Carpathian Walking & Bears

• Accommodation: 7 Classic nights (Villa Hermani)
• Travel by minibus
• Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

All breakfasts, five packed lunches and six dinners are included. Meals are a mixture of fresh local produce and Romanian/Transylvanian specialities. Transylvanian cuisine is influenced by several traditions and cultures (German, Hungarian and Romanian cuisine) but maintains a distinct character with a love for homemade cooking. Soups are a staple, main meals tend to be hearty with a strong focus on local produce, while desserts are varied and plentiful. Breakfasts are usually a small buffet including an egg dish, cold cuts, cheeses, boiled eggs, vegetables, spreads, bread, yoghurt, cereals, jam, juice, herbal teas and coffee. Lunches included on this trip will usually be self-made sandwiches; you can choose your own fillings from the morning buffets. Each evening there is a choice between a meat or vegetarian dish. Dinner on the first evening is typically a light snack (cold platters with local food and bread) due to the late arrival of the group. On one evening, we enjoy dinner in a typical Romanian restaurant in Brasov. This meal is not included, allow approximately 120 Romanian lei (US$25) – without drinks – for this. Vegetarian and special diets can be catered for, but options can be limited throughout Romania – please inform the office of any specific requirements upon booking.

Romania has warm summers and snowy winters. Rainfall is usually quite low except in the mountains; spring and summer are the wetter seasons. The weather changes abruptly from winter to summer and spring is generally short. The Carpathian Mountains can be blanketed in snow until mid to late May at higher altitudes. Summer days are often long and warm with 10 to 11 hours of sunshine, while nights can range from pleasantly warm in the lower valleys to cold at higher elevations. September temperatures tend to be lower than those in July and August but changeable weather with cloud, rain and chilly daytime temperatures can occur at any time of the year. Expect temperatures in the village to be lower than Bucharest.

The trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and has a Wildlife Rating of Three. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Hiking: Walking times will vary from half to full days. There are numerous uphill sections on paths and tracks with walking distances up to 12mi (20km). Optional longer walks are sometimes available. The trip goes up to altitudes of almost 6,560ft (2,000m), so good fitness levels are required. The exact trails, lengths and difficulties may be adapted according to the weather, trail conditions and group fitness.

Seeing brown bears: The chance of seeing brown bears from the hide is good; our groups have also seen wolves, beavers and other wildlife here too. Our tour leaders are knowledgeable about the local wildlife but, as with all wildlife viewing, we cannot guarantee which animals you will see.

The hides we visit are managed by Romania’s national forestry authority as part of their bear-management system. Small amounts of food are sometimes placed near the hides to help keep bears foraging in their natural forest habitat rather than approaching towns and villages. The placement and quantity of this food are entirely determined by the forestry authority and are outside of our control.

The specific hides used on this trip have been selected because the forest management team is considered responsible and restrained in how this practice is carried out. The quantities provided are not large or frequent enough to alter bears’ natural behaviour or make them dependent, and bear sightings still vary seasonally. Groups observe from inside the hide only and do not have direct contact with wildlife, while tour leaders provide insights into brown bear ecology and conservation, helping raise awareness and support for protecting these species and their habitats.

Our on-the-ground partners are involved in the Foundation Conservation Carpathia and ensure these hides continue to follow good ecological practice. This collaborative approach also supports broader conservation aims within the Carpathian region.

Flexibility: The itinerary may be followed in a different order due to various reasons such as weather and local conditions, but we will still do all these activities even if on different days.