etezat can best be accessed from the North. The trail will lead you right up to the chalet Pietrele (``The Rocks"). After that, a strenuous hike reaches the great lake at Bucura. This is the true center of the massif and a favorite camp site. Around this vast caldera, one sees the whole beauty of these mountains - on one side, there is the highest local peak (Peleaga - 2509 meters), while on the other side lies the perfect cone of the Retezat peak. All around, hundreds of small ponds scattered among fields of huge boulders reflect the summer sky.

tarting at the lake, one can reach all the important attractions of these mountains in one-day hikes. A trip to the East, past the Peleaga peak, will take you toward the magnificent pond at Galesu (``The luring one") and the sharp, spectacular passage at Portile Inchise ( ``The Closed Gates"). On the other side of the huge valley, you can enter the National Park, with its untamed wilderness. This trip will require a special pass, but the hike is definitely worth it, as you can take a peek at the wildlife - among others, the rare mountain goat or chamois  as well as unique species of mountain flowers.