Itinerary · Northern Moldova
A weekend in northern Moldova: a two day itinerary
Two days at Duruitoarea Veche, without much driving. A cave where people lived a few hundred thousand years ago, the largest lake in the country a hundred metres from the guesthouse, and a fish soup over the fire in the evening, in the yard.
In short
- Day 1: the museum and the Duruitoarea gorge in the morning, a 20 minute walk from the guesthouse. The lake in the afternoon. Barbecue or fish soup in the evening.
- Day 2: either a 3 kilometre walk to Stanca Dragostei(Love Rock), or a drive out to Suta de Movile.
- What it costs: a room from 800 lei a night, the guided tour 500 lei for a group of up to 10 people, a kayak 200 lei.
Many people think northern Moldova is far away and that there is not much to see there. From Chisinau to Duruitoarea Veche it is about 200 kilometres, and the drive takes around three and a half hours. Within a few kilometres of the Hanul Cu Noroc guesthouse you have a cave lived in during the Palaeolithic, the largest reservoir in Moldova and limestone cliffs that were once coral reefs. The fossils taken from the cave are on show at the village museum.
Below is the plan we recommend to our guests.
Friday evening
Check-in starts at 14:00, but if you arrive in the evening you lose nothing. Drop your bags and walk down to the shore; it is a hundred metres. We leave the first evening free.
In the yard there is a barbecue, an oven, a stove and a kettle, if you want to cook for yourself. If you prefer traditional dishes, we can arrange delivery from a nearby restaurant. Tell us in advance so we can place the order.
Saturday morning: the museum and the cave
We recommend seeing the museum first and only then the cave. At the village museum there are mammoth and cave bear bones, prehistoric pottery and icons on glass. Once you have seen what was found in the cave, you look at the stones in the gorge differently.
A twenty minute walk from the village are the Duruitoarea gorge and the cave. The oldest traces of human habitation in the country were found here: the lower layers are between 180,000 and 300,000 years old. About 20,000 bone remains came out of the cave, tools of flint, antler and bone, and a fragment of a human jaw.
With a guide or without
The guided tour of the museum, the cave and the gorge costs 500 lei for a group of up to 10 people and 800 lei for 11 or more. Without a guide, the gorge stays just a handsome cliff. Take shoes with a good sole. Do not go up to the gorge in the rain, wet stone is slippery. The area is a protected natural area, so no digging and no taking fossils.
Saturday afternoon: on the water
You come back to the guesthouse to eat, then head to the lake. A kayak costs 200 lei and we also have pedal boats. If you brought rods, the shore is a hundred metres away, but first read what you can catch and when the ban applies, because in spring fishing is forbidden on the Prut and on the lake between 9 April and 7 June.
For children we have swings and a trampoline in the yard. The glass painting workshop is at the museum and costs 60 lei for children and 100 lei for adults.
Saturday evening: fish soup (uha)
We spend the evening around the fire with a fish soup, which locals call uha. If you caught something, we cook it together, following the recipe of the fishermen on this lake, with grains and greens picked on the shore. There are five gazebos and long wooden tables in the yard, so there is room for a larger group as well.
Sunday: two options
The short option: Love Rock
You walk three kilometres from the village, through rocks and meadows, to a limestone reef with grottoes standing above the water. From the top you can see the whole valley. It is the finest walk in the area and takes half a day. All you need is boots and a bottle of water.
If you want to know what you are walking on, read about the toltryfirst. These rocks were the floor of a warm sea about 15 million years ago.
The long option: Suta de Movile
You drive out to the Suta de Movile reserve, between the villages of Braniste and Cobani. The reserve covers 1,072 hectares strung with over 3,500 mounds, some 30 metres high. Even now nobody is certain how they formed. The landscape looks like nothing else in northern Moldova and is at its best early in the morning or towards evening.
What to bring
- Boots or trainers with a good sole. Every route crosses grass and stone.
- Water. There is nowhere to get any up on the hill.
- A hat and sun cream in summer, because the hills are open and there is no shade.
- A charged phone or camera. The good light is early in the morning and in the last two hours before sunset.
- Rubber boots if you are coming to fish. The bank on the Ciuhur bay side is soft.
- A bag for rubbish.
If it rains
The museum is indoors, and the gazebos in the yard have roofs. In the rain we do not recommend the gorge or Stanca Dragostei: wet limestone is very slippery and the climbing path becomes dangerous. On a day like this it is better to stay in the yard.
Which month is best
We welcome guests from May through October.
- May and June: everything is green and the gorge is at its best, but that is when the fishing ban applies.
- July and August: the good months for the lake and for swimming.
- September: in our view the best time. The water is still warm, the hills turn golden, and mist settles over the lake in the morning.
- October: the quietest, and the best for photographs.
Frequently asked questions
What can you visit in a weekend at Duruitoarea Veche?
In a weekend you can reach the Paleontology Museum and the Duruitoarea gorge with its Paleolithic cave, both a 20 minute walk from the guesthouse, Lake Costesti-Stanca, which is 100 metres away and where you can take a kayak or a pedal boat, and Love Rock, a 3 kilometre walk away. On Sunday you can drive out to the Suta de Movile reserve.
What does a weekend at Hanul Cu Noroc cost?
Accommodation starts at 800 lei a night for the private room with shared bathroom and 1200 lei for the standard room. Each room takes up to 4 people, and parking is included. The guided tour of the museum, the cave and the gorge costs 500 lei for a group of up to 10 people. The kayak costs 200 lei, and the painting workshop at the museum 60 lei for children and 100 lei for adults.
Which is the best month to come?
We welcome guests from May through October. In May and June everything is green, but that is when the fishing ban applies. July and August are the good months for the lake. September is, in our view, the best time, because the water is still warm, the hills turn golden and mist settles over the lake in the morning. October is the quietest.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. In the yard there are swings and a trampoline. The glass painting workshop is at the museum and costs 60 lei for children and 100 lei for adults. The 20 minute walk to the gorge is easy, and the lake is 100 metres away. The 3 kilometre walk to Stanca Dragostei suits older children better.
What do I do if it rains?
The museum is under a roof, and the five gazebos in the yard are covered. In the rain we do not recommend the gorge or Love Rock, because wet stone is badly slippery and the climb becomes dangerous.
Sources
- The prices, distances and schedule are those of the Hanul Cu Noroc guesthouse.
- The facts about the cave, the gorge, the lake and Suta de Movile have sources cited in the articles linked from this text.
Are there rooms free?
Nine rooms and 36 beds, a hundred metres from the lake. Message us and we will tell you what is free.
A guesthouse in Duruitoarea Veche, Riscani district. 9 rooms and 36 beds, 100 metres from Lake Costesti-Stanca. Open from May through October.
Phone and WhatsApp: +373 798 48 077
