Romania Photo of the Day by Dreamstime: Retezat National Park in autumn colors
The Romania Photo of the Day created in partnership with stock photo provider Dreamstime aims to highlight the best of Romania. From stunning landscapes and popular tourist destinations and landmarks to people, traditions, and food, this series helps you discover Romania one photo at a time. This week, we put the focus on beautiful Romanian landscapes in autumn colors.
Retezat National Park overlaps the Retezat - Godeanu mountain group and is one of the most highly appreciated mountainous areas in Romania. (Photo source - click on the number to get to the photo 106535579 © Vesasebastian | Dreamstime.com)
The Retezat Massif is framed by the Petroșani and Hațeg depressions and generously offers a great diversity of shapes, says gohunedoara.com, which gives the landscape its specificity.
In the park, there are more than twenty mountain peaks over 2000 meters high and more than 80 glacial lakes (nearly 40% of all such lakes in Romania are here). The largest glacial lake in the park, and the country, is Bucura, and the deepest is Zănoaga, while the highest mountain peak is Peleaga (2509m), followed by Păpuşa (2508).
According to Libertatea, Retezat National Park was established in 1935 by Alexandru Borza, founder of the Botanical Garden in Cluj-Napoca, and the scientist Emil Racoviță. It has been known as a biosphere reserve since 1979 and currently has the status of a protected natural area of national and international interest.
Here you will find trails with different levels of difficulty, from those open to beginners to those meant for the advanced, plenty of which are good for mountain biking. During the winter you can ski and climb the icefall in the Pietrele Valley.
Romaniasalbatica.ro’s recommendations are to visit the glacial lakes in the highlands; watch the sunrise at Tăul Porții to see the unique reflections of the surrounding mountains in the warm morning light; climb Peleaga Peak, the highest in the massif; and take a walk on the Lolaia ridge at sunset amidst the coniferous trees.
As far as flora and fauna are concerned, estimates say that more than a third of the plants in Romania can be found in the Retezat National Park and there are 90 species of endemic plants here. Additionally, Retezat National Park is home to nearly 200 species of birds and animals, as well as over 1000 species of butterflies.