Moldova, an Eastern European country and former Soviet republic, has varied terrain including forests, rocky hills and vineyards. Its wine regions include Nistreana, known for reds, and Codru, home to some of the world’s largest cellars. Capital Chișinău has Soviet-style architecture and the National Museum of History, exhibiting art and ethnographic collections that reflect cultural links with neighboring Romania.
Day 01: Arrive Chisinau.
Arrival at Chisinau meet and assist at the Airport and transferred to hotel. After settling in you can have a walk through downtown and explore the city centre on your own.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 02: Visit of Fetesti Nature Reserve often named the “Little Switzerland of Moldova”
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to Trinca village and you will take part in a pleasant and easy morning hike following the itinerary Trinca – Fetesti (~ 9 km). You will discover Fetesti Nature Reserve, often named the “Little Switzerland of Moldova” because the surroundings that give the illusion of being in a mountainous region, when in fact, there are no actual mountains. You will be amazed by the uniqueness of Northern Moldova’s nature characterized by steep cliffs and imposing rock formations around the Prut River. You can be assured that while climbing your way up some of those cliffs and taking a look at the impressive views, your adrenaline levels will skyrocket.
In Fetesti village, you will visit the violin and cello factory and enjoy the lunch at a local guesthouse.
After lunch, you will visit the Limestone Extraction Mine in Fetesti village, which is rich in limestone deposits, denoting the greatness of the force of nature that created enchanting landscapes.
Next, you will be transferred to Edinet where you will check in at the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day on your own.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 03: Discovery of La Castel Landscape Reserve including the Cretaceous rock named the “Dragon’s tooth”
In the morning, you will be transferred to Gordinest village from where you will follow the hiking itinerary: Gordinesti – Brinzeni (~ 16 km). You will walk towards La Castel Landscape Reserve that will offer you a breath-taking view of the Racovat river, Gordinesti village and the solitary Cretaceous rock named the “Dragon’s tooth” by the locals. Not too far from Brinzeni village, you will see Brinzeni gorge that is 100 meters deep and 150 meters wide. It’s a very picturesque site. In Brinzeni, you will also visit the War Memorial.
Next, you will be transferred to Zabriceni village, where you will have an excursion and lunch at Zabriceni Monastery.
After lunch, you will be transferred to Glodeni, where you will check in at “Butoias” guesthouse and have some free time.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 04: Hiking at Suta de Movile Landscape Reserve, Cheile Butesti gorge and Padurea Domneasca Nature Reserve
The day will begin with a transfer to Suta de Movile (A Hundred Mounds) Landscape Reserve, a unique geological phenomenon in the space between Prut and Dniester rivers. The mounds are much more than 100, as there are over 3500. Their heights range between 1.5 m and 30.5 m. Dimitrie Cantemir, who named in his book “Descriptio Moldoviae” this geological phenomenon as “Centum Monticulli”, completed its first documentary attestation in 1716.
Later you will be transferred to Butesti village where another hike awaits you from Cheile Butesti to Cobani village (~8 km). Cheile Butesti gorge is dug by the Camenca River in a reef with a length of over 2 km and a width of 125 m, located in the south of Butesti village, Glodeni district. The coral limestone reef was formed 15-20 million years ago from corals, mollusks, clams, algae, cattle and marine organisms that populated the warm waters of the Sarmatian and Tortonian seas covering northern Moldova at that time.
After having witnessed the remains of the coral reef, you will be able to connect with the locals in the Cobani village while having a lunch break.
Next, you will enjoy a hike from Cobani to Camenca Lake (~10 km), from where you will be transferred to Moara Domneasca village.
Right next to the village, the biggest nature reserve of scientific interest in Moldova named Padurea Domneasca (The Royal Forest) is located on the meadowlands of the middle Prut river. Along the river Prut, covering a vast area, a meadow forest extends with its characteristic species for this type of environment: willow-trees, oaks, poplars, beeches, etc. During the excursion at Padurea Domneasca you will also visit the Bisons’ refuge.
After the excursion, you will be transferred to “Butoias” guesthouse.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 05: Glodeni – Pociumbeni – Horodiste – Varatic – Butuceni
In and around Butuceni
after breakfast check out of the guest house and transferred to Pociumbeni, a small yet charming village documentary attested in 1672. Here, you will have a short tour of the village, during which you will see the monument “The Cross of the Witnesses of Hunger 1946-1947”, as well as the cemetery of boyar and poet Teodor Varnav.
Next, you will have a pleasant hike of about 5 km, from Pociubeni to Horodiste, at the end of which you will visit a very nice church.
Later on, another little hike awaits you. From Horodiste, you’ll hike to Varatic (~4 km) where you will have lunch. Then you’ll be transferred to the Varatic bridge, from where you will hike to a beautiful waterfall and to Moldova’s Fjords. This later attraction, the Moldovan “mountains”, are not made of stone, as you’d think, but of remains of living creatures from the prehistoric era, when the Tortonian and Sarmatian Seas used to cover these lands.
A few hours later you will be transferred to Butuceni, check in at the guesthouse and have some free time.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 06: Butuceni – Furceni – Trebujeni – Butuceni – Cricova – Chisinau
In and around Cricova
In the morning, you will be transferred to Furceni, where you will start the first hike of the day following the itinerary: Furceni – Trebujeni – Butuceni (~16 km). While hiking you will visit stone caves where remnants of the first human settlements where found, dating from tens of thousands of year ago. On your way up a rocky hill you will find the ruins of a strong Geto-Dacian fortification, Moldovan ancestors described by Herodotus as being “the bravest of the Thracians” in his historic writings from the 5th century B.C. They where also mentioned by Sophocles, Strabo and many other historians and philosophers from ancient Greece. The originality of Orheiul Vechi’s landscape is due to the defile of the Raut river, dug under the form of a canyon in the limestone layers of the former Sarmatian sea, about 14 million years ago.
In the afternoon, you will have lunch in Butuceni at a local guesthouse (not included in the price).
Next, you will enjoy an excursion and wine tasting at Cricova, one of the most impressive underground wine cellars in the country and in the world. Covering nearly 120 km, this truly mesmerizing wine gallery will blow your mind with its 70 underground streets, that bear the names of famous wine types such as Sauvignon, Cabernet, etc. The jewel of the underground treasure is the National Collection, including over 600 types of wine totaling about 1 million bottles. Here you can admire the oldest bottle of wine – “Jewish Easter Wine”, dating from 1902. While at Cricova, you will have the chance of participating in an amazing wine tasting experience in one of the many tasting halls of the underground “city”.
In the evening, you will be transferred to Chisinau.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 07: Depart Chisinau
After breakfast departure transfer to Airport to catch the flight for onward journey.
| Place | Night (s) | Hotels |
| Chisinau | 01 | Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel |
| Edinet | 01 | Florentina Hotel |
| Glodeni | 02 | Pensiunea Butoias Glodeni |
| Butuceni | 01 | Butuceni Guesthouse |
| Chisinau | 01 | Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel |
- Welcome on arrival with fresh flower garlands.
- Meet to attend airports / hotels by our office representative.
- 06 nights in accommodation as per the program.
- Meals as per Program.
- Guide Services ( English language )
- Entrance fees to the monuments.
- All taxes.
• International flights
• Personal Expenses.
• Camera / Video Camera Fees.
• Medical Aid.
• Tipping.
• Travel Insurance.
• Visa If any.
• Accommodation in good hotels.
• Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
• Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost. – Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
• A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
• If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
• Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
• In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
• In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
• While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
• Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
• In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.
