Paradise Forests of Domogled National Park

Paradise Forests of Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park / UNESCO World Heritage

Romania's largest national park, the Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park, is also partially designated as a "component part" of the transnational, serial UNESCO World Heritage Site for the protection of Europe's primeval and ancient beech forests. This means that the wonderful natural landscape is under the protection of humanity.
This makes the park particularly valuable - and also means a great responsibility for the protection of the primeval beech forest.

We therefore recommend two parts of the protected area that are easier to reach and where hiking tourists are welcome: The lower Cerna Valley and the Domogled Mountains upstream of the old spa town of Baile Herculane - and the unique cultural and natural landscape high above the Cerna Gorge near the remote hamlets of Dobraia, Prisacina and Inelet

Hikes in the UNESCO Wold Heritage Site next to Baile Herculane

The UNESCO World Heritage Site begins just behind Baile Herculane.
The town has been popular as a spa and health resort since Roman times due to its hot sulphur springs. The Austrian Empress Sisi and her husband also favoured the area and stayed here. Old hotels and bathing facilities bear witness to this. However, Empress Sisi's former rheumatism spa, her villa and the other cultural monuments are now largely falling into disrepair due to failed revitalisation attempts and comptency conflicts. Today, it is also popular for its morbid, nostalgic, ‘lost place’ atmosphere.

The largest contiguous primary forest areas in the national park are located in the upper part of the Cerna Valley. However, since there are hardly any hiking trails there and logging has severely affected several valleys, we recommend that you experience the wonderful forests in the lower Cerna Valley.

The forests and natural landscapes in the neighbourhood of the city of Baile Herculane are in good condition because they are strictly protected as a core zone of the national park and are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Therefore, the magnificent forest here can flourish safely.

Beautiful hikes in the immediate vicinity of the city and in the lower Cerna Valley include:

Cerna valley - “Windy Waterfall” - Cicilovete meadow

The hike begins about 13 km upstream from Băile Herculane, at the parking lot next to the Vânătorii bridge near the end of Lake Prisaca.

Hike Ghizela Rock - Cociului waterfall (Roșeţ)

The trail to the waterfall starts upstream from Baile Herculane Resort, at Ghizela Rock, on the DN67D national road towards Baia de Arama (parking lot opposite Ghizela Cross).

“Empress Sisi”-hike

The hike starts at Hotel Roman, just upstream of Baile Herculane. The concrete building from the Ceausescu period hides an old Roman bath in the basement.

Hiking on Cerna Mountains - Prisacina - Dobraia Hamlet Area

High above the gorge-like Cerna Valley, cultivated and inhabited terraces have been inhabited and cultivated on the climatically favorable sunny side of the valley for a very long time. Here, wilderness meets the human world: old growth beech forests grow next to very old and diverse cultural landscapes. The five hamlets of Dobraia, Prisacina, Cracu Mare, Inelet and Scarisoara are located here. A secluded, peaceful world where nature and man have coexisted for a very long time.

A truly exemplary co-existence of farmland and wild nature, which fits perfectly with the objectives of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the immediate neighborhood.

Visiting the hamlets offer unforgettable experiences in the remote Romanian countryside, extremely hospitable and warm hearted villagers, scenic impressions high above the Cerna Valley, unique ancient and very biodiverse cultural landscape and magnificent wilderness in the forests that co-exist with the farmland nestled between the hamlets and on the surrounding mountain slopes.

Careful, considerate and limited tourism can provide the residents with the extra income they need to improve their lives a little. But these places should never become a place of mass tourism.

You can reach the hamlets either by walking from Cerna valley (see below) or by car on a partly very basic road: Leave main road (E70) at Plugova and drive on DJ 608 to Bogîltin and from there on a partly very pumpy and muddy gravel road to Dobraia and Prisăcina.

Local residents / accommodation providers and their relatives in the Cerna valley can help with shuttle services from Baile Herculane. We can provide you with contacts on request.

We recommend the following hikes encountering ancient pasture land, wild forests and mountain scenery.