Danube Delta Summer Nature Escape, Skip the Crowds, 4d/3n, 2027
A Danube Delta summer tour that skips the crowds. Four days and three nights in Mila 23, with boat trips at sunrise and in the late afternoon, when the speed boats are gone and the Danube Delta is quiet again.
Duration
4 days / 3 nights
Tour type
Shared, skip the crowds
Boat trips
4 guided trips included
Meals
Half board
Guiding
In English
Season
July and August
The tour in short
Skip the crowds: the Danube Delta at the right hours
This is a skip the crowds program. The boat trips are at sunrise and again in the late afternoon: the most comfortable hours of a hot summer day, and the hours when the crowds are not on the water.
The speed boat terror. From about 9:30 in the morning, hundreds of speed boats start racing through the Danube Delta at full speed, packed with people who did not come for nature and do not want to see anything, only to tick off the places where their boatmen stop. The noise and the waves scare the wildlife away, and from then on there is very little left to see.
We are proud to keep our guests away from the madness of the crowds and from the invasion of people who do not know when to visit the Danube Delta. While they race, you rest in the shade at a traditional guesthouse in Mila 23. When they are gone, the water is quiet again, and so are the birds. That is when you go back out.
You stay three nights in Mila 23, a village surrounded entirely by water. Over four guided boat trips you explore the lily covered lakes and reed channels around the village, home to herons, egrets, kingfishers, terns, cormorants and pelicans, and you travel north to Letea Forest, often called the northernmost subtropical forest in Europe for the climbing plants that give it a tropical look, with its ancient oaks, sand dunes and wild horses.
Everything is done slowly. We use our own open boats, quiet and slow, not speed boats. Our guides are naturalists who take the time to explain what you are looking at: the birds, the plants and the way people live in the middle of the Danube Delta.
Included in the price
Four boat trips with a naturalist guide
Days 2 and 3 · at sunrise
Morning on the lakes
Two early trips on the lakes and channels around Mila 23, in golden light and still water, before the heat of the day.
Day 3 · from 16:00
Day trip to Letea
By boat to Letea in the late afternoon, then a safari car to the forest and a short walk among ancient oaks, dunes and, with some luck, wild horses.
Day 2 · from 17:00
Evening on the lakes
A late afternoon trip to other lakes and channels around the village, when the heat eases and the birds return to feed.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1 Tulcea to Mila 23
- 15:30 Meeting and boarding at Port Tulcea Aval. Please come a little earlier, to settle the payment and receive the boat details.
- 16:00 Departure from Tulcea by boat, on a scenic route of about two hours to Mila 23.
- 18:00 Arrival at your guesthouse and check in.
- Evening Traditional dinner cooked by your hosts.
Meals today: dinner
Day 2 Morning and evening on the lakes
- Sunrise Morning boat trip on the lakes and channels around Mila 23, in our open boats.
- 9:30 Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- Midday Free time and optional lunch (not included in the price). You can visit the Ivan Patzaichin Museum in Mila 23, usually open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 18:00, free entry, donations welcome.
- 17:00 Evening boat trip to other lakes and channels around the village.
- Evening Dinner at the guesthouse.
Meals today: breakfast, dinner
Day 3 Sunrise on the water and Letea Forest
- Sunrise Morning boat trip on the lakes around Mila 23.
- 9:30 Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- Midday Free time and optional lunch (not included in the price).
- 16:00 Departure to Letea by boat, then a safari car to the forest and a short walk among ancient oaks and dunes, where you may meet the wild horses.
- Evening Dinner at the guesthouse.
Meals today: breakfast, dinner
Day 4 Breakfast and the boat back to Tulcea
- 8:30 Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- 9:30 Boarding for the transfer to Tulcea.
- 11:30 Arrival in Tulcea. End of the tour.
If you continue by public transport, please plan your departure from Tulcea after 12:00.
The order of the trips may change, depending on the weather and the water level.
Meals today: breakfast
Shared tour · 2027
from
€470
per person
3 nights with half board, 4 guided boat trips, boat transfers from Tulcea and Danube Delta fees.
- Single room from + €120
- Children 5 to 12 50%
- Deposit to book 20%
Practical
- StartDay 1 at 15:30, Port Tulcea Aval
- EndDay 4 at 11:30, in Tulcea
- StayGuesthouse in Mila 23
- GroupMinimum 4 guests
- Minimum age5 years
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- Guiding in English, by a naturalist guide specialised in the birds, wildlife and plants of the Danube Delta
- 3 nights at the guesthouse you choose, in a double room
- Half board: dinner on day 1, breakfast and dinner on days 2 and 3, breakfast on day 4
- Three boat trips on the lakes around Mila 23: two at sunrise and one in the late afternoon
- Trip to Letea, including the safari car to the forest (day 3)
- Boat transfers from Tulcea to Mila 23 and back
- Fees for visiting the Danube Delta (ARBDD)
The price does not include
- Drinks, other than the water served with meals
- Optional lunches. Lunch in Mila 23 or Letea costs 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid on the spot, in cash only
- Insurance of any kind (travel, belongings and so on)
- Single room supplement, for solo travellers or for anyone who prefers a room to themselves: €120 per room at Alexandru & Alexandra House and Vaida House, €150 per room at Fisherman’s House
Photo gallery
Moments from the tour
Shared departures
2027 dates and prices
Choose your start date and one of our three partner guesthouses in Mila 23. Prices are in euro (EUR), per person, for the whole tour, VAT included. For spring and autumn, see our Danube Delta Nature Tour 4d/3n.
Guesthouse
€470
Guesthouse
€510
Guesthouse
€600
Available dates
Find your preferred guesthouse and dates in the table below and click Book now on that row. Fill in the booking request form and we will get back to you to confirm availability and the next steps.
| Date | Alexandru and Alexandra | Vaida House | Casa Pescarului | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Places | Price | Places | Price | Places | Price | |
1 Jul - 4 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
5 Jul - 8 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
8 Jul - 11 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
12 Jul - 15 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
15 Jul - 18 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
19 Jul - 22 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
22 Jul - 25 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
26 Jul - 29 Jul | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
29 Jul - 1 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
2 Aug - 5 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
5 Aug - 8 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
9 Aug - 12 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
12 Aug - 15 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
16 Aug - 19 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
19 Aug - 22 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
23 Aug - 26 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
26 Aug - 29 Aug | 470 | 510 | 600 | |||
How to book
- Send a booking request. Choose your start date and guesthouse 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 at boarding, in cash or by card (RON or 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 and cannot be moved to another program.
Children
- The minimum age for this tour is 5 years (born in 2022 or earlier).
- Children aged 5 to 12 pay 50% of the price.
- Children over 12 pay the adult price.
- Parents are fully responsible for supervising their children during the tour.
Our boats
Open boats, the complete experience
Our boats are open. You see, hear and smell the Danube Delta all around you: the water, the reeds, the birds, the wind. Nothing stands between you and the landscape, and that is what makes it a complete experience.
- No roof. The boat is not covered when it rains.
- No shade. You are in the sun for the whole trip.
- No heating. Early mornings and evenings on the water can be cool.
We offer you a fabulous experience. Your part is to come prepared.
Packing list
Bring with you
Comfort matters more than style on the water. The essentials below are needed for every trip, and the recommended items make it more pleasant.
Essential
- Comfortable outdoor clothing
- Sturdy shoes or sandals
- Sun hat
- Insect repellent
- A rain jacket or a rain poncho
Recommended
- Long sleeves and trousers, against sun and insects
- Sunglasses
- A light jacket for the evenings
Before you book
Good to know
This is a shared tour
You travel with other guests. The whole group goes on the same boat and the same safari car, at the hours shown in the itinerary. Please be on board on time for every departure. A minimum of 4 guests is needed for a departure. The guide chooses the route by season, water level and weather.
A relaxed pace
Our boats are not speed boats. You travel at a moderate speed and stop often, for wildlife, plants, views or a story from the guide.
Travelling with children
The day starts very early, with the sunrise trip, and the Letea trip runs into the evening, by boat, by safari car and on foot. Think about whether this pace suits your child, especially in the summer heat.
Our commitment to conservation
Nature comes first
Our tours are designed to keep our impact low and to protect the delicate ecosystem of the Danube Delta. By choosing this tour you support a slower, more careful way of exploring it.
Lower power engines
Our boats run on engines with less power than they would normally carry. That means less disturbance in the water, less fuel and lower emissions.
A slow, steady pace
Moving slowly protects the aquatic vegetation that fish need for breeding, prevents erosion of the banks and reduces stress on migratory and resident birds.
Distance from nests
We never enter nesting or breeding areas, and we keep our distance from bird nests along the shoreline.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Why are the trips so early and so late in the day?
Two reasons. In July and August the middle of the day is hot, and early morning and late afternoon are the most comfortable hours on the water. And from about 9:30 the speed boats take over: hundreds of them race through the Danube Delta at full speed and scare the wildlife away. The boat goes out before they start and after they are gone, and you rest at the guesthouse in between.
How early does the sunrise trip start?
The departure is around sunrise, so the hour changes through the summer: about 5:30 in early July and about 6:30 at the end of August.
Is lunch included?
No. The tour is half board, with breakfast and dinner at the guesthouse. The optional lunch in Mila 23 or Letea costs 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid on the spot, in cash only.
When should I arrive in Tulcea, and when can I leave?
Boarding is at 15:30 on the first day, at Port Tulcea Aval, and the boat leaves at 16:00. On the fourth day you are back in Tulcea at 11:30. If you travel on by public transport, plan your departure after 12:00.
What will we see?
That depends on the season, and each area of the Danube Delta has something of its own. On every trip our guides explain the places you travel through, the birds and the plants. Wildlife is wild, so no sighting can be promised, including the wild horses of Letea.
Read more: summer in the Danube Delta.
Can I have a room to myself?
Yes. Solo travellers, and anyone who prefers to be alone in the room, pay a single room supplement: €120 per room at Alexandru & Alexandra House and Vaida House, €150 per room at Fisherman’s House.
How many guests are needed for the tour to run? Can we book as a group?
A minimum of 4 guests is needed for a departure. Groups of 6 or more adults can ask us by email for a custom offer.
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!
Coming from Bucharest?
Tulcea is about 300 km from Bucharest. Book our private transfer together with your tour, or come by train or minibus.
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