The starting point of this touristic route is right at the entrance in Cheile Bicazului, at the bus station from Bicaz Chei village. The route is circular and goes through some of the most beautiful and less known places from Neamt County.

The beautiful image of this place is formed by mountain sceneries, traditional wood houses, traditional hay barns that lay scattered on the planes and wonderful landscapes. Here everything is well preserved. Nature has been protected by the people that live in these parts and that carried on their traditions until these days.

After a short hike on a dirt road you start a steeper trail that twist through rocks until enters the pine tree forest. While you hike on this trail on your left you’ll see beautiful images of the massive stone walls from Cheile Bicazului that represents a unique touristic attraction from Neamt area.

The route on Google Maps

It will not take you too long and you’ll reach Barnadu village. Right at the entrance in the village, on the hill from your right, you’ll see the Larch Reserve – larch is the only conifer tree that loses its leaves during winter. The beauty of this small mountain village with its wooden houses and the beautiful surrounding landscape makes this image into a perfect picture.

The route goes through the village until it reaches the only small shop from the area. From here you exit the village on a trail used by shepherds. On your left you’ll have Ciurgau Peak. You follow the trail until you reach Lapos Gate (locally called “Poarta Laposului”). In the plane that lies in front of you, called Izvoarelor Plane you’ll see the sheepfolds of the people from Barnadu. Although the route is not marked the trail is easy to follow.

Route in Cheile Bicazului

The trail continues through a plane called Poiana Jidanului, goes through the place called Capu Jidanului and by following a narrow old dirt road reaches the pine tree forest and the area of Criminisul Peak. The narrow dirt road that goes through the forest in a twisted shape goes near tall trees that form a tunnel with their branches. The white of the snow is untouched. From time to time the songs of a bird disturb the silence that surrounds us.

You go near stone walls from the top of which wild goats look down to you with wonder. You look back at them and the animal disappears behind a rock. After a while the small black eyes of the goat appear behind us, still looking and wondering what are we doing in those places. This is one of the moments when you realize that you are only a guest in these places and that all the beauty of nature belongs to the animals that live here.

Once you exit the forest, on your right you’ll see Criminisul Peak. From the top of it the view is absolutely magnificent: Ceahlau Mountain, Highes Peak, Danciu and even Magura Peak from Bistrita Mountain. From Criminisul Peak the route goes towards Sugau Rock and then descents through Cheile Sugaului Nature Reserve.

When you enter the reserve the trail is guarded on both sides by stone walls. On our left at some point you’ll see the entrance in The Tunnel Cave. Right near the end of the route you’ll hear the bark of the dog from the Ecolog Chalet. From here you’ll see the road and the ending point of the route.