Ask the AI guide:

Porumbacu de Jos – Cleopatra Saddle

Start: Porumbacu de Jos
Range: Făgăraș Mountains
Download GPX Send to Telegram
26 kmLength
1 962 mAscent
0 mDescent
2 361 mMax. altitude
398 mMin. altitude

Trail map

Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences

Weather and adviceLoading the forecast…
Warn me about bad weather on TelegramThe bot will message you if the forecast turns dangerous

About the trail

Route Porumbacu de Jos – Cleopatra Saddle. Has blue marking (local route). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).

Marked local tourist route. The marking is blue, the sign is a triangle on a white background. The length of the route is 26 km. Location: mountain range – Făgăraș, Romania. The Făgăraș Ridge is not a national park, but a Natura 2000 protected area "Munții Făgăraș" (ROSCI0122) with its own regulations: walk only on marked paths and take your trash with you.

At a glance

A route of 26 km with 1,962 m of ascent from Porumbacu de Jos to Cleopatra Saddle. Estimated walking time: about 10 h, not counting stops — a very long day, so it is easier split into 2 days. Difficulty: hard. Waymarking: blue.

How we estimate walking time

By Naismith's rule, used by mountain clubs and guidebooks: an average hiker walks 4 km an hour on the flat and needs one more hour for every 600 m of ascent. For this trail: 26 km ÷ 4 = 6.5 h + 1,962 m ÷ 600 = 3.3 h, about 10 h of walking in total.

  • Breaks, snacks and photos: add 20–30 %.
  • A heavy pack, children, snow, a wet path or windfall add more; a long steep descent also takes time, especially for the knees.
  • The height of the Carpathians (up to 2,655 m) hardly changes the pace — on the ridges wind, fog and weather slow you down.
  • Limits: up to 9 h is one day; 9–13 h is a very long day or two; over 13 h means several days with overnight stays.

Route stages

  1. 0–18 kmGentle ups and downs at 390–870 m
  2. 18–26 kmClimb of 1,450 m to Cleopatra Saddle

Steepest kilometre: km 25–26, a climb of 450 m (≈45%), near Cleopatra Saddle.

Water and overnight stays

A spring near the trail: at km 22. There are no springs between km 0 and 22 — carry at least 4 l of water.

Huts and shelters near the trail: Negoiu Hut (km 23).

A possible split into days:

  1. Day 1: km 0–17, ≈5 h — overnight: no shelter nearby on the map, bring a tent
  2. Day 2: km 17–26, ≈5 h — finish

When to go

Best time: June to September. In winter only for experienced hikers with proper gear: avalanche danger is possible. About 4 km of the route runs above 1,500 m, where the weather changes quickly — check the forecast.

Getting there

Start: Porumbacu de Jos. This is a one-way route: the finish is 20 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.

Directions to the start in Google Maps

FAQ

How long does the route take?
Estimated walking time: about 10 h, not counting stops — a very long day, so it is easier split into 2 days.
Is there water on the route?
A spring near the trail: at km 22. There are no springs between km 0 and 22 — carry at least 4 l of water.
Where can I stay overnight?
Huts and shelters near the trail: Negoiu Hut (km 23).

Water and shelter on the route

  1. Spring below Puha (north-east slope), 1 470 mkm 22.1 from the start · Not verified · 1 470 m
  2. Negoiu Hutkm 22.7 from the start · Standing · 1 540 m

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Walk this route in 3DReal terrain, satellite map, Carpathian forests Play

Wildlife along the route

All
Red foxRed foxVulpes vulpesThe most common predator of the Carpathians: from villages and pastures to polonynas. Do not feed foxes and do not approach them closely.
MallardIn season nowMallardAnas platyrhynchosThe most common wild duck: the male with a green head and a white 'collar'. It lives in the rivers, lakes, and ponds of the Carpathian valleys.
Common hazelEdibleCommon hazelCorylus avellanaA bush of Common hazel. It flowers with catkins as early as March, and the nuts ripen in August; it grows in the underbrush of deciduous and mixed forests.
Common buzzardCommon buzzardButeo buteoThe most numerous bird of prey in Ukraine. It circles over the polonynas and meadows with a mournful 'ki-ya' and hunts for voles.
Red admiralRed admiralVanessa atalantaA black butterfly with red bands and white spots. Traveler: it arrives in the Carpathians from the south every year.
Old World swallowtailOld World swallowtailPapilio machaonA large yellow and black butterfly with 'tails' on its hindwings. The caterpillar lives on wild carrot, dill, and other umbellifers.

Based on naturalists’ records nearby (GBIF, iNaturalist), matched by altitude, habitat and season. Sightings are not guaranteed.

Comments

Share your impressionsSign in to leave a comment or ask a question.Log inSign up

Trails nearby

All trails
Negoiu Hut – Scării SaddleHardOne-dayMarkedNegoiu Hut Scării SaddleElevation profile1 506–2 147 m3.3 kmascent 664 m≈ 2 h walkingBârcaciu Hut – Negoiu HutEasyOne-dayMarkedBârcaciu Hut Negoiu HutElevation profile1 506–1 641 m6.3 kmascent 272 m≈ 2 h walkingNegoiu Hut – Șerbota PeakHardOne-dayMarkedNegoiu Hut Șerbota PeakElevation profile1 538–2 331 m3.1 kmascent 793 m≈ 2 h walking