Wildlife Photo Tour to the Danube Delta, 4d/3n, 2027 SHARED
Our shorter shared wildlife photo tour in the Danube Delta: three nights in Mila 23, two days of photography at sunrise and in the evening light, a photographer guide and at most 4 photographers in the boat.
Duration
4 days / 3 nights
Tour type
Shared, up to 4 photographers
Photography
2 days, first and last light
Meals
Half board, optional lunch
Guiding
Photographer guide, in English
Season
Late April to September
The tour in short
Two days in the best light
This is our shorter shared photo tour in the Danube Delta, for photographers with less time. You stay three nights in Mila 23, a fishing village in the middle of the Danube Delta, reached only by water, and you spend two days photographing when the light is at its best: at sunrise and in the last hours before sunset.
Around Mila 23 you photograph the lakes, channels and reedbeds where pelicans, herons, egrets, spoonbills and cormorants feed and roost. Each boat session lasts 3 to 5 hours, so every day gives you about 8 hours of photography, all in the best hours of light. In the middle of the day, when the light is hard, you rest at the guesthouse and review your images.
Your guide is a wildlife photographer. Each session follows the light, the water level and the latest sightings, and the boat is positioned for the angle and the background, low on the water. The boat has 4 double seats, so with at most 4 photographers everyone can shoot to both sides.
The subject comes first, always. No chasing, no feeding, no lures. We never drive at a bird to make it fly and never enter nesting areas. Playback is used rarely, once or twice at most. A good photograph is one taken without the subject noticing us.
Included in the price
Two days of photography
Days 2 and 3 · sunrise
First light on the lakes
Soft light, still water and birds at their most active, with mist over the reeds on cool mornings.
Days 2 and 3 · evening
Golden hour on new routes
Back on the water until sunset, on different channels, for feeding birds, roosts and reflections.
Every session · by boat
At water level
A stable open boat with low sides, positioned for the light and the background, so you shoot close to your subject’s eye level.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1 Tulcea to Mila 23
- 15:30 Meeting and boarding at Port Tulcea Aval.
- 16:00 We transfer you to Mila 23 during the first photo session. Keep your camera ready.
- Evening Check in at the guesthouse, dinner and a short briefing on the days ahead.
Meals today: dinner
Days 2 and 3 Lakes and channels around Mila 23
- Sunrise Photography by boat in the first light, on the lakes and channels around Mila 23, in our open boat.
- 9:30 Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- Midday Rest, image review and optional lunch, while the light is hard.
- Afternoon Back on the water for the last hours of light, until sunset, on a different route.
- Evening Dinner at the guesthouse.
Meals today: breakfast, dinner
Day 4 Back to Tulcea
- Sunrise A last photography session by boat around Mila 23.
- After the session Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- Late morning You leave Mila 23 by passenger boat for Tulcea. We make the booking, and the transfer is included in the price. End of the tour in Tulcea.
If you continue by public transport, plan your departure from Tulcea after 12:30.
Meals today: breakfast
Every session is planned for the light. Each boat session lasts 3 to 5 hours, for about 8 hours of photography a day, in the best hours of light. The routes change with the weather, the water level and the latest sightings, and your guide adapts them during the day. Lunch is optional: count on 100 to 150 RON (€20 to €30) per person, paid in cash.
Shared photo tour · 2027
from
€800
per person
3 nights with half board in a double room, 2 days of photography with a photographer guide, boat transfers and Danube Delta fees.
- Single room + €120
- Deposit to book 20%
Essential
- StartDay 1 at 15:30, Port Tulcea Aval
- EndDay 4, in Tulcea
- StayGuesthouse in Mila 23
- Group2 to 4 photographers
- Minimum age12 years
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- A wildlife photographer guide, speaking English
- 3 nights at a guesthouse in Mila 23, in a double room with private bathroom
- Half board: dinner on day 1, breakfast and dinner on days 2 and 3, breakfast on day 4
- 2 days of guided photography by boat, at sunrise and in the evening, plus a sunrise session on day 4
- Boat transfers from Tulcea to Mila 23 and back
- Fees for visiting the Danube Delta
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
- Parking at the port in Tulcea, about €8 per car per day
- Transfer from Bucharest or Bucharest airport, €300 per car one way, for 1 to 6 guests, on request
- Insurance of any kind (travel, camera equipment and so on)
Photo gallery
Images from our photo tours
Shared departures
2027 dates and prices
€800 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 and which species you most want to photograph, and we will get back to you to confirm and to send you the next steps.
Period | Places | Price |
|---|---|---|
22 Apr - 25 Apr | 800 | |
9 May - 12 May | 800 | |
27 May - 30 May | 800 | |
6 Jun - 9 Jun | 800 | |
24 Jun - 27 Jun | 800 | |
11 Jul - 14 Jul | 800 | |
18 Jul - 21 Jul | 800 | |
1 Aug - 4 Aug | 800 | |
22 Aug - 25 Aug | 800 | |
12 Sep - 15 Sep | 800 | |
26 Sep - 29 Sep | 800 |
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.
- The balance is paid on arrival at the boarding point, in cash or by payment link, in RON or EUR.
Children
- The minimum age for this tour is 12 years.
- 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 7.3 m open boat was built for the Danube Delta. It is stable, sits low on the water and, with at most 4 photographers on its 4 double seats, gives everyone room for long lenses and a clear line of sight to both sides.
- No roof. The boat is not covered when it rains. Protect your camera.
- No shade. You are in the sun for much of each session.
- No heating. Sunrise on the water can be cold, even in summer.
We offer you a fabulous experience. Your part is to come prepared.
Packing list
Bring with you
Camera gear
- A telephoto lens of at least 300 mm, a teleconverter if you have one
- A wide or standard lens for landscapes
- Plenty of memory cards and enough spare batteries for a long morning session, plus your charger
- A waterproof bag or a rain cover for your camera
- A bean bag or a monopod, if you use one
Clothing and comfort
- Clothes in natural, muted colours, long trousers and long sleeves. Avoid red, white, yellow and bright blue
- A warm layer for sunrise and a rain jacket or a rain poncho
- A sun hat with a brim, not a cap, and sunglasses
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
You will be on the water. Keep your gear protected from rain, spray and the waves of passing boats, especially when you shoot close to the water. 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: early starts, waiting for the light, time with a subject. There are no lessons, but your guide gladly answers your questions. If you want to see as many species as possible, see our birdwatching tours.
A shared tour
You photograph with other guests, in the same boat, at the same hours. A minimum of 2 photographers is needed for a departure, and never more than 4 in the boat.
More time?
Our 5 day photo tour adds a third day of photography and, from April to June, a night at Letea.
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 Danube Delta stays as you found it.
No staged scenes
No chasing, no food, no lures or other attractants. Playback is used rarely, once or twice at most, and never near nests. Patience beats pressure every time.
A slow, steady pace
Our boats run on engines with less power than they would normally carry. Moving slowly protects the aquatic vegetation, the banks and the birds, with less fuel and lower emissions.
Local people, local places
Our guides, boat drivers and guesthouses are local. Part of what you pay for this tour stays in the Danube Delta villages and helps keep their wild places worth protecting.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
What can we photograph?
Dalmatian and White Pelicans, herons, egrets, spoonbills, ibises, cormorants, White-tailed Eagles, kingfishers and shore birds, and with some luck otters, wild boars or roe deer, plus sunrise and sunset landscapes. It depends on the month, and wildlife is wild, so no species can be promised. Tell us your target species when you book.
How many hours do we spend on the water?
Each boat session lasts 3 to 5 hours, one at sunrise and one in the evening, so you have about 8 hours of photography a day, in the best hours of light.
Do I need professional equipment?
No. Any camera with a good zoom works. A telephoto lens of 300 mm or more helps a lot with birds, but you can come home with beautiful images with modest equipment.
Will the guide teach me photography?
This is a photo tour, not a workshop, so there are no lessons. Your guide is a wildlife photographer and gladly answers your questions and helps you in the field.
Can I bring a tripod?
You can, but in the boat most photographers shoot handheld or with a bean bag or a monopod.
Is lunch included?
No. The tour is half board. You can have an optional lunch at the guesthouse 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.
Does the tour run in July and August?
Yes. You photograph at sunrise and in the evening, and rest in the hot middle of the day, when the light is hard anyway.
How do I get to Tulcea?
By car, bus or train, or with our transfer from Bucharest or Bucharest airport: €300 per car one way, for 1 to 6 guests. If you come by car, parking at the port costs about €8 per day.
How many photographers are needed for the tour to run?
A minimum of 2. There are never more than 4 photographers in the boat.
Do you offer private photo tours?
Yes. See our private photography day trip, or write to us for a private tour of several days.
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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