Rafting on the River Crişul Repede

There are many places where you can do extreme sports in Romania. You can go rafting on the Buzău River, you can do sightseeing flights over Mountains Piatra Craiului, Postavaru, Piatra Mare and Bucegi. You can test your survival skills by undergoing a series of trials which test your endurance: trekking up a mountain, climbing a mountain, rope crossing, mountain biking, kayaking and rafting. You can drive off-road in Braşov with National Off-road Championship competitors. You can learn about speleology in Cave Valea Cetăţii or learn kiteboarding.  

But if you want to admire a spectacular scenery while you are getting your adrenaline fix, you should try rafting on the River Crişul Repede. Out of all the places where you can go rafting in Romania, this is the one best suited for beginners, as the riverbed is wide and the difficulty of the route, not very high.

The departure is usually from the Unguru Mare Cave in village Şuncuiuş and the finish line is in the village Vadu Crişului. Along the 48 km route, you pass the spectacular Unguru Mare Cave, the so-called “Grey Walls” – stone walls of over 80 meters, Vadu Crişului Cave and the waterfall that bears the same name.

It is an extremely fascinating area, as the route crosses the Defile of the River Crişul Repede, which offers spectacular sceneries. The defile is a nature reserve, covering 219 acres and containing various flora and fauna. Among the most notable plants are the fern, the species of cormophytes and the species of equisetopsida. The area also contains European, Eurasian, Mediterranean, Circumpolar and Carpathian-Balkan species, all living together.

The fauna includes amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, large mammals and around 70 species of birds, even birds of prey.

There is also a wide array of caves in the area, among which are the Vîntului Cave, which is the longest in the country, the Unguru Mare Cave, which has a spectacular entrance, numerous paths and electricity, which makes it perfect for visiting. The Unguru Mare Cave is extremely appealing, as it also houses a small museum that records the way of living of cavemen from the Bronze Age. It is also the site of many discoveries from the Neolithic.