The fascinating gorges Turda and Bicaz

There is no secret that I love my home country. And what I love about it most, is nature. There are so many picturesque landscapes worth visiting, and one should add the fascinating gorges Turda and Bicaz on their bucket list.

The Turda Gorges

Turda Gorge

Mihai Viteazu, Roumanie

The gorges near the city of Turda occupy an area of 324 ha and were formed due to the erosion of the Jurassic limestone rock by the Hashed River. The gorges are a natural reserve, about 15 km from the city of Cluj-Napoca. The Turda Gorges offer a rare and amazing wildlife landscape with waterfalls, high and steep cliffs, sharp crests and stone towers. You don’t need a real reason to visit this place, but if you are an adventurous person, you can walk about 2 hours to the rocky eastern wall and about 5 hours to the western one. Here, one can find one of the main rock climbing sites in Romania.

It is also a place of great history. The site has been inhabited since the Neolithic. My favorite place is the Ciucaș Waterfall, just a few kilometers from the gorges. And what I love most about this waterfall is that you can only get there by climbing the rocks and crossing some springs. But once you get there, you realize that the effort was worth it.

Ciucaș Waterfall

Mihai Viteazu, Romania

What makes it great, besides the view, is the fauna and flora. Here, you can find over 1.000 species of plants, animals (fox, weasel, stone jar, boars, rabbits, deer, snakes), butterflies, and some rarities such as the wild garlic, the rock eagle, the wonderful mistletoe, or some rare species of scorpion.

The Bicaz Gorges

Located in the Eastern Carpathians, the Bicaz Gorges are one of the most spectacular road passes in Romania. The gorge was formed by the waters of the Bicaz River, and it serves as a passageway between the Romanian provinces of Moldova and Transylvania.

Bicaz Gorge

DN12C, Roumanie

For those who intend to stay just a little bit longer in this area, check the Hasmas National Park. The Carpathian wildlife is represented in this area by the wall lizard, the red deer, the brown bear, the lynx, the wolf and the beech marten. You can also admire the wallcreeper, the three-toed woodpecker, the rock bunting, the raven, the capercaillie, the owl or the golden eagle.

And if you can extend your journey, one should opt for Red Lake, the largest barrier lake, in the Eastern Carpathian Chain. The Red Lake is known as the Killer Lake, and this is because of the existing legend. It is said that when the slope collapsed over the nearby village, the landfall killed most of the inhabitants. There was so much blood in the water from all the victims that the lake turned red. I must admit, not a legend with a happy ending but one beautiful place to go for a swim.

Picture © Credit to: fsamora

The fascinating Gorges Turda and Bicaz are some amazing places one should definitely see at least once in their lifetime.

Red Lake (Lacu Rosu)

Drum acces Hotel Lacu Roşu, Lacu Roșu 535502, Roumanie