Latoriței Mountains – Voineasa – Cărǎrii Valley – Gruiul Viezuinii – Chica Lupului Peak – Cireșu Hill – Măceșului Valley
Latoriței Mountains – Voineasa – Cărǎrii Valley – Gruiul Viezuinii – Chica Lupului Peak – Cireșu Hill – Măceșului Valley
Route: unmarked, relatively easy, accessible in winter
Duration: 4–4½ hours
This route explores the eastern sector of the Latoriței Mountains, as well as parts of the Șteflești Mountains and the Căpățânii Mountains, along a lesser-known trail that is rarely used by tourists due to the lack of markings and the limited knowledge of the path across Gruiul Viezuinii.
From ZAN Hotel, we head toward Cărǎrii Valley and, after Țolea’s fountain, turn right onto the small road that follows Cărǎrii Stream. At the fifth sediment retention barrier, we cross the stream and climb the right (eastern) slope on a path that enters a fir and beech forest. After about 20 minutes, the trail emerges into a clearing where young forest begins, revealing on the left the remains of a former tree nursery.
We bypass the old nursery fence to the south and reach a wide path coming from the left, which we follow uphill through tall fir and beech trees toward the south until we once again reach the boundary between the young and the old forest. The path then turns east and reaches the ridge at the western edge of the meadow known as “La Meri”, where there is a shelter for livestock.
From here we continue south along a path that gently crosses onto the eastern slope of the ridge. We pass through an area scattered with moss-covered boulders among the beech forest, with occasional small fir trees. The trail leads toward the springs of Pisetorii Stream, passing a mountain household and several livestock shelters. Skirting the settlement to the west, we climb south along the northern slope of Chica Lupului Peak.
The climb to the summit takes about an hour and a half, but the views that open toward the north and northwest—where the highest peaks of the Șteflești Mountains (Lotru Mountains) rise—are truly impressive: Șterpu Peak (2,142 m), Dobrunu Peak (1,880 m), Balindru Mare Peak (2,209 m), and Cristești Peak (2,233 m). To the northeast you can admire the mid-altitude mountains east of Șterpu Peak, while in the distance the striking silhouette of Robu Peak (1,900 m) stands out. To the south rises the imposing Ursu Peak (2,124 m) in the Căpățânii Mountains, and the deep Latorița Valley can be seen, guarded by Târnovul Mare Peak (1,836 m).
From Chica Lupului Peak (1,122 m) we descend along its southern slope to the road that winds slightly below, which we then follow eastward. The deep saddle we descend into offers wide views toward the north. The descent is easy, along a forest road that leads down to the village of Măceșului Valley.
On the northern side of the ridge, the road crosses an almost flat section before descending into a small saddle from which the ascent of Cireșu Hill begins. Another flat stretch allows us to admire the panorama of the resort town Voineasa, after which we continue toward the southern slope of Cireșu Mountain (1,160 m). From here we bypass Cireșu Stream, which flows toward the Latorița Valley, and gradually descend along the eastern slopes of Giurascu Mountain, passing through meadows and clearings with livestock shelters.
We pause to admire the mirror-like surface of Mălaia Lake and the rounded silhouette of Molidisu Mare Peak (1,510 m) rising ahead beyond the Lotru River. Gradually we descend toward the village of Măceșului Valley, where we reach the national road DN 7A. From here, Voineasa is approximately 6 kilometers away.