Romania · Parâng Mountains · Premium route guide
Transalpina (DN67C, Sebeș → Novaci)
The highest paved road in Romania — 180 kilometres from Sebeș in Transylvania down through the Parâng Mountains and Pasul Urdele at 2,145 m to Novaci in Oltenia. The Transalpina is quieter, higher and (many riders think) a better ride than the Transfăgărășan. Full route on the map, a GPX for your GPS, and motorcycle-friendly stays at either end.
- Distance
- 183.3 km
- Peak elevation
- 2,128 m
- Elevation gain
- 3,983 m
- Best months
- Jun–Oct
The route
The DN67C runs north-south from Sebeș through Șugag, past the Oașa reservoir and up to Obârșia Lotrului, then over Pasul Urdele at 2,145 m — the highest point on any paved public road in Romania — and down through the ski village of Rânca to Novaci. Pins are motorcycle-friendly stays other riders have vetted.
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Works with Garmin, TomTom, BMW Navigator, Calimoto, Kurviger, komoot, MyRouteApp. Import as a track to ride the exact line. Road data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL); elevation from SRTM.
Track vs. route — how to load this into your GPS
What you're downloading is a GPX track — a dense, road-snapped breadcrumb of the exact line, with elevation on every point. It's not a GPX route (a short list of turn waypoints your device re-plans between). Tracks preserve our road choice; routes let the device pick its own way and can send you down a boring motorway shortcut.
How to use it on your navigator:
- BMW Navigator / Garmin Zumo / zūmo XT: import as a track, then Convert to Route (or Trip Planner → new trip from track) if you want turn-by-turn prompts. Keep Recalculation off so it stays on our line.
- TomTom Rider: import the GPX in MyDrive — it loads as a track / itinerary. Enable Follow the exact route so it doesn't re-plan.
- Calimoto: open the GPX and choose Import as tour — Calimoto follows the track line.
- Kurviger / komoot / MyRouteApp: open the GPX and pick Import as track to keep the road choice. Only choose Import as route if you want the app to re-plan for your bike profile.
- Google Maps / Apple Maps: these don't read GPX. Use the map on this page for turn cues, or import the file into a GPX-capable app first.
Rule of thumb: if your device asks "track or route?", pick track to ride our exact line — pick route only if you want the device to re-plan.
Elevation profile
From ~251 m at the base to 2128 m at the top — 3,983 m of total climbing across the route.
The Transalpina is what the Transfăgărășan would be if it were 500 m higher, 60 km longer, and open earlier in the year. It's a full day's ride and there's nowhere on the mountain to sleep except Rânca (the small ski village near the summit) — so most riders base themselves in Sebeș or Sibiu at one end and Târgu Jiu or Rânca at the other.
It's less famous than the Transfăgărășan for now, which means less traffic and a more relaxed pace. That's changing every summer as word gets out, so ride it in the next few years while it's still the quieter of Romania's two great mountain roads.
The road, honestly
The Transalpina has three distinct sections. North (Sebeș → Oașa) is forested and gently climbing, following the Sebeș river valley. Middle (Oașa → Pasul Urdele) is the money: open alpine meadow, curves you can see the exit of, and altitude that steadily rises above the treeline. South (Rânca → Novaci) is the fastest section — long open sweepers with big elevation drops.
Surface is Romanian-good, which is genuinely good on this road — it was rebuilt in 2012 and maintained since. Nothing broken, and the corners have proper camber. The mountain is at 2,145 m and shepherds still walk their flocks along the tarmac in July, so you'll pass sheep, cattle and the occasional cart. Ride at Romanian speeds, not Alpine ones.
Which end to base yourself at
Sebeș (north) is small and puts you 20 minutes from the start of the climb. Sibiu (35 km north-east) is the better base — UNESCO old town, great food, and the natural pair with the Transfăgărășan if you're doing both roads on the same trip. Târgu Jiu (south) is bigger with more accommodation but 50 km further from the summit.
Rânca is the mountain option — a small ski village at 1,600 m, 15 minutes below Pasul Urdele. Basic accommodation, one restaurant, and you're on the summit for sunrise if you overnight there. Riders who've done both usually recommend Rânca once, then Sibiu the next time so they can chain the Transfăgărășan.
Weather, closures and what to pack
The Transalpina is open roughly June to October, depending on snow. The pass sits above 2,000 m for a long stretch either side of the summit and gets weather from both flanks — temperatures 10–15°C below the valley floor, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Ride the top in the morning; be off the summit by 2pm on stormy-looking days.
Fuel: last stations before the mountain are in Șugag (north) and Novaci (south). Nothing between. Cell coverage is patchy above Oașa — download offline maps.
What to see along the way
- Oașa Lake — Reservoir on the northern climb, halfway up. Small parking, footbridges, coffee shack in summer.
- Obârșia Lotrului — T-junction where the DN67C meets the road to Voineasa. Restaurant here — the natural lunch stop.
- Pasul Urdele (2,145 m) — The summit. Sign, small pullout, and Romania's highest paved point. Photo, coffee from a flask, keep moving.
- Rânca (1,600 m) — Ski village 15 minutes below the summit on the south side. The only overnight option on the mountain itself.
- Novaci — Southern end of the pass. Small market town with fuel, food and the exit onto the DN67 to Târgu Jiu.
Rent a bike
Rent a motorcycle or scooter for Transalpina (DN67C, Sebeș → Novaci)
Flying in? Pick up a bike near the start of the route. We've pre-filled the pick-up city with Sebeș / Rânca — change it if you're basing elsewhere.
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Rider-verified stays within 30 km
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