SHARED Guided Day Trip in Danube Delta, Tulcea to Mila 23, 2027
A shared Danube Delta day trip from Tulcea to Mila 23: discover the wild nature of the Danube Delta with a naturalist guide, and taste the local cuisine in a fishing village reached only by water.
Duration
About 6 hours
Tour type
Shared day trip
Route
Tulcea, Mila 23 and back
Lunch
Optional, in Mila 23
Guiding
In English
Season
May to September
The day in short
Discover the Danube Delta between Tulcea and Mila 23
In a few hours you see the Danube Delta, you understand it and you taste a little of it: its wild nature, the story your guide tells you about it and the local cuisine of Mila 23.
From Tulcea the boat turns into the small channels, where the reeds rise on both sides and the willows lean over the water, then opens onto quiet lakes covered with water lilies in summer. The open boat moves slowly, and the Danube Delta reaches all your senses: the warblers singing in the reeds, the frogs, the wings of pelicans lifting off the water, the scent of willows and water lilies. Herons hunt a few metres away, pelicans fish together and, with some luck, a White-tailed Eagle watches from a dead willow.
Your naturalist guide explains what you see along the way: how the channels, the lakes and the reed beds live together, how the birds and the fish find their place in them, and how people have lived from the water here for generations.
In Mila 23, a Lipovan fishing village in the middle of the Danube Delta, you step ashore for a taste of local life: an optional lunch of fresh fish cooked the local way at a guesthouse, a walk along the main channel and, if you like, a visit to the small museum of Ivan Patzaichin, the canoe champion born here. Then the boat takes you back upstream to Tulcea, at a medium cruising speed.
A little of everything the Danube Delta offers. Its nature on the way out, its story from your guide and its flavours in Mila 23. You travel in our open boat, with the same English speaking naturalist guides as on all our trips.
A good choice for travellers on their own or as a couple, for a single free day in Tulcea, and for anyone who wants a shorter day than the trip to Letea.
The highlights
Nature, stories and local flavours
Morning · by boat
Small channels
Off the main river, between reeds and willows, where the Danube Delta becomes quiet.
Late morning · by boat
The lakes
Open water, water lilies in summer, pelicans and herons feeding along the shores.
Midday · in the village
Mila 23
Fresh fish cooked the local way, a walk through a Lipovan fishing village and its small museum.
Hour by hour
Itinerary
The day Tulcea, Mila 23 and back
- 9:45 Meeting and briefing at Port Tulcea Aval, then boarding.
- 10:00 Departure by boat into the small channels, on a route your guide chooses for the season, the water level and the weather.
- Late morning The lakes, open water and water lilies, where pelicans, herons and cormorants feed.
- Midday Mila 23. Time to walk through the village and to visit the Ivan Patzaichin museum, usually open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 18:00.
- Midday Optional lunch at a local guesthouse (not included in the price).
- Afternoon Return upstream to Tulcea, at a medium cruising speed.
- Afternoon Arrival in Tulcea, about 6 hours after departure.
About the optional lunch in Mila 23. Several guesthouses in Mila 23 cook for visitors, and we find a good lunch for you in one of them: usually fresh fish, with chicken or a vegetarian dish if you prefer. It costs 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash. Tell us in the morning, at the boarding point, if you want lunch, so the kitchen has time to prepare it.
The route can change with the season, the water level and the weather. Your guide chooses the best way on the day.
Shared day trip · 2027
€75
per person
The boat trip with an English speaking guide and the Danube Delta fees.
- Children from 5 years full price
- To book full payment
- Lunch, optional 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30)
Essential
- Start9:45, Port Tulcea Aval
- EndIn Tulcea, about 6 hours later
- GroupMinimum 4 guests, up to 10 per boat
- Minimum age5 years
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- Guiding in English, by a naturalist guide who knows the waterways, the wildlife and the people of the Danube Delta
- Boat trip Tulcea, Mila 23 and back to Tulcea, in our open boat
- Fees for visiting the Danube Delta
The price does not include
- Lunch in Mila 23. It costs 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash
- Drinks
- A donation at the Ivan Patzaichin museum, if you wish
- Insurance of any kind (travel, belongings and so on)
Photo gallery
Moments from the trip
Shared departures
2027 dates and price
Departures from 1 May to 30 September 2027, with a minimum of 4 guests. The price is €75 per person, in euro, VAT included, the same for adults and children.
Choose your date
Choose the number of guests, then a green day in the calendar, and click Request this date. Green days show the seats still available. Fill in the booking request form and we will get back to you to confirm and to send you the next steps.
146The number under each date is how many seats are still free that day. Only the days with enough seats for your group are green.
- Seats available
- Fully booked
- Not enough seats for your group
Booking request
Send us your request by email, with your start date, guesthouse and number of guests. We usually answer in less than 24 hours.
Email your booking requestHow to book
- Send a booking request. Choose your date and the number of guests in the calendar 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. A minimum of 4 guests is needed for a departure.
- Your booking is confirmed when you pay the full price, online, through the payment link. Until then, no seats are held for you.
A request is not a booking. Please pay within 3 days of our email. If we do not receive the full price 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
- If the trip does not run because fewer than 4 guests have booked, or because a strong storm makes it unsafe to leave, you get a full refund.
- In any other case, this trip is not refundable.
Children
- The minimum age for this trip is 5 years.
- Children pay the full price.
- Parents are fully responsible for supervising their children during the trip.
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. Mornings on the water can be cool.
We offer you a fabulous experience. Your part is to come prepared.
Packing list
Bring with you
Six hours in an open boat means sun, wind and maybe a shower. The essentials below are needed, the recommended items make the trip more pleasant.
Must bring
- Long trousers and long sleeves, against sun and insects
- A sun hat with a brim, not a cap
- Sunglasses
- A jacket and a rain jacket or a rain poncho
- Sunscreen
Recommended
- Insect repellent
- Water
- Cash in RON or EUR for the optional lunch
Before you book
Is this trip for you?
Our shortest shared day trip
Six hours at an easy pace, on the water and in the village, and you are back in Tulcea in the afternoon.
Want to go further?
Our shared day trip to Letea passes through Mila 23 and goes on to the northern lakes and the oak forest of Letea, in about 10 hours.
One group, one pace
On a shared trip the guide sets one pace and one hour of departure for the whole group. If you want your own boat, your own hour and your own stops, choose our private day trip to Mila 23.
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 trip 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
Where and when do we meet?
At Port Tulcea Aval, at 9:45. The departure is at 10:00.
How long is the trip?
About 6 hours, from the departure in Tulcea until you are back.
Is lunch included?
No. You can have an optional lunch at a local guesthouse in Mila 23, mostly fish, or chicken or a vegetarian dish if you prefer. It costs 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash. Tell us in the morning, at the boarding point, if you want lunch.
Can we visit the museum in Mila 23?
Yes. The small museum dedicated to Ivan Patzaichin, the canoe champion born in Mila 23, is usually open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 18:00, and closed on Monday and Tuesday. Entry is free, and donations are welcome.
Do we wear life jackets?
Yes. A life jacket is provided and must be worn during the whole boat trip.
How many guests are needed for the trip to run?
A minimum of 4 guests. You travel with other guests, on the same boat. One boat takes up to 10 guests. If fewer than 4 guests have booked, the trip does not run and you get a full refund.
Is it a good trip for children?
Yes, from 5 years. It is our shortest shared day trip, at an easy pace, mostly on the water. Children pay the full price, since each child takes a seat in the boat.
Can I book a private boat for this trip?
Yes. If you prefer a boat and a guide only for your group, see our private day trip to Mila 23.
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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