5 days in Transylvania
When people hear “Transylvania” they think Dracula, but equestrians should think Count Kalnoky Rides.
The ride starts with a night at a a quaint guest house in Miclosoara. This village is about 90 minutes north of Brasov, the last large town you will pass through if you have flown in to/spent the night in Bucharest. Brasov is interesting as a stop-over and place to stretch your legs, a fascinating church and picturesque town. The village of Miclosoara is where the Kalnoky castle is located – which you will have an opportunity to visit during your ride. A tiny hamlet, replete with storks nesting on light poles, it is a lovely location to start experiencing the history of Transylvania.
The ride
You will meet Countess Anna Kalnoky on Sunday night and discuss your riding capabilities and temperament so that she can match you with a horse (she knows her horses well). The Kalnoky family have a wide array of horses including Shagya Arabians, Lippizaner, Gidran and some mixes.
You will be driven to meet the horses after breakfast and initially you will ride in the arena so that your capabilities can be observed and to assure your tack is fitting correctly. Upon setting off you will ride through a small village before encountering the beautiful Transylvanian countryside. Rolling hills and forests as far as the eye can see without a single fence or gate. In the spring there were abundant wildflowers: field orchids, cowslips, wild carnation, violets, and more.
The pace is leisurely with a few areas for fast canters, assuming the group’s capabilities support the speed. Most days we started around 9am, stopped for a picnic lunch and were still at our destination by 4pm.
The terrain is a mixture of pastoral land, small villages, beautiful forests and some hills. The villages still show the scars of decades of brutality, under fascism and communism ( the revolution was in 1989 so not a lot of time has passed.) It’s as if you’ve retreated decades, if it were not for the great cell reception and solar panels you’d think it was 1950. In the evening we had walks into the villages to learn about the history, culture and people, including a visit to the last watermill still operating in Romania. For an extra cost you can visit a preserve with bears and foxes one evening.
The food. I will not pretend, the food was not that great. Breakfast was usually a hard boiled egg, breads, coffee, yogurt and sometimes some sliced meats. A couple of places had homemade jams. Lunch was always the same, a hard-boiled egg, cheese, bread and a piece of cucumber or pepper. Dinners varied but were still merely nutrition nothing to ask for the recipe. The exception; one evening a dinner was held at a local lady’s house – she grows and cooks everything – the cabbage rolls, potatoes, tomato jam and cake were delicious – and learning of the tragic history of her family and the village is humbling.
This is a ride for fit riders used to a fast pace at times but still content to ride at a walk and enjoy the scenery. It requires that you can check your own tack (though Chandor their groom and horseman does an excellent job), can control a young horse and are confident in the saddle. I do not think it is appropriate for riders who spend a couple of leisurely hours a week meandering through the countryside or riding around in an arena, and have a person to tack their horses.
Accommodation
The first and third night are at the Kalnoky guest house in Miclosoara and the final two nights are at the King Charles guest houses in Zalanpatak, both are charming, authentic and comfortable accommodations. Other nights were spent at a somewhat modern, if a bit charmless hotel (in walking distance of the horses) and a remote large house. All the places were comfortable, clean and with ample hot running water.
Places of interest you’ll visit.
This ride allows you to learn all about the history of Transylvania, a tragic one in many aspects, and deeply personal to the Kalnoky family. Each village has something unique, an old water mill – still operating – churches, the Kalnoky castle in Miclosoara and their ruined estate by the stables – under a painful renovation. You will be able to meet some local people and learn about their lives and impact of war and revolution.
Before you go:
- One day in Burcharest is sufficient to see most things, no need to spend more time.
- A stop in Brasov is worthwhile, maybe consider spending a night it you want time to explore the church and do some shopping
- The people of Transylvania speak Hungarian, learning Romanian will not be useful on this ride!
- The saddles were comfortable, but I always take a seat saver for the ride, and bring your own water bottles
- No matter the season take waterproof riding jackets
- You should buy travel/health insurance
- You won’t need much cash, even the tiny store in Zalanpatak takes credit cards.
- You can buy quite a lot of memorabilia at the airport, alas, a lot of it has Dracula on it.
- If you want strong coffee or decaf, take your own – everywhere had kettles or could heat water.
In summary: I would recommend this trip for it’s beauty and history, plus of course the great horses.
Contact the Kalnoky family directly.
