Description
Retezat & Godeanu – two days between mountains and history
August 28 - 30, 2026
4
/5
⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦾ (difficulty: medium - difficult)
Retezat
Starting point:
Râușor / Sarmizegetusa Regia
Activity:
Weekend tour
Level difference:
+2,300 (in 2 days)
Distance:
30km (in 2 days)
Category:
Drumeție
Duration:
2 days of hiking
The Story of the Route
The last weekend of summer is worth spending up there.
This time we are going for two days to Hunedoara and putting together two very different worlds: the granite and alpine landscape of Retezat , then the forests and old country roads around Sarmizegetusa Regia .
In short: on Saturday we take care of our feet, on Sunday we take care of culture.
This time we go together.
This weekend will be a little different for us too.
We are organizing the tour together with Florin Ocolișan , our colleague from SGLM – Society of Mountain Guides and Leaders and, like us, International Mountain Leader – UIMLA .
And from the west, we are joined by a group of hikers from Timișoara , whom we can't wait to meet.
Basically, we are doing a small cultural exchange from Cluj to Timisoara at 2,482 m altitude.
What could go wrong? Just kidding. That's exactly why two International Mountain Leaders are going.
Because in the end, that's what we love most about these tours: not just the places we end up in, but also the people we end up with.
Two days. Two massifs. Two stories.
On Saturday we climb one of Romania's emblematic peaks.
On Sunday we leave the Dacian capital and climb to the mountain that watches over it.
A pretty good way to say goodbye to summer.
Practical Details
The price includes
mountain guiding carried out by International Mountain Leaders – UIMLA standard;
organizing and coordinating the two days of hiking;
assistance throughout the weekend;
stories about the Dacians within the limits of available historical information and the guides' imagination.
The price doesn't include
accommodation;
food and water;
any access fees to Sarmizegetusa Regia;
other personal expenses;
dragons.
In total: approximately 30 km and +2,270 m elevation gain in two days.
But numbers only tell half the story.
The other half means a glacial lake, a 2,482 m peak, the Prelucer Claws, the Şurean forests, the Dacian capital, a sacred mountain, a new gang of people and, with a little luck, no dragons
Additional information
Itinerary
Friday, August 28 – To Retezat
Departure from Cluj-Napoca to Hunedoara and meeting with the rest of the group in the Retezat area.
We settle in, get acquainted, and prepare our equipment for the long day ahead.
We promise not to talk too much about the +1,350 m the next day.
Saturday, August 29 – Retezat Peak Circuit
Râușor – Ștevia Valley – Ștevia Lake – Lolaia Saddle – Retezat Peak (2,482 m) – Prelucele Summit – Prelucele Saddle – Prelucele Fangs – Muncel Saddle – Vălăreasca Valley – Râușor
We start early in the morning from Râușor .
We climb through the forest to the Ştevia Valley, then through junipers and alpine valleys to Lake Ştevia .
We return to the route and continue the ascent to Şaua Lolaia , from where the final climb to Retezat Peak – 2,482 m follows .
After the break at the summit, we do not descend on the same route, but continue the circuit towards Prelucele and Colții Prelucelor , one of the most beautiful and least traveled parts of the day.
We then descend through the Muncel Saddle and the Vălăreasca Valley and return to Râușor.
Distance: approx. 16 km
Positive elevation difference: approx. +1,350 m
Duration: 9–10 hours
Difficulty: 4/5 – medium-difficult
It is the demanding day of the weekend and requires good physical condition and experience on one-day mountain trails.
Sunday, August 30 – Sarmizegetusa Regia & Godeanu Peak
Sarmizegetusa Regia – Godeanu Peak (1,659 m) – Via Transilvanica / Dacian Land – Sarmizegetusa Regia
On Sunday we head to Sarmizegetusa Regia , briefly discover the capital of the Dacian Kingdom and then leave the fortress behind to climb up the mountain.
We continue through the forests and glades of the Șureanu Mountains to Godeanu Peak – 1,659 m , the mountain to which some of the most interesting stories and hypotheses about the Dacian world are linked.
From Godeanu we continue the circuit and return to Sarmizegetusa Regia on Via Transilvanica – Terra Dacica .
Distance: approx. 14 km
Positive elevation difference: approx. +920 m
Duration: approx. 6 hours
Difficulty: 3/5 – medium
A slightly shorter day than the one in Retezat, but with enough difference in level that your feet won't believe you brought them to the museum.
Required Equipment
hiking boots or shoes with grippy soles – mandatory;
hiking backpack of approximately 20–30 l;
hiking pants;
fleece / thermal layer;
waterproof jacket;
raincoat;
cap or hat;
sunglasses;
sunscreen;
minimum 2 liters of water each day;
food and snacks for the route;
trekking poles – recommended;
frontal – mandatory for Saturday;
RON
395
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