Best Things to See in the Bucegi Mountains – the Old Ladies and the Sphinx

Yes, you read correctly. The Old Ladies and the Sphinx! Yes, in Romania. At  2292 meters altitude, in fact.

Legends abound regarding how these rock formations came to be. They look like they just sprouted from the otherwise flat plateau. They are natural monuments, a witness to erosion, and maybe to human intervention. Yet, no one knows for sure. They have stood tall just as they do today for as far as anyone can remember.

Babele or the Old Ladies is the name given to a group of these rocks. Perhaps from a certain angle they look like old ladies hunched over. Or perhaps their name is a testament to the fact that they are ancient. And timeless. Then there’s the so-called Sphinx. Not identical to the Egyptian monument, but it’s not difficult to see why it has received this imposing title.

You can find these fascinating rock formations at the top of the Bucegi Mountains – part of the famous Carpathian Range which offers many attractions, such as the famous Transfagarasan Highway. The Bucegi are the closest mountains to Bucharest and they make for a great day trip if you are looking for things to do around Bucharest. You can reach the plateau by foot, by car or by cable car, most easily from Busteni Town, but also from Sinaia where you might be visiting the Peles Castle. Nearby there is also the Babele Cabin for overnight stays. And the view of the Prahova Valley from the Heroes’ Cross – stunning!