RUN ROMANIA
04 - 08 JULY 2026
ONLY 8 SPOTS REMAINING
Nearly 90% of our adventurers join alone! Shared accommodation is included, or you can secure your own room.
Would you like a short video explaining more about this trip?
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
Join us for a beautiful trail running adventure that begins amidst Bucharest's culturally vibrant streets and takes you deep into the glorious Bucegi and Piatra Craiului mountain ranges.
Transylvania’s forested valleys, gothic castles, and the remarkable Carpathian mountains instantly conjure mystical impressions. This journey embraces that magic, featuring a fantastic range of trails just on the outskirts of the enchanting city of Brașov, making it a truly remarkable experience.
Upon arrival in Bucharest, we'll spend time exploring the city's architectural wonders and the historic Old Town. We then head north to spend the bulk of our time in Transylvania. Ample time is dedicated to running trails in the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului National Parks, balanced with relaxed cultural sightseeing in this amazing part of Romania.
This is a fully-guided adventure that covers approximately 50km of distance, split over three days of incredible trail running.
INCLUDES:
One night accommodation in a central 4* hotel in Bucharest (twin or double share)
Three nights accommodation in 3* hotel in Brasov (twin or double share)
Fully-supported trail running trip
Return airport transfers at set times
Daily transfers to/from the trail heads
Breakfast everyday
Two qualified trail running guides
Three days of trail running on exceptional trails
Guided city tours of Bucharest & Brasov
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
+ DAY 1: ARRIVE INTO BUCHAREST (OTP). TRANSFER TO THE CITY TO EXPLORE & RELAX
+ DAY 2: TOWARDS TRANSYLVANIA. TRAIL RUN THE WESTERN BUCEGI MOUNTAINS
+ DAY 3: BRASOV & POSTAVARU MOUNTAIN TRAILS. CITY EXPLORING
+ DAY 4: INTO THE PIATRA CRAIULUI
+ DAY 5: DEPARTURE DAY FROM BUCHAREST (OTP)
Is this trip for me?
- Five days in Romania with 3 full days of guided trail running in the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului mountains around Brașov.
- Approx. 50km of trail running in total, with daily distances of roughly 14–18km and 800–1,200m of ascent on mountain paths and forest trails.
- Best for runners happy to be on their feet for 3–6 hours, mixing relaxed running on the flats and downhills with hiking on the bigger climbs.
- Perfect if you want a fairy‑tale style adventure with gothic castles, historic cities and dramatic Carpathian scenery, rather than a high‑altitude or ultra‑distance expedition.
- One night in a central 4★ boutique hotel in Bucharest and three nights in characterful 3★ hotels in Brașov, on a twin or double share basis.
- Fully supported with two qualified trail running guides, airport transfers at set times, daily transfers to the trailheads, breakfasts, guided city tours and a small‑group feel.
Every Pure Trails trip is led by a guide who knows the terrain intimately. Click to learn more.
Would you like to talk to a Pure Trails team member to learn more about this trip?
SCHEDULE A 10‑MINUTE Q&A CALLOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 | ARRIVE INTO BUCHAREST. TRANSFER TO CITY. EXPLORE & RELAX.
Welcome to Romania!
Please try to arrive at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) for late morning or early afternoon, as we will be hosting a group transfer into the city. A member of our team will be waiting to meet and greet you in the arrivals area.
*In case you arrive outside of these times, it’s very easy and inexpensive to arrange for a Bolt or Uber to meet us at a central location.
Once everyone has arrived, we will drive to central Bucharest (approx. 45 minutes away), our base for the first night. You can check in and relax before meeting your fellow group members for an introduction and briefing by your Pure Trails guides.
In the afternoon, we’ll explore this charming city, focusing on the Old Town with its historical buildings, open-air Village Museum, parks, and museums. We'll then head out to dinner and stay overnight at our hotel.
DAY 2 | TOWARDS TRANSYLVANIA. TRAIL RUN THE WESTERN BUCEGI MOUNTAINS
Trail Running: Approx. 16km / 1000m+
After breakfast this morning, we depart Bucharest and head to the mountain village of Moieciu de Sus—located in the foothills of the western Bucegi mountains—for our first trail run of the trip. The drive will take approx. 3.5 hours.
It’s a beautiful day and a perfect introduction to the Romanian mountains. Our trail takes us up the beautiful Băngăleasa Valley and up to the Guțanu Meadow. From here, this spectacular mountain trail follows the old border between Wallachia and Transylvania provinces.
Reaching 1910m, we arrive at Șaua Strunga, a mountain traverse between the limestone walls of Strungile Mari and Strungile Mici, where we begin a fast descent to the finish point of the trail.
We’ll then make a short transfer to the beautiful city of Brașov and check in to our hotel with time to relax. We’ll meet up for dinner and to toast an amazing first day on the trail.
DAY 3 | BRASOV & POSTAVARU MOUNTAIN TRAILS. CITY EXPLORING
Trail Running: Approx. 14km / 800m+
We have a show-stopping day ahead of us as we trail run from Brașov to Poiana Brașov, which is one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the country.
The trail starts from our hotel, following a steady route that rises through thick forests, along hard-packed trails, and offers amazing views of the city high from above. We then continue toward the Postavaru mountains, where the terrain blends into grassy meadow and flat mountain peaks that mark our finish for the day.
We’ll head back to Brașov after lunch, with some time to relax before a planned guided city tour that takes us into the evening.
Dinner and overnight in Brașov.
DAY 4 | INTO THE PIATRA CRAIULUI
Trail Running: Approx. 18km / 1200m+
After breakfast this morning, we’ll transfer to the Peștera mountain village, which marks the start point of our trail.
In front of us are the eastern walls of the impressive Piatra Craiului mountains, our host for the day.
We follow the trail until we reach the main ridge, the Southern massif with its sharp peaks of limestone. At the end of the day, we’ll cross the Zărnești Canyon and descend towards our finish in Zărnești village. Our trails are complete!
We’ll then transfer back to Brașov before heading out for dinner and drinks to celebrate our journey together.
DAY 5| DEPARTURE DAY
It’s time to pack up and bid farewell to your newfound trail-running friends and our local team. A group transfer is arranged for you back to Bucharest International Airport (OTP) after breakfast in time to connect with your onward flight back home.
WHERE WE STAY
BOUTIQUE HOTELS
We’ll be staying in two different boutique hotels for our time in Romania.
In Bucharest: We’ll be staying in the Scala Boutique Hotel (4*) in the heart of the city. This refined hotel is in an architecturally grand building designed by Gheorghe Simotta. It’s within minutes of the main attractions of the city.
In Brașov: We’ll be staying in either the Drachenhaus or Coroana Brașovului (3*), both of which overlook Mount Tampa and the medieval historic quarter of Brașov. Historically designed, with comfortable rooms and minutes from all of the major landmarks, these make perfect options for our group.
Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) is around a 45-minute drive from central Bucharest. We run a group transfer at a set time on arrival day (late morning — time TBC). If you arrive earlier or later, you can make your own way to our hotel using Bolt or Uber, which is convenient and inexpensive.
On the final day we run a group transfer back to the airport after breakfast. Please arrange your onward flights to depart from midday onwards to ensure you have plenty of time.
Absolutely. Breakfasts are hosted by our hotels and dietary requirements are easily handled. For lunches and evening meals we head to local restaurants where vegetarian and vegan options are readily available. Just let us know your requirements in advance and we'll make sure everything is taken care of.
The trails are beautifully varied throughout the trip. Expect a mix of dense forest, hard-packed paths, grassy meadows, mountain plateaus and fast gravel trails, with slightly more technical terrain in the Piatra Craiului on the final running day.
The dramatic landscape means a good amount of both ascending and descending each day, but daily distances are very manageable and the trip has been designed to suit a range of running abilities.
We will send you a complete packing list well in advance of the trip so you know exactly what to bring. If you have any questions in the meantime, just get in touch at explore@pure-trails.com.
This trip is suitable for all abilities of runner, but you should have a solid base level of fitness to handle three back-to-back days on the trail. It's worth paying attention to the elevation involved — these are mountain trails with meaningful ascent and descent each day, so arriving prepared makes a real difference both for you and the group.
Our goal is not to run a race but for everyone to experience a beautiful journey. Come ready for an adventure and you'll have an incredible time.
Every trip we run has a mix of people and running abilities — that's part of what makes them so enjoyable. These are adventures, not training camps. You can expect plenty of stops, a lot of laughter and zero pressure around pace.
With two running guides throughout we can split into comfortable groups and ensure everyone moves at a pace that suits them. Nobody gets left behind.