Summary and recommendation: A special 4WD photography
and birdwatching tour for the flocks of Red-brestaed Geese
and other goodies of the winter seaside landscape of Romania
and Bulgaria. With our cars we have extended range and our
success to have close encounter is virtually guaranteed!
Destination country: Romania and Bulgaria.
Arrive and depart to Bucharest.
Next
schedules: - 09-15 December, 2011
Duration:
7 days +3 days extension
Price:Ask!
We are sorry, but exchange rates are so hectic, that we can't
give fix prices here. Price
includes: accommodations and meals (lunch is typically
picnic!), drinking water, vehicle hire with fuel and driver
guide, park entrance fees and ranger guides. The price
exclude: bank transfer loss, international flight, visa,
tips, drinks, personal travel insurance and any other activities
of personal request e.g. laundry, toalet fees, phone calls,
etc. Accommodation: Three-star hotels with all
rooms en suite. Numbers: Min. 3, max. 6 tour participants.
Transport:
2 x 4WDs.
Description: "...This tour is without a doubt
one of the most spectacular winter holidays in Europe. We
take you to Northern Bulgaria, and to the finest birdwatching
sites in Romania along the Black Sea Coast and the famous
Danube Delta region. Winter is an excellent time for birding
along the coast, not only for the long list of possible species,
but because the area is the wintering place for probably the
entire World population of Red-breasted Geese, which are gathering
here in huge numbers. White-headed Ducks are also congregating
in freshwater lakes, together with Black-necked Grebes and
Smew. The rocky, dry steppe areas of Dobrogea host flocks
of various passerines, including the exciting Calandra Lark.
Hen Harrier and Merlin are all here as well and they are easy
to see. A 3-day extension gives you the possibility to visit
the Southern Carpathians, the magical land of Count Dracula
on a horse sledge in quest for Ural Owl, Nutcracker, Crossbill,
Wallcreeper, Hawfinch, Brown Bear, and we may encounter the
tracks of Wolf, Lynx and Wild Cat. We can also organise and
include a 2-day Danube Delta boat trip in the programme on
an exclusive chartered floating hotel with en-suite facilities..."
Itinerary:
(This tour was originally developed in co-operation
with Ecotours Hungary; this is a 4WD update with better
accomodations).
Day
1-3: After our arrival to Bucharest
Airport we drive to our hotel near the Black
Sea Coast a few kilometers from the Bulgarian
border. From there we make a short drive to visit the nearby
Durankulak Lake
in Bulgaria, which is the most famous and most reliable
site for the masses of Red-breasted Geese. We probably will
see the spectacle of tens of thousand of these beautiful
birds in flight and feeding on the abandoned arable lands.
If time permits we will look for Skuas, Mediterranean Shearwater,
Great Black-headed Gull and Black-necked Grebe along the
seashore. Accommodation: small hotel close to the Bulgarian
border
Day 4:
In case of bad luck on the previous day we have an extra
chance to go back to Durankulak
Lake to look for Red-breasted Geese, or
we drive north to Mamaia, a
nice resort on the coast where we will be based in an elegant
hotel for the next 3 nights. On the way we stop at Lake
Techirghiol, a famous wintering site for
White headed Ducks, where there are also hundreds of Black-necked
Grebes and Smews, and plenty of Mediterranean Gulls fly
in to overnight. Accommodation: Mamaia
Day 5-6:
From our base in Mamaia we will explore Dobrogea during
the next three days. We will visit the best wetland areas
of the region, Vadu and Istria.
The shallow lagoons and lakes might bring us Red-crested
Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, and we might also find Dalmatian
Pelicans, while the reedbeds hold Penduline and Bearded
Tits, Great Bittern. The dry steppe is excellent for raptors,
such as Long-legged Buzzard, Rough-legged Buzzard and Merlin.
One of the mornings will be dedicated to explore a different
habitat along the coast, Babadag Forest. We will walk short
distances in the oak woods searching for Middle Spotted
Woodpecker, Sombre Tit, Short-toed Treeceeper, Grey-headed
Woodpecker and around the villages Syrian Woodpecker. Accommodation:
Mamaia
Day 7: Departure
day. After a short morning birding we drive
to Bucharest to catch our plane to London. Those staying
for an extra 3 days will continue driving towards the Southern
Carpathian Mountains, in the neighbourhoods of Brasov where
we will spend 3 nights.
Extension:
Day 7-9:
We are heading today to the Carpathians!
The landscape is characterised by high mountains, vast forest
and alpine meadows. During our stay in this beautiful area
we will search for Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Common Crossbill
and the elusive Ural Owl and we will try to access nearby
gorges for wintering Wallcreepers. We will obtain information
about the movements of Brown Bears from our host and local
forestry and we might go for an optional bearwatching, which
often brings other surprises. The best areas for Bears are
rich in other wildlife as well, and though we need big luck
to see Wildcat, Lynx, or Wolf we might see their footprints
in the snow. One of the afternoons we might choose another
optional program to visit the Wolf cabins on a horse sledge.
The local Kukujsa liquor will keep our high spirits during
the ride! Accommodation: Zarnesti
Day 10: Departure
day. Drive to Bucharest Airport to catch
the plain back home.
