Bird-watching and Bear-watching Tour in Romania

 Transfer from Bucharest Airport to Zarnesti (2.5 – 3 h). Welcome dinner to Local Guesthouse 4*.

After breakfast we’ll visit the Gorges of Zarnesti in the Kingstone Mts. National Park. Then, we’ll go on a Shepard track in the forest of the National Park and we’ll have the chance to see a traditional sheep shelter. Good day for large carnivores tracking and old Spruce, Fir and Beech woods. Bear tracks, deer tracks are almost always seen. Here possible birds are: Wall Creeper, Tree Creeper, Alpine Swift, Crag Martin, Serine, Crossbills, Black Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Honey Buzzard etc. Dinner and accommodation at the same local Guesthouse 3* in Zarnesti.

  In the morning we will make an easy walk on the edge of the forest to an ancient Christian site, Coltul Chiliilor. After a packed lunch we will do more walking on nice forest meadows in the same area. This area represents a good spot for spotting: Ural Owl, Nut Cracker Three Toad Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a large amount of passerines. In the evening we will go to the bear hide located in the forest where we will have the chance to watch the bears from the shelter of a small hut. Dinner and accommodation at the same guesthouse in Zarnesti.

 After breakfast we will leave the mountains and head for the lower lands – Dobrogea and Danube Delta. In the evening will have dinner and will be accommodated on a floating hotel 4 *, in Tulcea, the gate of Danube Delta.

   During days 5, 6 and 7 we’ll explore Danube Delta with its narrow channels and lakes, bird colonies, reed beds and large willow forests. You will have the chance to see colonies of White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican and Cormorants, also many Locustella and Acrocephalus warblers (Savi’s, Sedge, Paddyfield, Moustached, Marsh, Reed, Great Reed), egrets, herons, Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers and Greenshanks, Kingfishers, Penduline Tits and other reed bed species (including Little Bittern). Raptors will include frequent sightings of Marsh Harriers whilst the Red-footed Falcons will be seen in small groups hunting insects. The White-tailed Eagles are very quiet in the summer, but there is always a chance of locating one of the ten breeding pairs. In one of these days we’ll travel by boat to Letea Forest, a strictly protected area of Balkan oaks wood on maritime sand dunes. Good day for mammals, lizards and birds. Flora is also amazing, with many endemic species of trees and bloomed plants. We will also visit a few traditional villages from the Delta, like Letea village.

Exploring Danube Delta channels and lakes for birdwatching.

Exploring Danube Delta with the floating hotel.

 Exploring Dobrogea region, the route: Parches, Macin Mountains National Park, will be done by car. The picnic lunch will be on package in the heart of nature. In the morning we will leave Tulcea and after a drive of thirty minutes we will arrive in Parches where we will have a great view over the Delta. We can expect bird migration depending on weather. Birds like Long legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle and Marsh Harrier can be seen. Afterwards we will concentrate on Macin Mountains where there are some interesting species like Long-legged Buzzard, Isabelline Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting, Hoopoe, etc. Also the scenery here is wonderful, these mountains being the oldest in Europe. Dinner and accommodation at a guesthouse/hotel 3*.

 After breakfast we shall travel southwards, passing through small villages. On our way we will make a stop to Babadag Forest where several species of woodpeckers, Hawfinches and raptors such as Honey Buzzard, Imperial Eagle are commonly seen and also there are many rare plants to be seen. The Sinoe – Razelm lake complex lies to the south of the Danube Delta. An extensive sand spit has isolated the area from the Black Sea and has left behind a series of shallow, brackish lakes, which are extremely rich in birds. Our main stop – for lunch – will be at Histria, where there is a large salt marsh containing scattered pools. Herons and ducks can be seen in large numbers, Acrocephalus warblers can be seen quite well here, other birds possible are, Balkan yellow wagtail, some waders etc.  This is also the main feeding area for the small delta population of Dalmatian Pelicans. We will have time to walk across the marsh to the ancient Greek-Roman port of Histria; a variety of wild flowers should also be seen. During this day we will have the opportunity to see also the Black sea Coast. Dinner and accommodation at a guesthouse/hotel 3*.

Leaving early in the morning, we will make the transfer from Tulcea to Bucharest (4 – 4.5 hours drive with coffee stop).