Hailed as one of Europe’s most beautiful roads, the Transfagarasan Highway is must-do during your time in Romania. Beginning in Brasov, this 10-hour tour takes you to spectacular Transylvania sites such as Balea Lake and Waterfall, the Vidraru Dam, and Poienari Fortress, where you'll ascend 1,500 steps to the castle's hilltop perch. Absorb magical views of the Fagaras Mountains and enjoy the convenience of hotel pickup and drop-off in Brasov on this small-group tour, limited to 7 people.

10-hour tour of the Transfagarasan Highway and Poienari Castle from Brasov
Travel to dispersed attractions with ease in a climate-controlled vehicle
Stop at natural gems such as the Balea Lake and Waterfall, and the Vidraru Dam
Ascend 1,500 steps to Poienari Castle, the former fortress of Vlad the Impaler
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Brasov are included
Small-group tour limited to 7 people

What's Included

Professional guide
Hotel (only from Brasov city) pickup and drop-off
Round-trip transport by air-conditioned car or minivan

Food and drinks
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

The Council's House
Piața Sfatului 38, Brașov 500025, Romania

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:30 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Please contact us about the exact pick up time.

What To Expect

Your tour begins with pickup at your Brasov hotel, where you’ll board a climate-controlled vehicle destined for the beautiful sites of the Transfagarasan Highway.

During the 1.5-hour drive to your first stop, your guide provides commentary that details the history of the strategic military route. On arrival at Balea Waterfall, you’ll stop to capture photographs before proceeding to Balea Lake, arguably the most beautiful glacial lake in the Carpathian Mountains.

Revitalize with lunch (own expense) and then wind your way down the Transfagarasan Highway, through Tara Romaneasca, to the Vidaru Dam, a striking man-made dam surrounded by mountains.

Following a 1-hour drive, you’ll arrive at Poienari Castle, the former fortress of Vlad the Impaler. As you ascend 1,500 steps to the castle, your guide encourages you with historical information surrounding the Romanian ruler who inspired the character of Dracula.

At the top, you’ll be rewarded with stunning panoramas and ancient ruins. Then, relax during the 3-hour journey back to your Brasov hotel.

Transfagarasan Highway

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Balea Waterfall

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Le Lac Balea

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Fagaras Mountains

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Vidraru Dam

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Poienari Castle

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Sturdy hiking footwear recommended
When you book the rate as 1 person, in case we have other clients, we refund the difference you paid as solo traveler, after the tour.
Please note - Access to the citadel is made by climbing the 1,480 concrete stairs
Small group tour
Not wheelchair accessible

Near public transportation
IMPORTANT! When the Transfagarasan road is closed (November 1 - June 30) we drive up to the Balea Waterfall (no visit of Poienari Fortress and Vidradu Dam). If the weather conditions allow, we take the cable car up to the Balea Lake (approx. extra 20 euro/person, includes the cable car ticket for the guide, also). We visit the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of Carta and the amazing Sambata de Sus Monastery, also.
The cable car operates at least 10 people. Tourists have priority over freight shipments. No cargo is carried on Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays. In case of adverse weather conditions we do not assume responsibility. In case of technical failure will be refunded the amount paid. Please keep checking tickets. Thank you for understanding. More info: http://balealac.ro/en/balea-lake-balea-waterfall-cablecar/
POIENARI FORTRESS IS CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Jonathan_S

Our tour guide Charlie was really great! The day before the tour we received communication for where to meet and the day of our tour he arrived promptly. On the day of our tour there was a biking race that caused parts of the Transfagarasan Road to be closed, however I think the company handled it very professionally. They gave us the option to do the tour on another day or postpone the trip by about 4 hours so that we can still see the road and do the tour. We opted to postpone by 4 hours and we had a lovely time on the tour. Charlie was very knowledgeable about Romanian history and always made sure we were comfortable in the car. The road itself is very beautiful and we had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the fresh air of the Carpathian Mountains. We never felt rushed or anything. On the drive we even had the opportunity to see some bears that were chilling on the side of the road! I would recommend this tour if you are in Brasov :) Note the Poienari Fortress is currently undergoing renovations.

Reviews

5.0

57 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 57 reviews

Great value & Great company

Ian_P, Oct 2022

Just a brilliant experience shared with a knowledeable & friendly Guide.Great value & never once felt short changed.I would highly recommend.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

We thank you so much for reviewing our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Ian!

Awesome experience!

Jonathan_S, Jul 2022

Response from Host, Jul 2022

We thank you so much for your detailed review of our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Jonathan! We thank you for your understanding, also!

Awesome Scenery To Die For

Angela_G, Apr 2022

Charlie our guide was friendly , informative and helpful. Scenery was stunning , especially on the 4K cable car ride to the top of the mountain. Took us to lots of optional stops and for coffee and food breaks whenever we wanted. This was the best tour I have ever taken anywhere, and I have taken a lot. It is stunning beautiful, not at all rushed and really delivers.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Thank you for taking the time to review our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Angela! We are so happy you have spent quality time with us. Due to Charlie you had your best tours ever!

Ask for Charlie

Pablo_M, Oct 2021

The experience was really good, the guide ( Charlie ) was very nice, always asking preferences to adapt the trip. Despite of a really bad weather we enjoyed a lot. 100 % recommended!

Response from Host, Oct 2021

Thank you so much for booking with us our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Pablo! We thank you for your review, also.

Amazing trip and guide

Antonio_D, Sep 2021

Charlie has been an amazing guide and a fantastic companion for this long and beautiful day! It helped us with some extra-trip organizational issues and has been funny, patient and helpful the whole time. One of the best guides ever! Ah, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking! We even managed to spot (from a safe distance) 10 bears! Apparently a record! The cherry on top for the perfect day and experience! Absolutely recommended - go with Charlie for a wonderful Transfagarasan experience!

Response from Host, Sep 2021

We thank you so much for your detailed review about our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Antonio!

Amazing tour and worth every penny

Noreffiza_Y, Jul 2021

TB, our guide, was very knowledgeable. He explained the history and the significance of each place we visited along the tour. The scenery was really beautiful and he tried his best to make sure we captured the good pictures despite the temperamental weather. The tour was truly amazing. A few suggestion for improvement are: 1. Provide clear itinerary at the beginning of the tour i.e. how long the journey, whether we will have a stop for restroom/lunch etc. 2. Start the tour with a bit of a background at the beginning of the tour and not wait till we reach the first stop to explain. 3. There was a climb of 1460 steps and this was quite a challenge for us. Wish it was made clearer before the climb so that we could have brought water etc. Overall, the trip was really worth it. We truly enjoyed the experience and the drive up the mountains. Highly recommend for everyone with moderate physical activity and who wants to explore more than just the cities in Romania.

Response from Host, Jul 2021

We thank you so much for your review of our Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Effy! We appreciate for sharing your suggestions to improve the experience of travel!

Fantastic!

Letizia F, Nov 2019

Best tour ever!! Our guide George was really nice and so kind. We saw Transfagarasan even if it was cloudy, foggy and it was snowing. George guided for 7 hours and he was always gentle and funny with us. This tour is awesome and I think it is the only way to see the most beautiful part of Romania and Transylvania. Out of the real world.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for booking with us the day trip to Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Letizia! Indeed, it is an amazing day trip.

Great trip, very nice guide!

Dragan_A, Sep 2019

I saw in one day a lot of great places, the road is amazing, the experince worth it 200%. The poienari fortress is closed.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov represents a great experience! Thank you for your review!

complete value for money

Vivek_K, Aug 2019

Our guide was Dan..the guy is a complete package. He drove us around to the most serene countryside with a lot of patience..made us see the most beautiful and made us the eat the best. he is super smart, knows the route and the best timings well. If you are good tourist, he can sing as well (really well). I took a day trip to Transfagarasan, Balea and churches and monastery and it's all worth more than with what is being paid.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

We really thank you for your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov!

Our perfect trip in Transylvania

GoPlaces21057655268, Aug 2019

My three friends and I booked a trip to Transfagarasan on 13th of August. The driver picked us up from our hotel and everything was extremely smooth! Usually on our trip in Romania, something always fails - the train breaks down, the bus will be delayed, but this road trip was purely amazing. The driver was awesome and very friendly. He knew all the tips and tricks - when is the best for us to go to Transfagarasan, where to go to eat, he knew a lot of interesting facts about the buildings and sightseeing places we visited. It was a pleasure to travel with him! He was always there for us. He didn't rush us, we got the chance to discover as long as we wanted. Moreover, the minivan was very comfortable! I already have recommended this trip to my friends and I will do that in the future as well. The price is 140% worth the experience we got. Thank you for one of the most amazing days we have had here in Romania!

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you so much for your detailed review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov! Indeed, it is an one of a kind experience to book while you are staying in Brasov.

Private friendly, fun tour

Natalie_D, Aug 2019

Private tour with a great tour guide Tudor. We had a great time learning about Romania and Transylvania history and exploring the area, even in the rain! Door to door service and travel in comfort meaning no stress of public transport and no issues with language barriers when you have an experienced personal tour guide with you. Brasov is a must see place to visit and definitely worth a visit.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Natalie!

Best Tour Guide in Romania

ERIKA E, Aug 2019

The best private tour I had in Romania. I absolutelly recomend to book this tour and request Tudor as your guide. He is very knowledgable about Brasov's and Romanian history as well as geography and will answer all the questions you may have. He went on and beyond to make sure I had a great experience with politeness and professionalism. The road trip was very enjoyable, even though the curves towards the mountain, but Tudor drove safely and made several stops so I could enjoy the scenery (which is imponent)....A must do tour!

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Erika, we appreciate your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov. Thank you!

Wonderful nature and top guide

Celine_Z, Jul 2019

We are very happy, that we decided to make this tour and Charly was our guide. He knows the best places, where you have an awsome view on the nature and told us also some funny historical facts.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

We are so happy you were happy by booking an authentic experience with us: Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov! Thank you for your review!

Gordana and Stevan

Gordana_K, Sep 2018

Great experience! Stunning beauty of the Carpathian Mountains, Transfagarasan Road, Baleac Lake was accompained by excellent information provided by our tour guide Mihai Cracium!

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov. Indeed, there are spectacular places to visit!

Really recommend this tour! You see...

Barry H, Aug 2018

Really recommend this tour! You see so many things, particularly the Transylvanian countryside which is stunning! Our guide, Tudor, was such a sweet, young guy, who was full of enthusiasm for his region and gave us loads of fascinating stories and information about the history of Transylvania. It was a pleasure to spend the day with him and it really felt like a road trip with a friend! He was incredibly attentive to our needs and even stoppee so we could take pictures at Bran castle on the way back because we hadnt had time to see it previously. For those worried about the steps at the Poenari Fortress, it wasnt as gruelling as we thought it would be and Tudor was very encouraging throughout!

Response from Host, Jun 2021

We thank you so much for booking with us the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Barry! Also, thank you for your detailed review!

It was a great road trip with...

Liina S, Oct 2017

It was a great road trip with Karcsi. Transfagaras road was completely unbelievable, the Balea glacier was beautiful, we stopped at Vidraru lake and dam, and those 1480 steps to Poienar's fort, honestly it was worse for me than a walk the marathon : but the wiev was worth it. Karcsi was awesome and nice like old friend. I absolutely recommend this tour and Romania trip to my friends. Thank you!

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Liina!

This is a great tour and we saw a...

Christine S, Oct 2017

This is a great tour and we saw a number of sights that we would not have seen any other way except by this tour. Our driver was excellent and he was very thoughtful throughout the day. It was a very long drive which was not a problem for us because we could nap in the car but it would have been tough on the driver. We managed to walk up the 1780 steps to the Poienari Fortress and it was worth it for the views and sense of accomplishment.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for booking with us the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov. It's worth the effort to walk up those steps!

Had the most wonderful day trip...

Michael S, Jul 2017

Had the most wonderful day trip. Our guide was Charlie and he was excellent! Very knowledgable and very professional, always making sure we were comfortable and happy and safe. Charlie kept us entertained with details of the history and myths around the sites we saw. He also introduced us to some local foods when we stopped for lunch and my favourite desert...Papanasi...delicious. The views on this tour are breathtaking. i highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

We really thank you so much for your review about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Michael!

This was a perfect tour, we saw so...

Ciara F, Jul 2017

This was a perfect tour, we saw so much in one day. The sights would have been lovely regardless, but the whole tour was made even better by our guide Dan who was incredibly friendly and fun to spend a day with.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for booking with us an amazing experience: Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Ciara! We thank you for your review, also!

It's a nice gui named Mircia, but...

Sasha_L, Sep 2016

It's a nice gui named Mircia, but ... we were promised professional guide and he was a driver only without historical knowledge and english below the average level. It was a complete waste of time and money. Too bad that wonderful place.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us about the Small-Group Day trip Transfagarasan road and Poienari Fortress from Brasov, Sasha! We will do our best to fulfill our client's expectations!