Route
The E3 Route enters in Romania at the Borș Border Crossing Point, runs for a distance of 677 km through the Apuseni Mountains, Poiana Ruscă, Banat and Mehedinți Mountains, leaving Romania to Serbia at the Iron Gates. The route has an easy to medium level of difficulty and passes through 2 National Parks (The Semenic-Caraș Gorge National Park and The Nera Gorge-Beușnița National Park) and 2 Natural Parks (Apuseni Natural Park and Iron Gates Natural Park). The unique characteristics of mountain landscapes and subtle variations in elevation blend harmoniously with the scenery shaped by human communities, where ancient traditions and customs are carefully maintained. Cumulatively, in the 677 km, the E3 route collects a positive level difference of 26 572 m, while the negative difference reaches -26 601 m. The route passes through 3 cities: Oradea, Anina and Orșova, but also through a number of isolated Romanian villages, known for their rich heritage, cultural traditions, and attractive culinary recipes that are sure to captivate any traveler.
In addition to a visit in the historical past and a delight to the eye with spectacular natural landscapes, E3 connects a lot of international tourist attractions: numerous churches, the thermal waters of Băile 1 Mai, Peștera Vântului (the longest cave in Romania), Vadu Crișului Gorge, Vadu Crișului Cave, Moanei Cave, Farcu Crystal Cave, mineral water springs from Stâna de Vale, the Disappeared World Plateau, Ponorului Citadels, the Maiden Fair of Mount Găina, Memorial Cemetery from Țebea, Comarnic Cave, Buhui Cave, Buhui Lake, Anina mines, Caraș Gorges, the Eye of Bei Lake, Beușnița Waterfall, Nera Gorges, Devil’s Lake, Gârnic Water Mills, Danube Gorge.
Starting Point
Ártánd (Hungary)/ Borș (Romania), 47.117296, 21.795158 (Google Maps coordinates)
End Point
Porțile de Fier 1 Border Crossing Point (Romania) to Хидроелектрана Ђердап (Serbia) 44.670924, 22.528716 (Google Maps coordinates)
Which cities and towns does the E-path pass through
Borș – Sântion – Oradea – Sânmartin – Băile 1Mai – Felcheriu – Sarand – Poiana Tășad – Vârciorog – Gălășeni – Birtin – Vadu Crișului – Șuncuiuș – Damiș – Lazuri – Sohodol – Meziad – Stâna de Vale – Padiș – Vârtop – Bulzeștii de Sus – Ribița – Țebea – Visca – Certeju de Jos – Coaja – Bacea – Ilia – Săcămaș – Dumbrăvița – Poienița Tomii – Feregi – Poiana Răchițelii – Vadu Dobrii – Gura Bordului – Negoiu – Cornișoru – Băuțar – Poiana Mărului – Muntele Mic – Borlova – Bolvașnița – Valea Timișului – Buchin – Poiana – Lindenfeld – Gărâna – Semenic – Peștera Comarnic – Anina – Lacul Buhui – Cărbunari – Gârnic – Ravensca – Bigăr – Dubova – Eșelnița – Orșova – Ilovița – Bahna – Porțile de Fier 1
Length
677 km
Ground path of the E-path
(most of the time the E-Path follows an important regional/local hiking path)
Name: 1. Borș – Sântion – Oradea – Sânmartin – Băile 1Mai – Felcheriu – Sarand – Poiana Tășad – Vârciorog – Gălășeni – Birtin – Vadu Crișului
Start: vama Borș. End: Vadu Crișului. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 3 days. Length: 86,7 km. Level difference: +1619 m / -1436 m. Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 2. Vadu Crișului – Vadu Crișului Cave
Start: Vadu Crișului. End: Vadu Crișului Cave. Marking: 
(Red Dot). Duration: 30 min. Length: 1,6 km. Level difference: +91 m / -67 m. Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 3. Vadu Crișului Cave – Șuncuiuș
Start: Vadu Crișului Cave. End: Șuncuiuș. Marking: 
(Red Triangle). Duration: 3½ – 4 h. Length: 9,1 km. Level difference: +498 m / -511 m. Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 4. Șuncuiuș – Moanei Cave
Start: Șuncuiuș. End: Moanei Cave. Marking: 
(Blue Triangle). Duration: 3 h. Length: 7,4 km. Level difference: +433 m / -210 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 5. Moanei Cave – Damiș – Peștera Farcu – Lazuri – Sohodol – Meziad
Start: Moanei Cave. End: Meziad. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 12 h. Length: 32,5 km. Level difference: +957 m / -1198 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 6. Meziad – Stâna de Vale
Start: Meziad. End: Stâna de Vale. Marking: (Blue Triangle). Duration: 7 h. Length: 21,5 km. Level difference: +1455 m / -632 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with more than 2000 m of level difference, in approx. 7 – 8 h of hiking. NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 7. Stâna de Vale – Șaua Bohodei – Șaua Vărășoaia – Ponorul din Valea Cuților
Start: Stâna de Vale. End: Ponorul din Valea Cuților. Marking: 
(Red Stripe). Duration: 5-6 h. Length: 15,8 km. Level difference: +804 m / -641 m.
Remarks: Beware! NOT RECOMMENDED during winter, bad weather and heavy snow can cause problems
Name: 8. Ponorul din Valea Cuților – Padiș
Start: Ponorul din Valea Cuților. End: Padiș. Marking: 
(Blue Stripe). Duration: 45 min. Length: 2,4 km. Level difference: +90 m / -59 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 9. Padiș – Poiana Ponor
Start: Padiș. End: Poiana Ponor. Marking: (Red Triangle). Duration: 45 min. Length: 2,9 km. Level difference: +34 m / -246 m.
Remarks: NOT RECOMMENDED during winter, heavy snow can cause problems
Name: 10. Poiana Ponor – The forest road from Valea Cetăților Ponorului
Start: Poiana Ponor. End: The forest road from Valea Cetăților Ponorului. Marking: 
(Blue Point). Duration: 30 min. Length: 1,5 km. Level difference: +80 m / -81 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 11. The forest road from Valea Cetăților Ponorului – Vârtop – Curcubăta Mare/ Bihor Peak (1848 m alt.) – Muntele Găina
Start: The forest road from Valea Cetăților Ponorului. End: Muntele Găina. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 15 h. Length: 36,1 km. Level difference: +1999 m / -1666 m.
Remarks: Beware! NOT RECOMMENDED during winter, bad weather and heavy snow can cause problems
Name: 12. Muntele Găina – intersection Red Cross/Blue Stripe Routes
Start: Muntele Găina. End: intersecție traseu Cruce Roșie/Bandă Albastră. Marking: (Blue Stripe). Duration: 45 min. Length: 2,5 km. Level difference: +26 m / -154 m.
Remarks: Beware! NOT RECOMMENDED during winter, bad weather and heavy snow can cause problems
Name: 13. intersection Red Cross/Blue Stripe Routes – Giurgești – Bulzeștii de Sus
Start: intersection Red Cross/Blue Stripe Routes. End: Bulzeștii de Sus. Marking: 
(Red Cross). Duration: 2 h. Length: 7,2 km. Level difference: +73 m / -856 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 14. Bulzeștii de Sus
Start: Bulzeștii de Sus. End: Bulzeștii de Sus. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 5 min. Length: 0,11 km. Level difference: +2 m / -0 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 15. Bulzeștii de Sus – Piatra Bulzului – Cheile Uibăreștilor – Între Ape
Start: Bulzeștii de Sus. End: Între Ape. Marking: (Red Triangle). Duration: 5 h. Length: 16,3 km. Level difference: +662 m / -894 m.
Remarks: Beware! NOT RECOMMENDED during winter, bad weather and heavy snow can cause problems. The Gorge section of the trail can be dangerous in winter or wet weather
Name: 16. Între Ape – Ribița – Țebea – Visca – Certeju de Jos – Coaja – Bacea – Ilia – Săcămaș
Start: Între Ape. End: Săcămaș. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 16-17 h. Length: 45 km. Level difference: +1396 m / -1490 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 17. Săcămaș – Dumbrăvița – near to Muncelu Mare
Start: Săcămaș. End: near to Muncelu Mare. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 2 h. Length: 7,1 km. Level difference: +537 m / -154 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 18. near to Muncelu Mare– Poienița Tomii – Feregi – Poiana Răchițelii – Vadu Dobrii – near of Gura Bordului
Start: near to Muncelu Mare. End: near of Gura Bordului. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 12-13 h. Length: 37,3 km. Level difference: +1242 m / -758 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 19. near of Gura Bordului – Negoiu – Cornișoru – Băuțar
Start: near of Gura Bordului. End: Băuțar. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 9 h. Length: 26,2 km. Level difference: +1095 m / -1700 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 20. Băuțar – Poiana Mărului
Start: Băuțar. End: Poiana Mărului. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 8 h. Length: 20,9 km. Level difference: +1617 m / -1395 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with more than 3000 m of level difference, in approx. 8 – 9 h of hiking. NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 21. Poiana Mărului – Muntele Mic
Start: Poiana Mărului. End: Muntele Mic. Marking: (Blue Stripe). Duration: 5 h. Length: 10,2 km. Level difference: +1222 m / -364 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with more than 1500 m of level difference, in approx. 5 – 6 h of hiking. NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 22. Muntele Mic – Borlova
Start: Muntele Mic. End: Borlova. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 3 h. Length: 11 km. Level difference: +67 m / -1198 m.
Remarks: NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 23. Borlova – Bolvașnița – Valea Timișului – Buchin – Poiana
Start: Borlova. End: Poiana. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 7 h. Length: 20,8 km. Level difference: +390 m / -462 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 24. Poiana – Lindenfeld – Gărâna – Semenic
Start: Poiana. End: Semenic. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 12 h. Length: 30,8 km. Level difference: +1731 m / -625 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with more than 2000 m of level difference, in approx. 12 h of hiking. NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 25. Semenic – Vila Klauss – Comarnic Cave
Start: Semenic. End: Comarnic Cave. Marking: (Red Cross). Duration: 4 h. Length: 13,9 km. Level difference: +257 m / -1242 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with more than 1400 m of level difference, in approx. 4 h of hiking. NOT RECOMMENDED during winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 26. Comarnic Cave – Marghitaș Cabin – Buhui Lake
Start: Comarnic Cave. End: Buhui Lake. Marking: (Blue Stripe). Duration: 6 h. Length: 18,3 km. Level difference: +788 m / -525 m.
Remarks: It is quite a demanding route, with over 1300 m difference in level, on an old railway embankment, an approx. 6 hours hike. NOT RECOMMENDED in winter. However, it might be accessible depending on the amount and quality of the snow
Name: 27. Buhui Lake – Cantonul Crivina – Ochiul Beiului Lake – Podul Beiului
Start: Buhui Lake. End: Podul Beiului. Marking: 
(Yellow Stripe). Duration: 12 h. Length: 30,9 km. Level difference: +874 m / -1402 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 28. Podul Beiului – Podul Beiului – The Nera Gorges – Cantonul Damian – Devil’s Lake
Start: Podul Beiului. End: Devil’s Lake. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 7 h. Length: 13,1 km. Level difference: +658 m / -556 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 28.1. Alternative E3 to Nera Gorges: Podul Beiului – Sasca Română – Sasca Montană – Șușara Waterfall – Cărbunari
Start: Podul Beiului. End: Cărbunari. Marking: 2,8km (Red Stripe) + 4,6 km Unmarked + 4,1 km 
(Blue Cross). Duration: 4 h. Length: 13,1 km. Level difference: +569 m / -172 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 29. Devil’s Lake – Ogașul Porcului – Cărbunari
Start: Devil’s Lake. End: Cărbunari. Marking: (Blue Stripe). Duration: 3 h. Length: 7,9 km. Level difference: +434 m / -155 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 30. Cărbunari – Gârnic – Ravensca – Izvorul Lung – Poiana Debeliliug – Bigăr – Poiana Ravna – Dubova
Start: Cărbunari. End: Dubova. Marking: (Red Stripe). Duration: 3 days. Length: 79,5 km. Level difference: +3370 m / -3733 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 31. Dubova – Eșelnița – Orșova
Start: Dubova. End: Orșova. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 10-12 h. Length: 30,7 km. Level difference: +802 m / -914 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 32. Orșova – Tarovăț
Start: Orșova. End: Tarovăț. Marking: (Blue Triangle). Duration: 1 h. Length: 3,7 km. Level difference: +219 m / -88 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 33. Tarovăț – Ilovița
Start: Tarovăț. End: Ilovița. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 1 h. Length: 3,2 km. Level difference: +57 m / -137 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Start: Ilovița. End: Bahna. Marking: (Red Dot). Duration: 15 min. Length: 948 m. Level difference: +156 m / -1 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 35. Bahna – near Crucea Sf. Petru
Start: Bahna. End: near Crucea Sf. Petru. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 5 h. Length: 18,7 km. Level difference: +781 m / -626 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 36. near Crucea Sf. Petru – Crucea Sf. Petru – DN6 Padina Gardului Valley
Start: near Crucea Sf. Petru. End: DN6 Padina Gardului Valley. Marking: (Blue Stripe). Duration: 1 h. Length: 2,6 km. Level difference: +38 m / -389 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Name: 37. DN6 Padina Gardului Valley – Porțile de Fier 1 Border Crossing Point (Romania) – Хидроелектрана Ђердап (Serbia)
Start: DN6 Padina Gardului Valley. End: Porțile de Fier 1 Border Crossing Point Romania/Serbia. Marking: unmarked. Duration: 10 min. Length: 0,7 km. Level difference: +17 m / -30 m.
Remarks: Route practicable all year round
Responsible organisation
Asociația Carpatină Ardeleană a Turiștilor – SKV / Transylvanian Carpathian Association of Tourists – SKV is responsible for the whole distance of the trail E3 on the territory of Romania.
Publications
SKV Association – ”Romania – hiking guide for E3 and E8” (2017)
Maps
https://muntii-nostri.ro/en/routes (interactive map)
Vlădeasa Mountains (Printed map)
Apuseni Mountains (Printed map)
Bihor Mountains (Printed map)
Muntele Mic Mountains (Printed map)
Banatului Mountains (Printed map)
Apps
The Osmand application can be installed on Android or iOS.The app is free, user-friendly and customizable. GPS Tracks can be uploaded, recorded, saved and exported for easier tracking of the E3 Route in Romania. The app has low battery consumption and offers a lot of facilities for use, even without internet access (we recommend downloading the map for Romania before the start of the trip to avoid unpleasant situations in places where the GSM signal is missing). Then you can install the GPS track of the E3_Romania Route for orientation on the ground.
Munții Noștri – iOS / Android is an application where you can (even as an unregistered visitor) track your position on a map in real time, with all the information about the tourist routes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the E3 Trail built in yet, but it does have the tourist trails described above that are part of E3.
Marking system
The E3 is not waymarked in Romania with a special marking, instead it follows the waymarks for the individual trails cited above. Furthermore, while the route is not completely marked, the sections that are marked feature the E3 symbol on the arrows indicating the way:
So for orientation it is recommended to use a device with GPS location (GPS receiver, smart phone, etc.).
Crossing other E-paths
E3 Romania and E8 Romania have a common route of about 23 km between Ilovița and Porțile de Fier 1 Border Crossing Point (Romania) – Хидроелектрана Ђердап (Serbia).
Practical
Typically, the Romanian part of E3 is completed by moderately trained tourists over a period of 27 to 30 days. The average daily duration of hikes ranges from 7 to 12 hours. Since there are no lodges / guesthouses / hotels on every day of hiking, a tent is absolutely necessary in certain areas.
Accomodation
There are more possibilities for accommodation:
· hotels, pensions, hostels in towns and resorts on the trail – Borș, Oradea, Băile 1Mai, Vadu Crișului, Șuncuiuș, Lazuri, Stâna de Vale, Padiș, Vârtop, Bulzeștii de Sus, Ilia, Poiana Mărului, Muntele Mic, Gărâna, Semenic, Anina, Gârnic, Dubova, Eșelnița, Orșova.
· mountain chalets – they can be found in Stâna de Vale, Padiș, Cetăților Ponorului, Vârtop, Muntele Mic, Semenic, Anina, Lacul Buhui.
· Camping and bivouacking are viable options along the route except for Natural and National Parks (Apuseni Natural Park, The Semenic-Caraș Gorge National Park, The Nera Gorge-Beușnița National Park, Iron Gates Natural Park and Mehedinti Plateau Geopark. The Protected Areas have special rules for the bivouac. Please check them on the websites of these National/Nature Parks.
· accommodation in the houses of locals, especially in isolated areas, little frequented by tourists, where there is no designated accommodation.
Food
Food can be bought in stores in villages and towns close to the footpaths. For some parts of E3 you will have to carry food with you for a couple of days. It is necessary to carry an adequate supply of water with you for a day, and occasionally for up to two days. Restaurants are available in towns, resorts, guesthouses and chalets along the route, but the operating hours must also be taken into consideration.
Travel
There is no main rail or bus route directly connecting the two ends of E3 (Oradea and Orșova), but both cities are on major rail and road routes in Romania.
Public trains and buses can be used during the route to and from rural towns on the E3. There is regular bus service during working days (especially early in the morning and in the afternoon at 6:00-7:00 PM, when people are going to work and to school or return home). Finding a weekend and bank holiday bus connection to and from rural towns can be a problem.
Web for bus informations: www.autogari.ro
Web for railway connections: www.infofer.ro
Gear
A phone / GPS device is required for orientation. Durable shoes that can withstand wet ground conditions and rain-gear are recommended. From late spring to autumn, no special equipment is needed. In winter, late autumn and early spring the special winter gear is necessary for the highest sections of the trail – in The Semenic Mountains, Muntele Mic and Apuseni Mountains.
From October to May, in areas with altitudes over 1400 meters (the alpine sections of the Apuseni, Muntele Mic and Semenic Mountains), some routes are closed by the Mountain Rescue Service (Salvamont). Only the experienced hikers and very well prepared, equipped with all the necessary mountain equipment such as skis or snowshoes, crampons, ice axes, etc. venture at their own risk to cross these areas.
In the mountains of Romania, spring water is drinkable almost anywhere. The people of the villages along the route are kind and can provide drinking water from their households on request.
There are plenty springs with good and tasty water (often even mineral water) along the trail, but they are regularly neither tested, nor certified. So, if you are afraid with water quality, you should bring a water filter with you.
Standard equipment
Hiking shoes; backpack; raincoat (parka/hood); sweater (fleece or similar material); thermal underwear; socks; windproof and waterproof jacket and pants; light gloves; frontal flashlight; Sunglasses; sunscreen cream/hat; cutlery; personal first aid kit with the necessary medicines; trekking poles; a light bottle of water; phone (recommended) etc.
Water and food can be purchased in the shops in the towns.
However, payment can be made in the vast majority of shops in rural areas only in cash and only in RON (the currency used in Romania). It is recommended to withdraw cash from the ATMs encountered along the route (Oradea, Vadu Crișului, Ilia, Anina, Eșelnița, Orșova) in order to pay for certain necessary services on the E3 route (accommodation, food, other services etc.).
The E3 path, in general, does not require special technical training, but in some sections of the Apuseni Mountains and the Nerei Gorges, it passes over a technically complex terrain that must be approached carefully.
BEWARE! From April to October there are high chances of meeting vipers on the trail, especially in the areas with stones. Vipers can take shelter under them, or sit in the heat generated by the sun on them. Vipers do not intentionally attack humans, only in self-defense, in case they feel threatened. Be careful where you step! We recommend the use of trekking poles, whose vibrations and noise warn the vipers to stay away from tourists
Links
A portal that brings together detailed maps of the mountains of Romania, descriptions of tourist routes, GPS location in real time, with an application that can be installed on iOS or Android devices: https://muntii-nostri.ro/en/routes
Romanian weather forcasting portal: http://www.meteoromania.ro/
Global weather forecasting portal from Switzerland: https://www.meteoblue.com/. There is also an app on Android and iOS, where if the location is allowed, users can also receive local alerts in case of storms, floods or other dangerous weather phenomena.
References
www.skv.ro This is the site of Monitoring Organization of E3 Route in Romania. You can find here all the information about E3 Route and we encourage you to contact us to receive the latest information about the E3 Route in Romania.
E3_ROMANIA (wordpress.com) This is the site where you can find information about E3_Romania, travel diaries from E3_Romania, updated information about the state of tourist landmarks, shops, the public transport schedule, tips and tricks etc.
E3@skv.ro – Write us an e-mail at this address and we will provide you all the updated information about the route E3 in Romania.