About the village
The village of Mara stretches along the Mara Valley at the foot of the Gutâi Mountains, in the commune of Desești. It is the closest mountain village in this part of the destination and a good starting point for hikes and bike rides.
What to do from here
The blue-cross trail to the Rooster's Crest starts in Mara and climbs through the Hopșia Valley and past the Stone Table (Masa de Piatră). Upstream, towards the springs of the river, you reach the Tătarului Gorges — a gorge cut through volcanic rock, protected within the Igniș Natura 2000 site — and the Runcu Dam.
By bike, the Igniș – Mara Trail links Sat Șugatag and Mara via the Iezerul Mare peat bog and the Tătarului Gorges; on the way back you can ride along the old forest railway embankment. The UNESCO wooden church of Desești is a few kilometres away, in the neighbouring village.
