East Carpathians   The mountains lies between the north country border and Prahova River Valley in the south (see geography aspects to find out more about). They are varied in shapes and pictures, having many resorts, offering easy marked trips into the mountains; here is the most expensive mountain resort in Romania: "Poiana Brasov"(having many hotels between 2*-4*). They are dividing into three groups:

a) North Group

North Group has the next mountains:
1 Oas and Gutii Mountains placed in the NW of the group, reach the highest at 1443m in Gutii Mountains;they are the old dead-vulcanic mountains togheter with Tibles Mountains; the access is from DN18 in SE or DN19 in NW to the chalets in the mountains; the trips are few and very easy; you dont need a tent. Tibles Mountains are placed in the south of them, also NW of the group; they are higher then those two reaching max. 1835m; there are one or two marked trips and no chalet; the access is from DN17C on forestier roads or from any village placed at their basement.
2 Rodnei Mountains are placed in the SW of the group and are the highest mountains in the East Carpathians reaching 2303m in "Pietrosu Peak". There are two resorts, one in N called "Borsa"(on DN18 road), with a lot of accommodations and one in S called "Singeorz-Bai" (on DN17D road); also there is a chalet and a camp for students; you may have several trips, some of them longer (neccessary a tent if you want to see them all).
3 Suhard and Birgau Mountains are placed in the south of the group; reach the highest at 1611m; there is a road crossing Birgau Mountains, DN17, then the depression "Dornelor" (placed in the east side) where is a resort for cure and relax called "Vatra Dornei"; the trips are easy, some of them are marked, ussually people came here just for rest, they do not go further into the mountains.

4 Rarau and Giumalau Mountains are placed in the SE of the group, south to "Dornelor-Cimpulung" depression; reach the highest in "Giumalau Peak" (1856m); they are a touristic attraction offering wonderfull pictures, easy feet trips and several chalets where you can stay overnight so you dont have to carry the tent; the access is from DN17 road on the west side or DN17B which cross the mountains on the central-east side;
5 Obcinele Mountains they are small mountains placed in the east, people ussually visit them because of the monasteries placed in their east side; there are also several long, easy trips following the peaks.
6 Maramures Mountains are placed in the NE side of the group reaching the highest at 1957m .

b) Central Group

Central Group has the next mountains placed on two parallel ranges :
1 Calimani, Gurghiu and Harghita Mountains on the west side, representing the dead-vulcanic mountains; they are higher then those in the north group, such as: Calimani Mountains reaches 2100m and is offering some feet trips - the chalets are concentrated on the east side and the most common way to reach them is on the road from Vatra Dornei to Neagra Sarului in the north; if you intend to visit them all, you need a tent; Gurghiu Mountains lies south next to Calimani reaching the highest top at 1776m are crossed by several road on the border and inside - in north side lies the resort "Bradul", in the south lies the resort "Sovata", well-known for cure - the trips are few and long, even if you have 2 chalets, you need the tent to visit them all; Harghita Mountains lies south next to Gurghiu reaching the highest top at 1800m; there are few feet-trips, the marks following the main range (you need the tent to visit them all), also the chalets are present there in the central side on the road from Miercurea-Ciuc to Vlahita; south of Harghitei Mountains there are several resorts for cure: "Baile-Tusnad", "Malnas", "Balvanyios";
2 Moldovei Mountains on the east side has the next mountains with touristic potential, arranged on three parallel lines:
-west line with: Giurgeu Mountains placed in north, reaching the highest at 1567m; you have one or two feet trips; in the north lies "Borsec" Depression with a famous resort for cure having the same name; Hasmas Mountains lies south of them - they are a touristic attraction because of the "Red Lake" formed through the natural slipping of a mountain coast into the river (natural dam) and because of "Bicaz River Keys" on the river with the same name; you can admire all this during the DN12C road which is crossing the mountains following the valley river; they reach the highest top on south at 1792m "Hasmasu Mare Peak"; there are few feet-trips, the marks following the tops and few chalets; you need the tent if you want to visit them all. Nemira Mountains lies in the SE of the group reaching the highest at 1649m; the roads enter deep into the mountains and there are few trips; to their east basement lies the resort for cure "Slanic Moldova";
-central line has the highest mountains in the group: Ceahlau Mountains are reknowned as a touristic attraction; they reach the highest on "Ocolasu Mare Peak" (1907m); in north lies the resort "Durau" with a lot of accommodations (see touristic itinerary for six and seven day for pictures with that place) ; beside those accommodations, there are the chalets placed uniformly into the mountains such as you can have many feet-trips without the tent. Bistritei Mountains lies north to them and in the north of the group. They reach the highest on "Bunacu Peak" (1859m); in the north and east the mountains are limited by DN17B and in the south they are limited by DN15. Some roads enter deep into the mountains, even crossing them; there are some feet-trips and you need the tent as accommodation;
-east line has the smaller mountains with few trips and many roads crossing them; Stinisoarei Mountains lies in the north part of the group reaching 1530m the highest; there are few feet-trips and you need the tent to visit them all; on the east basement you will find part of famous moldavian monasteries.

c) South Group

South Group has the next important touristic mountains:
1 Vrancei Mountains lies in the NE; reaching the highest on "Goru Peak" (1785m); there are many feet-trips, but no chalets, so you need a tent to visit them all;

See some pictures with Ciucas Mountains

2 Ciucas Mountains (placed in the south of the group) are an important touristic attraction; they reach the highest on "Ciucas Peak" (1954m); there are several chalets placed uniformly into the mountains, so you can visit the mountains with or without the tent; the marks are following the tops; see the pictures next. South to Ciucas Mountains there is a touristic resort called "Cheia".

3 Girbovei Mountains lies in the SW of the group parallel to Bucegi Mountains (from Middle Carpathians); they are separated by Prahova River Valley; they reach the highest on "Baiu Mare Peak" (1895m); you can have several trips along the tops, accommodations are the same with those described on Bucegi Mountains (resorts from Prahova River Valley) plus some chalets specially those in the north side. The tent is an alternative, but is not neccessary;
4 Postavarul & Piatra Mare Mountains

See some pictures with Postavaru & surroundings (historical places)

In the north of Girbovei Mountains and south of one of most beautifull romanian city, Brasov, there are two other mountain blocks, Postavarul and Piatra Mare; Postavaru reaches almost 1800m in "Postavaru Peak" and is renowned for "Poiana Brasov" resort, one of the most expensive in the country; there are many easy and interesting trips you can have on the mountains; there is cable transport in the resort and many other facilities; the trips are short time ones, so here you dont need a chalet to stay overnight, anyhow you can still find them in small amounts, but here are mainly 2*-4* hotels; Piatra Mare, on the other side of the valley, reaches the highest on "Piatra Mare Peak"(1843m) - presents longer and easy trips in the mountains and few chalets.The place is interesting both for the nature and for being surrounded by many historical places; see the on the pictures next:

Cristianu Mare

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