Lepșa: Hiking Trails, Nature and Monastery History

If you are considering Lepșa as a travel destination, you can plan your trip around different interests: hiking routes with specific time estimates, an alpine meadow landscape, a protected waterfall or the history of a monastery. If you are looking for a hotel in Lepșa, it helps to first consider which of these topics are especially important for your trip.

Distinguishing Hiking Routes by Duration and Course

The traditional, gorge-like valley section of the Cheile Tișiței protected area extends from “Gura Tișiței” to “Tunelul Mare.” Tișița and Putna meet at the first point. The section is about 7 kilometers long, has an elevation difference of 200 meters, and takes 5–6 hours to walk round trip. The time estimate therefore refers to the outward and return journey. Conditions can vary seasonally, which you should take into account when planning this hike.

Another route option starts at Golul Lepșei: from there, an approximately 10-kilometer walking trail leads to “La Trei Hotare” in about 3 hours. At this point, the boundaries of Bacău, Covasna and Vrancea counties meet.

Hiking Trail No. 2 leads from Lepșa at 610 meters via Valea Tișiței, Pârâul Cristianu Mic and Golul Roibului at 1,460 meters to Șaua Geamăna at 1,496 meters. It is marked with a red triangle, is about 13 kilometers long and takes 8–9 hours. The time estimates for the three routes differ considerably: for Cheile Tișiței, a round trip of 5–6 hours is explicitly specified, while Trail No. 2 is listed as taking 8–9 hours.

Alpine Meadow Landscape and Putna Waterfall

Golul Lepșei is an alpine meadow landscape. Access is via DN 2D, followed by a gravel and forest road.

Cascada Putnei, also called Săritoarea Putnei, is located near the village of Lepșa, within the administrative area of Comuna Tulnici in Vrancea County. The area is a protected site of national interest in IUCN Category IV and a geological and scenic nature reserve. Cascada Putnei was declared a natural monument in 1973. The waterfall is about 80 meters long; the water collects in a lake approximately 12 meters deep.

Monastery and Building History

Mănăstirea Lepșa lies on the banks of the Putna in the Vrancea Mountains. The monastery was founded in 1789 as an endowment by the local răzeși, or free peasants. Its history can also be seen in the two named religious buildings: the wooden church “Naşterea Maicii Domnului” is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and is a historic monument.

The “Sfânta Treime” chapel at Mănăstirea Lepșa is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and was built in 1993. The monastery’s history thus adds its own cultural focus to the nature and hiking destinations.

When choosing a hotel in Lepșa, you can relate these differences to your travel plans: decide whether the main focus should be the duration of a hike, the alpine landscape, the waterfall or the monastery’s history. This way, you can tailor your search to the excursions that interest you.

For the broader travel overview: Comuna Tulnici.