Hiking & Wildlife Tracking Trip in the Carpathians

The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest predator from the Carpathians.

The cub and mother bear just woke up, spring is here.

Searching for the last berries of the season

Crowdy place: Brown bear, Red deer, Red Fox and Wild cat footprints

The Carpathian Mountains are so raw and wild they are often called Europe's last wilderness reserve! Romania has the largest brown bear population in Europe and many wild animals roam free in the forests and foothills around Brasov. On this hiking trip you will enter Fagaras Mts. and learn about wildlife tracking from a mountain guide - while enjoying nature!

What you need to know Moments to expect Guide Cancellation & refund policy Location details

What you need to know about this hiking & wildlife tracking trip from Brasov

This is a private day trip organized by a conservationist non-profit. Exact starting time, hiking route and difficulty level to be agreed after confirmation
Included: off-road transport into the mountains from Rucar, hiking guidance and wildlife scouting in a natural protected area
Seeing animals live is NOT guaranteed as nature cannot be controlled and safety is always our top priority. If you want to see animals we need to go to Richita observation hide (tour extension)
We will go hiking deep in Fagaras Mts through forests and beautiful natural scenery in completely wild areas! We will agree on the hiking route depending on weather, your fitness and preferences
The guide will teach you about animals' natural habitat, tell you about wildlife in the area and show you tracks and marks. We will give you some binoculars too
The tour starts from Rucar, Arges county or Brasov (on request, extra charge), early morning (5-6 am) or at noon. Scouting for animals is done in the morning or late evening. Tour duration: 8h
This trip will support a non-profit's conservation activity in the area.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate hiking clothes and footwear, preferably in dark/green colours to blend in with the surroundings. Also pay attention to weather conditions and season. Early morning and in the evening can be very cold.

Please avoid using any perfume or strong odours because animals will smell you - and stay away from us!

Scouting for wildlife does not mean you are guaranteed to see animals live in the wild, and in fact we don't want to run into bears or wild boars! We will do our best to track them and go where we can get good views of the area.

If you want to see animals live in the wild on this trip please choose the tour extension to the wildlife observation hide.

Moments to expect on this hiking & wildlife tracking tour from Brasov

Approaching Fagaras Mountains and Romania's wilderness!

This trip actually starts from Rucar, Arges county, with some off-road driving through Dambovita Valley. As we go deeper into the wild forests of Fagaras Mts the landscape changes quickly and signs of animal life become more common: otters in the river, tracks of deers, roe deers, wild boar, wolves and bears.

Wildlife tracking

Your guide will present options for hiking routes and you can choose depending on your preferences and fitness level. We can go check wildlife observation cameras, look for tracks and fresh marks from animals in the area and go open clearings where we may spot animals from a distance. You will learn about wildlife in Romania, their natural environment and how important it is to protect it!

Dramatic scenery

In Fagaras Mts you will find raw and unspoilt natural landscapes that are worth every bit of effort! We will stop and admire the view, take photos, enjoy the fresh air and marvel at nature's wonderful harmony in these parts of Romania!

Tour extension: Live wildlife watching

If you want to see wild animals live and in safe conditions, we need to go to a nearby observation hide in Dambovita Valley where we'll spend 2-3 hours waiting for them to show up (very high chances, but not guaranteed as nature cannot be controlled)
[tour extension available at extra cost when booking]

How to book?

Choose how many people and when
Request a booking and fill in your details
Flexible payment and cancelation
Guide answers in 24h
Children prices

2 x 100 Euro

How to book this tour?

Choose how many people and when
Request a booking and fill in your details
Flexible payment and cancelation
Guide answers in 24h
Children prices

Guide

Robert

15 REVIEWS

Hi there! I'm Robert and, just like you, I absolutely love travelling. More than a trip, it is a way of life. I find this a great opportunity to disconnect from our busy lives and reconnect to our true nature. Join me on one of our unique wildlife watching tours! Happy trails everyone!

I like: I'm a huge nature enthusiast. Photography, hiking, birdwatching, cycling, are just some of the things that can always make my day nicer.

I speak: english, hungarian, romanian

Cancelation & refund policy

Easy

Sends us or the guide an email 24h before the tour informing us you can't make it and you'll get a full refund of your payment, no questions asked.

Location details

Starting point: Rucar, Arges county or Brasov
Nearest airport: Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport
Nearest train station: Brasov or Zarnesti
Landscape: Mountainous & forest

See on the map

Reviews from travellers

Neill D. on 13.09.2024

We had the Bison Tour in the Carpathian Mountains. It was amazing. We were met by two friendly guides who were careful to help us and show us all that they could of the environment and people in are as well as the animals. One of them was a professional ecologist who had been responsible for the reintroduction of the animal in the wild 5 years before and was a park ranger. The other a great leader with a deep understanding of the mountains, so friendly and interesting and made communication so easy and enjoyable. We were super lucky... we saw the herd of 12 animals initially in the woodland and then followed them through the clearing into the meadow. They were amazing animals and this touch with wilderness will never be forgotten by us. We were a family of 7 people and ranked this the highest memory of our two week holiday in wonderful Romania. We cannot rank the Romanian Friend tour highly enough - the guides were wonderful and the organisation very clear making it very sure where we were to meet and what to expect. Thank you

Nadja K. on 27.05.2024

We had an amazing day out with Oana and the ranger and spotted a bear (fortunately from the car) and bisons only after an hour of hiking. It was a real adventure as we went on unbeaten paths but we felt looked after all the time. Oana was lovely and very knowledgeable.

Graham P. on 24.08.2023

An absolute highlight of our trip to Brasov. My son and I spent a fantastic day with our guide Oana and two rangers tracking Bison through the mountainous forests. An unforgettable experience.

Rory S. on 26.05.2019

great trip through the wild mountains, we learned a lot about animals and Romanian nature, the kids were thrilled. Saw some small animals and plenty of tracks, our wildlife guide was an expert. Also thanks to Romanian Friend team for setting this up!

John P. on 27.08.2018

This was my favorite of the daytrips from Brasov! I loved being able to spend time in nature, completely away from other people and tourists. We saw tracks of bear, deer and boar during the trek, which the guide pointed out to me and explained. The guide Iulia was the highlight of the day - she was wonderful company, very passionate about nature and conservation, and tailored the trekking route to my needs. I feel that I learned a lot about animal tracking, and about the important conservation work that is taking place in the Romanian Carpathian mountains - this was one of my goals, so I am very satisfied. To top eveything off we then saw a brown bear from the wildlife-viewing lodge at dusk. I would highly recommend this tour, and especially Iulia who made the day truly exceptional for me - she is a fantastic ambassador for Romania tourism!