Apuseni Nature Park (Parcul Natural Apuseni) - known as the cavers' paradise, protects one of the most interesting cave fauna in the country. Traces of the prehistoric man, as well as fossils of animals that lived in the Ice Age were found in several of the caves, along with rare bat populations. The higher ridges of the park are covered with spruce fir, while at lower levels the forest is dominated by mountain beech.
Limestone underlies most of the park and is responsible for the area's impressive landforms. Sculptured mountain ridges, mysterious underground rivers, and delicate cave decorations will surely keep visitors' photo cameras busy.
The complex karst landforms of Apuseni Nature Park are an attraction on their own, especially hikers with a fascination for geology. Deep valley and gorges, karrens and karst depression – where underground rivers and streams flow - give the landscape an exceptional character. Below ground lies the important and fragile ecosystem of the caves, the main attraction for amateur and professional cavers.
Note: Sections of the Bears' Cave and Scarisoara Glacier can be visited without special equipment or preparations; al that is needed are good walking shoes and a warm jacket. However, seeing the beauty of other caves in the Apuseni Park requires free or rope rock climbing and/or crawling.
As opposed to other national and nature parks in Romania, the Apuseni Mountains are populated up to high altitudes, with permanent or quasi-permanent dwellings. The hamlets on the Ocoale – Scarisoara plateau, at 3840 ft., are among the highest settlements in the country.
If you wish to discover local life and preserved traditions, one of the main points of interest is the Aries Valley, where the beautiful villages of Albac, Garda, and Arieseni are located. Skilled artisans, the Motzi people, carve musical instruments, hope chests and houses from the local wood, the spruce. The Apuseni Motzi villages are some of the best places in which to find tranquility and timeless wisdom of the traditional village way of life. In Patrahaitesti, a little mountain village, you may hear the famous Bucium ("Alps horns"), used for generations in the Apuseni Mountains.
Apuseni Nature Park Fast Facts
| Location | Western Carpathians (Alba, Bihor and Cluj counties) |
| Nearest towns | Alba Iulia, Cluj Napoca, Deva and Oradea |
| Size | 187,000 acres |
| Best known for | Over 200 caves (including Bears' Cave in Chiscau and Scarisoara Underground Glacier) |
| Natural features | Caves, deep valleys and gorges, karst landscapes, underground watercourses |
| Activities | Caving, Hiking, Mountain biking, Rock climbing, Wildlife watching, Cross-country skiing, . |
Apuseni Park Highlights / Main Attractions
Scarisoara GlacierPestera Scarisoara
Location: 4 miles north of village Garda de Sus
Nearest large town: Alba Iulia (52 miles southeast)
Open: Mon. - Sun. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission charge
Average temperature inside: 32 °F (0 Celsius)
A national monument sheltering the second largest underground glacier on the continent, the 3,500-year-old ice cave features spectacular icy stalactites and stalagmites.
Location: Chiscau village (1/2 miles south of Pietroasa)
Nearby large town: Oradea (50 miles northwest)
Another natural wonder in the Apuseni Park is the Bears' Cave, named after the skeletons of bears (extinct 15,000 years ago) discovered here by mine workers in 1975. Arranged on two levels, it features galleries of animals and castles-resembling stalagmites and stalactites more than a half mile long. Some of the stalactites are estimated to be 22,000 years old. They continue to grow at a rate of about one-third inch every 20 years. The upper level (292 miles) is open to visitors, while the second one (312 miles) is reserved for scientific research.
Pestera Ursilor more info
Cetatile Ponorului
Location: Padis Area (14 miles east of village Pietroasa)
Nearby large town: Beius (22 miles northwest)
One of the most spectacular and rugged lime formations in Romania, the area known as Cetatile Ponorului extending some 21 miles and includes the Flowers' Glade (Poiana Florilor) and the Galbenei Gorges (Cheile Galbenei).
Ponor Gorges more info
Flora and fauna
The cave fauna is the main attraction of the Apuseni Mountains, with some of the caves sheltering rare bat species, such as the dwarf bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). Fossils of animals that lived in the Ice Age, as well as traces of the prehistoric man, have been found in some of the caves in the park.
Protected mammals such as the bear (Ursus arctos), the Carpathian elk and the black goat (Rupicapra rupicapra) can be seen in the forest area. The park is also home to several alpine birds, such as the ural owl (Strix uralensis), the nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) and the lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina).
Attractions not far from Apuseni Nature Park
Turda Gorges Nature Reserve
(limestone gorges, caves, sinkholes and a 800 ft. high walls, hiking trails to Tureni Gorges, Ciucas Waterfalls and Borzesti Gorges).
City of Cluj-Napoca
Town of Oradea
Town of Alba-Iulia
Apuseni Nature Park access points
Gateways to Apuseni Mountains Nature Park include the following villages/ small towns: Albac, Arieseni, Belis, Chiscau, Fanate, Garda de Sus, Nucet, Pietroasa, Scarisoara, Sighistel
How to get to Apuseni Mountains Natural Park By airNearest airports to Apuseni Park are Cluj, Oradea and Sibiu (SBZ)
By carEuropean road E60: Oradea – Huedin – Gilau - Cluj-Napoca
From Huedin, take county road 761B towards Belis-Fantanele or
Rachitele - Ic Ponor - Padis
From Gilau, take county road 108 to Marisel - Belis-Fantanele
European road E79: Oradea - Beius - Deva
From Sudrigiu take the country road to Pietroasa - Boga - Padis Plateau
or the veer towards Bears' Cave and Craiasa Valley.
National road D75: Turda – Campeni – Albac -Stei
By trainNearest train stations: Beius, Huedin
To check train and bus schedules for domestic routes please visit
RomaniaTourism domestic transportation section
Apuseni Park Accommodations
Apuseni Nature Park accommodations include: Lodges (Cabana) and B&Bs (Pensiune).
CampSites in or near Apuseni Nature Reserve:
Glavoi,
Sighistel,
Valea Crăiasa - near the Bears'Cave,
IC Ponor,
Camping Runcu Ars (Ponor).
Accommodations in or near Apuseni Nature Park include:
Smidas Park,
Cetatile Ponorului,
Popas Padis,
Cabana Simiriam
Tourist info
Apuseni Nature Park Administration
Parcul Natural Apuseni
Address: Sudrigiu 136, Comuna Rieni
Bihor county
Telephone: (+4) 0372 702.242
E-mail
