About Cozia National Park
Cozia National Park covers 17,100 ha in the north-east of Vâlcea County, on both sides of the Olt Gorge, between Călimănești and Brezoi. East of the river rises the Cozia Massif, with Cozia Peak (Ciuha Mare) at 1,668 m, and to the west the Narățu Mountains, crossed by the Lotrișor valley. The massif was declared a nature reserve in 1966 and has been a national park since 1990, managed by Romsilva through the Cozia National Park Administration, based in Brezoi.
Most of the park is made of "Cozia gneiss", a crystalline rock that forms very steep slopes of 50–70°, with towers, ledges and rock walls, especially on the eastern side. Almost untouched beech forests have survived on these slopes: in 2017 two of them, the Cozia Massif (2,285.86 ha) and Lotrișor (1,103.30 ha), were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe". Bears, wolves and lynx live in the park, and the bush-cricket Isophya harzi is known only from here.
What you can see
The classic route climbs from Mănăstirea Turnu halt, on the DN7, along the Muchia Turneanu ridge, with views of the Olt from the Turneanu Refuge, to Cozia Chalet (1,573 m), in the saddle between Ciuha Mare and Ciuha Mică. From the chalet the summit is 10–15 minutes away; from the top you see the Olt Gorge and, to the north, the Loviștea basin. The summit has telecommunication masts and a cross. Another route starts at Stânișoara Monastery, below the gneiss walls of the eastern side. On the right bank of the Olt, the Lotrișor valley climbs gently through the forest to Poiana Târsa and is the only trail in the park open in all seasons.
Good to know
The climb to Cozia Peak involves 950–1,350 m of ascent and 4–5.5 hours of walking, on steep paths that become slippery in wet weather. The park administration marks the routes to the summit and the chalet as closed in winter.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- Cozia Peak (Ciuha Mare), at 1,668 m, with views over the Olt Gorge and the Loviștea basin.
- The Muchia Turneanu ridge and the Turneanu Refuge, a viewpoint over the Olt on the route up from Mănăstirea Turnu halt.
- The ancient beech forests on the slopes of the massif, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017.
- The Lotrișor valley, a fairly easy trail marked with a blue stripe, up to Poiana Târsa.
- The gneiss towers and walls above Stânișoara Monastery, on the eastern side of the massif.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Mănăstirea Turnu halt, where the main trails to Cozia Peak start, is on the DN7, ~8 km north of the centre of Călimănești, ~26 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea (~35 minutes), ~77 km from Sibiu via the A1 and DN7 (~1 hour 20 minutes) and ~200 km from Bucharest (~3 hours). For the Lotrișor valley, take the DN7 to the confluence with the Lotrișor, between Călimănești and Brezoi. The unpaved county road DJ 703N also climbs to Cozia Chalet, ~17.5 km from Berislăvești, and is hard going after rain. In 2026 slope-stabilisation works are under way on the DN7 between Călimănești and Câinenii Mari, with alternating one-way traffic and temporary stops on working days.
Public transport: trains on the Râmnicu Vâlcea–Sibiu line stop at the stations and halts in the gorge within the park: Păușa, Turnu, Cozia, Gura Lotrului, Călinești-Bețel and Cornet. The trails to the summit start right next to Mănăstirea Turnu halt.
- Where to park
The park administration does not publish information on parking. Cars are usually left near Mănăstirea Turnu halt, on the DN7, or at Stânișoara Monastery, at the end of the forest road from Păușa; Cozia Chalet can be reached by car on the DJ 703N.
- Fees & discounts
The visitor ticket costs 10 lei per person and is valid for the length of your stay in the park. It is sold at the visitor centres and information points or in the field by staff authorised by the administration. Under the park regulations, children under 7, people with disabilities and local residents who own land in the park are exempt, while children aged 7 to 14, pupils, students and pensioners pay half. Dogs need a full-price ticket. The administration also offers guided trips of 1–3 days on request.
- Rules
Keep to the marked trails; the summit routes are not to be walked in winter. Open fires are banned throughout the park, and camping is allowed only in the designated areas (Poiana Stânișoara, Lotrișor valley, Turnu, Păușa valley, Cozia Peak, Călinești valley). Dogs must be on a lead. Bicycles are not allowed on the marked trails, and quad bikes, motorbikes and snowmobiles are banned. Do not pick plants, do not leave litter and keep noise down. For the summit climb you need boots, water and rain gear. Vâlcea Mountain Rescue: 0725 826 668.
- Facilities
Cozia Chalet, with 50 beds, a restaurant and showers · Turneanu, Cabana lui Nae and Armăsaru refuges · designated camping areas · railway stations and halts on the DN7, at the foot of the trails · no access for people with disabilities on the trails
Frequently asked questions about Cozia National Park
- How much is a ticket to Cozia National Park?
- A ticket to Cozia National Park costs 10 lei (per person, for the length of stay). The visitor ticket costs 10 lei per person and is valid for the length of your stay in the park. It is sold at the visitor centres and information points or in the field by staff authorised by the administration. Under the park regulations, children under 7, people with disabilities and local residents who own land in the park are exempt, while children aged 7 to 14, pupils, students and pensioners pay half. Dogs need a full-price ticket. The administration also offers guided trips of 1–3 days on request.
- What are the opening hours of Cozia National Park?
- Opening hours at Cozia National Park: daily open 24 hours. The park is open at all times on the marked trails. The routes to Cozia Peak and Cozia Chalet are marked by the administration as closed in winter; the Lotrișor valley trail is open in all seasons.
- How long does a visit to Cozia National Park take?
- A visit to Cozia National Park takes about 7½ – 8 hours (up to the summit and back).
- Can you visit Cozia National Park with kids?
- Yes, Cozia National Park is suitable for children (Lotrișor yes, summit is hard).
- How do I get to Cozia National Park?
- Cozia National Park is located at DN7, Mănăstirea Turnu railway halt (start of the trails to Cozia Peak), Călimănești, Vâlcea County. By car: Mănăstirea Turnu halt, where the main trails to Cozia Peak start, is on the DN7, ~8 km north of the centre of Călimănești, ~26 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea (~35 minutes), ~77 km from Sibiu via the A1 and DN7 (~1 hour 20 minutes) and ~200 km from Bucharest (~3 hours). For the Lotrișor valley, take the DN7 to the confluence with the Lotrișor, between Călimănești and Brezoi. The unpaved county road DJ 703N also climbs to Cozia Chalet, ~17.5 km from Berislăvești, and is hard going after rain. In 2026 slope-stabilisation works are under way on the DN7 between Călimănești and Câinenii Mari, with alternating one-way traffic and temporary stops on working days. Public transport: trains on the Râmnicu Vâlcea–Sibiu line stop at the stations and halts in the gorge within the park: Păușa, Turnu, Cozia, Gura Lotrului, Călinești-Bețel and Cornet. The trails to the summit start right next to Mănăstirea Turnu halt.
- When is the best time to visit Cozia National Park?
- The best season for Cozia National Park: May – October (summit: closed in winter).
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