Filming in the Danube Delta: Guides, Fixer, Boats and Permits
Fixer, filming boats, permits and field crew for nature and documentary productions in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea. You film, we take care of everything else.
Filming in the Danube Delta
One of Europe’s last great wildernesses, and one of its hardest places to work
Most of the Danube Delta can only be reached by water, much of it is strictly protected, and the best wildlife moments last minutes. A shoot here succeeds or fails on logistics.
Since 2004 we have supported documentary crews, TV productions and filmmakers from all over the world. We know which areas need which permits, where the colonies are this season, which channels are passable at low water, and which fisherman will let you film his morning. Our guides are naturalists who live in the Danube Delta, and our boats were built for this work.
What we handle
From the first scouting trip to the last day on location
Permits and authorisations
Filming permits from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority, access to protected areas where it is allowed, drone permits and all the paperwork. We know what is needed and where to get it.
Location scouting
Bird colonies, remote lakes, fishing villages, dunes and forests. We check them before you arrive, for the season, the light and the water level you will find.
Boats built for filming
A fleet of 8 boats: quiet, slow boats for close wildlife work, stable platforms for tripods and gimbals, and larger boats to move the crew and the gear across the Danube Delta.
Fixers and local access
Translators and fixers who bridge your crew and the local communities: fishermen, reed cutters, Lipovan families, village life as it really is.
Naturalists in the field
Specialised guides, and when your story needs them, ornithologists and biologists we work with, for accurate behaviour, accurate places and accurate facts.
Crew logistics and safety
Accommodation close to your locations, meals at the hours you shoot, transport of crew and gear, and experienced people on the water for every boat.
Our work
Productions we supported
For these films we provided the logistics, and for some of them we also took part in the filming. A selection, not the full list: many productions work under confidentiality agreements.
- Wild Delta (Delta Sălbatică)Feature documentary by Dan Dinu, the first large Romanian film entirely about the Danube Delta. We worked with the team for seven years.2026
- Kommt auf die Bucket List: Rumänien erlebenTravel documentary by Nina Heins and Jens Benner, the Danube Delta part. Watch the Danube Delta parthr, ARD · 2026
- Our Living WorldNature documentary series narrated by Cate Blanchett, a sequence on frogs and dragonfliesNetflix · 2024
- Wild Romania (România Sălbatică)Feature documentary by Dan Dinu and Cosmin Dumitrache about the wild places of Romania, the Danube Delta part2021
- Bird migration documentaryThe Danube Delta sequence, filmed with our teamBBC · filmed in 2016 and 2017
- Wild Romania: The Danube Delta (România Sălbatică: Delta Dunării)The Danube Delta episode of the Wild Romania series, filmed with us from 2012 to 2014. Watch it2016
- Le Jardin Extraordinaire: Le delta du DanubeThe longest running nature program of Belgian television. Watch the Danube Delta partRTBF · 2014
- Des Racines et des Ailes: au fil du DanubeDocumentary magazine on French television. Watch the Danube Delta partFrance 3 · 2013
- Danube Delta, the Paradise Almost Lost (Delta Dunării, paradisul aproape pierdut)Documentary by Dan Rațiu, filmed over two years in the Danube Delta. Watch itTVR 1 · 2013
- Hobby Habits (HobbyCeiuri)TV series presented by Mihai Moiceanu, the Danube Delta episode. Watch itTVR 1 · 2012
- The Silk Road, from the airAerial documentary filmed by a camera operator who was flying a motorised hang glider at the same time, an outstanding performanceNHK · filmed in 2005
Netflix · NHK · BBC · ARD · RTBF · France 3 · TV5 · TVR · Earthscape
Photo gallery
On location with film crews
Confidentiality
What happens on your shoot stays yours
We sign your NDA
Many productions we worked on were under a confidentiality agreement. We respect it fully, and for as long as you need.
No behind the scenes posts
We never publish footage, photos or stories from your shoot unless you ask us to. That is why you see so few images of our film work here.
Your techniques stay yours
Your setups, your locations and your methods are not shared with the next crew. Every production gets the same discretion.
How it works
Three steps to your first day on the water
1. Send your brief
What you want to film, when, and with how many people. A rough idea is enough to start.
2. Plan and quote
We tell you honestly what is possible in that season, which permits you need and how long they take, and we send you a plan with a quote.
3. On location
We apply for the permits, scout the places and run the logistics. When you arrive in Tulcea, the boats are ready.
Your project
Tell us about your production
Everything is on request: every production is different, so we quote after we know your brief. The earlier you write, the more we can do, especially for permits.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a permit to film in the Danube Delta?
Yes. The Danube Delta is a biosphere reserve, and professional filming needs authorisation from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority. Protected areas and drone flights have their own rules. We handle the whole process for you.
How early should we contact you?
As early as you can. Permits take time, and the best boats and guesthouses are booked early in May, June and September. Write to us as soon as you know your period, even if the dates are not final.
Can you film nesting birds?
Only with a special permit and only where the reserve allows it. We never enter nesting areas without authorisation, and we keep the distance that keeps the birds calm.
Can we fly a drone?
Drone flights in the reserve need a separate permit, and some areas are closed to them. Tell us in your request where and what you want to film from the air, and we tell you what is possible.
Do you work outside the Danube Delta?
Yes. We also work in Dobrogea, on the steppe, the hills and the coastal lagoons, and we can connect you with partners for Transylvania, Bulgaria and Lake Kerkini in Greece.
Can you film in winter?
Yes, we work all year. Winter brings geese, swans and ice, and very different logistics. We plan the boats and the routes around the weather and the ice.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the crew, the number of days, the boats and the permits. We publish no prices for productions: send us your brief and we send you a quote.
Contact
- Emailcontact@discoverdanubedelta.com
- Phone, SMS, WhatsApp+40 763 869 400
+40 757 894 456 - BaseTulcea, the gateway to the Danube Delta