The Trip to Sunrise – in our Discover Danube Delta programs, photo 1

For tourists

Sunrise on the Water: the Morning Boat Trip from Mila 23

Mist on the channels, fishermen at their nets and pelicans starting to fish: the sunrise trip shows the Danube Delta as very few people see it.

For Tourists3 min read

There is an hour in the Danube Delta that very few visitors ever see: the one just before sunrise. The water is still, mist hangs over the channels and the whole Danube Delta wakes up around you. This is one of our favourite trips, and we include it in every tour from Mila 23.

Quick facts

When One morning of your tour, chosen by the weather forecast
Departure 30 minutes before sunrise, from Mila 23
Length About 2 to 3 hours, back at the guesthouse for breakfast
Included in Our nature tours and the private tour in Mila 23

The Trip to Sunrise, in our Discover Danube Delta programs, photo 2

Why so early

At dawn the Danube Delta has colours and a calm you find at no other hour. You feel every breath of wind, hear every sound, and see the birds appear one by one out of the half light or the morning mist. It is also the hour of the real life of the Danube Delta: fishermen lifting their nets, clearing the weeds, dropping the fish into their boats and going about their day, as they have for generations.

The morning, step by step

The departure is in the blue light before dawn. The boat follows channels often covered in thick mist to a nearby lake with an open view to the east. There the engine stops, and you wait for the sun in silence, with only the frogs and the birds around you. As the light grows, pelicans start to fish, undisturbed at this hour, and in summer the boat drifts slowly along the carpets of water lilies, opening in the first sun.

You are back at the guesthouse in time for breakfast, with the rest of the day’s program still ahead of you. Your guide chooses the route by the water level, the plants on the lakes and the latest news from the water, and has the answers to all your questions about the Danube Delta.

The departure time

The exact time is given the evening before, at dinner, and it changes through the season with the sunrise. The boat cannot wait: the sun does not wait for anyone, and it would not be fair to the guests who are on time. Set an alarm, and set a second one.

The boat

You travel in our open boat, with benches with backrests and cushions, built for stability and comfort and used only for tours. There are enough life jackets on board for all passengers. Read more about our boats.

What to wear

Mornings on the water are cool, even in the middle of summer, and the boat is open. Take seriously this short list:

A windproof and waterproof jacket
A warm hat, not a baseball cap
Long trousers
Closed, comfortable shoes
A rain poncho
In spring and autumn, an extra warm layer

See it with us

Slow open boats, small groups and a guide who knows the places and the wildlife. From a few hours on the water to a week in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea.

Nature tours

Day trips