Bears & Birds Photo Tour in Transylvania, 4d/3n, 2027 SHARED
Four days in the Carpathian forests of Transylvania: brown bears photographed from a professional hide, at eye level, and forest birds from a bird hide. A photographer guide and at most 6 photographers.
Duration
4 days / 3 nights
Tour type
Shared, up to 6 photographers
Photography
Bear hide and bird hide
Meals
Half board, optional lunch
Guiding
Photographer guide, in English
Season
Late June, September
The tour in short
A few days in bear country
Romania has the largest population of brown bears in Europe outside Russia, and the forested hills of Transylvania are their home. On this tour you sit quietly in a hide and let the bears come to you.
We pick you up in Bucharest and drive you to bear country, for three nights at a guesthouse in the hills. The rhythm of the days is simple. In the morning you photograph forest birds from a bird hide, close up and in soft light. In the afternoon you move to the bear hide and stay there into the evening, when the bears come out of the forest.
On day 4 we drive you back to Bucharest. If you continue with one of our tours in the Danube Delta, we can drive you to Tulcea instead.
The animal comes first, always. You photograph wild bears, free to come and go, never animals kept for photographers. A good photograph is one taken without the subject noticing us. The bear hide is a special place, made for the bears’ sake, as you can read below.
Included in the price
What you photograph
Days 2 and 3 · afternoon and evening
Brown bears
Two sessions in a professional bear hide, at eye level with the bears, in the warm light of the afternoon and the evening.
Days 2 and 3 · morning
Forest birds
Two sessions in a bird hide in the forest, built for close range images of woodland songbirds, with good light and clean backgrounds.
Tell us when you book
Your target species
Is there a forest bird you really want? Tell us in your booking request, and where possible we plan the bird hide sessions around it.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1 Bucharest to Transylvania
- Morning Pick up at Bucharest airport or at a meeting point with parking in the city centre, at 11:00 at the latest.
- Day We drive you to Transylvania, to bear country, in about 5 to 6 hours. Check in at the guesthouse.
- Evening Dinner at the guesthouse and a short briefing on the days ahead.
Meals today: dinner
Days 2 and 3 Bird hide and bear hide
- Morning Breakfast, then a session in the bird hide in the forest.
- Midday Rest, image review and optional lunch.
- Afternoon Into the bear hide, with our local partner, for the brown bears, until the evening.
- Evening Dinner at the guesthouse.
Meals today: breakfast, dinner
Day 4 Back to Bucharest, or on to Tulcea
- 8:30 Breakfast and check out.
- 9:30 We drive you to Bucharest, to the airport or the city centre. If you continue with a tour in the Danube Delta, we drive you to Tulcea instead.
- About 14:30 Arrival in Bucharest, at the airport or in the city centre. End of the tour.
Meals today: breakfast
Wild bears keep their own schedule. They usually come to the hide in the afternoon and the evening, but no sighting can be promised. Lunch is optional: count on 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash.
Shared photo tour · 2027
from
€1,300
per person
3 nights with half board in a double room, two bear hide and two bird hide sessions with a photographer guide, and all transfers from Bucharest and back.
- Single room + €120
- Deposit to book 20%
Practical
- StartDay 1, by 11:00, in Bucharest
- EndDay 4, about 14:30, in Bucharest
- Stay3 nights at a guesthouse in Transylvania
- Group2 to 6 photographers
- Minimum age18 years
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- A wildlife photographer guide, speaking English, for the whole tour
- 3 nights at a 3 star guesthouse, with en suite bathroom, in a double room
- Half board: dinner on day 1, breakfast and dinner on days 2 and 3, breakfast on day 4
- Two afternoon and evening sessions in the bear hide
- Two morning sessions in the bird hide
- All transfers by car, from Bucharest to Transylvania and back to Bucharest, or on to Tulcea
The price does not include
- Optional lunches. Count on 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash
- Drinks, other than water
- Single room supplement: €120 per person, for the whole tour
- Insurance of any kind (travel, camera equipment and so on)
Photo gallery
Images from the hides in Transylvania
Shared departures
2027 dates and prices
€1,300 per person in a double room, single room + €120, in euro, VAT included.
Available dates
Choose your start date in the table below and click Book now. In the booking request form, tell us if you need a single room, where we pick you up (at the airport or in the city centre), whether you go back to Bucharest or on to Tulcea, and which forest birds you most want to photograph. We will get back to you to confirm and to send you the next steps.
Period | Places | Price |
|---|---|---|
21 Jun - 24 Jun | 1300 | |
9 Sep - 12 Sep | 1300 |
How to book
- Send a booking request. Choose your start date in the table, add the number of guests and fill in the form. We usually answer in less than 24 hours. Please check your spam folder too.
- We confirm and send you the payment link.
- Your booking is confirmed when you pay the 20% deposit, online, through the payment link. Until then, no places are held for you.
- Pay the balance on day 1, in cash or by payment link (EUR).
A request is not a booking. Please pay within 3 days of our email. If we do not receive the 20% deposit by then, the request expires and the places go to other guests. If you decide later, write to us first to check that there is still room. Do not pay an old payment link without asking us: if the places are taken, we can only refund you.
Bookings are taken only through the form or by email. The phone is for information only.
Cancellation policy
- More than 90 days before the tour, you can postpone your trip. You receive a voucher valid for 2 years.
- Less than 90 days before the tour, the deposit is not refundable.
- The balance is paid on day 1, at pick up, in cash or by payment link, in RON or EUR.
Children
- The minimum age for this tour is 18 years.
Packing list
Bring with you
Camera gear
- A telephoto lens of at least 300 mm for the forest birds
- A shorter zoom, such as a 70 to 200 mm, for the bears when they come close to the hide
- A fast lens or a camera that works well at high ISO, for the evening light in the forest
- Plenty of memory cards and spare batteries, and your charger
- A tripod or a bean bag for the hides, if you use them
- A camera with a silent shutter mode, if you have one
Clothing and comfort
- Clothes in natural, muted colours. Avoid red, white, yellow and bright blue
- A warm layer: evenings in the hide and mornings in the hills can be cool, even in June
- A rain jacket and comfortable shoes for the short walks to the hides
- Insect repellent
- Water and a few quiet snacks for the hide sessions, in wrappers that do not rustle
In the hide, silence is everything. The sessions are long and the bears hear and smell more than you think. We do not offer any warranty or insurance for your photographic equipment.
Before you book
Is this tour for you?
A photo tour, not a workshop
The days are about images: long hours in a hide, waiting quietly for the animals. There are no lessons, but your guide gladly answers your questions.
On the road
Days 1 and 4 include long drives between Bucharest and Transylvania. You photograph with other guests, in the same car and the same hides, at the same hours: at least 2 photographers for a departure, never more than 6.
More time?
Add the pelicans and herons of the Danube Delta with our 8 day photo tour, or the Bee-eaters and Rollers of Dobrogea too with our 10 day photo tour.
Meet our guides
Experts in the wild
Our photo guides are professional wildlife photographers and experienced naturalists. They read the light, know how the birds behave and position the boat for the light, the background and the angle, without disturbing the subject.
Wildlife photographers
They photograph here all year and know where and when the light and the birds come together.
Local
They live and work in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea, and are in the field in every season.
The bird comes first
No chasing, no flushing, no stress for a picture or a tick on the list.
Our commitment to conservation
We let wildlife stay wild
Great wildlife images come from natural behaviour, and that only happens when animals feel safe. You go home with authentic photographs, and the places stay as you found them.
Bears kept away from the village
The bear hide was built to stop the bears before they reach the village, where meeting people can end with a bear being shot. They find only seeds and fruit there. By joining this tour, you help fund the project that keeps the bears away from the houses.
Partners we trust
We work only with partners who follow the principles of nature conservation and ethics in wildlife photography. Our local partner knows these bears very well and runs the hides with respect for them.
Small groups, quiet hides
At most 6 photographers, inside the hide for the whole session. The bears are not disturbed, and they keep coming back to a place where they feel safe.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Will we see bears?
The hide is in prime bear habitat, where the bears come regularly. But they are wild animals, free to come and go, so no sighting can be promised.
Are the bears fed at the hide?
They find only seeds and fruit there, and it is an exception to our rules, made for conservation. The place stops the bears on their way to the village, where they would be in danger of being shot. Part of your tour fee helps fund this project.
Is the bear hide safe?
Yes. The hide is run by our local partner, who knows these bears very well. You stay inside the hide for the whole session and follow his instructions.
What birds can we photograph from the bird hide?
The woodland songbirds of the Carpathian forests, which change with the season. Wildlife is wild, so no species can be promised. Tell us your target species when you book.
Do I need professional equipment?
No. Any camera with a good zoom works. The bears often come close, so a 70 to 200 mm is very useful. For the birds, a telephoto lens of 300 mm or more helps a lot.
Where do you pick us up in Bucharest?
At Bucharest airport, or at a meeting point with parking in the city centre, which we send you before the tour, at 11:00 at the latest. We do not pick up from hotels.
Can I continue to the Danube Delta after the tour?
Yes. On day 4 we can drive you to Tulcea instead of Bucharest. Tell us when you book, and have a look at our photo tours in the Danube Delta.
Is lunch included?
No. The tour is half board. You can have an optional lunch during the midday break. Count on 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
Can I have a room to myself?
Yes, with a single room supplement of €120 for the whole tour. Solo travellers book a single room.
How many photographers are needed for the tour to run?
A minimum of 2. There are never more than 6 photographers on this tour.
Contact
- Emailcontact@discoverdanubedelta.com
- Phone, SMS, WhatsApp+40 763 869 400
+40 757 894 456 - For bookings and requests we always prefer email. Thank you!
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