Full-Day Hiking Trip to Tipova Cave Monastery and Lalova Village
Description
Located on the banks of the Dniester River, Tipova Monastery stands out as a remarkable rock-hewn monastic complex, arguably the most impressive in Moldova and one of the largest in Europe. With multiple levels spread over a generous area, this monastery once housed over 700 monks in its hermitages, and today, there are hundreds of monk cells in the surrounding area. The origin of the monastic community dates back long before the establishment of the Moldovan feudal state. It is said that some cells were carved into the rocks along the banks of the Dniester as early as the 10th-12th centuries, serving as protection against barbarian invasions. The landscape in this area is simply stunning: the tranquil waters of the Dniester, steep cliffs concealing hundreds of cells and caves, the beauty of nature, and waterfalls. After exploring Tipova reservation we will continue our tour in a very picturesque village - Lalova, where wwe will take a lunch in a nice guesthouse - Hanul lui Hanganu.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our accredited guide will meet you at the hotel/apartment and will accompany you up to Tipova Monastery, one of the most beautiful in Moldova. In 1828, on the hill, above the cave complexes, the church arised, which became a monastery again in 1919. Until then, the territory was under the administration of the Saharna monastery. In 1990, with the support of the Union of Journalists from Moldova, the restoration of the monastery began. In 1994 the monastery was re-established.
Will hike little bit to the rocky monastery, that is located above the Dniester and comprises three rock-hewn monastery complexes. The first ensemble consists of several cells and a church dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, dating back to the 11th-12th centuries. The Church of St. Nicholas was the center of the second monastery complex, founded in the 14th century. The largest cluster of cells is around the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, dating from the 16th-18th centuries. In the early 19th century, this latter complex still functioned as a skete, and in 1842, it was disbanded.
The Hanul lui Hanganu Guesthouse is a perfect choice for organizing a lunch in the afternoon. The guesthouse offers a choice of 28 rooms, two Basque-style rooms, and a hayloft. All in a rustic appearance with archaic elements and traditional-style decor. A picturesque place in the heart of nature with exceptional panoramic views. The guesthouse is a beautiful choice for celebrating calendar holidays. Traditions and customs, traditional dishes, songs, dance, and good cheer.
Transportation from Chisinau to Tipova will take about 90 minutes.
Transportation from Lalova village back to Chisinau will take about 90 minutes.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We can pick you up where tourists will stay: hotel, motel, hostel, apartment. We will just need to know the exact address in Chisinau and we can pick up directly from there.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(8)
This was an interesting and beautiful tour. Our guide was personable and worked to tailor our experience to our interests. All in all an enjoyable day spent in the Moldovan countryside at a site less frequented by foreign tourists.
If you have some time after seeing the must-see sights of Moldova, this visit is worthwhile. It offers a different perspective of the country, especially since our guide was fantastic.
A solid winter hike with Nicolai, scenic chilled and great conversations along the way. Highly recommend!
The driver and tour guide Mr Corneliu picked me up at the hotel on time. From then on we started north with various stops and sightseeing until we stopped at lunch by the river. In the afternoon, the Tipova Cave Monastery was in order, followed by a very interesting hike. The trip was perfect and I can recommend it to anyone
Wir freuen uns, dass Ihnen die Tour mit unserem Reiseleiter, die Sie zu Tipova und Lalova führte und eine aktive Wandertour beinhaltete, gefallen hat. Wir würden uns freuen, Sie jederzeit wieder in Moldawien begrüßen zu dürfen.
Very good off-the-beaten-path tour. Unique experience to visit and tour the monastery built into the cliff wall. Definitely have the lady at the monastery give a tour if offered, she brought the place to life. If you’ve got an extra day while visiting Chisinau, recommend this tour for an added experience.
Dear Michael, We appreciate your review and are glad the experience in Tipova Reservation met your travel expectations.
I had a terrific tour with Moldova Tours and my guide Nicolai. Nicolai picked me up from my apartment in Chisinau, we made a short stop in the interesting town of Orhei along the drive to Tipova, we walked to the cliff monastery ruins overlooking the Dniester River, hiked to a lookout point and the Old Mill Waterfall (2:45 round trip), enjoyed a delicious meal at Hanul lui Hanganu guesthouse in Lalova, and then drove back to Chisinau. Nicolai offered many interesting insights into the history and current events of Moldova and was a great guide and travelling partner and we had many interesting conversations. Communication with the agency was clear and helpful. I'm very happy to have booked this rural tour, which nicely complimented a day and a half in Chisinau.
Thank you! We’re glad our guide Nicolai made your experience special, discovering the beauties of Tipova reservation.
Slava, our guide, was very good. He knew a lot of interesting things about the place and the country in general. The trip was well organised and we enjoyed everything. We would recommend this tour to others.
I had a lovely time visiting the cave monasteries. It was such a unique adventure with beautiful views. I enjoyed the hike to the waterfall. I also loved lunch in the little village. Great experience and my guide was very friendly and knowledge. Highly recommended!
