Romania · Eastern Carpathians

Lacul Vulturilor

Directions

Lacul Vulturilor, the Lake of the Vultures, lies at about 1,420 m on the eastern slope of Mălâia in the Siriu Mountains, in Chiojdu commune, Buzău County. It is a small periglacial lake of about 0.5 ha and only about 2.5 m deep, despite its popular name of Lacul fără Fund, the Bottomless Lake.

History

The writer Alexandru Vlahuță described it in his România Pitorească as a place where vultures drink in spring and teach their young to fly. Another tale tells of a shepherd who threw his staff into the lake and found it a year later floating on the Danube. Others say villagers hid their valuables here from Tatar raiders.

Nature

Alpine meadows and steep rocky slopes surround the lake, and the area holds one of the southernmost chamois populations in the Romanian Carpathians.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

The lake is remote, 3–4 hours on foot from the nearest starts: Crasna village, the shorter and steeper Valea Neagră, or a longer way from the Siriu dam. From Chiojdu it is 27 km, about six hours on foot. A route from Mușcelușa by Gura Milea is described as the best in winter, when deep snow makes access difficult. Only authorised 4x4 vehicles can make the final climb from Siriu or Valea Neagră.

June to October is the season. Bring boots, warm layers, a map, food and water, and plan a full day, as mobile signal is poor once off the DN10, the weather can change quickly, and bears live here. A hunting lodge and a basic shelter stand nearby.