The trip is made in the Apuseni Mountains. This is a plateau with the highest peaks up to 1860m. It is a karst region, this means that the mild green valleys sometimes host wild gorges and hundreds of caves. The tracks are well chosen, so you don’t go up and down all the time. Most of the trips go over green meadows along the forest. Because the Apuseni Mountains are not the ideal region for agriculture, most of the land is open grassland. Outside the villages, there are no fences because people still herd the cattle or sheep.
Because there are no marked trails for horse riding, we give you a good description of the road that you have to take. Because it is way more interesting to ride the horse over the meadows then over the forestry roads we indicate where and what directions you have to take and where to end up. It is impossible to prepare a complete detailed road description over the fields, but we work with landmarks so that it easy to find your way back.

Your accommodation is reserved for you. You sleep in guestrooms in typical farms. Each guesthouse has one or more bathroom, some guestrooms have private bathrooms. Your guest family will serve you a typical warm dinner in the evening. In the morning there is a continental breakfast and for noon a lunch packet. Your luggage will be transported from farm to farm.

You will get your horse for the duration of the trip. There are no restrictions for the numbers of kilometers you ride, you can make an extra trip after arrival if you feel for it. The only thing we ask is that you respect the horse, take care of it and don't take unnecessary risks. Riding experience is a must for at least one of the participants.
At the farms there is a stable for the horse as well. You will have to take care of your horse and equipment and the owner will help you out to stable the horse and show you where water and food is for the horse. 

You can combine trips as well. The horse riding trip can be easily combined with the horse and wagon trip because we use the same trails and accommodations. This works well when some members prefer to ride, the others can make the same trip with horse and wagon.

You can watch a short video clip by clicking the link:
 

We've included a special page about the Apuseni Mountains: click here

6 day program: the Kalotaszeg trail.    

5 nights, 4 days riding. The trail goes through the hills of the ethnic Hungarian homeland "Kalotaszeg". trails over country roads, wagon tracks and open grassland.

Day 1: arrival and introduction in Stana.

Day 2: Instructions and trip under guidance in the surroundings of Stana. Distance 12-16km, 4-5 hours riding.

Day 3: Trip over open pastures, small patches of forest and  along country roads and wagon tracks to the ethnic Hungarian village Sancraiu. Distance 14km, 4-5 hours riding.

Day 4: Trip to Risca. Trip along wagon-trails, country roads and open pasture. You cross the village Valeni where you can visit the beautiful fortified Romanesque church. It goes further over a large open  plateau to the settlement Fonogea. From there you descend along a small river to the village Risca , a Romanian village at 1000m altitude. Distance 16km. 5 hours riding

Day 5: trip back to Stana. You leave Risca and ride along the village Cristesti to Manastireni over wagontracks, open meadows. From here it goes over Bica, Horlacea and Saula back to Stana along open pastures and country roads. Distance 18 km.(5-6 hours riding)

Day 6: trip ends after breakfast.

11 day program: the mountain trail

10 nights, 9 days riding. The trail goes through the homeland of the ethnic Hungarians and further through the mountains to the nature park Apuseni. You go completely around Lake Fintinele.

Day 1: arrival and introduction in Stana.

Day 2: Instructions and trip under guidance in the surroundings of Stana. Distance 12-16km, 4-5 hours riding.

Day 3: trip to Risca. Trip along wagon-trails, open pasture and country roads. You can make a stop to visit the lovely wooden Orthodox church in Bica. You cross the village Manastireni, an ethnic Hungarian village with a beautiful fortified Gothic church.  You climb over a very large plateau with open meadows to the settlement Fonogea and descend along the river to Risca a Romanian village in the mountains at 1000m altitude. Distance 18km. 5-6 hours riding

Day 4: Trip to Rusesti, mostly over country roads and dirtroads. You leave the village Risca to Dealu Mare and Lapustesti (church has a nice painted interior) from where you descend a 7 km long winding road to the village Rusesti where you stay in guestrooms. In Rusesti is a watermill. Distance 18 km. 5-6 hours riding

Day 5:  Trip to Marisel. From Rusesti you have to climb to one of the highest settlements of the Apuseni Mountains, the village Marisel at 1200m. You’ll have beautiful panoramas.  There is an altitude difference of 600m between the 2 villages. You ride over open pasture, country and dirt roads. You sleep in the village Marisel in guestrooms at a local farm. Distance 14 km. 5-6 hours riding

Day 6:  From Marisel you follow the ridge to the village Poiana Horea. It is a nice trip through the forest and along small rivers. You enter now for a few days the nature park Apuseni. You ride over wagon trails and along small clearings. You won't see a house for 10km. You stay in guestrooms the village Poiana Horea, a harvesters settlement in the middle of the forest. Distance 25 km. 6-7 hours riding

Day 7:  Trip to Doda Pilii. You leave the village Poiana Horea and follow the river upstream. It goes over the 1400m high Scoruset hill and through the forest to the lake Fintinele near the village Smida. From there you go to Doda Pilii where you sleep in guestrooms. Trip along country roads and dirt roads.  Once in a while and open clearing in the forest. Distance 15 km. 4-5 hours riding.

Day 8: From the village Doda Pilii you go up the mountain to the village Dealu Botii. It is a nice trip over dirt roads, open pasture and through the forest with nice panoramas over the Lake Fintinele. From there it goes to the Ruginoasa hill and you descend to the village Scrind where you stay for the night in guestrooms. Distance 22 km. 5-6 hours riding

Day 9: Trip to Sancraiu. It goes back over the Ruginoasa hill, with a descend over a large open pasture with beautiful views over the Calata Valley. From Margau it goes to Bociu and further to Sancraiu. The last part of the trip goes over immense pastures through a strange eroded landscape. Distance 20 km. 6-7 hours riding

Day 10: Trip from the village Sancraiu over Domos, Horlacea, Saula back to Stana. Again a trip through the Kalotaszeg region, through small villages with fortified churches,  over open pastures and scattered forest. Distance 17km. 4-5 hours riding

Day 11: Trip ends after breakfast