Tour information

Transylvania in late winter offers unique opportunities for wildlife photography! Although weather conditions have become increasingly unpredictable in recent years, and the subjects we encounter may vary from one year to the next, our adventure will offer some truly special photographic opportunities. As winter draws to a close, wildlife begins to prepare for the arrival of spring, and activity among both mammals and birds is often rewarding. Join us to discover Transylvania’s wild side and capture the magic of this transitional season through your lens!

Our new “Transylvania in Late Winter” tour is primarily a hide-based photography experience exploring the wild beauty of the Harghita Mountains. We have been considering this tour for many years, and we feel that the time has finally come to launch this unique photography adventure! Although winter conditions are becoming increasingly unpredictable, especially when it comes to the weather, there is still a good chance of experiencing snowy landscapes. March is also the mating season for cats, making this an especially exciting time for wildlife photography. Of course, every year is different. You could visit the same places in consecutive years and experience completely different conditions, encounters and photographic opportunities.  We have designed this tour to offer a wide variety of potential subjects, giving photographers the chance to capture the diversity of Transylvania’s wildlife and landscapes during this fascinating transition from winter to spring.

We will be trying to see, experience and photograph the following possible key subjects on this tour:

• Pine Marten (from hide)
• Brown Bears in winter coat (from hides) – good chance in snow
• Slight chance for Eurasian Lynx (from hide)
• Winter landscape and drone photography
• Ural Owl photography day and night         
• Stone Marten (from Hide)
• Winter birds at feeders, mainly woodpeckers and tits
• Optional night excursions for wildlife
• Stalking photography from car is possible for Hazel Grouse

The tour is 8 days / 7 nights with a maximum group size of 6 photographers. Photographers will go to hides in pairs. We feel that small group size is key importance in photography tours. We will also have several optional night excursions, so be prepared for an action-packed tour! We will even have possibilities to use hides at night as the garden lodge in the Hargita Bear Lodge is equipped with lights – Stone Marten is a possibility.

Tour starting and ending time: It is important to book your flight according to the official starting and ending times of the tour! Our bus and guide will be waiting all participants in the Otopeni Airport at Bucharest. Please make sure you can reach the starting point in time at 14:00 on the tour starting date! If you wish to arrive earlier to Bucharest our office can help you to book accommodation and logistics. However if you arrive early you need to make your way to the airport for the meeting time. In some cases we can pick up clients from the nearby airport hotels (please check with our office). Also very important that thetour only ends at 14:00 on the last day so please do not book flights out of Bucharest earlier than 16:00 on the last day!

Timing:
Recommended period is from 10 – 25 March

Duration:
8 days (7 nights)

Logistics:
This is a hide based tour. We will have several available hides for daytime and some hides even possible to visit at night (Bear Lodge garden hide). Some hides have heating but some hides does not. Logistics will be variable depending on the hides being used. If you choose to sit in a Lynx Hide you will need to spend all day there to maximize the chance (not properly heated). Every tour participant will be able to go to a Lynx hide on maximum two different days accompined by our Lynx expert Ferenc Alpár Gothárd (2 out of 6 full days). The Pine Marten hide and bear hides will also be visited and there is no restrictions. The photo day usually starts at 05:30 with coffee and biscuits (fruits) and breakfast and lunch will be taken to the all day hides. In some hides we will have shorter sessions and you can use the hide in the lodge garden anytime – even in the evening hours (artifically lit hide). Moreover we will offer night excursion for those who up for such an adventure where we will look for owls or other creatures from car.

Recommended equipment:
This tour will offer you very diverse photographing opportunities. Therefore, we suggest that you bring along lenses from fish-eye and wide angle to 300mm and 500mm ones. If you have a drone you can bring it along!

Expected number of birds species photographed on this tour:
10 – 20 species

What to bring:
small torch, binocular, tripod, waterproof and/or slipping proof hiking boots, warm winter clothing, heating stickers for hand and feet, warm hat. Also a good face mask or a warm hood can be very good.

Accommodation & Road Transport:
We will be staying in the Hargita Bear Lodge where we get home-made cooking. Road transport is by minibus / car / 4×4 on the tour.

Walking:
The walking effort is mostly easy but on some occasions a moderate walk may be required to reach a hide (especially if snow conditions does not allow close approach to hide).

Weahter & clothing:
It is late winter (or very early spring) and although we are getting milder winters nowadays we have to be prepared for a range of -10C to 10C (night and daytime). Warm winter clothing and feet & hand heater is recommended (battery powered or just classic stick on heating pads). Warm hiking boots are essential. Highly recommended to bring a face mask, a warm hat or hoody hat and proper gloves. We will have extra blankets for your knees and a cosy warm sheep skin overshoes cover for the non heated hides – a real lifesaver!