Vârful Peleaga

Peleaga Peak is the highest point of the Retezat Mountains, at roughly 2509 m, and one of the most generous viewpoints in the Carpathians: from the top you see almost the whole massif, its glacial cirques scattered with lakes, the jagged crest of the Little Retezat beyond and, on clear days, Parâng and Godeanu on the horizon. The summit is a pyramid of granite blocks with no obvious path near the end — you navigate by waymarks and stone cairns.

The classic ascent starts at Bucura Lake, the country's largest glacial lake, on the Bucura–Peleaga trail; most people camp up from the valley on the Pietrele path and take the summit early the next morning. All of it happens in the heart of Retezat National Park, where camping and route rules are strictly enforced.

Good to know This is a genuine mountain day: scree, big elevation gain and total exposure to wind. Start early, because afternoon storms are the rule in July and August, and turn back if the weather breaks. Check the mountain weather, save the mountain rescue number, and see the rest of the Retezat region.