National Park Retezat

Retezat National Park is Romania's oldest national park (founded in 1935) and is home to one of the few primeval forests in Europe. The Retezat Massif is also part of the park and, as an important ecoregion, is of great significance for biodiversity. The national park and the entire mountain range are under nature protection. In addition, there are two further protected areas within the park: the Gemenele (the Twins) Scientific Reserve and the Zeicului Cave Nature Reserve.

To enter the national park, you need an admission ticket. These are available at the Nucșoara and Ostrovel visitor centres (at the entrance to Râu de Mori), at the Cascada chalet, at the entrance to Gura Apei, at the Pietrele information centre, at the Buta mountain rescue station, or from APNR staff on duty in the park.

The Land of Blue Eyes

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The Retezat Massif is also known as "the land of blue eyes" due to the more than 80 lakes that have been discovered throughout the park. The glacial lakes are impressive to behold, with the rocky ridges reflected on the water's surface. The lakes are connected by numerous hiking trails of medium and high difficulty, and are well signposted.

Although all the lakes are worth visiting, you should plan to see at least one of the following three: Bucura, the country's largest glacial lake, Zănoaga, the deepest glacial lake, and Tăul Porții, Romania's highest-altitude glacial lake.

Flora and fauna

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More than a third of Romania's flora can be found in the Retezat Mountains. Large parts of the forests are untouched, and many animal and plant species occur exclusively here, including several subspecies of butterflies.

The alpine flora is particularly diverse: high-altitude meadows, extensive beech, spruce and fir forests, as well as birches and rowans as pioneer plants, shape the landscape. Pines dominate at subalpine altitudes.

The park is an important bird protection area with over 120 different bird species. A large part of the park belongs to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and further areas are designated as a European wilderness protection area. Among the animals living there are brown bears, wolves, lynxes, wildcats, red deer, roe deer and wild boar, as well as chamois and alpine marmots at higher altitudes.

Hiking

The marked hiking trails in Retezat National Park extend over a total of 516 kilometres and offer great variety. You can explore the park even without a professional mountain guide.

Many routes take several hours and require a realistic self-assessment of your abilities. Unpredictable weather and the large brown bear population call for particular caution. Therefore, stay on official trails and use only designated campsites.

Make sure you have suitable equipment and sturdy footwear, bring enough water, and choose shorter routes at first to familiarise yourself with the terrain.

Getting there

The national park is located in the high mountains of the Southern Carpathians in western Romania and is best reached by your own vehicle or a hire car. Alternatively, there is a train connection to Hațeg, a small town on the edge of the reserve.

Hațeg is a good starting point for last-minute shopping or a restaurant visit. In addition to camping, overnight stays are also possible in simple mountain huts or guesthouses on the edge of the park.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

Retezat National Park is definitely worth a visit. Enjoy the impressive flora and fauna, discover the fascinating glacial lakes, and leave everyday life behind. We wish you a pleasant journey to Romania and lots of fun on your road trip. For more information on tolls in Romania, see our guide. Feel free to also use our route planner to plan your trip optimally. If you have any questions, we're happy to help at any time via email.