Canyoning at Sec/Száraz Creek Canyon

Route: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő - Historical center of Brasov/Brassó - Poiana Brasov, Postăvaru 1799 m - return home   Program description: We will have our breakfast and then we will get to know the Saxon world of Transylvania. The first stop of our day will be the small town of Prejmer, where it is part of the World Heritage, XIII. We look at the Gothic Saxon fortress church built in the 16th century. From here we travel further and spend the afternoon in Brasov, the third largest city in Transylvania, the former great center of the Saxons of Transylvania, where we visit several places during our sightseeing walk. We see the main square of the city, the Council Hall, we see the famous Black Church, the largest gothic church in Transylvania, we walk along the old city wall. During the walk we touch one of the most beautiful surviving buildings in the city, the former gate of the city wall, the Catherine's Gate, and then we reach the third narrowest street in Europe, Strada Sforii, which is barely 1 meter wide. We will then have lunch in the main square of Brasov. After lunch, we drive to the famous alpine settlement, where we climb the cable car to the Christian mountains at 1,799 meters above sea level. Within a short walk we will reach the lookout and marvel not only at the city of Brasov, but also at the entire Țara Bârsei Basin. Homecoming and dinner.  Program location: Harghita and Brasov counties Destination: Brasov/Brassó Region: Țara Bârsei/Barcasági Basin Program price: 105 RON / person, which includes: • visit to the fortress church in Prazmar: 15 RON / person, • visit to the Black Church in Brasov: RON 15 per person • cable car to the Christian mountains: approx. 70 RON / person • full day guide, group escort: 40 RON / person

Route: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő - Băile Homorod/Homoródfürdő - Harghita-Mădăraș/Madarasi-Hargita - Satu Mare/Máréfalva - return home   Program description: We will have our breakfast and then set off on an adventurous day. On this day we will visit one of the important regions of Szeklerland, Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely. We are the first to taste the famous mineral water at Băile Homorod/Homoródfürdő, which even has a song written about, and which the whole area uses as drinking water. After a short rest, we set off for the “sacred mountain of the Szeklers”, which even inspired Tamási Áron (well known szekler writer). With our vehicles we climb to an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, where we are already greeted by an unparalleled panorama. Leaving our cars, we continue our tour on foot. After a 45-minute ascent, we reach the highest peak in Central Harghita, the 1801-meter-high Harghita-Mădăraș/Madarasi-Hargita peak. The view is wonderful, we can see almost the whole of Szeklerland, beautiful mountains, valleys and rivers. On the way home we stop for a short time in Satu Mare/Máréfalva, where we get acquainted with the painted Szekler gates. These gates are among the most important symbols of the Szeklers, but here, in the Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely region, they are even more characteristic, because people also paint them, so they are unique. Return to the accommodation, dinner.  Program location: Harghita county Destination: Harghita Mountains Micro-region: Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely Program price: 40 RON / person

Route: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő - Șumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó - Mureş/Maros River source - Matured Cheese Manufactory - Red Lake - Bicaz Gorge - return home   Program description: After breakfast we set off for our daily adventures. Touching Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda, our journey leads to the famous pilgrimage site of the Catholic Szeklers, Șumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó, where we take a pleasant walk and see the Franciscan Monastery, followed by a typical “Szekler bath”. Continuing our journey, in Izvoru Mureșului/Marosfő we visit the source of the longest and most important river in Transylvania, the Mureş/Maros spring, within a small walking tour in a beautiful environment. Then we arrive in Gheorgheni/Gyergyószentmiklós, where we visit a real matured cheese workshop. We can get an insight into the processing of milk, long-keeping cheese made with Swiss technology, and the production of natural yoghurt. Of course, we can taste these delicacies accompanied by a tasty Transylvanian wine, as well as take part in a real Szekler “peasant” lunch with cheese fondue. From Gheorgheni/Gyergyószentmiklós we climb the 1250 m high Pongrác Peak, from where a magnificent view opens up in front of us. We spend the afternoon in nature at the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge, which are among the natural wonders of Szeklerland with their many wonderful sights, we hike on the shores of the lake and among the romantic rocks. In the evening return to the accommodation and dinner.  Program location: Harghita county Micro-regions: Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda and its surroundings, Gheorgheni/Gyergyószentmiklós and its surroundings Program price: 115 RON / person, which includes: • price of a visit to a matured cheese manufactory + lunch: approx. 60-70 RON / person • guided tour, group escort: 40 RON / person

Route: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő - Krausz homemade chocolate manufactory - Csíki Beer Manufactory with lunch - Șumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó - Nyírfürdő in Lăzărești/Lázárfalva - return home   Program description: After breakfast, as the first program of the day, we will drive to Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre, where we will visit a real Szekler homemade chocolate manufactory, the Krausz handmade chocolate. We get an insight into the home-made chocolate making special recipe. Of course, we taste the different flavored chocolates, but we can also make our own homemade chocolates as a souvenir. After the sweets, our journey leads to the neighboring village of Sânsimion/Csíkszentsimon. The village is very clean and rich in deep wells with good water, so the Csíki Beer Manufactory may have opened one of the prides of the area a few years ago. We visit the buildings of the manufactory, taste beers, gain insight into the technology of brewing and taste the ingredients. We will also have our lunch there, trotters baked in bread, accompanied by Csíki Beer. After lunch, we head halfway to Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda and visit Șumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó, the largest pilgrimage site in Central and Eastern Europe. In the church, we can say our prayers to Our Lady and we can also get an insight into the history of the pilgrimage. Then we continue our journey and in the last part of the day we visit a traditional bath, where we can refresh our feet in the small mineral water pools or mofettas. We do all this in Nyírfürdő, Lăzărești/Lázárfalva. Homecoming and dinner. Program location: Harghita county Destination: Ciucul de Jos/Alcsík Program price: 135 RON / person, of which: - Krausz homemade chocolate manufactory: 30 RON / person - Csíki Beer Manufactory + lunch: 65 RON / person - Guided tours, group escorts 40 RON / person

Program route: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő - Tușnadu-Nou/Újtusnád - horse-drawn carriage ride to Harghita - return home   Program description: After breakfast, on this day we try to explore and get to know the surroundings of our accommodation. For the first time we will get acquainted with the location of our accommodation in the spa resort of Tușnad/Tusnád. We walk around the city, see the main buildings, baths, and, depending on the time, visit the Apor Bastion, which rises above the city and offers an unparalleled view of the city and the surrounding mountains. Then we drive to the neighboring settlement, Tușnadu-Nou/Újtusnád, where we can try home-baking bread or the most famous Szekler delicacy, chimney cake (kürtőskalács) baking. Afterwards, we board horse-drawn carriages and hike to the picturesque surroundings of the Harghita Mountains, trying out the local gastronomic delicacies. We bake homemade bacon, miccs and ribs, which we rinse with Csíki Beer. We can walk among the pine forests, relax, admire the pine forests of the Harghita Mountains, sing and have fun. Return to the accommodation, dinner. Program location: Harghita county Micro-region: Băile Tușnad/Tusnádfürdő and surroundings Program price: 230 RON / person, of which • horse-drawn carriage + lunch + baking: 200 RON / person • guided tours, group accompanying all day 40 RON / person

Program path: Băile Tușnad/ Tusnádfürdő – St. Anne's Lake – Mohos Peat Bog – lunch in nature – Tórja Stinking Cave - foot soaking in the Apor Girls' Baths or Csiszárfürdő – return home (this day can be done even by off-road vehicle)   Program description: After breakfast, we invite the dear passenger to an experience-rich program. In the first part of the day, we will climb the Ciomatu/Csomád Mountains in a short time. First we reach St. Anne's Lake, 946 meters high, which is considered to be one of the clearest water lakes in the world and the only volcanic crater lake in the Carpathian Basin. We get acquainted with the formation and operation of volcanoes at the time, we take a pleasant walk on the shores of the lake. After that, we also walk into the Mohos Peat Bog, which reveals a wonderful world in front of the dear traveler, with its own unique history, plants, pond eyes and unparalleled surroundings. After visiting the beauties of nature and the volcanic twin craters, we invite our dear visitors to a lunch in nature. We clink our glasses filled with Szekler sparks (pálinka), and enjoy the bacon, the miccs, the onion, the delicious homemade bread, and we rinse it all off with a delicious Csíki Beer. In the afternoon we will also visit the eastern part of the Ciomatu/Csomád Mountains, where we will discover the present traces of former volcanoes. First, we try the mofetta at the largest hydrogen sulphide cave in Europe, the Stinking Cave in Torja, then we soak our tired legs in the wooden pools of the Apor Girls' Baths and of Csiszárfürdő. We will have an unparalleled experience. Return to the accommodation in the evening, dinner. Program location: Harghita and Covasna counties Micro-region: Tusnad Bai/Tusnádfördő and surroundings Program price: 280 RON / person, which includes: • off-roading to St. Anne's Lake + lunch: 220 RON / person • visit to St. Anne's Lake and Mohos Peat Bog + parking: 20 RON / person • guided tours, group escorts for the whole day: 40 RON / person

Canyoning and gorge walking are very similar adventure-sports. Usually gorge walking does not require any rope-technique: you wade in the water of the bed of the brook, you stroll from a stone to a stone, then you climb smaller rocks, jump off from waterfalls. We talk about canyoning, when at some sections of the canyon we meet such waterfalls, from which we need to abseil with rope-technique. In the Lacul Roşu (The Red Lake)-Cheile Bicazului region an excellent ground for adventurous gorge walking is the rocky bed of the Bicajel and Lăpuşului gorge. For canyoning the best ground is the upper section of the rarely beaten, extremely narrow and spectacular Pârâul Sec, which can only be passed with the help of an experienced guide and rope-technique.

Carpathian Escapes was created to allow the world to discover a most beautiful part of Europe, a hidden secret, the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania.  Carpathian Escapes is a fully bonded travel agency that was funded with an EU grant obtained by local enthusiasts who have joined together to provide various trips for those seeking an active holiday with breathtaking sights whilst surrounded by the peace and tranquility rarely found today. Guided by the volunteers from the mountain rescue team the Escapes daily programs offer snow mobile trails, hiking routes and ski touring to challenge all levels. These Escapes take you back in time to where the local people still live as they have for the past fifty years. Accommodation has been selected to allow you to experience the life there, in essence an Escape from the modern day world and stresses of the western lifestyle.