Bușteni – Jepii Mici – Babele

The climb up Valea Jepilor (Jepi Valley) from Bușteni is one of the best-known gateways into the Bucegi massif: straight from town, in the heart of the Prahova Valley, you climb directly onto the plateau up to Cabana Babele. It's a moderate route, but with a serious height gain — a good fit for hikers in decent shape who want to reach the plateau without relying solely on the cable car.

The figures are approximate: roughly 3 hours of climbing, ~7 km and +~1000 m of elevation gain. Real time depends a lot on your pace, your load and the weather — in rain or fog, plan for more.

On the trail

You start from Bușteni, in the lower part of town, following the blue cross marking that climbs Valea Jepilor.

1. Start (Bușteni, ~880 m). Pick up the blue-cross marking from the end of the street heading toward the mountain. The first kilometres go through forest on a well-trodden path.
2. Entering the valley. The path narrows and steepens, with built-up sections (steps, the odd railing) where the valley closes in. In wet weather the rock is slippery.
3. Caraiman waterfall / mid section. You pass the valley's watercourse — pretty, but don't rely on it as a safe drinking source; hikers usually carry their own water up.
4. Reaching the plateau (~2h – 2h30). After the hardest part, the valley opens onto the Bucegi plateau, the scenery turns alpine and the gradient eases.
5. Cabana Babele (~2200 m). The end point, next to the cable-car station. From here it's a few minutes to the Babele rock formations and, lower down, to the Sphinx.

Nearby it's worth exploring Omu Peak or the descent toward Ialomița Cave. The whole area is part of Bucegi Natural Park.

Gear and difficulty

Difficulty is moderate because of the height gain and the steep valley sections, not because of technical terrain.

• Boots with good soles — the valley has wet rock and steps.
• A thermal layer plus rain shell; on the plateau the wind is often strong even in summer.
• Enough water from the start (1.5–2 l).
• Trekking poles help on the climb and spare the knees on the way down.

Useful detail in the gear guide and the Bucegi hiking guide.

Safety

Valea Jepilor is generally safe in good weather, but it has narrow, exposed sections where a slip matters. Main hazards:

• Fast-changing weather on the plateau — fog that builds in minutes, wind, afternoon thunderstorms. Check the mountain weather before you set out.
• Slippery rock in the valley after rain.
• Lightning — if storms are forecast, don't head out onto the open plateau.

Retreat option: the Bușteni–Babele cable car is the simplest way down if you tire or the weather turns — check the schedule locally and whether it's running (strong wind shuts it down). If the weather breaks while you're in the valley, turn back toward Bușteni while you're still low. Don't push onto the plateau in dense fog without navigation experience.

Emergencies: 112 (Salvamont mountain rescue).