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“A society becomes great when people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.” — Greek proverb
A couple of housekeeping items before we get started…
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We’ve officially left the region of Bucovina and enter the Highlands with today’s hike. Every section of the Via Transilvanica has its own personality, and today felt like the beginning of a brand-new chapter.
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Bear Defender to the rescue! No need to worry anymore. We are back in business. Bobe and Cordrina, the Romanian hikers we’ve spent the last few days with, finished their hike and generously gifted us their bear spray before heading home.
Well… sort of.
It turned into a bit of a scavenger hunt.
Bobe texted me to say they’d passed it along to two young Czech hikers, Adam and Peter, whom we’d also crossed paths with several times on the trail. Since we never got the chance to properly say goodbye, we were too busy slipping and sliding down yesterday’s muddy mountain, they thought this was the easiest way to get it to us.
Thankfully, we caught up with Adam and Peter today, and the bear spray successfully changed hands.
Mission accomplished.
One of my favorite things about long-distance hiking is how quickly strangers become a community. People share food, advice, encouragement, gear, and sometimes even bear spray. Everyone seems genuinely invested in helping one another succeed. It’s one of the many reasons I keep coming back to trails like this.
We woke up this morning to clean clothes but unfortunately they didn’t completely dry overnight. Nothing like putting on a wet sports bra to wake you up for the day.
Zero stars. Do not recommend.
Today’s hike was described as “average” in difficulty but after this first week of getting our butts kicked on the trail, it actually felt easy.
It was only 18 km (11 miles).
By 2:45 p.m. we’d already arrived at our accommodation…the earliest we’ve finished hiking on this trip.
We were flying.
Having an extra few hours to relax instead of immediately showering, eating, writing, and collapsing into bed felt like an incredible luxury.
Today felt a little bit like walking in Tuscany on the Via Francigena. The views are completely different but the rolling hills were very similar.
Gorgeous and enjoyable to walk.
We only had one big hill to climb right out of the gate, the rest of the day consisted of gentle rolling hills instead of steep mountain ascents.
It was a pretty non-eventful day so I’m going to use the opportunity to go to sleep early and let you look at a few photos to get a feel for the day. Going to bed at midnight or after is taking its toll.
It mostly consisted of views of the mountains, cows, and so many wildflowers. I think the Romanians are singlehandedly balancing the eco system with all these fields of untouched flora and fauna.
Tonight we are staying at the headquarters for the Via Transilvanica called Tasuleasa Social. This beautiful campus originally served as the home base for the nonprofit organization that created the trail, but over the years it has become much more than that.
Today it welcomes hikers, hosts educational programs, and continues to serve as the operational heart of the Via Transilvanica.
Pilgrims can stay here and enjoy dinner and breakfast in exchange for a donation. We were lucky enough to spend the night in one of their new prototype cabins, which they hope to install at various locations along the trail in the future.
When we arrived, we were greeted by Julian, who has worked with the organization since 2008.
Listening to him explain the history of the project gave me an entirely new appreciation for what has been accomplished here.
The idea for the Via Transilvanica began years before the trail officially opened. By 2018, the organization had secured enough funding to begin building the infrastructure, and in 2022 the trail was officially completed and inaugurated as Romania’s long-distance trail.
But the work hasn’t stopped.
The mobile app is only in Phase Two of a four-phase development plan, and they’re already creating additional connecting routes so hikers who don’t have time to complete all 1,400 kilometers can still experience portions of the trail.
This isn’t just a hiking trail.
It’s a long-term investment in Romania’s rural communities, tourism, conservation, and culture.
One detail I found especially fascinating involved the iconic kilometer markers.
I had always assumed those carved stone markers were hollow.
Nope.
Each one is solid stone and weighs roughly 250 kilograms…550 pounds.
Considering where some of them are located, on remote hillsides, mountain ridges, and deep in the forests, that’s mind-blowing.
Julian explained that local communities install them using whatever equipment they have available.
Cars.
Tractors.
Horse-drawn wagons.
And in some cases…
Helicopters. Six stones were actually placed using a helicopter.
That should give you an idea of just how committed everyone involved has been to making this trail a reality.
This isn’t some fly-by-night project.
It’s a labor of love built by thousands of people who truly believe in what they’re creating.
After dinner we watched a beautiful presentation about the work Tășuleasa Social continues to do throughout Romania.
It was inspiring to see how one idea has grown into something that connects communities, protects nature, encourages tourism, and gives people a new way to experience the country.
I honestly think many other countries could learn something from this model.
If you’re curious, it’s well worth reading more about the organization and everything they’re doing.
I’ve provided the link for the official website if you want to learn more.
After the presentation, we wandered outside to watch the sunset.
Standing there, surrounded by rolling hills, good people, and complete peace, I found myself thinking about how incredibly lucky we are.
Not everyone gets the opportunity to experience places like this.
And not every country invests so much heart into creating something that encourages people to slow down, walk, connect, and appreciate the land beneath their feet.
Romania has been full of surprises.
This trail is one of the very best.
Machiavelli Scorecard:
Massimo: 2 | Emily: 5
I’m off to bed. See you back here tomorrow.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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This is the very first kilometer marker placed on the VT. Its artwork commemorates the centennial of Romania’s unification.
