Padina Plateau

If you have ever driven up the Ialomita Valley, you know the feeling: after the road through the forests, the valley suddenly opens into a wide plateau, with meadows, sheepfolds and mountains on every side. This is Padina, one of the best-known camping spots and starting points for trails into the heart of the Bucegi. The area lies at about 1,500 metres and about 126 kilometres from Gherghita.

About Padina

Padina is an area of mountain meadows stretching along the Ialomita Valley, between spruce forests and the high slopes of the Bucegi. For decades it has been a favourite with hikers, families coming for a picnic and people camping in summer. The Padina Hut is the main landmark of the area, and there are other mountain huts and guesthouses nearby.

Some of the most beautiful trails in the Bucegi start from Padina: to Ialomita Cave and the monastery at its entrance, through Ursilor Gorge, or to the surrounding ridges and Omu Peak.

What you can do here

• Easy walks on the plateau, suitable for the whole family
• A visit to Ialomita Cave, a few kilometres away, with Ursilor Gorge on the way
• Mountain trails to Omu Peak, up the Ialomita Valley, and to other ridges of the massif
• Picnics and camping in designated areas, following the rules of Bucegi Nature Park
• Photography, especially in the morning and towards evening, when the light falls across the meadows and spruce forests

When to go and how much time to allow

The best time is from June to September. In late spring snow still lingers on the slopes, and in early autumn the plateau has beautiful colours. In winter access is difficult, and the area is suitable only for those with equipment and experience. For a visit with Ialomita Cave allow a full day; if you want to climb Omu, it is best to spend the night in the area.

One-day itinerary

• 07:00 – leave Gherghita, via the A3 and DN1 towards Sinaia
• 09:00 – climb the mountain road to the Bucegi plateau
• 10:00 – arrive in Padina, a walk on the plateau
• 11:00 – Ialomita Cave and the monastery at its entrance
• 13:00 – lunch at a hut in the area
• 14:30 – a walk through Ursilor Gorge or to Lake Bolboci
• 16:30 – drive back to Gherghita

With children

Padina suits families: the wide meadows are good for play and picnics, and Ialomita Cave is an adventure for children. The trails to the ridges are long and hard, so choose the short options. Take warm clothes, because at 1,500 metres it is cool even in summer.

At a glance

• Distance from Dracula Land: about 126 km, around 2 hours and 15 minutes
• How much time to allow: a full day
• Best time: June – September
• Suitable for: families, hikers, camping lovers
• What you will find: the Padina Hut, camping, access to Ialomita Cave

How to get there from Dracula Land

The distance from Gherghita to Padina is about 126 km, around 2 hours and 15 minutes:

• the A3 to Ploiesti and the DN1 to Sinaia
• from Sinaia, the mountain road (DJ713, also known as the Transbucegi) up to the plateau, then down to Padina
• alternatively, from the south, through Moroeni, along the Ialomita Valley

The mountain roads are usually closed in winter and can be affected by the weather; check them before you set off.

Safety tips

• The weather changes fast: take a waterproof jacket and layers of clothing.
• Bears live in the area. Do not leave food outside, not even by your tent, and do not approach animals.
• On the trails, keep to marked paths and tell someone where you are going.
• In an emergency call 112.

A place for every season

Although summer is best, Padina also has its charm in autumn, when the forests change colour, and in late spring, when the meadows fill with flowers.

Combine the trip

Padina combines perfectly with Zanoaga Gorge and Lake Bolboci, in the same valley, and with Ialomita Cave, for a full day in the heart of the Bucegi.

Life at the sheepfold

In summer the flocks of sheep come up to the meadows of Padina and the Ialomita Valley, and the sheepfolds become part of the landscape. It is a good chance to see how cheese is made the traditional way. If you want to buy produce from a sheepfold, ask politely and respect the animals and the sheepdogs: do not approach the flocks and do not feed the dogs.

If you want to stay the night

A night in Padina lets you set off early on the trails and catch the sunrise in the mountains. You can choose one of the huts in the area or the campsite, in permitted places. At night the temperature drops a lot, even in summer, so take a warm sleeping bag and warm clothes. Keep food in the car or in closed containers, away from your tent.

Where to stay

After a day in the Bucegi, return to quiet accommodation near Dracula Land, in and around Gherghita.