Transylvania wildlife holiday, lynx watching and tracking

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£600

£1060

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6 Days excluding flights

More info:Private trip: 1060 GBP/pers if 2 pers (600 GBP/pers if 6 pers) incl. full board accommodation in a dbl/twin room (extra fee for sgl room), transport, English speaking guides, entrance fees to Bran Castle and the Black Church, all taxes and local fees

Tailor made

“A tailor made, and very unique wildlife watching holiday in the Carpathian mountains going in search of lynx in the Carpathian mountains. You need expert guides for that and these guys were superb. ”

Highlights

Description of Transylvania wildlife holiday, lynx watching and tracking

This Transylvania wildlife holiday is a tailor made six day itinerary with a special emphasis on watching and tracking lynx. You will spend four days in the company of an English speaking guide and lynx expert, tracking and watching these elusive, exquisite creatures which are pretty impossible to spot by the untrained eye. Our expert guide will help you look out for signs and tracks, as well as observe them from a safe distance in these natural mountain habitats.

This holiday takes place February-April depending on snow conditions (plenty of snow is good for lynx watching) because as this is mating season for lynx they are much more visible and audible. For the last few years the best month has been February. However, as with all wild animals in completely uncontrolled conditions - there are no guarantees you will see any lynx, but we're sure you will have an amazing time looking for them! We will also be keeping an eye out for bears and wolves on this holiday too.

Because much of the wildlife watching sessions are early morning or late evening, you will also have time to visit Carpathian cultural sites, such as Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s Castle) or the medieval town of Brasov with its famous Black Church, the most eastern Gothic church. Stay in a family run, rural 2* guesthouse in Zarnesti, gateway to Piatra Craiului National Park with hosts who are celebrated for their warm welcome as well as their delicious warming food.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.

01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com

Departure information

This trip has flexible departures between March and April

Vouchers

Accepted

Responsible tourism

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.

We travel in very small groups to minimize the impact of our activities on the wildlife we watch and their environments. Our days are planned carefully to minimize travel while maximizing the chance to see wildlife.

We work with local wildlife researchers to assess the impact of wildlife-related tourism activities on the environment.

We encourage our guests to follow our lead and reduce the amount of litter they produce and to not leave any marks in the areas we visit.

Our office waste paper is reused wherever possible. We have reduced the amount of paperwork generated by our office by switching to online newsletters, booking confirmations etc. We use recycled products wherever possible.

We stay in locally-owned accommodation that use mainly home grown produce, thus contributing to reducing food miles and supporting the local community.

As members of the Association of Ecotourism in Romania we also contribute to the development of responsible travel and nature conservation in Romania.

The Impacts of this Trip

We collaborate exclusively with local people and locally owned businesses that employ local people for all the services we provide, thus all the revenues from our tours “stay” locally.

Working with local small-size businesses gives them a fair chance of doing business in a world dominated by big hotels and impersonal services. It also improves our guests’ access to the local culture through their hospitable hosts.

One important characteristic of our tours is authenticity. We have managed to find local collaborators that share our aim of preserving the local values in terms of customs, culture, food etc.

The size of our groups is very small, with a very small impact on the local culture. Our groups average six guests, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two guests. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social impact.

On most of the areas we travel to we take the time to visit some of the local traditional craftsmen. This gives our guests the chance to experience first-hand some of the local traditions and, at the same time, provides revenues and emphasis on the importance to preserve these great traditions for the local craftsmen.

Environment

Community

The Impacts of this Trip

Climate

2 Reviews of Transylvania wildlife holiday, lynx watching and tracking

4.5 out of 5 stars

SHOW

Reviewed on 28 Sep 2019 by Rachel Petheram

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Going into the field with Marius and also going to the bear hide

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

You need to be prepared to get up very early and have the right clothing for the conditions and be prepared to stand still and patiently for a long time

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

Definitely - Simona has a fabulous ethic

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

excellent - we loved it and will be returning as soon as we can