At the outskirts of Brașov, Romania’s most known medieval city, lies 7 ladders canyon, a trail that takes you on an adventure across bridges and up vertical ladders above waterfalls and stone cutting river.
Situated in Piatra Mare mountains, part of the Carpathians, the 7 ladders canyon is a popular day trip from Bucharest and guarantees a great nature experience. The trail starts in Timișul de Jos, just 10km from Brașov. The crossing of the canyon takes around one hour, but the surroundings have so much more to offer that an extended hike it’s a must. After all, there is no fresher air than the one in the forest and tastier berries than the ones you picked yourself and enjoyed by the cold mountain river.
Piatra Mare is a friendly mountain. It’s not too steep, has no difficult trails and the peak can be reached in a couple of hours. Although there are no difficult areas, good hiking boots are recommended in the canyon and on the trails.
The hike starts in a wide meadow, a place popular for camping and picnics. It soon takes you into the forest following the river. The path gradually climbs and in no time you’ll be at the main entrance in the canyon.
The canyon takes its name from the number (seven) of metallic ladders that have been constructed in order to cross the whole 160m rocky passage carved by the river. The tallest ladder is approximately 15 meters high and from place to place there are bridges that offer a spectacular view over the canyon and multiple waterfalls. The whole man-made construction was recently changed so everything is perfectly safe.
Once out of the canyon you can either continue to the peak of the mountain (1844m) or come back down following an alternate path that goes around the canyon. But if the crossing of the canyon wasn’t enough for the adventure seeking travelers, here lies another attraction: the longest flying fox in Romania (2km). Just buckle up, put on your helmet and weeeeeee!
You can include a hike in the 7 ladder canyon in a two day hiking & visiting Transylvania trip that will uncover the famous landmarks of Brașov and enjoy the adventure opportunities in the surroundings. After a whole day hiking, be it in the 7 ladders canyon, in nearby Piatra Craiului or on top of the Bucegi Mountains, a spectacular hike in Romania, there is nothing more relaxing than enjoying a traditional Romanian meal in one of the many fine restaurants in the old city.
