The Carpathian Mountains Region from the Sky

Check out this spectacular DVOW nominated film of Romania's Southern Carpathian Mountains, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot Chris Todd.  Home to some of the highest peaks of the greater Carpathian Mountains system, the Southern Carpathans form the natural boundaries between the country's Transylvania and Wallachia regions.  The video features footage from three distinct Southern Carpathian subchains: the Piatra Craiului Mountains (southwest of Brasov), the Făgăraș Mountains (to their west), and the Bucegi Mountains (to the southeast).

Top contributor HikeTheWorld created this highly cinematic video from the Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia. The great mountain chain forms an arc which begins just east of Vienna, Austria and covers the northern part of Slovakia, serving as the country's natural northern boundary with Poland. Filmed during the winter using both drone and ground camera footage, the video captures the beauty of this alpine region during what some consider to be its most picturesque season. This video was a DVOW nominee in February 2020.

Winter in Romania is a magical time.  The tree-covered Carpathian Mountains which run through much of the country become tufted in white, providing a winter scene that is visually as appealing as any in Europe.  Contributor BearSkillz, whose previous upload garnered the AirVuz Drone Video of the Week award in late 2018, created this marvelous aerial look at this beautiful country taken at the height of its winter splendor.  Enjoy the views of this winter wonderland in Southeastern Europe.

The 'Little Carpathians' are an approximately 100km long section of the Western Carpathian Mountains, covering the northern half of Slovakia and giving the Central European country most of its majestic mountainous landscape.  Over 40% of Slovakia is densely covered by fairytale-like forests, and when covered with a fresh blanket of pure, white snow, the scene is breathtaking.  HikeTheWorld was a Drone Video of the Week nominee for this stunning aerial video of this magical slice of Central Europe.

Top AirVuz contributor roman.malik brings us this stunning wintertime piece from the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia.  Home to the highest peaks in the Carpathian Mountain system, the Tatra's form part of the natural boundary between Slovakia and Poland to the north.  The Tatra range occupies an area of about 800 square km (around 300 square mi.), of which about three-quarters is on Slovakian territory.  Their highest peak, Slovakia's Gerlachovský štít, has an elevation of a bit under 2.7k meters above sea level or about 8.7k ft. 

AirVuz contributor and pilot sojkincz was picked as a Finalist for the Drone Video of the Week for this fantastic wintertime video of the Beskid (Beskydy) mountains of the northern Czech Republic.  The Beskids run for a length of about 600 km (around 360 mi.) through the northern Czech Republic, along the border between Slovakia and Poland, and into Ukraine.  They form part of the great Carpathian range, which also covers much of Romania.  As you will see in the video, the Beskids form a truly iconic winter landscape.   

Check out these magnificent drone views of the mountains of southern Poland, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot JanuszKurek.  The Tatra Mountains represent the natural boundary between Poland and Slovakia.  A subchain of the Carpathian Mountains, the Tatra's are home to some of Poland's finest natural scenery.  The video features footage of the peak known as Mnih (the Monk), Szpiglasowa Przełęcz, Szpiglasowy Wierch, Dolina 5 Stawów Polskich (The Valley of Five Polish Lakes), and Kasprowy Wierch.

The Carpathian Mountains extend across a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe.  About half of the area occupied by the range lies in the northern half of Romania, where the mountains mark the boundaries between Transylvania and Moldavia to the east and Wallachia to the south.  The Brothers M, one of the top drone piloting companies in Romania, give us a bird's eye view of the Romanian Carpathians.  Prepare for your jaw to drop as you take in these aerial views of some of Europe's finest alpine scenery.

In this video, top contributor and drone pilot HikeTheWorld takes us on a winter aerial tour of Mala Fatra National Park in western Slovakia.  Watch it to experience flying over the snow-covered park in the Mala Fatra Mountains, part of the Western Carpathian mountain range.  This is a fairy tale like alpine wonderland which lies just a short distance from the Slovakian capital city of Bratislava.  The park was created in 1988, just a few years before Slovakia separated from what had been Czechoslovakia.

The Carpathian Mountains of Central and Eastern Europe form an arc which juts eastward starting around the Austrian capital city of Vienna.  The portion of the arc where the range turns southward (towards Romania) sits in the southwestern portion of the Ukraine.   The mountains make this one of the most visually distinctive region of this Eastern European country.  This is the area which you'll see in this marvelous aerial video by contributor and drone pilot Antonio Esteban Gonzales, specifically the area from Yasinya to Lake Dogyaska.

Contributor ChrisCross created this stunning drone video of a massive gorge in the Moldavia region of northeastern Romania.  Bicaz Gorge (Cheile Bicazului) was created by the Bicaz River, which flows on a southwards course into the Danube River and thence to a discharge point into the Black Sea.  One of the most popular rock climbing sites in Europe, it is situated near the border with the neighboring region Transylvania to the west.  The great canyon is now part of the Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș National Park.

One of the things which distinguish the Carpathian Mountains from the taller Alps Mountains to their west is the nature of the tree cover.  With their lower altitudes, the eastern range has a much higher mix of deciduous trees (i.e. trees with leaves) vs. coniferous trees.  Among other things, this gives rise to a stunning change of colors in the fall.  Contributor and pilot BearSkillz captured this to beautiful effect in this stunning drone video of the Romanian Carpathians during this magical turn of seasons.

The Iezer-Papusa mountains, part of the Carpathian range, run through central Romania in the area of Brasov in the country's Transylvania region.  The area features some of the most spectacular alpine scenery to be found anywhere on the European continent, comparable in beauty to the Alps despite lower altitudes.  Contributor George Moldovan's insiring drone video of this mountainous district will amaze and delight you.  

Top contributor Lewique created this amazing drone video of the Western Carpathian Mountains in Romania's Transylvania.  This range is one of several Carpathian sub-ranges which surround the Great Transylvania Plateau; the plateau and the mountains surrounding it together have historically defined the region.  This sub-range, with its distinctive looking peaks, extends westward from Romania into Hungary and Slovakia.  It is less continuous than the other ranges which surround Transylvania.

The geography of Romania is largely defined by the Carpathian Mountains.  The great range dominates the landscape of the northern and central parts of the country, defining the boundaries of the region of Transylvania.  The various sub-ranges of the Carpathians in Romania also offer some of Europe's most captivating alpine scenery.  To see what we mean, check out this fantastic drone video of the Romanian Carpathians by top AirVuz contributor and pilot Eaglewood Pictures.  This video won Drone Video of the Week in October 2020.

Top contributor Mattcoq brings us this fantastic drone video from Romania's Transfăgărășan, one of the most famous mountain roads in Europe.  Designated as DN7C, it crosses the Southern Carpathian Mountains.  Its southern end is near the town of Bascov in Argeș County, in the region of Muntenia.  The 90 km (roughly 60 mi.) road runs north between two of the country's tallest peaks, crossing into the region of Transylvania near Sibu.  The Transfăgărășan was constructed in the 1970's on the orders of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.

Prepare to be amazed by this drone video created by top contributor and pilot Frame Hunters Media while climbing one of the highest mountain peaks in Romania.  Mt. Pelegea is the tallest mountain in the Retezat range, which forms part of the Southern Carpathian Mountains which separate Transylvania from the region of Wallachia to its south.  The altitude of the peak is about 2.5k meters above sea level (about 8.2 ft).  It is situated in the southwest part of the country's Transylvania region.

Top AirVuz contributor PureCreations.pl brings us this fantastic drone video from the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland.  Part of the Carpathian Mountains system, the Tatra Mountains serve as the natural boundary between Poland and Slovakia to its south.  The subrange covers about 300 square mi. (just under 800 square km), roughly 25% of which is on the Polish side of the border.  The mountains reach altitudes of up to 8.7k ft. above sea level (around 2.65k m), with the highest peaks on the Polish side about 500 ft. (150 m) lower.  

This video will give you an aerial view of the Carpathian Mountains from a truly new perspective.  It follows a paraglider cruising about a beautiful mountainous section of Romania, which is home to about 50% of the area of the Carpathians range (the mountains also cover parts of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine).  The video, by top AirVuz contributor and drone pilot contributor George Moldovan, follows the paraglider against the backdrop of the mountains, and mixes in a few shots taken from the paraglider itself.  

Former Drone Video of the Week winner PureCreations.pl brings us this fantastic drone video from the mountains of southern Poland.  The video was shot on a hauntingly foggy day over the Bieszczady Mountains, which cover a portion of the southeastern part of the country as well as adjacent areas of Slovakia and Ukraine.  These mountains form part of the Outer Eastern Carpathians.  The highest peak of the Bieszczady Mountains on the Polish side is Mt. Tarnica, which has a peak elevation of 1.35k meters above sea level (just over 4.4k ft.).  

Frame Hunters Media created this spectacular drone video of the Bucegi Mountains in central Romania.  They are part of the Southern Carpathians, which form the dividing line between Wallachia (the core of modern Romania) and the region of Transylvania to its north.  The highest peak of the Bucegi's, Mt. Omu, is one of the tallest in Romania with an elevation of 2.5k meters above sea level (about 8.3k ft).  The Bucegi's are known in part for their spectacular rock formations, caused by extensive wind and rain erosion.

The Romanian region of Transylvania is mostly defined by the mountains which surround it and in effect constitute its physical boundaries.  All of the mountains are part of the Carpathian range, the great chain of mountains which runs across much of Romania.  The northern boundaries of Transylvania are defined by the Rodna Mountains in the in the Maramureș region.  Content creator and pilot Alin Constantin used a DJI Mavic Pro drone to create an aerial view of this magnificent alpine region.   

Explore these magnificent aerial views of the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, compliments of former Drone Video of the Week Winner smakozawr.  Shot in the wintertime with a DJI Inspire 2 drone as well as a DJI Mavic Pro 2, the video features footage of Synevyr, the largest lake in the region, and Vorokhta, a town on the Prut River.  The Carpathian Mountains cover portions of four oblasts (provinces) in the western part of Ukraine: the Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi Oblasts.

The southwestern corner of the Ukraine presents a radically different landscape from most of the rest of the country.  Here the Carpathian Mountains swing from an east-west axis to a north-south orientation, in the process covering three of the country's oblasts (provinces) with its gentle peaks.  The heart of this area is Bukovel, which features some of the country's most spectacular scenery as well as its busiest ski resort.  Check it out from this beautiful drone video, taken during the golden Autumn.  

Southern Poland is mountainous, covered by a series of different ranges. Towards the eastern end is the Pieniny range, a sub-chain of the Carpathian Mountains.  In this region, you'll find a land of green rolling mountains, the magnificent Dunajec River,  and medieval landmarks like Niedzica Castle which overlooks Czorsztyn Lake.  Contributor Droneujemy used a DJI drone to create an amazing aerial tour of this spectacular region, which contrasts sharply with the plains of central and northern Poland.

In this excellent drone video by AirVuz contributor Cristian Bunda, you'll take an aerial tour of some of the most prominent mountain ranges of Romania.  The ranges, all of which are part of the greater Carpathian Mountain system, appear in the following order: Siriu Mountains, due north of Bucharest; the Postăvarul Massif, at the southern end of the Eastern Carpathians; the Piatra Mare Mountains, just southeast of Brasov; and the Bucegi Mountains, due south of Brasov, which are part of the Southern Carpathians.  

While most of Ukraine is flat, its southwestern corner of this large Eastern European country is covered in medium-sized mountains.   Here can be found the country's tallest mountain: Mt. Hoverla, which stands 2,060 meters (almost 6.8k ft.) above sea level.  Hoverla is part of the Beskids Mountains, a subrange of the great Carpathian chain which extends across portions of central, eastern, and southeastern Europe.  In this video, you'll get a bird's eye view of Mt. Hoverla, compliments of contributor Nebomriy.

Former DVOW Winner andrii_lutsyk brings us this spectacular drone video from the mountains of Ukraine.  He filmed himself on a multi-day solo hike into the Carpathian Mountains, which cover a portion of western Ukraine.  Covering parts of four oblasts (provinces), Carpathian Ukraine is home to the country's highest peak: Mt. Hoverla, which has a summit elevation of junst under 6.8k ft. above sea level or around 2.05k m.  The Ukrainian Carpathians are part of two distinct (but related) ranges the Inner and Outer Eastern Carpathians.   

Check out this excellent drone video of a spot in the Carpathian Mountains known as the Ukrainian Stonehenge. It's called the Dovbush Rocks, and it's located near the town of Bolekhiv in southwestern Ukraine.  The hand-carved rocks are thought to have been used as a pagan sanctuary during the period of the first millennium BC when the area was inhabited by Celtic tribes.  The rocks are surrounded by natural boulders which have not been altered.  The area is part of the Polyanytskiy Regional Landscape Park.

Contributor Catachuppy used a DJI Phantom drone to create this stunning aerial video of the mountains of northeastern Romania.  The video was shot in the Ceahlău Massif, part of the Eastern Carpathian Mountains in the Moldavia region of Romania.  While these peaks are not the tallest in Romania (which are located in the Southern Carpathian range), they are amongst the most well known, in part for their stunning rock formations.  The area is home to some of the most popular rock climbing spots in Romania.  

Regec Castle lies in the northeastern corner of Hungary, not far from the country's border with Slovakia.  It lies within the Zemplén Mountains, part of the Carpathians.  The castle is believed to have been constructed in the 13th century, and in its time it was an important fortification center in northeastern Hungary.  The castle was demolished in the late 17th century.  Using a drone of unidentified model, contributor Miklos created a beautiful aerial view of one of the country's great landmarks.

The core of the Romania's Transylvania region is the Transylvanian Plateau, which is more or less surrounded by various groupings or divisions of the Carpathian Mountains.  The mountains produce the other principal feature of Transylania, a series of rivers which ultimately drain into the Danube River (Europe's second longest waterway) and thence to the Black Sea.  Top contributor PaulVlad's created this excellent aerial video of this land, showing its connection to these great mountains and rivers.  

Take in these magnificent drone views of the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia, compliments of top AirVuz contributor and pilot roman.malik.  The Tatra's occupy a portion of northern Slovakia and a somewhat smaller part of neighboring Poland, acting as the border between the two.  The range is split between the High Tatras, along Polish-Slovak border, the Low Tatras a bit to the south.  Both are part of the great Carpathian Mountain range which forms a great arc running through Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.