DIYogi + Via Transilvanica

A partnership for change

Here at DIYogi, we're always passionate about doing all we can to make the world a little happier place, by partnering with initiatives and organisations we believe share that passion for doing good.

That's why we've partnered with a fantastic organisation called Tasuleasa Social, an NGO involved in organising and implementing educational and environmental projects in Romania. For each mat sold, DIYogi donates 3% of profits to Via Transilvanica and Tasuleasa Social.

Tasuleasa Social have carried out acts of kindness for over 20 years, each project representing their desire to open new perspectives on developing local communities and helping preserve the environment. They run reforestation projects as well as train children and young people on how to preserve nature.

Their most amazing project yet is Via Transilvanica, an 870 miles (1400 km) footpath across Romania, opening the way to those who want to authentically experience what will be the longest nature trail in the region and the cultural diversity along its route. Via Transilvanica itself is almost finished, with the organisation now aiming for 100% completion as well as needing funds to maintain it going forward.

The road can be travelled by foot, by bicycle or on horseback. Breathtakingly beautiful, it crosses mountains, rivers, hills, links all of Romania’s ethnic communities (Romanian, Saxons, Hungarian, Roma) and provides an amazing resource for developing remote villages and areas through tourism.

The route can be traveled either for several weeks, or partially in a few days, depending on the travelers' stamina and desire. Via Transilvanica’s infrastructure will provide information regarding accommodation and meals, as well as historical and cultural information about different geographical areas it passes and what to expect when you travel through each of them.

Via Transilvanica is marked with specific identification elements, made of sustainable materials which allow people to navigate along the way, and will seek to represent the most accurate information about the difficulty of the route.

The path is inspired by Spain’s paths of pilgrimage and long-distance trails in the United States and India, which influence cultures, form communities and contribute to the development of the areas they traverse.

But there's more to it than breathtaking views and adventure holidays. This trail is a road less travelled that brings people closer to nature and themselves.

Walking or cycling on it for days in a row will get you to learn and understand more about yourself and your limits than any workout, retreat or hours on a yoga mat will ever teach you. And it's definitely something you need to experience at least once.

Many villages and communities in the areas surrounding Via Transilvanica, though extremely beautiful and authentic, were previously very isolated, with poor access to proper financing, infrastructure for tourism and the proper tools for local development. So the best part about this project? This one trail bringing a constant flow of tourists every year is the one chance for the local communities living around it to finally get a chance, flourish and show their beauty to the world.

Via Transilvanica is a pathway that helps people travelling on it as well as people living around it in a way that also preserves nature and raises awareness on the need to protect our environment and cultural diversity.

To celebrate such an amazing partnership with such a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to change, for each mat sold, DIYogi will be donating 3% of profits to Via Transilvanica and Tasuleasa Social.

We couldn't be happier about DIYogi playing a small part in this incredible initiative linking communities, cultures and destinations across the region!