All activities / Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting / Buzau Valley
Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting in Buzau Valley
The Carpathian valley whose dam-released water keeps Class 3 rafting running nearly all season, with the wilder Jiu gorge as the graduation.
Why here
The Buzau is Romania's dependable river: hydropower releases keep Class 3 water running from March into November, an unusually long season, eighty kilometers from Brasov, with an IRF-accredited base that has run a zero-accident record since 2004. The graduation is the Jiu Defile, Romania's wildest run, Class 3-4 through a national-park gorge with thirty-meter walls, guided in nine-to-thirteen-kilometer pushes. Together they make Romania's paddling case: reliable teaching water and a genuine test piece, both at Carpathian prices.
Best months
March to November on the Buzau thanks to dam releases; the Jiu runs March to October. Class 3 needs only swimming ability and nerve; the Jiu wants prior paddling. Wetsuits and gear come with every trip.
Getting there & around
The Buzau base at Nehoiu sits under two hours from Brasov; the Jiu gorge is a separate day in the southwest Carpathians. Day trips with gear included are the standard format.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Mares Outdoor Events
OutfitterIRF-accredited rafting base on the Buzau with a zero-accident record since 2004 and a dam-release season running spring to late autumn.
Outdoor Experience
OutfitterRuns the Jiu Defile's Class 3-4 gorge sections in guided nine-to-thirteen-kilometer trips.