Where to see wildlife in Romania
Wondering where to go wildlife watching in Romania? Well – unlike during the country’s bear dancing days – you won’t find animals where there are people. So while you might fly into the capital city of Bucharest, you’ll then take a few hours’ drive into the Central Carpathian Mountains. These forested valleys and snowy mountaintops double as a HQ for a large part of Romania’s wildlife. Ready to throw on your red cloak and stray off the path? Read on to find out where to find everything from top predators like lynx and wolves to bears and bats.
Bats
1. Bats
Surprise, surprise: some of the biggest bat caves in Romania are in Transylvania. The Valley of the Fortress Cave could fit a cathedral comfortably inside and – of course – lies just up the road from Bran Castle, AKA Dracula’s Castle. The nearby commune of Pestera also hordes pitch-dark caverns that rustle with five species of bats.
Bears
2. Bears
Bears are the most famous resident of the Romanian Carpathians. Join a wildlife specialist in a secret forest hide run by the forestry commission for the chance to see brown bears with their guard down. Sightings are never guaranteed, so you can also pop by the Libearty bear sanctuary – a retirement home for over 100 ex-performing bears.
Birds
3. Birds
Over 300 bird species flock to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, where alder, oak and ash forests are rooted between sand dunes and watery veins. A guided boat ride will take you past the pelicans and egrets that stride through the tidal waters. The Zarnesti Gorge is another great birding spot; you might see lesser spotted eagles or Ural owls.
Bison
4. Bison
The bison are back in Romania, after being hunted to extinction a couple of centuries ago. They’ve been reintroduced to balance the mountain ecosystem, hoovering mountain meadows and forest floors for food. As the new(ish) kids on the block, you’ll be lucky to see them – but it’s enough to know that these 500-kilo-plus beasts are gradually taking back the forests in the Carpathians.
Lynx
5. Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is as close as Europe gets to a mountain lion – and most of the population spooks the boreal mountain forests of Romania. These Carpathian lynxes are some of the largest in Europe, reaching up to 40kg. They’re perfectly fashioned for their surroundings, too, with furry snowshoe paws and leopard-like camouflage.
Wolves
6. Wolves
If you’re looking for wolves, the clue’s in the name in Romania. Transylvania is peppered with towns with names like Lupeni (Latin: wolf) and Vulcan (Slavonic: you guessed it – wolf). And sure enough, wolf packs race through the Transylvanian Carpathians; you’ll hear their howls echoing off the valley walls at night. You’ll need to go on a wolf tracking holiday to chase these quicksilver creatures down.
Our Romania wildlife Holidays
Carpathian Mountains holiday, conservation & culture
Wolves, bears and sightseeing
From
£1549 to £1749
8 days
inc UK flights
Romania wildlife holiday stay in wildlife hides
-Explore some of the wildest forests of Europe.
From
€460 to €575
4 days
ex flights
Romania wildlife holiday, bear watching and tracking
Memorable trip in Romania focused on wild bears
From
£900 to £1400
5 days
ex flights
Wolf tracking and watching holiday in Transylvania
Wolf watching and trekking in Transylvania (mid Jan-Feb)
From
£950 to £1550
6 days
ex flights
Transylvania wildlife holiday, lynx watching and tracking
Lynx watching and tracking in the land of Dracula
From
£950 to £1550
6 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Romania wildlife or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
01273 823 700
Call us until 5pm
Calling from outside the UK
Sample Romania wildlife itineraries
Carpathian Mountains conservation and culture holiday (8 days):
Bucharest > Kalibash villages of Magura and Pestera > horse-drawn cart to Barza Valley > brown bear hide > Piatra Craiului > hike Postavarul Mountain > Brasov > Bran Castle > Libearty bear sanctuary > Vulcan > Bucharest
Volunteering with bears in Romania (7 days):
Bucharest > Brasov > Bran Castle > work at bear sanctuary > Bucharest
Romania’s natural wonders small group holiday (11 days):
Bucharest > Azuga wine cellar > Peles Castle > Brasov > bear sanctuary > Biertan > Sighisoara > Moldavia > Red Lake > Bicaz Gorge > Agapia monastery > Nicolae Popa ethnographic museums > Painted Churches of Bucovina > Vama > Moldovita, Sucevita and Voronet monasteries > Crisan fisherman’s village > Danube Delta > bird watching at lakes Bogdaproste, Trei Iezare and Cazanele > Tulcea by boat > Constanta > Bucharest city tour
Wolf tracking and watching holiday in Transylvania (6 days):
Bucharest > Zarnesti > wolf tracking with researcher in Carpathians > Bran Castle > Brasov > Bucharest
Bucharest > Kalibash villages of Magura and Pestera > horse-drawn cart to Barza Valley > brown bear hide > Piatra Craiului > hike Postavarul Mountain > Brasov > Bran Castle > Libearty bear sanctuary > Vulcan > Bucharest
Volunteering with bears in Romania (7 days):
Bucharest > Brasov > Bran Castle > work at bear sanctuary > Bucharest
Romania’s natural wonders small group holiday (11 days):
Bucharest > Azuga wine cellar > Peles Castle > Brasov > bear sanctuary > Biertan > Sighisoara > Moldavia > Red Lake > Bicaz Gorge > Agapia monastery > Nicolae Popa ethnographic museums > Painted Churches of Bucovina > Vama > Moldovita, Sucevita and Voronet monasteries > Crisan fisherman’s village > Danube Delta > bird watching at lakes Bogdaproste, Trei Iezare and Cazanele > Tulcea by boat > Constanta > Bucharest city tour
Wolf tracking and watching holiday in Transylvania (6 days):
Bucharest > Zarnesti > wolf tracking with researcher in Carpathians > Bran Castle > Brasov > Bucharest
More about Romania wildlife
Wondering when to go on a wildlife holiday to Romania? It all depends on the changeable weather, and if you're after lynx, wolves, bears or birds.
Wildlife holidays to Romania smuggle you into the forests and mountains of the Carpathians, where regular folk live alongside creatures straight out of a fairytale.
Joining an expert tracking guide or volunteering are the best ways of taking part in a bear watching holiday in Romania. Find out how in our guide.
You’ll find yourself in the company of wolves in Romania, where thousands of the carnivores flicker through the Carpathian Mountains. Discover how to track them responsibly.
Read why a trip led by conservation experts is your best chance at seeing lynx in Romania. Wildlife holidays don't get much more exciting than this.
Home to wolves, bears and the elusive lynx, holidays to the Carpathian Mountains offer wildlife watching in abundance, alongside some seriously underrated walking country.
Take a trip through Transylvania and you'll be surprised as to what you might find, including the Carpathian foothills, wildlife-filled woods and Saxon villages.
We’ve spoken to our tour partners and travellers to source travel tips for our Romania wildlife holidays. Packing tips, weather warnings and volunteering hints included.
Fancy getting close to the biggest concentration of carnivores in Europe? Read our guide to find out what a responsible wildlife holiday to Romania looks like.
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