Hargita County - the basic region for our tours and activities

General presentation

 

Hargita county is situated approximately in the the Easter part of Historical Hungary, on a surface of 6,610 square km.. Its relief is formed from the mountains of Görgény, Nagyhagymás, Csík and Hargita. From the highlands the relief descends trough volcanic plateaus to the hilly areas and depressions, where the human communities can be found. The climate is characteristic to the hilly areas, with long frosty winters and short, usually warm summers. The hydrografic network is formed by a large number of rivers and lakes. The main rivers are: the Maros in vest, the Olt in south, the Beszterce and Tatros in east, the Nagyküküllö and the Kisküküllö in south-west. The presence of the volcanic mountains in the county assures a large number of mineral water springs, around 2200. In Hargita county can be found the only lake which has volcanic origin in Romania, the "Saint Ann" lake (Szent Anna tó) situated in picturesque site, in the volcanic crater Csomád at an altitude of 950 m. Another unique lake is the "Red Lake" (Gyilkostó) which is a rarity being formed by natural obstruction. There are many types of soils: brown, yellow-brown and acid-brown. The geographical diversity of the county is emphasized also by the underground mineral resources like: the iron ore, cooper, kaolin, salt, clay, limestone, mineral water, etc. The woodlands which lay on more than 30% from the surface of the county, include many kinds of trees: larch-trees, pine-trees, beech, oak tress, lodging a rich and varied fauna composed by wild animals, such as the Carpathian bear, the brown bear, the wild boar, the marten, the wolf, the grouse, the eagle, etc. The mountain streams are rich in fishes. To the flora of the country lend variety forest fruits like strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, the mushrooms and the medicinal plants.

Adventure sport tourism in Hargita County

Harghita County is a destination of picturesque landscape with a very various relief and climate. Due to these facilities we cannot classify Harghita County as a centre of adventure tourism, but a centre of adventure sport tourism. Dusty single trails and rocky forestry roads cross the Harghita's mountains in all directions, creating a mountain bikers paradise, with superb landscapes.

Harghita Mountains is one of the most spectacular mountain range in the region. A large network of forestry roads and single trails, the superb landscapes, are making these mountains the perfect place for an unforgettable mountain bike holiday.
Because County Harghita has the mountains as prevailing relief it became compulsory the making of a large network of mountain paths, which gradually turned into charming and picturesque tourist roads. County Harghita owns around 948 km of these kinds of paths that cross the mountains from the height of 300 m till the height of 2000m.
The mountains that contain these paths are: the Giurgeului Mountains - 6 ruts with a total length of 75 km, Haghimas Mountain - 14 ruts with a total length of 107 km, Harghita Mountains - 10 ruts - 149 km, the Gurghiu Mountains - 3 ruts - 51 km, The Calimani Mountains - 26 ruts - 566 km
The geographical position and the county's climate facilitate the winter sports that hold a prevailing place; special results have been registered in the category of hall sports.

The sport activity of the county has a rich material bases made up of 248 sportive centers among which the most important are: two covered artificial skate yards, 55 soccer stadiums, 8 confirmed halls for sport games, one polyvalent hall, 36 gymnasium sport halls, 9 opened air basketball fields, 34 outdoor handball fields, 22 tennis fields, 12 sport fields in schools, 5 natural skate yards, 5 alpine sky passages with drive Systems, one sledge passage, one natural speed skating passage, one horse base, 8 bowling places, 4 outdoor swimming pools, 12 sportive hotels.

The Harghita County’s cave system provides a possibility for practicing the potholing. Hang gliding is a very popular (extreme) sport in our region. Volunteers can try hang gliding in the Sumuleu Mountains and the Harghita Mountains.

In winter time snowboarding, airboarding, dogsleding and skiing is very exciting. The quantity of snow is very high in our region especially in the Harghita Mountain; provide the possibility for practice this sport from December to March.

 

 

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