Tailormade Romania

A wetland larger than the Coto Doñana and Camargue combined, the vast delta of the mighty Danube River is disturbed only by the huge numbers of birds that live there. Corridors of willow and poplar stand tall, edging huge reedbeds, countless shallow lakes and a maze of freshwater channels. Sandy islands dot the delta, the larger of which support patches of forest – and the occasional small fishing village – whilst to the south the wetlands give way to the rolling steppes of Dobrogea and the large saline lagoons that edge the Black Sea.  

An incredible abundance of birds breed in the Danube Delta each summer including over 4,000 pairs of Cormorants and 3,000 pairs of Night Herons. A large percentage of the European population of Great Egrets, Pygmy Cormorants, and Dalmatian and White Pelicans nest here too, alongside good numbers of grebes, ducks, terns, geese and five or more pairs of White-tailed Eagles; birdwatchers will be in their element! As the days shorten and the weather cools, many of the summer migrants are replaced by an equally spectacular number and variety of wintering birds. Tens of thousands of Russian White-fronted Geese and ‘Eastern’ Greylag Geese arrive, taking advantage of rich foraging in the wheat fields and marshes around the delta’s edge. Within these large gatherings of geese, flocks of the beautiful, delicate and increasingly rare Red-breasted Goose can be found. The geese, however, are only one facet of the winter season, and the supporting cast of raptors, waders, woodpeckers and other species is also sure to delight. 

Stretching for 225 kilometres along Romania’s eastern border, the steppe, marshes, woodland and lakes that line the Black Sea – immediately south of the Danube Delta – are home to an exciting and diverse array of flora and fauna. The salt marshes on the edge of Lake Sinoie are a wonderful location to witness large flocks of migrating waders feeding alongside breeding  Collared Pratincoles and Kentish Plovers in the spring and summer months. The reedbeds here offer refuge to breeding Paddyfield Warblers at the western extremity of their range, whilst inland the nearby woodlands and steppe are home to Sombre Tit, Ortolan Bunting and Isabelline Wheatear, together with an outstanding variety of butterflies and wildflowers. This is also an excellent area for raptors, with the possibility of Booted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Egyptian Vulture, Levant Sparrowhawk and the impressive Eastern Imperial Eagles.

Spanning a distance of 1,500 kilometres, over half of the breathtaking Carpathian Mountain range is located within Romania. Here, the terrain is impressively rugged and alpine in nature with high, rocky peaks rising above dense forests of spruce, pine and Beech, cut by untamed rivers and home to such delights as European Brown Bear, Wolves and Eurasian Lynx. More recently, European Bison, have been in reintroduced here as part of an exciting rewilding initiative. Birds, too, are well represented, with Three-toed Woodpecker, Nutcrackers and alpine passerines such as Wallcreepers amongst some of the many highlights. Beyond the treeline, lush alpine meadows host a wealth of flowering plants, many of which are endemic, over which a colouful variety of butterflies flit. The Carpathian range is also home to approximately 8,000 European Brown Bears; the second largest population in Europe, and there are some excellent hides across Romania where these most impressive creatures can be seen and photographed. Wolf tracking, too, regularly features as a highlight of a wildlife tour to the Carpathians. Where development is limited and habitats are plentiful, Wolves thrive, and these most elusive of predators can sometimes be seen descending from the forests at night, accompanied by their eerie calls.