Transylvania is not only famous as the homeland of Bram Stoker’s fictional character, Count Dracula, but is also associated with the dramatic history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, well preserved Medieval homesteads, and excellent Romanian wines. On this ride we offer a point to point trail hosted by a local Count whose estate is dispersed over several villages and preserves values still largely unaffected by modern society. The history of the family reaches back to medieval times. In 1252 AD the family was documented in this eastern part of Transylvania. The current 25th generation returned after 50 years of exile in the West and are now reshaping their lost heritage.
Around 3-5 hours are spent in the saddle daily on this horse riding holiday and a variety of terrain is traversed as you travel through wild hills and forest landscapes. The villages are situated at 450-600m, the hills reach 700-900m. This whole region is called Erdővidék, or “Woodlands”, and has barely changed for centuries. The horses used are substantial, fit, capable of jumping a reasonable size and of various local breeds: Lipizzaner, Huzul, Shagya Arabian, Semigreu crosses. Overnight accommodation usually includes the Prince of Wales's guest house at Zalanpatak as well as Ceausescu's former hunting lodge.
Trip length
7 days / 6 nights
(It is also possible to extend the itinerary by one day. Please see below for details.)
Riders can be met from the following airports:
Bucharest Henri Coanda (OTP); Bucharest Banesa (BBU), Targu Mures (TGM) or Sibiu (SBZ)
A pick up can also be arranged from Brasov Train Station (a four hour jouney from Bucharest North railway station)
Transfer
Not included. Please see "Notes" section below for detailed prices.
Flight guide
2012:
London Luton (LTN) to Bucharest Banesa (BBU) and Targu Mures (TGM) with WizzAir from £60 return.
London Luton (LTN) to Bucharest Banesa (BBU) with BlueAir from £60 return.
London Heathrow (LHR) to Bucharest Henri Coanda (OTP) with British Airways from £100 return
From Stuttgart (STU), Munich (MUC) and Vienna (VIE) to Sibiu (SBZ) with Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines from €70 return.
No single rooms available (on some or all nights). Riders must be prepared to share.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - CARPATHIAN ESTATE RIDE
Day 1 (Sunday) You will be met on arrival and driven either to Miklósvár or Zalánpatak according to availability.
The village of Miklosvar was part of the Kalnoky family estate and the old hunting manor is on the edge of the village. The area was part of the Hungarian empire but became Romanian during the 1st World War. A couple of the traditional houses in the village carefully restored in order to preserve their original Transylvanian charm and character and accommodation is in these guesthouses. The guesthouses are situated within spacious gardens, with storks nesting on nearby rooftops
Zalánpatak is a small & remote village, around 25 km far from the stables at Korospatak. The night is spent in a lovely farmhouse, restored by the Count for the Prince of Wales, which is situated in a tiny village surrounded by hills with meadows and forests.
Meet your guide or the Countess for a welcome dinner and to discuss the week ahead.
Day 2 (Monday) Transfer to the riding centre at Valea Crisului (Sepsikőröspatak, “Round Brook”) by car. The ride starts climbing slowly onto a ridge, heading north on high pastures with magnificent views stretching to the high Carpathian Range. We leave the villages of Kálnok and Zalán to our right below us down in the valley, meet shepherds and their flocks on the pastures and at the end of the day we descend through the forest to reach Malnas Bai (Málnásfürdő, “Raspberry Baths”), where the riders stay for the night as guests of a local hunter’s family (bathrooms might have to be shared). Once a thriving spa with plenty of mineral water springs, this village has typical wooden turn-of-the-century Transylvanian spa architecture, although now in a rather rickety shape. Riding time: 4 hours.
Day 3 (Tuesday) We climb back north-westerly into the deep forests of the Hatod region, where 6 villages share the same woods (hatod = “one sixth”). We travel along a quiet forest track, alongside which bear traces are sometimes to be found. After having ridden around the extinct volcano “Murgo”, we descend on gentle grassy slopes to the Batanii villages (“Big Bacon and Little Bacon”) to reach our accommodation in village houses at lovely “Little Bacon” where we shall have common dinner. The villagers here are known to be especially hospitable and friendly, and before dinner will take pride at showing you their still functioning watermill and traditional looms. Riding time: 4 hours.
Day 4 (Wednesday) We head northwest through forests and hay meadows, to climb up to Szép Arca (“Pretty Face”) hill on the southern slopes of the Hargita Range. Wide views open out on distant Barót and Olt Valley. We descend northwest into the Kormos (“Sooty”) valley, where Romania’s ex-Dictator Ceausescu had his private hunting villa. The river is teeming with trout, the wet meadows have beautiful wild flowers. Ceausescu’s villa is now the ‘Kormos’ hunting lodge where you will be accommodated and have dinner (or in the neighbouring forestry’s house during hunting season). 5 double rooms en-suite with French beds (no twins). Riding time: 3 hours.
Day 5 (Thursday) We turn south down the Kormos Valley on a long ride along the lower slopes of the hills, passing the villages of Filia/Erdőfüle (“Forest’s Ear”) on endless hay meadows towards the town of Barot. We continue on the slopes offering many a chance for cantering, into the valley of the river Olt to reach Miklósvár, and our guesthouses. Riding time: 5 hours.
Day 6 (Friday) From Miklósvár, we return to the stables at Kőröspatak, riding through forested hills, crossing valleys and streams, picknic at Prince Charles’s property at Zalánpatak. This trip was very common for many a generation of the Counts family who had to ride often between the two villages, where their two manors are. This part of the region is particularly rich in game. Arriving at Kőröspatak, you will be transfered back to Miklósvár by car for your last night at our guesthouse.
Day 7 (Saturday) Depart after breakfast, or adding on a few days of relaxation and tours based at the Count's Guesthouses in Miklósvár. Please enquire.
OPTIONAL: - One extra day riding can be attached if requested: in this case Day 6 stops at Zalanpatak, where the riders stay over night. Next day they ride to Korospatak and can participate in the afternoon in different activities, like swimming with the horses in the lake, or a cultural excursion. This option has to be decided upon at the time of booking for the whole group and will incur a supplement. See prices above.
PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is intended as a guideline only and may be adapted due to prevailing conditions at the time.
NOTES - CARPATHIAN ESTATE RIDE
Detailed Transfer Information:
Please note that transfers can be to either Miklosvar or Zalanpatak depending on which guesthouses have availability at time of booking.
All transfers are payable locally.
Prices below are per person and valid for 2-3 passengers per transfer, one way. For single transfers (one person in the car) the prices are double/one way. If there are more than 3 persons in the car, there is a 20% discount.
Miklosvar Zalanpatak
Bucharest Airports 70 Euro per person each way 75 Euro per person each way
Targu Mures Airport 45 Euro per person each way 50 Euro per person each way
Sibiu Airport 50 Euro per person each way 55 Euro per person each way
Brasov Train Station 15 Euro per person each way 20 Euro per person each way
The weight limit for this ride is 14 st/198 lb/90 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All accommodation, all meals from dinner on the first night to breakfast on the last day, 1 beer or 1/2 bottle of house wine and mineral water with meals, all riding, horses, English speaking guide.
For price details click here
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights, transfers to the estate, imported drinks and drinks other than with meals, excursions not part of the itinerary.
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What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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