a break there and fortify ourselves with a tasty picnic while the horses graze around us.

The way back takes us down a forest path into the valley to Covacipeter.

One last brisk gallop for today and we reach the ranch back home around lunchtime.

After a long siesta and coffee and cake, wellness is back on the programme in the evening. And of course we are all looking forward to the delicacies that Brigitta has prepared for us in the Hipparion kitchen.

Today’s riding time: approx. 5.5 hours

4th day:

The highlight of our riding tour awaits us today: we climb to the summit of the ‘Großlauch’ at 1,800 metres.

A long day of riding awaits us, so we only have a quick breakfast in the morning before setting off; we first lead our horses downhill into the valley, where we stop to rest at a small stream and let the animals drink. Then we head uphill along stony mountain paths to the rock of the ‘Red Stone’. From here we enter the Hasmas National Park. We take a lunch break on a high mountain pasture and fortify ourselves and our four-hoofed friends for the final ascent.

Back in the saddle of our Carpathian ponies, we soon reach the high pastures of the ‘White Meadow’, which takes its name from the countless white limestones. It lies in the middle of the protected Hasmas National Park against an idyllic mountain backdrop. In the warm summer months, numerous shepherds and cowherds graze here with their animals across the endless expanses of this uniquely unspoilt landscape. If fate favours us, we may also come across the semi-wild Csango herd of horses that roam the mountain pastures up here.

The soft pastures invite us to take a refreshing gallop before we climb to the top of the mountain at around 1800 metres on the back of our horses. We ascend metre by metre along the hidden mountain paths of the sheep and goats. The spruce trees around us grow sparser and sparser as we approach the tree line. Then the forest suddenly ends and a wonderful panorama opens up before us. The villages of the Csik Basin below us look tiny and in good weather we can even see the Fagarasch mountain range in the distance.

Up here in the lofty heights we take an extended break, which horse and rider have well and truly earned.

On our way back, we first lead the horses downhill to the ‘White Meadow’. After mounting up, we gallop to the spring, where the horses can drink and we fill our water bottles with clear mountain water.

We head back towards home via the high pastures of ‘Tunseria’. The horses have to be led downhill once more into the valley. Our horses give their all over the last few metres, because they know that the farm at home is not far away.

We soon reach the gate to the farm via winding forest paths. 

After unsaddling and looking after the animals, we can rest and relax our muscles in the hot tub or sauna. In the evening we eat together again in the log cabin.

Riding time approx. 8 hours

5th day:

After yesterday’s long ride, we are taking it a little easier today; 

After a hearty breakfast, you will have time to savour the atmosphere at the Hipparion Wanderreit Alm and completely immerse yourself in another world.

The tranquillity of nature, broken only by the occasional snorting of a horse or the bellowing of a deer, will quickly make you forget your everyday life at home.

In the afternoon, we meet up one last time for our ride into the setting sun.

Today we visit another high mountain pasture with a small peak from where we have a fantastic view of the Gheorgheni basin.

As the sun slowly sets, we ride along a small single trail through the forest across the summer pasture of the Hipparion horses up to the plateau.

Up here we can enjoy a glass of wine and take some great souvenir photos on the black stones of the summit.

With the last rays of the sun, we reach the farm, where a campfire is already waiting for us.

The evening ends with conversations around the crackling fire and perhaps one or two of us will already be making new travel plans?

Today’s riding time: about 3 hours

6th day:

After a hearty breakfast, we will drive you to Gheorgheni, from where you will start your individual journey back home.

Requirements: 


You should be confident in all gaits (walk, trot and canter) and you should be in good health condition.

The horses must be led downhill on some passages

Accompanying non-riders:

This week is also very suitable for accompanying non-riders, as you can still spend enough time together with the riding members of your group.

If you are interested, we can put together an alternative programme for you:

We offer mountain bike tours or hiking tours with an experienced guide (English speaking) . The price per tour day is 70 euros per day, regardless of the number of participants.

‘I believe I can fly’

If you would like to see the Carpathian mountains from above, we can recommend a flight with our wildlife biologist Leonardo, who looks after a bear orphan centre in the Covacipeter valley.

Leonardo will take you on a sightseeing flight over the mountains in his small aeroplane.

Price from 100 euros per person.

Bear watching:

If you wish, we can organise a bear watching evening for you.

You will be picked up in the evening and taken directly to a bear sanctuary in an off-road vehicle, where you can experience the brown inhabitants of the Carpathian Mountains up close.

Price per person: approx. 50 euros incl. transport

Please contact us for further information.


Packing:


Good hiking/trekking boots, high quality rain gear, head lamp and warm clothes
. You will receive a detailed packing list after signing up.


Important notes: 


• Weight limit for this tour: 95 kilos (210 lbs)

Exceptions only after personal agreement, please contact us in advance!

• In special cases vegan, lactose free and gluten free meals can be provided. Please be aware that the meals will be simpler and the diversity reduced. Only possible with a declaration before arrival.
• Changes in the program can occur depended on the weather