Dâmbovicioara Gorges: Untamed Natural Beauty in Piatra Craiului Mountains

About Dâmbovicioara Gorges

Located in the Piatra Craiului Mountains, along the Rucăr-Bran route, these stunning gorges were carved by the Dâmbovicioara River, which originates from the southern slope of La Om Peak and flows north-south before merging with the Dâmbovița River.

The Dâmbovița river basin features over 20 gorges, with Dâmbovicioara Gorges standing out as one of the most impressive, stretching for approximately 2 kilometers. Over time, the river sculpted the limestone and conglomerate sandstone formations, creating a majestic corridor with walls exceeding 200 meters in height in some areas.

The water also shaped towering ridges and carved out numerous caves and spectacular grottos.

With breathtaking landscapes and numerous attractions, this is a destination worth exploring. So, get ready for a rewarding adventure!

How to Get to Dâmbovicioara Gorges

Dâmbovicioara Gorges stretch between the villages of Podu Dâmboviței and Dâmbovicioara.

The 29.4-kilometer journey from Bran to Podu Dâmboviței takes approximately 45 minutes by car, following DN73/E574.

This remarkably scenic route largely overlaps with the Rucăr-Bran passage, passing through the charming villages of Moeciu de Jos and Fundata along the way.

Things to Do in Dâmbovicioara Gorges

Upstream the gorge, where Dâmbovicioara Gorges meet Valea Muierii, nature puts on a spectacular show: the La Gâlgoaie spring gushes out as if rushing into the Dâmbovicioara stream; from here, another narrow gorge follows, dotted with waterfalls.

The path between gray-white rocks is flanked by towering 200-meter-high vertical walls, while the stream running alongside, the small waterfalls and the lush vegetation create breathtaking landscapes.

The area features over 50 caves, the most famous being Dâmbovicioara Cave, the Labyrinth Cave, and the Cave at the Gorge Entrance.

The place is best explored on foot to appreciate its beauty in every detail. You can follow trails or hike along marked routes.

The main recommended route is Dâmbovicioara Gorges – Dâmbovicioara Cave – Brusturet Gorges – Brusturet Cabin (approx. 8 km). The road is suitable for cars and bicycles, but we recommend walking to fully enjoy the scenery, pick wild strawberries, and take in the fresh mountain air. The round trip (16 km) takes about four hours, plus breaks.

Beyond hiking, you can do many things in the area: fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding (or riding lessons), agritourism, and participating in local events, including food festivals. There’s also an adventure park, and if you contact the Dâmbovicioara Tourist Information and Promotion Center (easily found on Facebook), you can arrange a visit to a traditional sheepfold to taste the authentic food.

Necessary Equipment

If you plan to take the Dâmbovicioara Gorges – Dâmbovicioara Cave – Brusturet Gorges – Brusturet Cabin route or other easy trails from the list below, you don’t need any special gear apart from standard hiking equipment, including sturdy, non-slip footwear. Keep in mind that mountain weather is unpredictable, so bring rain and windproof clothing.

The trail takes 2 hours one way, and there are restaurants near Dâmbovicioara Cave and Brusturet Cabin, but it’s a good idea to carry water and some snacks. Also, don’t forget a bag for your trash until you find a proper bin.

If you want to explore caves or grottos, bring a headlamp or flashlight. Since there is a (low) chance of encountering a bear, it’s advisable to carry a whistle and bear spray.

For ridge hikes, you will need specific mountaineering equipment.

Tourist Trails in Piatra Craiului National Park

Dâmbovicioara Gorges – Dâmbovicioara Trout Farm – Zanvele – Dealul Sasului

• Duration: ~1 hour
• Difficulty: Low

Along this scenic route, you can spot the beauty’s girdle (Dianthus callizonus), a rare flower that grows exclusively in this region.

Șirnea – Curmătura Groapelor

• Duration: ~1 hour uphill (from Șirnea village), ~30 minutes downhill
• Difficulty: Low

Other easy trails in Piatra Craiului Natural Park:

• Zărnești – Botorog’s Fountain – Curmătura Valley – Curmătura cabin (yellow vertical stripe marker)
• Zărnești – Peștera village (red vertical stripe marker)
• Zărnești – Zărnești Gorges – Curmătura cabin (blue vertical stripe marker)
• Zărnești – Zărnești Gorges – La Table (red cross marker)
• Curmătura cabin – Poiana Vlădușca – La Table (red triangle marker)
• Șirnea village – Podu Dâmboviței (blue cross marker)
• Folea House (Peștera village) – Zărnești Gorges – Valea Cheii – Curmătura cabin (yellow triangle marker)
• Folea House – Toancheș – Măgura Mică – Botorog’s Fountain (red vertical stripe marker)
• Folea House – Valea Pietrelor – Șaua Joaca – Șaua Vlădușca (red cross marker)

You can find more trails of varying difficulty levels here.

Other Attractions in the Area

The area is rich in natural monuments and beautiful places to visit. Here are our recommendations:

• Brusturet Gorges;
• Dâmbovicioara Cave;
• Uluce Cave;
• Izvoarele din Plai natural springs;
• Curmătura Groapelor;
• Prăpăstiile Zărneștilor (Zărnești Gorges);
• Bears’ Cave (Urșilor cave or Colțul Surpat cave);
• Podu Dâmboviței, Șirnea, and Ciocanu villages;
• Oratia Fortress;
• DeȘirnea Experience Horse Riding Center;
• Transilvania Amphitheater.

Brusturetului Gorges

The Brusturet Gorges are about a one-hour walk from Dâmbovicioara Cave. This picturesque gorge forms a narrow passage between cliffs, covered in lush vegetation. Although the road is accessible by car, you might prefer walking to fully appreciate the scenery. A hike through the forest towards the nearby peaks is also an enticing option.

Though only two kilometers long, Brusturet Gorges are “3 in 1”, as they consist of Cheia Lungă (the Long Gorge), Cheia Strâmtă (the Narrow Gorge), and Cheița (the Small Gorge). Brusturet Gorges are part of a large complex of gorges in Piatra Craiului National Park, along with Dâmbovicioara Gorges, Dâmbovița Gorges, and Zărnești Gorges.

Dâmbovicioara Cave

Dâmbovicioara Cave was formed by the Dâmbovicioara stream, which has carved through Jurassic limestone rocks that are part of the Piatra Craiului Massif.

Access to the cave is guided, with local children acting as enthusiastic volunteers who share fascinating stories about the history and legends of the area. A visit lasts around 20 minutes. The cave’s total length is 555 meters, but the visitor-accessible route is just over 250 meters.

The interior has a temperature of 10-12°C, a soft airflow, and moderate humidity, as the Dâmbovicioara stream has changed its course and no longer flows through the cave.

The artificially lit interior consists of a gallery with multiple branches, featuring towers, stalactites, stalagmites, and limestone formations that take on imaginative shapes, especially under colored lighting in certain areas. One of the chambers displays fossilized bones of Ursus spelaeus (the cave bear, an extinct species), discovered by speleologists in this cave.

Izvoarele din Plai springs

Izvoarele din Plai are a cluster of streams gushing from the mountain, flowing down in small cascades. You can admire them while walking from Dâmbovicioara Cave to Brusturet Gorges, as they are located right by the roadside in Valea Rea hamlet, at the confluence of Valea Peșterii and Dâmbovicioara.

The fascinating part is that the water emerges from a narrow cave opening that hides an underground river. This cave is extremely difficult to explore and is accessible only to experienced speleologists. The entrance is just 25 centimeters high and is usually blocked by a water accumulation, which only recedes during prolonged droughts. Speleologists who have managed to explore the cave describe that, after 50 meters of exhausting crawling, the ceiling rises to reveal immaculate white walls adorned with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, cave pearls, and other rare speleothems unique to Piatra Craiului caves.

Curmătura Groapelor

Curmătura Groapelor is a wide mountain saddle located at 1,389 meters altitude, where several marked trails intersect. The easiest way to reach it is from Șirnea village, following the red triangle marker on an easy trail. The hike takes one hour uphill and one hour downhill.

The landscapes are stunning, and the area is rich in beech, hornbeam, birch, ash, elm, maple, spruce, fir, and larch trees. Among the wildlife that inhabits these forests are lynxes, martens, squirrels, wolves, and bears (if you hike in a group, stay close to the marked trail, and carry a whistle and bear spray, there is no reason for concern). On the ridges of Piatra Craiului, you might even spot chamois.

Zărnești Gorges (Prăpăstiile Zărneștilor)

Prăpăstiile Zărneștiului is a spectacular gorge formed by water eroding the sedimentary rocks, seeping underneath them, and carving out cavities. Over time, a cave was created, but its ceiling collapsed, forming a 2-kilometer-long gorge, now a protected area within Piatra Craiului National Park.

The easiest way to reach the gorge is by following the trail starting from Râului street in Zărnești, leading toward Valea Prăpăstiilor. Zărnești Gorges extend for 5 kilometers, with cliff walls reaching up to 200 meters in height. The trail through the gorge is nearly flat, making it accessible for anyone, in any season, as long as the weather conditions are favorable. The narrow canyon offers stunning landscapes, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot chamois.

Bears’ Cave (Urșilor cave or Colțul Surpat cave)

Bears’ Cave is located 2 kilometers from Podu Dâmboviței, near a forest road, from where a stepped trail leads to the entrance.

The cave was formed by the erosion of a now-extinct tributary of the Dâmbovița River. Today, it is dry, spacious, easily accessible, and can be visited anytime with minimal equipment, including a flashlight (ideally a headlamp).

At the end of the wide entrance chamber, two passages branch off: the trench gallery, and the sand gallery. The spectacular interior is adorned with pillar-like formations, stalactites, and stalagmites.

The cave’s name comes from the fossils of Ursus spelaeus (the cave bear) discovered here in 1951.

There are three caves in Romania named Bears’ Cave, and the one in Dâmbovița Gorges—designated a natural reserve—is among them.

Podu Dâmboviței Village, Dâmbovicioara Commune (Argeș County)

The village of Podu Dâmboviței, located in the commune of Dâmbovicioara, enjoys a particularly picturesque setting along the Rucăr-Bran corridor, nestled in the heart of the Iezer-Păpușa Mountains, at the intersection of the Bucegi and Leaota Mountains.

Beyond the beauty of the landscape, the village is worth visiting for its rich traditions, especially those related to shepherding. Every autumn, the Răvășitul oilor (Sheep Scattering Festival) takes place, a popular celebration throughout this region of Transylvania, including in Bran. The event marks the moment when shepherds return from the mountains and distribute the sheep, cheese, pastrami, and other products to the local owners. The villagers preserve numerous traditional shepherd songs, ballads, round dances, and old sayings.

Visual arts are another reason to visit the village: there is a statue complex here, established at the initiative of playwright Paul Everac.

The name Podu Dâmboviței (Dâmboviței Bridge) comes from an old wooden bridge that once allowed the access between Brașov and Pitești via the Rucăr-Bran corridor.

The Mountain Villages of Șirnea and Ciocanu

The village of Șirnea is part of Fundata commune in Brașov County (Transylvania) and has been designated a tourist village since 1973. It was among the first experimental localities in Romania to receive this status. The idyllic landscapes at the foot of the Piatra Craiului Mountains, the houses reminiscent of great-grandparents’ times, the old crafts, and the traditions that are still practiced here have made Șirnea famous and continue to attract visitors.

If you’re looking for an authentic gastronomic experience filled with local delicacies and fresh dairy products from the sheepfolds, just talk to the villagers. You can enjoy a meal at an agritourism guesthouse or even at a local family’s home—many hosts are happy to prepare a traditional feast (for example, the Istrate family, which has all the necessary permits and authorizations).

Beyond wandering through the village and its surroundings, you can visit the Nicolae Frunteș Ethnographic Museum, dedicated to the history and traditions of these lands. Here, you can learn some of Bran’s legends and explore a small section dedicated to Olympic sports.

Not far from Șirnea, the village of Ciocanu belongs to Dâmbovicioara commune in Argeș County (Wallachia). Though less famous, its landscapes are just as stunning as those of Șirnea. Like Șirnea, Ciocanu also avoided collectivization during the communist era, allowing it to preserve its traditional occupations and the specific mountain household architecture. From the highest part of the village, you can admire a breathtaking panorama of the Bucegi, Piatra Craiului, and Leaota Mountains.

Before the Great Union of 1918, the border between Romania and Austria-Hungary ran between Ciocanu and Șirnea. In fact, some of the first battles for the Union took place here in August 1916. It is said that Lieutenant Colonel Gheorghe Poenaru-Bordea, who fell in battle in these lands, was the first Romanian officer to die fighting for the Union.

Around the old Giuvala Customs Post, in the areas of Fundata, Șirnea, Ciocanu, and Podu Dâmboviței, remnants of trenches, defensive walls, and machine-gun nests from World War I can still be found. In the village of Ciocanu, there is an information board displaying explanations and historical images.

Oratia (or Orația) Fortress

Oratia Fortress (also known as Orația or Oratea) is located on Dealul Sasului (The Saxon’s Hill), 1.5 km from the village of Podu Dâmboviței, Argeș County, approximately 300 meters east of the Câmpulung – Brașov road (DN73).

This historic monument likely dates back to the 13th century and is now a charming ruin, surrounded by legends. The ground still bears the marks of horseshoes and wheels that once passed through the gate of the old fortress, which also served as a customs post on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia.

Originally, it was called Cetatea Neamțului (the German’s Fortress, not to be confused with the Moldavian Cetatea Neamțului). It was later known as Piatra Craiului Castle, then Dâmbovița Fortress, and finally Oratia, after the valley at its base.

From a distance, the ruins of the fortress can be seen from only one spot: a parking area near the Dealul Sasului guesthouse. However, it’s well worth hiking up to the fortress, where you can enjoy a spectacular view and admire the imposing walls up close—walls that, according to legend, once sheltered Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Dracula.

Centrul de călărie și agrement DeȘirnea Experience

Located in the picturesque Transylvanian village we mentioned earlier, DeȘirnea Experience offers a wide range of exciting activities, depending on the season:

• Guided tours of local households and sheepfolds, including tastings of authentic products
• Wild birdwatching, either during walks or from a specially built observatory
• Participation in village activities and community events
• Hiking on trails of various lengths and difficulty levels
• Off-road excursions with 4×4 vehicles
• Biking trails, with options to rent classic or electric bikes, mountain bikes, or e-mountain bikes
• Archery
• Horseback riding lessons and other equestrian activities, including hippotherapy
• Visits to trout whirlpools (traditional water-powered fish pools)
• Photography or wilderness camps
• Kite flying
• Slacklining
• Horseback, cart, or sleigh rides for exploring the scenic surroundings

The center also has an on-site and online store featuring handcrafted artisan products.

Where to Stay? Choose Transylvanian Inn for Breathtaking Views, Memorable Culinary Experiences, and Ultimate Comfort!

If you plan to explore with your friends Cheile Dâmbovicioarei and other breathtaking sites, the Transylvanian Inn in Bran is the perfect starting point. After a day of adventures, you can unwind in a charming retreat with spectacular landscapes, complete comfort, relaxation, and gourmet indulgence.

The cozy rooms have balconies with dreamlike views of Bran Castle, Râșnov Fortress, and the majestic Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains. The restaurant offers a menu full of exquisite delicacies, while the terrace provides an unforgettable panorama of Bran Castle, nestled among endless mountain ridges. Special dietary menus—including vegan, lacto-vegetarian, gluten-free, and sugar-free options—can be prepared for groups upon request.

From the villa, it’s just 30-31 km to Podu Dâmboviței, where Dâmbovicioara Gorges begins. The drive takes under an hour on a stunning scenic road.

Each day, you can embark on a new adventure, whether exploring Bran, Rucăr Fortress, or other nearby attractions. After a delicious and energizing breakfast, you’ll be ready for the day’s journey. If you’d like to enjoy a picnic on the go, just let the staff know in advance—they’ll prepare a delightful snack pack for you!

In the evening, a delectable dinner awaits, and the next day, you can set off on another excursion or just relax and enjoy a peaceful stay. Unwind on the terraces or in the garden, in swings or on benches, in the sun or shade, on the grass, in gazebos, or inside the cozy library with panoramic views.

Details & Reservations: https://transylvanianinn.ro/en/.