Containing more than 60 peaks over 7,500 feet and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians and include Romania’s first national park. Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area covering more than 275 sq mi., including 4.500 square acres in a strictly protected scientific reserve area called “Gemenele”. The area shelters one of Europe’s last remaining, unaffected natural primary forest and the largest single area of pristine mixed forest. Wolves, brown bear, wild boar, lynx, wildcat, chamois, roe and red deer, as well as small carnivore species such as badger and otter populate the area. In 1979 the Man and Biosphere Program of UNESCO included the park in the international network of biosphere reserves.