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The Buila-Vânturariţa National Park, a site of the European Ecologic Network Nature 2000, was established by Gouvernamental Decision 2151/2004 and is administrated by National Administration of Forest Romsilva in partnership with the Kogayon Association. Buila-Vânturariţa is the smallest national park in Romania, with a total area 4186 ha, located in the Vâlcea County (south-western part of Romania), in the southern corner of Căpăţânii Mountains (the Meridional Carpathians), lying on the territory of the Costeşti and Bărbăteşti villages and of the Băile Olăneşti city.
The Buila-Vânturariţa National Park is located in the Valcea county, in the South-Western part of Romania.
The closest airport is the one in Sibiu city, the International Airport of Sibiu, located at cca 135 km distance from the National Park – about 3 hours driving by car, on the National Road 81 to Ramnicu Valcea (100 km). From Rm. Valcea, follow the driving instructions above to get to one of the access points of the park. There are buses that can take you from Sibiu to Rm. Valcea, or to Horezu and leave you in Costesti or Barbatesti along the way. You can find them in the bus station in Sibiu, near the train station, and ask for details (as timetable and transportation companies providing the routes may change; also check on www.autogari.ro
The distance between the National Park Buila- Vânturariţa and the International Airport “Henri Coandă” (Otopeni) in Bucharest or the International Airport “Aurel Vlaicu” (Baneasa) is of approx. 230 km.
The airports are located in the northern part of Bucharest, approx 16 km from the center of the city.
By car, you have to follow DN 1 through Otopeni town, pass by Baneasa Airport, on to Piata Presei Libere – Piata Victoriei – Podul Grant – Bd. Iuliu Maniu – A1 Highway Bucureşti-Piteşti
By public transport, you can take the 783 express bus-line that starts from Otopeni Airport, with a bus stop in front of Baneasa Airport and takes you to Piata Unirii, final stop in central city. From Piata Unirii, zou can take the subway for 2 stops to Piata Eroilor, where you have to change for Pacii station, the 4th stop, and get up to the Militari bus station – as this is the easiest and shortest connection to the National Park. There are several bus connections to Horezu starting from 05.30, till 18.00 daily – if you want to access the NP through Costesti, Barbatesti or Pietreni – and hourly to Ramnicu Valcea and further – if you need to access the NP from Olanesti (also check on www.autogari.ro and ask for recent details, as the timetable may change).
The Park comprises the linear limestone ridge of the Buila-Vânturariţa Massive, 14 km long. It lies from the western corner of the Bistriţa Gorges to the eastern side of the Olăneşti Gorges (Folea), and it is dominated by the two peaks from whom the massive took its name: The Buila Peak (1849 m) and the Vânturariţa Mare Peak (1885 m).
The Massive has the specific characteristics of the karstic relief, with many exokarstic shapes (gorges, limestone slopes, dolines, lapiez fields, swallets, needles, detritus fields, straits) and endokarstic (caves and pitches).
Due to its isolated nature and difficult access, there are many entirely preserved elements of the natural patrimony: natural habitats, virgin forests, numerous protected species of flora and fauna, mineralogical and paleonthological sites and caves.
Elements of extra attractiveness and added value of the Park are the cultural-historical monuments on its territory or in its vicinity: the Monasteries: Arnota, Bistriţa, Horezu, Frăsinei; the Hermitages: Pătrunsa, Pahomie, Iezer, Bradu, Jgheaburi; the churches of the former hermitages 44 Izvoare, Păpuşa, Peri; the small church Ovidenia in the Bats’ Cave, the churches of the nearby villages. Last but not least, there are the traditions, customs and the specific architecture of the villages down the mountain in the Oltenia region.
