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Winter In The Carpathians |
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A Conservation, culture and walking in the snow-covered mountains of Transylvania, with sightseeing in Bucharest and Brasov |
Ref: EX-DRW
8 days
from £829 (minimum 6 passengers)
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Destination:
Romania
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Conservation, culture and walking in the snow-covered mountains of Transylvania, with sightseeing in Bucharest and Brasov
The hills and forests of the Carpathians are one of the last remaining true wilderness areas in Europe. This wild and undeveloped habitat is home to Europe’s highest concentration of wolves, bears and lynx, but there is an increasing economic pressure for change. This holiday is designed to support a conservation initiative backed by the WWF by passing the benefits of a developing tourist industry to the local community. In Zarnesti we learn about the conservation work of the 'Carpathian Large Carnivore project' and walk in the snow with a local specialist guide. It is at this time of year that the animals have almost exclusive use of the forests: the flora and fauna is very diverse, even in the depths of winter. Wolves, lynx, bears (when they wake up from hibernation), wild boar and red deer are all in the forests, and we try to see as many as we can. Walking times will vary from a short stroll to full day's walking. There are uphill sections and we walk up to 15 km a day with climbs of 2-300m. It may be necessary to use snowshoes for some of the walks. Expect two to three hours of sunshine a day and typical temperatures of 10°C to -5°C, although up in the mountains temperatures will be lower than this. No trip to Transylvania would be complete without a visit to Bran Castle, more commonly known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ and the mediaeval town of Brasov with over 800 years of history and imposing buildings in Baroque and Viennese Rococo style. A little sightseeing in Bucharest is included at the beginning of the trip, to see the striking contrast of old and new in this unique city.
Extend your stay: extra nights can be booked (subject to availability) at the Bulevard Hotel in Bucharest. Prices for a single room are £87 and a double £128. Please note that a £5 booking fee is added to the invoice.
Further Information
Special equipment required:
daypack (30 litres); strong walking boots; water bottle/flask; waterproof jacket and trousers; warm clothes and jacket/jumper; sunglasses; sunscreen; hat and gloves; you may also find binoculars and torch useful.
Extra Expenses:
allow £20 for dinner and lunch in Bucharest. It is customary in Romania to tip local guides (at Bran Castle and in the museum). Our Romanian guide will offer guidelines however, generally Lei 10,000 (approx. 50 pence) is sufficient.
Meals Included:
breakfast in the hotel in Bucharest and all meals during our stay in Zarnesti.
Transport:
transfers to and from Bucharest will normally be by minibus. During the project week we will also use local low-impact transport such as horse and cart or sledge depending on conditions.
Children:
children under 16 can not join the group departure but private trips can be organised for families.
Joining locally:
the local start point for this trip is the hotel Bulevard in Bucharest. A taxi between the airport and the hotel should cost approx. £20.
Group & Staff:
Min. 6, max. 15 plus leader.
Accommodation:
Gigi and Elena Popa have converted their home into a guesthouse with twin and single rooms. Elena cooks and Gigi plays his guitar and sings, and we eat in their dining room and relax in their lounge; there is an honesty bar system. Most rooms will have private facilities though very occasionally we use two rooms with shared bathroom facilities (allocated to the last clients to book). In Bucharest we use a centrally-located tourist class hotel where all twin and single rooms have private facilities.
Food:
Meals are a mixture of fresh local produce and Romanian specialties. One evening a traditional lamb barbeque will be served and on another evening we can enjoy dinner in a restaurant in Brasov. Please note that some meals may be quite simple and traditional with limited choice, but all are wholesome and tasty. We will certainly have the chance to try the local plum brandy. Although not common in Romania, vegetarianism can be catered for, but choices may be limited.
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Day 1 | Depart London for Bucharest, and transfer to our hotel. The evening meal is at a traditional Romanian restaurant. Those who have booked land-only arrangements should join us at the hotel in Bucharest in time for the evening meal. | Day 2 | We take a sightseeing tour of Bucharest before travelling to our private guesthouse in a village at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. | Day 3 | Drive to the “Cabana Lupului” (Wolf cabin), to learn about the conservation project. We take a horse-drawn sleigh (if conditions allow) into the valley where our guide will teach us about snow tracking. There is also an introduction to snowshoe walking and we hike up a small hill where we are rewarded with a great view of the area. We return to Zarnesti for a traditional dinner followed by a video presentation showing the activities of the Conservation project. | Day 4 | We walk up to the Kalibash villages, which date from the Middle Ages and were built high up on ridges as a defence against invading Turks. We visit the traditional houses and learn about local life; stopping in a little bar we also have the chance to try “Tuica”, the local plum brandy. | Day 5 | Visit Bran Castle, the famous castle of Count Dracula, before continuing to Brasov to explore the old town. We see the famous “Black Church”, the eastern-most Gothic church in Europe, and have dinner at a cosy restaurant. | Day 6 | A day spent hiking through the forests (we may need snow-shoes) and, with luck, we will find tracks of wolves and lynx. | Day 7 | A hike over the hills to Vulcan, a small village where for centuries the Saxons, the German minority of Romania, used to live. On the way we keep our eyes open for tracks of wildlife and enjoy beautiful views over the valleys. We stop for tea at a local guesthouse before visiting a hide where there is a chance to see foxes, deer, wild boar, or even wolves and lynx. | Day 8 | We depart for Bucharest airport and our flight to London. Those with land-only arrangements will leave us at Bucharest airport. |
Departures Between | Price from | 20 Dec 04**
27 Dec 04** | *£829 | 12 Feb 05
19 Feb 05
04 Mar 05
11 Mar 05 | *£789 | | *Prices subject to confirmation |
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FLIGHT INCLUSIVE PRICE
Conservation project donation €75 (approx. £55) paid locally.
Single supplement £70
Insurance £25
**Mon to Mon
This holiday is operated by Exodus Travels Ltd. ATOL 2582.
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Winter In The Carpathians
A Conservation, culture and walking in the snow-covered mountains of Transylvania, with sightseeing in Bucharest and Brasov
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