Southern Carpathians

The Parâng Mountains rise in the western Southern Carpathians, between the Jiu valley and the valleys of the Olteț and Lotru. Their high ridges culminate in Parângu Mare, while glacial cirques and lakes lie below the summits. Forests clothe the lower slopes, giving way to alpine pastures and bare rock higher up. The steep mountains form a formidable barrier between the valleys of Transylvania and the hills of Oltenia.