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"People refer to this location a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," states a tour guide, his exhalation forming wisps of mist in the chilly night air. "So many individuals have disappeared here, many believe there's a gateway to another dimension." This expert is leading a guest on a evening stroll through what is often described as the world's most haunted forest: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of old-growth indigenous forest on the fringes of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Reports of bizarre occurrences here date back hundreds of years – the forest is called after a area shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, together with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu gained global recognition in 1968, when a defense worker known as Emil Barnea photographed what he reported as a UFO hovering above a circular clearing in the middle of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and failed to return. But no need to fear," he adds, addressing the traveler with a grin. "Our guided walks have a 100% return rate."

In the years that followed, Hoia-Baciu has brought in yoga practitioners, spiritual healers, extraterrestrial investigators and ghost hunters from around the globe, curious to experience the strange energies believed to resonate through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

It may be a top global pilgrimage sites for supernatural fans, the grove is facing danger. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of a population exceeding 400,000, described as the innovation center of the region – are encroaching, and developers are advocating for permission to cut down the woods to build apartment blocks.

Except for a limited section containing regionally uncommon oak varieties, the forest is without conservation status, but Marius believes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a local conservation effort – will assist in altering this, motivating the government officials to recognise the forest's importance as a travel hotspot.

Spooky Experiences

When small sticks and seasonal debris snap and crunch beneath their shoes, the guide describes some of the traditional stories and alleged supernatural events here.

• One famous story recounts a little girl going missing during a family outing, then to rematerialise after five years with no memory of the events, without aging a day, her attire without the smallest trace of soil.
• More common reports describe mobile phones and camera equipment mysteriously turning off on stepping into the forest.
• Feelings include complete terror to feelings of joy.
• Some people state seeing bizarre skin irritations on their skin, detecting ghostly voices through the forest, or sense hands grabbing them, although sure they are alone.

Study Attempts

Despite several of the stories may be hard to prove, there is much visibly present that is definitely bizarre. Everywhere you look are trees whose stems are curved and contorted into unusual forms.

Multiple explanations have been suggested to account for the misshapen plants: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or naturally high radioactivity in the earth explain their crooked growth.

But research studies have turned up no satisfactory evidence.

The Notorious Meadow

The expert's walks allow visitors to engage in a small-scale research of their own. Upon reaching the clearing in the trees where Barnea photographed his renowned UFO images, he hands his guest an ghost-hunting device which detects energy patterns.

"We're stepping into the most energetic section of the forest," he states. "See what you can find."

The vegetation suddenly stop dead as the group enters into a complete ring. The sole vegetation is the trimmed turf beneath their shoes; it's obvious that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this bizarre meadow is natural, not the work of landscaping.

Between Reality and Imagination

This part of Romania is a location which inspires creativity, where the line is unclear between fact and folklore. In rural Romanian communities superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, appearance-altering bloodsuckers, who emerge from tombs to frighten nearby villages.

Bram Stoker's renowned character Dracula is always connected with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – an ancient structure situated on a cliff edge in the Carpathian Mountains – is heavily promoted as "the vampire's home".

But even legend-filled Transylvania – actually, "the place beyond the forest" – appears real and understandable compared to the haunted grove, which appear to be, for reasons radioactive, atmospheric or simply folkloric, a center for fantasy projection.

"In Hoia-Baciu," Marius says, "the line between reality and imagination is remarkably blurred."