RETEZAT MOUNTS

The Retezat mountains are famous for their alpine meadows, cirques and numerous glacial lakes (over forty), making them one of the country's most beautiful massifs and a favorite with hikers. They are also known as "the fortress", due to the number of peaks over 2,200 m (over sixty). The highest peak is Mount Peleaga (2,519 m), followed by Mount Păpușa. Created in 1935, Retezat National Park was the country's first national park. It includes the Retezat, Godeanu and Țarcu mountains. Around 2% of the plant species present are endemic. The park is also home to numerous animal species, including 1,000 species of butterfly, chamois, deer, otter, bear, lynx, etc

The main access points to the park are Gura Zlata, Cârnic and Câmpu lui Neag. The Gura Zlata cabana is accessible from Hațeg by a road, in poor condition in places. You can even drive as far as the artificial lake of Gura Apelor. The Gura Zlata cabana is the starting point for hikes to Lake Zănoaga (5h, red triangle), from where you can continue to Lake Bucura (3h more, red dot), bypassing the protected area, or to Gura Apelor (2h more, blue cross). Other hikes are possible from Gura Apelor, for example to Poiana Pelegii (5h, blue dot, easy), then to Cabana Buta (4h more, difficult). Numerous trails, of varying difficulty, start from Cabana Pietrele, south of Nucșoara (road to Cârnic 4 km away). A few trails also start from Râușor, a resort accessible by car.