Adventourus Active Vacations

8 day Independent tour

Cycling trip by hotelboat through the stunning beauty of Europe's last natural paradise the Danube Delta to mile "0", where the mighty Danube River empties into the Black Sea.
The bike tour takes you through Romania's Delta the 2nd largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. You will travel along canals with floating reed islands, lagoons and lakes. The landscapes alternate between gently rolling hills and swamp and and prairie land and amazes one with its diversity and beauty. Life in small fishing villages is tranquil, the solitude and silence of the almost impenetrable thicket many times interrupted only by the calls of Dalmatian Pelicans, Cormorants and Egrets.

This is the place where millions of birds from different places of Earth (European, Asian, African, Mediterranean) come to lay their eggs. Under expert guidance you will discover the fauna and flora of a landscape which is also rich in history, and enjoy Romania hospitality and cuisine on board your floating hotel.

Highlights:

• Biosphere reserve Danube Delta
• Orthodox Monasteries of Celic Dere and Saon
• Greek-Romanian settlement of Argamum
• Medieval fortress of Enisala

Individual arrival to Bucharest/Airport; 02:00 p.m.. bustransfer (approx. 4 h.) to Tulcea in the Danube Delta. Embarkation on the comfortable Hotelboat. Dinner and overnight.

Along the most southern Danube arm through the nature reserve Bestepe Hills. A wonderful view deep down into the Delta will make you forget some ascents. At the small fishing village Murighiol we enter by boat into a maze of channels, floating islands, dense forest and a wildernesse experience pure. Overnight Hotelboat

Day 3: Journey to mile "0" - the mouth (20 km)

A bumpy gravel path - the right the wide open of the Black Sea, left the lush green reeds and marsh land. In the loneliness of the Danube Delta Cormorants and Great White Egrets are our permanent companions. Mile “0” at Sulina: the Danube has reached its destination at the lighthouse and starts melding with the salt of the sea. The thought of the long journey of this mighty river let us pause.

Overnight Hotelboat

Bike tour along the birds-paradise Musura-Bay on natural streets to the picturesque village Letea. It seems as time stands still here. The houses made of reeds and clay, lovely painted in blue, and all around a contemplative silence. Nearby the village, located on a sandbank a special natural phenomenon: a tropical forest with climbing plants and lianes. By boat we will reach the fishing village Crisan.

Overnight Hotelboat

During the boat ride through a labyrinth of narrow waterways we will pass by small fishing villages and again experience very intensively the incredible diversity of the Fauna and Flora of the UNESCO World Heritage Danube Delta. Middle of the Jungle - hidden away - the small wooden Orthodox monastery of Stipoc. In the afternoon we return from a surreal dream world to the vibrant town life of Tulcea.

Overnight Hotelboat

Round trip through a gently rolling landscape to the Orthodoxe nunnery Celic Dere, the biggest convent of the Dobrogea territory. The romantic, dreamy abbey of Saon with its distinctive windmill, is located amidst vineyards right on the bank of the Danube. Near Parques from a ridge a fantastic view over the extensive, juicy green floodplain directly on the boarder to the Ukraine. Transfer back to Tulcea.

Overnight in Tulcea guesthouse 4*

By bus to the old, Turkish-populated village Babadag. By bike we are passing nesting sites of bee-eater colonies and reach the medieval fortress of Enisala, which is located high over the Danube. Lets take a breathtaking view over the Lagoon Razim! The nature reserve of Cape Dolosman with the Greek-Roman excarvations of Argamum seperates the Delta-lakes Golovita and Razim.

Overnight in Tulcea guesthouse 4*.

After breakfast transfer by bus back to the Romanian capital Bucharest; arrival approx. 2 p.m. where your tour ends.

Possibility of additional nights in Tulcea or Bucharest.

PRICE & DETAILS

DEPARTURE DATES:

April 11th, 28th            May 27th          June 9th, 24th           August 23rd           September 14th, 29th

- 5 nights 4**** Hotelboat in cabins with private facilities

- 2 nights in an excellent 4**** guesthouse in Tulcea

- All transfers according to itinerary, plus from/to Bucharest (Day 1 + 8)

- Fullboard (breakfast, lunchbox or picnics, dinner)

- rental of a 21 speed touring bike with panniers

- bike-guide / wildlife-guide

- Support van and support boat

- 1 travel document pack per room

- 1 handle bar bag per room

Optional services:

- Additional nights in Bucharest or Tulcea at $80 pp/day

Logding:

House Boat 4****: Comfortable and cozy hotelboat with restaurant (airconditioned) and spacious sundeck with deckchairs; all cabins (9 m2) with private facilities.

The meals are traditionally with a lot of fish, meat and vegetable, plus each day lunch picnic’s or lunchpacks will be offered.

EASY TO MODERATE: You will bike in groups of 12-20 persons. The cycling routes for five days are flat on quiet side roads and Delta trails. 2 days are on asphalted country roads in a gnetly hilly landscapes (bit of traffic).

Some of the sand and gravel paths require a bit of physical condition, but should be suitable for anyone as the daily stretches are quite short.

Longer routes are available for more experienced cyclists wherever possible. Some stretches will be done by boat or bus.

Itinerary is subject to change - (in cas of high/low water level, engine break-down).

International flights go in/out of Bucharest. There is a regular public bus shuttle into the central city.