21 May Cerna Valley Hikes: The Lost Hamlets
A place of incredible beauty, a place where time itself has forgotten the count and traditions never die. The hike to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley is a good start if you want to taste a bit of Romanian roots. There are around 80 house holds in Cerna Valley and most of them are completely isolated, with no electricity other than improvised hydro-power, with no access roads and not one single market. It is amazing how this wonderful place managed to auto preserve itself in such a manner. Come and meet this stunning area and it’s beautiful people, in a trip you will always remember.
Distance
20 Km
Total Time
8h 00 min
Active Time
7 h 05 min
Vertical Relief
+886 / -886 m
Min/Max Altitude
272 – 942 m
Average Speed
2.5 km/h
Hike to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley
The hike to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley will start after Motel Dumbrava, you will have to walk in the direction of Baia de Arama, around one kilometer on the main road and you will then see on the left side as you go the 
From here, you can do the route either starting to the left or to the right, as it is a circuit, but this time we will go to the right, always following the
When we start the ascent, the first hamlet we will meet is called Cracu Mare – don’t worry if you don’t see any sign or don’t notice it at all – you are in the middle of the village. The little settlements are so tiny and well hidden only the dogs barking give out a sign the place is inhabited. Keep in mind, there are dogs, they will bark and try their best to look aggressive but all they really want is a little bit of snack and attention and you got a lifetime friend!
Next stop: Prisacina hamlet. Visiting this place may seem really peaceful and tranquil but just try to imagine a bit how it would be to live in a place where the only transportation method is by horse, where if there is no water you have no electricity and during the winter you are completely isolated. For me, this is incredible!
After maybe three kilometers more, we find the last village of this route, called Dobraia. This is the biggest around, it even has a Church that functions every two Sundays and a permanent elementary school. From here you can also take the route to Arjana Peak, one of the best views around.
After Dobraia, we will start our long and sometimes very steep descend that will take us on the Tasna Bridge, right in front of Dumbrava Motel, the place where we started this hike. Hope you have a good time and sunny weather on your hike to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley!
There are a lot of other destinations you can go to in the close vicinity, but for more info consult this map of the hiking routes in Domogled – Cerna Valley National Park.
GPS track to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley
How to get to the Lost Hamlets of Cerna Valley
Getting to Baile Herculane is pretty easy and the road is really good no matter where you are coming from. To reach Herculane from Timisoara you need to go on road E70 in the direction of Lugoj and Caransebes; note that both towns have ring-roads so no need to go through them. After passing by Mehadia, a small town, you will have to do a left turn in about 5 kilometers in order to enter Baile Herculane over a narrow concrete bridge. The road has good markings and the entrance is hard to miss as the railway station is also there. From Herculane, continue on the main road that goes towards Baia de Arama. This hike starts at aproximately 14 km from Baile Herculane.
Where to sleep?
You can sleep by tent in the glave next to Dumbrava Motel, roughly 13 kilometers from Baile Herculane. This is if you plan to start the hike early the next day. We like this place because it is remote and far away from the busy life of the resort and also it is close to most hiking routes in the area. If you wish for even more intimacy you can cross the footbridge over Cerna River that is located in front of the motel and camp in that glave. Both glaves are owned by a local farmer that sometimes comes to collect approximately 1 euro (5 lei) per person/night for your stay there but he accepts any currency as we found out at some point (we had only euro with us). There are no toilets or bathrooms available in the glaves but for such things you are welcomed to use the facilities at Motel Dumbrava as the owners are really open to this.
We usually eat at the motel as the prices are really decent, a breakfast would be 2-3 euro and a lunch about 4-5 euro but if you have packed food you are welcome to eat it on their outdoor terrace free of charge. If the outdoor sleeping isn’t your thing you can rent a cozy double room at Dumbrava that will cost you 18 euro per night (80 lei) and you will also have access to their indoor swimming pool. From the motel, you have many close destinations and hikes that don’t require a car to get to.
Good to know
It really depends on what you have planned to do and where you are sleeping, but you will find many restaurants in Baile Herculane, one of my favorite is Ferdinand Hotel, you have to see the garden, it’s absolutely wonderful! If you are sleeping close to or at Dumbrava Motel they are serving food from 8 AM until around 10 PM but if you are hiking in the mountain you will have to pack your own food as there are no chalets in the area.
There is no entrance fee for the Domogled – Cerna Valley National Park but if you wish to enter the thermal baths at some resorts you might need to either book a room there or pay the admission to the pool.
Hope you found the information helpful and accurate, but remember, if you have any questions drop them in a comment below!
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