Romania Winter Wildlife Photo Workshop

This tour offers opportunities to photograph wildlife. We'll maximize our chances of encountering wildlife, but we want to remind you that we don't control wildlife and cannot guarantee encounters with particular species. Itineraries for wildlife trips are subject to change based on wildlife activity.

Day 1: Arrive In Bucharest

Arrive at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) before 3:00 PM on this day. Air travel delays are possible, so please consider arriving early, possibly the day prior. We don't want you to miss out on trip activities.

Arrive at your leisure. You will be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn at the Bucharest Airport tonight so you are ready when your guide picks you up tomorrow.

Day 2: Transfer to Danube Delta

Zoltan will meet you at 1:00pm in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn. From there, we will transfer to the Danube Delta, where we will spend the time exploring by boat, photographing from hides, and visiting productive wildlife areas on land.

This evening, we will begin our winter wildlife photography with a search for Long-eared Owls and the elusive European Wildcats that inhabit the Danube Delta.

Day 3–6: Danube Delta Safari

Over the next four days, we will explore the Danube Delta by boat, from photography hides, and across the surrounding wetlands and forests. Our schedule will remain flexible, allowing you and local guide to adjust the program based on weather, wildlife activity, and the interests of the group.

We plan to spend time in dedicated Golden Jackal hides, offering opportunities to photograph these intelligent predators in the soft winter light. We will also search for the Delta’s winter birdlife, including Dalmatian Pelicans in breeding plummage, gulls, White-tailed Eagles, and other resident species.

Night excursions will take us in search of Long-eared Owls, European Wildcats, and other nocturnal wildlife. Photographing Long-eared Owls after dark is a rare opportunity, and with luck, we may also encounter Tawny Owls, European Mink, or other animals moving through the wetlands.

Weather permitting, we will devote time around dawn or dusk to winter landscape photography and may also offer opportunities for aerial photography. Our local guides hold the required drone permits and operate within European Union regulations.

At the end of our time in the Delta, we will travel by boat back toward Tulcea while continuing our search for wildlife along the waterways. We will overnight in Tulcea before continuing to the next stage of the workshop.

Day 7: Transfer to Hargita

After breakfast, we will leave the Danube Delta and begin our journey west toward the forests and mountains of Transylvania. Along the way, we will make several stops to photograph Romania’s winter landscapes, rural villages, and snow-covered countryside.

We will arrive at Hargita Bear Lodge later in the day, where we will settle in and prepare for the next stage of our winter wildlife photography workshop.

Day 8–9: Winter Wildlife and Birds

Over the next two days, we will explore the winter forests and mountain landscapes of Transylvania. Our schedule will remain flexible, allowing our local guides to respond to weather, recent sightings, and wildlife activity.

Photography opportunities will include Brown Bears in their thick winter coats and Pine Martens from carefully positioned heated hides. Although sightings are never guaranteed, there is also a slight possibility of encountering the elusive Eurasian Lynx.

We will search for Ural Owls during both daylight and evening sessions, along with Western Capercaillie and winter birds gathering around forest feeding stations, including several species of woodpeckers and tits.

Time will also be devoted to photographing Transylvania’s snow-covered forests, rural landscapes, and mountain scenery. Weather permitting, drone photography may offer a wider perspective of the winter landscape. Optional night excursions will give us further opportunities to search for owls and other nocturnal wildlife.

Day 10: Transfer to Bucharest

After an early morning photo session, we will transfer you to Bucharest to make your international flights home.

Departure from Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP). Book your departing flight no earlier than 4:00 PM on this day.