Transfăgărășan

Join the Full Transfagarasan Highway Tour in order to discover the gem of Romania! The Transfăgărășan national road has a total length of 151 km, from which 91 km is part of a mountainous road with incredible and terrifying hairpin turns that crosses the Făgăraș mountain, from the Argeș county, in the southern part of the country, towards Sibiu county, in the north. It is a strategic road, of civil and military importance, and its construction lasted only 4 years, from 1970 to 1974, being considered a masterpiece for its time, that connects Muntenia to Transilvania, two major historical areas of Romania. The maximum altitude of the road is 2042 meters. The road is depicted by numerous hairpin turns, viaducts and tunnels. The longest tunnel, Capra-Bâlea, measures 887 meters and its located in the area of the Bâlea glacial lake. The story of the road’s construction has been enriched by many legends. It is said that during the 4 years that the construction lasted there had died hundreds of soldiers and engineers, fact that has been brutally covered up by the communist authorities, declaring „officially” the death of only 44 soldiers. In the honor of those sacrificed, there has been build a memorial monument. The Transfăgărășan road has been built through the order of the last communist president, Nicolae Ceaușescu, that, fearing of a possible invasion of the soviet army, claimed the construction of the road as an alternative of retreat for the Romanian army. Through its 91 km of mountainous road the Transfăgărășan astonishes all of its visitors. The incomparable spectacular scenery is matched by its wildness and dangerousness. This road is considered the most beautiful European mountainous road and its included in the top 10 most dangerous and picturesque mountainous roads in the world. Crossing unique landscapes, distinguished mountains, glacial lakes, artificial lakes, bridges, tunnels, viaducts, dams, the Transfăgărășan road is a masterpiece of human engineering, a live testimony of the human power to control nature.

Bâlea Waterfall

Also known under the name of Cascada Urlătoarea Bâlea, the Howling Bâlea waterfall, it is situated at the altitude of 1200 meters and it is considered the longest cascade type waterfall from Romania, being part of the inferior level of the glacial circuit Bâlea. Bâlea waterfall is located in a spectacular area of Transfăgărășan road at a distance of 50-60 minutes from the Bâlea waterfall cabin, where tourists can also embark on the Bâlea cable car that leads towards the Bâlea lake cabin and the “ice hotel”, during winter time, when the Transfăgărășan mountainous road is inaccessible by car.

Capra, or “The Goat Waterfall”

Another spectacular waterfall, located on the Transfăgărășan trail, is Capra waterfall. It is located in the southern part of Făgăraș mountain, coming from Argeș county, at an altitude of 1690 meters and a water fall of over 40 meters. Because of the high flow rate of the water, this waterfall almost never freezes. Situated only 5 km away from the Capra tunnel, the waterfall is easily accesible for visiting or for the photography enthusiasts. The area is well-known for the richness in wild fauna, serving as a living space for wolves and bears. Sometimes on the mountains there can be seen flocks of sheep, herds of horses or donkeys, and also herds of goats led by their sheperd alongside their dogs, that frequently spend as much as 3 months on this mountains’ peaks.