Romania's Butterflies

Romania is now well established as one of Europe’s top birdwatching destinations and ‘birders’ flock there annually to enjoy the abundant avifauna of the beautiful Danube Delta and rugged Carpathian Mountains. Less well known, however, are Romania’s other natural treasures, in particular its butterflies. This fascinating country, sitting on Europe's eastern border, is home to over 210 species of butterfly, nearly four times the number we have here in the UK. Traditional low-intensity farming, coupled with Romania’s hot dry summers and varied habitats – ranging from soaring mountain peaks to flat treeless steppe – combine to create the ideal conditions for butterflies to flourish. This new tour focuses on these colourful sprites and during our week here we hope to see around half of the country’s species, from the diminutive Eastern Short-tailed Blue to the impressive Freyer’s Purple Emperor.

Our holiday begins with three nights in the Carpathian Mountains, the dramatic arc of pine-clad hills and high peaks that sweeps through the centre of the country. Here we will explore the Piatra Craiului and Bucegi National Parks in search of butterflies, amongst them Weaver's and Nickerl’s Fritillaries, Fanton's Wood White and Hungarian Glider. There will also be the opportunity to watch for European Brown Bears and to look for a variety of birds and other wildlife. Moving on, we descend from the mountains for a 4-night stay near the town of Tulcea, situated at the very edge of the beautiful Danube Delta and the rolling, woodland-dotted, steppe of Dobrogea. This is probably the richest area in Romania for butterflies and, as we explore the Macin Mountains, Babadag Plateau and other key sites, we will be on the lookout for Lesser Fiery Copper, Chapman's Blue, Niobe Fritillary, Lattice Brown and Great Banded Grayling amongst many others. The birdlife here is also superb and amongst the species we most hope to see will be Eastern Imperial Eagle, Levant Sparrowhawk and Isabelline Wheatear. No wildlife tour of the region would be complete, however, without a day on the water exploring the stunning Danube Delta; so we will end our holiday amongst the willow-lined channels and vast reedbeds of this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve before heading back to Bucharest to catch our flight home.