Danube Gorges by Bike & Boat

Our first day is the “get together” day in Eselnita village, our base camp for the entire journey. If you choose to meet in Bucharest, on the 6 hour drive to Eselnita, we will drive along the Danube banks and we will stop in Drobeta – Turnu Severin for visiting the local history museum and the Roman Empire reminiscences.  Once arrived in Eselnita we will check-in in a hotel on the Danube banks and have a nice dinner together.

Optional, you can join the group directly in Eselnita.

Overnight at Eselnita.
Meals: lunch on the way, dinner in the village.

Today we will be spending the day along Danube, visiting the sites near the river. The beautiful Mraconia Monastery, the „Dacian head” sculpture, the little villages along the river – all of them are waiting us to be discovered. The Danube Gorges and the” Boiling lakes” are impressive natural landscapes along the river. Lunch in a local restaurant near the Danube.

In the afternoon, depending the time, we can have additional ride in the beautiful Mraconia Forest, along a mountain river, on gravel road.

Overnight and dinner at Eselnita.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Total bike distance: 50 km by asphalt road. Optional, another 30 km on gravel road through Mraconia Forest. Rolling hills along Danube.

This day is mainly dedicated for visiting the city of Orsova – the most important town of the region – and the surroundings. In the first part of the day we will ride to Orsova and climb to St. Ana Monastery – the highest peak of the region – guarding the Danube and the city from above. Then we will visit the old guarding military route. We will stop in Orsova for a short lunch and for visiting the Danube promenade before continuing our route.

In the second part of the day we will climb another hill, following a gravel road. After a difficult climb we will have an impressive view over the Danube and Banat Mountains. Then we will descend to the hidden village of Toplet, with a unique architecture and decorations of the houses.

The return to Eselnita will be only on asphalt road.

Accommodation and dinner in Eselnita.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Total bike distance: ~50 km on mixed asphalt and gravel road, rolling terrain. Two difficult climbs and a technical descent on forestry road.

In the first part of the day, after a short transfer by bicycle, we will take local boats for visiting the sites in the gorges: hidden caves (accessible only by boat), the Tabula Traiana stone, and the „Boiling lakes”. Depending our time, before or after lunch, we will have two hours hiking trail for admiring the Danube from above.

In the afternoon we will return to our accommodation place by bicycle.

Total bike distance: ~20 km (transfer) on asphalt

Total hiking: 2-3 hours

Overnight and dinner in Eselnita.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A very warming community of former Czech miners is living today in few villages of Banat Mountains. Hidden in the deep forest of the Danube Gorges, the locals are always happy to have visitors. A difficult climb on gravel road is waiting for us from the Danube side to the village, but the view is spectacular. After visiting the village, we will descend another forestry road to the Danube and we will visit other remains of a Middle Age fortress.

We will have picnic lunch before returning to our accommodation place for a farewell dinner.

Total bike distance: ~70 km on mixed asphalt and gravel road, rolling terrain. One difficult climb to the Czech village and a technical descent on forestry road.

Overnight in Eselnita.
Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner.

Our last day is a long journey along the Danube in one of the wildest sections of the Danube.

After a short transfer by car to Svinita Village for avoiding high traffic, we will start our journey by bicycle going along the river. The total distance to our final point is 120 km, but each participant will ride as much as she/he can do, then will be transferred by car to the final point.

Our final point is a former rural harbor on the Danube, currently transformed into a cultural and touristic resort.

Total bike distance: 70-120 km on mixed asphalt and gravel road, rolling terrain.

Overnight in Cetate Cultural Harbor. Farewell dinner.
Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner.

After breakfast it is time to say goodbye and prepare our luggage.

Transfer by car from Cetate to Bucharest or to your departure place.
Meals: breakfast