Planning your trip

Best time to visit Bușteni and hike the Bucegi Mountains

Bucegi is a year-round destination, but what you can do here changes a lot with the season. Here is what to expect month by month, so you can plan trails, the cable car and packing around it.

June to August

Summer, full trail access

All marked trails are open, including Omu Peak and the high plateau. Long cable car hours, warm valley weather, but afternoon thunderstorms are common on the plateau, so start early. Peak season for crowds, especially weekends.

September to October

Autumn, many hikers' favorite

Clearer air, cooler temperatures, autumn colors in the beech forest, and noticeably fewer people than summer. Trail conditions are usually still good into October, but nights turn cold and snow can arrive on the plateau by late October.

December to March

Winter, snow and short days

The plateau is under snow and the high routes (Omu Peak, Jepii Mici) require winter mountaineering experience and equipment, not casual hiking. The cable car keeps running on a shorter winter schedule, weather permitting, and is the easiest way to see the snowy plateau without technical gear. Bușteni itself also has a ski slope in town.

April to May

Spring, mud and meltwater

Snow lingers on higher trails well into May some years, and lower trails can be muddy with snowmelt. Waterfalls like Urlătoarea are at their fullest. Weather is the most unpredictable time of year, check conditions close to your visit.

Cable car

When the Bușteni cable car runs

The cable car to Babele runs year-round, with longer hours in summer and shorter hours in winter, and is typically closed or limited on Tuesdays for scheduled maintenance. It is sensitive to wind and can stop running with little notice in high wind, fog or storms, even on an otherwise clear day in the valley. Exact times and prices change by season, so always check the current schedule before planning your day around it, and have a backup plan (a lower trail, or a rest day) in case it is closed.

Wildflowers

When edelweiss and alpine flowers bloom

Edelweiss and most of the other alpine wildflowers on the Bucegi plateau bloom from roughly June through August, peaking in July. They grow on rocky outcrops above the tree line and are strictly protected inside Bucegi Natural Park, picking them is prohibited. Lower meadows below the cliffs bloom earlier, from May.

Month by month

Quick reference

MonthConditionsBest for

JanuaryDeep snow on the plateau, short daylightWinter scenery, cable car, skiing in town

FebruaryStill full winter conditionsSkiing, snowy viewpoints

MarchSnow starts melting lower down, still deep up highEasy valley trails, waterfalls filling up

AprilMuddy lower trails, snow above ~1,800 mUrlătoarea Waterfall at its fullest

MayLower trails clear, upper trails variableWildflowers starting, fewer crowds

JuneFull trail access begins, edelweiss bloomingLong days, opening of the full trail network

JulyPeak wildflower season, warm, busyOmu Peak, the full plateau

AugustWarm, busiest month, afternoon storms possibleAll trails, book rooms ahead

SeptemberClear air, cooling down, fewer peopleMany hikers' favorite month

OctoberAutumn color, cold nights, early snow possible late monthForest colors, quiet trails

NovemberTransition to winter, variable snowQuiet valley walks, not high routes

DecemberWinter sets in on the plateauSnowy views, skiing, holiday atmosphere

Not sure which trail suits your dates?

Reception can recommend a route based on the season, the forecast and your fitness level.

See hiking trails See sample itineraries