UNIQUE EXPERIENCES IN THE DANUBE DELTA
Group tour departure
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Group tours leave on set dates. Adding ±2 or ±3 days usually shows you more departures.
Our tours
Popular tours for 2027
Three nights in Mila 23, in the heart of the Danube Delta, with a day on the lakes and channels, a day trip to Letea Forest and a sunrise tour on the water.
From €470 per person
See the tour: Danube Delta Nature Tour 4d/3n, 2 day trips included, SHARED 2027
Skip the crowds: boat trips at sunrise and in the late afternoon, when the speed boats are gone and the Danube Delta is quiet again.
From €470 per person
See the tour: Danube Delta Summer Nature Escape, Skip the Crowds, 4d/3n, 2027
Destinations: Danube Delta
Four nights in Mila 23 and three days of birding from sunrise, on the lakes, at Letea and at Caraorman, with a specialised guide and at most 8 birders.
From €800 per person
See the tour: Danube Delta Birdwatching Tour 2027: Small SHARED Group, 5d/4n
Destinations: Danube Delta
8 to 10 hours of birding from sunrise, in an open boat built for the Danube Delta, to Mila 23, with a guide who is both a birder and a wildlife photographer.
A day by boat from Tulcea to Letea, with a coffee stop in Mila 23, a safari car to Letea Forest and an optional lunch in a local household.
Destinations: Danube Delta
Four nights in the heart of the Danube Delta, with a last night at Letea from April to June, sessions at sunrise and in the evening light and at most 4 photographers in the boat.
From €1,000 per person
See the tour: Wildlife Photo Tour to the Danube Delta, 5d/4n, 2027 SHAREDChoose your trip
Find your way into the Danube Delta
One day from Tulcea
Day Trips
Shared or private, by boat to Letea, Mila 23, Caraorman or Sulina, and by minivan into Dobrogea, with a guide who knows the way and the stories.
See the day trips
Stay in the heart of it
Multi Day Nature Tours
Two to six nights in Mila 23, a fishing village reached only by water, with boat trips at the best hours of the day and dinners cooked by your hosts.
See the nature tours
From sunrise, with a birder
Birdwatching Tours
Small groups and private tours in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea, with a specialised birding guide, for beginners and seasoned birders alike.
See the birding tours
In the first and last light
Photo Tours
A low open boat and a wildlife photographer guide, hides in Dobrogea, and photo tours to Lake Kerkini, the Balkan Mountains and Transylvania.
See the photo tours
Film crews, projects, agencies
For Professionals
Boats, permits, guides and local access for your production, your photography project or your groups. Everything on request.
See how we work
Before you come
Danube Delta Guide
When to come, how to get here, where to stay, what lives in the Danube Delta, and the birds month by month. Written by the people who guide you.
Read the guide
How we travel
The Danube Delta, without the speed boats
Most visitors see the Danube Delta from a covered speed boat, under a low roof, behind walls of cloudy plastic sheeting. You see almost nothing of the landscape, and the experience is close to zero. Add loud music, a boatman who speaks no English and a race from one stop to the next, and the birds fly away long before the boat arrives. We do it differently, and we are proud of it.
Open boats, at low speed
Our own boats, built for the Danube Delta, with low power engines. Nothing between you and the landscape: you see, hear and smell the Danube Delta all around you.
At the right hours
In summer, from about 9:30, hundreds of speed boats race through the main channels. Our summer trips leave at sunrise or in the late afternoon, when the Danube Delta is quiet again.
The right guide for your trip
Naturalists, specialised birders and wildlife photographers, each on the trip made for them. A nature tour, a birding tour and a photo tour are not the same trip.
Open boat means open. No roof, no shade, no heating. That is what makes it a complete experience. We offer you a fabulous day on the water; your part is to come prepared for sun, wind and rain.
Our guests
What our guests say
An absolutely wonderful experience! I was left with wonderful memories and had the opportunity to meet special people during the trip. A big plus for the birdwatching guide, who was simply extraordinary 🥳 – extremely professional and super passionate about what he does. I wholeheartedly recommend "Discover the Danube Delta" for an authentic adventure! And the accommodation at Casa Vaida was the perfect choice: wonderful hosts, extremely tasty food and super clean rooms. I recommend Casa Vaida with all my heart❤️welcoming host makes you feel at home ☺️🥰
Danube Delta
This tour was just what I wanted. A boat ride through the delta area, a chance to see birds, and the wild horses. Lunch was local fish, fixed in a variety of ways with accompaniments. I recommend this tour.
AMAZING
Discover Danube Delta was a unique and unforgettable experience. Iliuta was an outstanding guide, who made sure to answer everyone’s questions and cater to the group’s needs. Moreover, his knowledge of the wildlife and history of the Danube Delta was not only beyond impressive, but also entertaining. The small size of the group is ideal, as one can completely enjoy and immersive themselves in this experience. Would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in exploring and learning about the Danube Delta or to anyone who is looking for an out of the ordinary experience.
Outstanding!
We highly recommend this company to visit the Delta. The contact person, Calina, was very nice and responsive to all our questions and requests. Our guide was Bogdan. He is not only a good navigator, a nice, vastly knowledgeable and accommodating fellow, he also has an incredible eyesight. He was able to spot (and name!) birds and their nests way ahead of time so that we were prepared to watch them and take photos. His English is near perfect and it was a pleasure to share meals with him at the various stops (Mila23 and Letea). In addition, he is an enthusiastic lover of nature preservation and knows all the ins and outs on the subject.
I did the nature day trip, and it was fantastic thanks to Ilie. He loves nature and knows the delta so well. He knew every bird - all 45 species we saw and cheerfully pointed out flora as well. This company also respects the wildlife greatly, going slowly and quietly around feeding and nesting birds. We had a fantastic lunch in Letea and got to see the old forest there as well.
We had a great tour with Ilie (hope it's the right way to write it). Very fond of nature and birds, he took the time to show us Delta's wonders. Good English and joyful to top it all. There was also a typical lunch in a fisherman's village.
Marvellous immersive (but we stayed dry) trip to the Danube Delta.
We saw so much varied birdlife on our 4 day, 3 night tour with DiscoverDanubeDelta. I am not usually a birdwatcher, but our guide Marius's knowledge was extensive and his enthusiasm was infectious, so I really enjoyed the trip. The accommodation at Casa Vaida was comfortable and the food was delicious.
We had the best doughnuts at our lunch at Letea. Great value!
Marius is the best guide! Truly awesome experience with great hosts and food in Mila23. Cheers from Poland to all your staff!
A really good experience from the beginning to the end Victor was a perfect guide. We spend a full day in the Danube Delta and it was wonderful! Thank a lot!
Iliuta and Calina the best tour guides I ever met. Very friendly helpful and good knowledge about everything on the Danube Delta. Amazing job guys keep it up. Catalin and Amelia
Detailed ecology tour into Danube delta
Wonderful experience, guide with in-depth knowledge of birds, plants, environmental issues and ecosystems. Skillfull boat operator.
One of the best things I ever did in my life.
I did the photography tour and everything was just incredible. It's hard going, but totally worth it. It's so beautiful there and the wildlife and birdlife is stunning.
Special thanks to Calina, Marius, and Ionut. You were all amazing and work so hard! The accommodation is beautiful and the staff there are so nice! Thank you to all who made my stay so wonderful!
I hope one day to return to the delta and witness its magic again!
Deep insight into the Danube Delta
The ranger who led the tour was outstanding. Not only were the birds seen explained, but also the problems in protecting the delta were reported.
Perfect one day trip
Amazing tour, our guide Viktor was very knowledgeable and friendly, answered all our questions and more, so we definitely learned a lot! Danube Delta is so beautiful an unique, I highly recommend visiting it!
The route started from one of the most beautiful areas of the Danube Delta, on small wild channels and lakes, until Mila23. There we had a delicious lunch at a local village house. Then we took again the boat and discovered the wildness of the Danube Delta, beautifully outlined by channels and lakes, the simplicity and naturalness of the Letea village and, last but not least, the famous subtropical forest Letea. We also relaxed at Sullina beach ⛱️. The tour was outstanding with a lot of explanations by the guide about wildlife and we spotted a lot of birds.
Read more reviews on TripAdvisor and Facebook.
Who we are
A local team, based in Tulcea since 2004
We are guides, birders and wildlife photographers who live and work in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea, in every season. We show you the Danube Delta as we see it: wild, quiet and full of life, away from the crowds. Read more about us or meet the team.
Licensed tour operator
Alternative Travel, operated by SC Dobrogea Misterioasă SRL, with a licence and an insolvency insurance policy renewed every year.
Our own boats and guides
Boats built for the Danube Delta and guides who know where the wildlife is this week, not last year.
Nature comes first
Members of the Ecotourism Association of Romania and of the Rewilding Tourism Network. We never enter nesting areas and never chase wildlife for a sighting or a picture.
Danube Delta guide
Read before you come
Our boats
Why we travel in open boats
What an open boat means for your day on the water, and why it changes what you see and hear.
Places
The trip to Letea Forest
Old oaks between the dunes, the horses of Letea and the long way there, from the river delta to the marine delta.
Birds
Birds of the Danube Delta and Dobrogea
Our list of the species, month by month, to plan your visit or build your target list.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Where do the tours start?
Almost all our boat trips and tours start at Port Tulcea Aval, Intrarea Marmurei 3, Tulcea. It is not the public harbour and not the town promenade. The page of each tour tells you the meeting hour.
How do I get to Tulcea?
By car, bus or train, or with our transfer from Bucharest or Bucharest airport, on request. If you come by car, there is a guarded car park at the port, paid separately.
When is the best time to visit the Danube Delta?
April to June is the busiest season for birds, with the colonies, the pelicans and the spring migration. In July and August go out at sunrise or in the late afternoon, away from the speed boats and the heat. September and October bring the autumn migration and quiet water. From December to February we run winter birding and photo trips, for those who come dressed for real cold.
What is the difference between a shared and a private tour?
On a shared tour you join other guests on a fixed program and pay per person. On a private tour the boat and the guide are only for your group, and you pay one price for the group.
I am not a birder or a photographer. Which tour is for me?
Choose a day trip or a multi day nature tour. They are made for nature lovers, at a relaxed pace, with a guide who explains the places, the wildlife and the life of the villages. Birding and photo tours have other hours, other routes and other guides.
Are the boats covered?
No. Our boats are open, with no roof, no shade and no heating. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a rain jacket or a rain poncho, and a warm layer for the early mornings.
How do I book?
Open the tour, choose your date and send us a booking request. We send you the confirmation and the payment link. Your booking is confirmed only when the payment shown on the tour page is made. A request is not a booking.
Contact
- Emailcontact@discoverdanubedelta.com
- Phone, SMS, WhatsApp+40 763 869 400
+40 757 894 456 - Meeting pointPort Tulcea Aval, Intrarea Marmurei 3, Tulcea
- For bookings and requests we always prefer email. Thank you!