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A trip to Muntii Apuseni
Situated in the western part of the country, the Apuseni range closes the Carpathian Arc and is one of the country's most interesting regions - due to a blend of special natural landscapes, background and ethnic traditions. Access is made from the arteries situated at the periphery and along Mures, Alba-Iulia – Turda corridor, Somesul Mic and Crisul Repede. From these arteries, tributaries extend inwards along secondary roads.
Although they do not impress you by altitude (the maximum altitude being of 1849 m in the top Bihor), the mix of natural elements, presented in the form of caves, canyons, gullies, planes, cascades, natural and entropic lakes etc, make for an interesting visit to Apuseni.
THE LAND OF THE 5000 CAVES
The caves represent the areas main tourist attraction in Muntii Apuseni and number approximately 5000. Most of them are considered to have great scientific value and are recognized on the national plan. Their attraction stems from the spectacular and monumental underground passages, as well as the rare structure of their interior and the presence of some massive ice galleries.
Ghetarul de la Scarisoara (the biggest cave of this type in the south-east of Europe), is well worth a visit. Also, Ghetarul Focul Viu is a spectacular sight. Here, at a certain time of the day, the sunshine breaks through and reflects off the ice mass to produce a reddish tint. Others include Ghetarul de la Barsa; Ghetarul de sub Zugresti; and Bortig which has 30 000 m3 of ice.
There are other caves where there still exists fossils of cave bears (pesterile Ursilor, Magura, Fanate, Zmeilor de la Onceasa) and proofs of their existence from ancient times.
Other caves that you can visit are: Pojarul Politei, Coiba Mare, Cetatile Ponorului, Ponoras, Vantului (the longest cave in the country – 30,6 Km), Batranului, Galaseni, Ciur-Izbuc, Ciur-Ponor, the cave Vadu Crisului, Pestera cu Apa, Meziad (with galleries on five floors and a cavern that shelters bats), Liliecilor,Huda lui Papara etc.
A trip to these caves is fascinating. Some of them have been modified to make them more tourist-friendly but some are more difficult to locate. This is due to the fact that there are measures in place to safeguard and preserve their special natural elements.
CANYONS, CASCADES AND LAKES
The canyons and waterfalls are impressive by virtue of their almost vertical falls and high walls. Further down river, there are many water springs which have developed over time. Along the way, the roads you through: Cheile Turzii, Cheile Rametului, Cheile Crisului Alb, Cheile Gardisoarei and Cheile Integraldelor. The landscape is enhanced by the presence of some spectacular cascades, such as: Bulbuci, Iadolina, Moara Dracului, Saritoarea Iedutului, Varciorog, Rachitele and Bodohei.
There are many natural lakes such as Ighiu, Varasoaia, Taul Batran, and others such as Lesu, Dragan, Fanatanele, Marisel and Tarnita. These areas are also very popular during the summer as they are perfect for boating and other water-sports.
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