Adventure Romania: Roadtrip & Mountain Biking in the Carpathians (EN-INT)

Viktor Novák and Julia Mehner have a thirst for adventure and freedom. But where is room for exploration? While the west seems conquered and spoiled, Eastern Europe promises more. Especially Romania, a place to bike in the wild.

Viktor Novák is an adventurer, a multisport athlete, and a trail builder in his home country, Slovakia. Julia Mehner was once one of Germany’s top alpine ski racers and is now a freeride pro. The perfect vehicle for them? Our CLIFF GREENTREK 4×4 , the wild one. The perfect country for the three of them to roam? Romania!

Viktor, what gave you the idea to tour Romania for a month?

I’ve wanted to go to there for 15 years. Back then, I saw a picture of the Făgăraș mountains in the Southern Carpathians and just thought, “I want to bike in that vast landscape.” Now, we had four weeks. We had other countries in mind, but the more we researched Romania, the clearer it became that this is it. Open and wild instead of packed, overtouristy places

What’s so special about Romania?

There are so many prejudices, and I have to say, none of them turned out to be true. No crime, no extreme poverty, no vampires. Okay, there are an incredible number of castles and sheep and goat herds in the countryside. But Romania is also ultramodern – the highways are smooth, and the cities are beautiful, with great restaurants and good coffee.

So you experienced both city and country?

Yes, it was generally an incredibly rich mix of contrasts. Of course, we were out in nature a lot, and that was overwhelming. You know, the forests there are not human-designed monoculture. They are primeval forests with those fantastic ancient trees, a mixed forest full of life. There are lynx, wolves, bears…

Did you meet a bear?

I did. In the mountains around the Transfăgărășan pass road – officially one of the most beautiful routes in the world. We had parked in one of these deep woods and it walked right past me, looked at me briefly, and then shuffled on. It’s a good thing Julia was in the camper. As a Slovak, I’m used to bears, but she, as a German, is less so.

Was it really as solitary as one imagines the Carpathians to be?

Absolutely. That’s another reason we wanted to go to Eastern Europe. What is left to discover in Western or Central Europe? Every place is crowded, there seems to be no room for adventures. In Romania, we could bike wherever we wanted, stop wherever our eyes told us to. And we could park wherever we wanted. With the 4×4, it was just sensational. We drove to spots that were almost impossibly beautiful. Falling asleep on a high, open ridge in the endless expanse and waking up there for the sunrise – it was crazy.

What’s the biking network like in Romania?

Huge. We already saw that beforehand when we researching on trailforks. There’s everything: plenty of flowy trails over open grassy slopes, but also enduro routes – especially around Muntele Roșu, the “Red Mountains” – and also built lines, e.g. in the Bike Park Postăvarul near Brașov. I definitely recommend EMTBs, though, because the rides are long – you just have to experience the sheer size of the country.

And what else should one definitely do in Romania?

Take in the culture! The incredible caves, the many castles and fortresses, or something like the huge, converted salt mine in Turda. From there, we crossed the Transalpina (a sensationally beautiful road!) through the Transylvanian Alps to the Făgăraș Mountains and continued along the arc of the Carpathians over Brașov to the west, all the way to the Serbian border. The serenity and simplicity of the country farmers, the modern urban life, the charm from the old Habsburg era – all of this combines to create an incredible experience.

Does that mean you’ll be back?

Definitely. We could have stayed another two months. There’s still so much to discover, and for me, the country is definitely one of the most exciting and beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

Camping in Rumänien – Tipps für Wildcamping & Roadtrip

Rumänien ist ein Traumziel für Camper: endlose Karpatenkämme, ursprüngliche Wälder, traditionelle Dörfer und moderne Städte. Ein Land, das Freiheit verspricht und mit dem Camper auf ganz eigene Weise entdeckt werden will.

🚐 Wildcamping in Rumänien – erlaubt oder verboten?

Offiziell gibt es keine klaren Regeln fürs Wildcampen. In abgelegenen Regionen wird es aber meist geduldet. Wer respektvoll mit Natur und Menschen umgeht, kann in Rumänien an traumhaften Orten übernachten – sei es hoch oben im Făgăraș-Gebirge, am Ufer der Donau oder auf einer Wiese im Maramureș.

⛺ Die schönsten Camping-Spots in Rumänien:

Transfăgărășan-Passstraße – Stellplätze mit Panoramablick entlang einer der schönsten Straßen der Welt.
Făgăraș-Gebirge – Offene Hochplateaus mit atemberaubenden Sonnenaufgängen.
Apuseni-Gebirge – Höhlen, Wasserfälle und Stellplätze mitten im Grünen.
Donau-Delta – Naturparadies am Wasser, perfekt für Vogelbeobachter.
Maramureș – Ruhige Stellplätze zwischen urigen Holzkirchen und Bergwiesen.

💰 Kosten & Infrastruktur:

Rumänien gehört zu den günstigsten Camperzielen Europas. Campingplätze kosten oft nur 10–15 € pro Nacht und sind gut ausgestattet – mit Strom, Dusche und Waschmaschinen. Wer autark unterwegs ist, findet problemlos freie Stellplätze in der Natur. Tankstellen, kleine Märkte und Hofläden machen die Versorgung unterwegs einfach und charmant.

🌲 Geheimtipp: Übernachten bei Schäfern

In vielen Bergregionen laden Schäfer Reisende ein, ihren Camper neben den Herden zu parken. Wer hier übernachtet, wacht mit dem Klang von Glocken und dem Duft von frischem Heu auf – und bekommt oft selbstgemachten Käse oder Milch dazu. Ein authentisches Erlebnis, das Rumänien so besonders macht.