Summer Danube Delta Nature Tour: Skip the Crowds
Three days and two nights in Mila 23, with three boat trips at the best hours for watching nature: at sunrise and in the late afternoon, away from the crowds.
- Duration
- 3 days / 2 nights
- Tour type
- Shared group tour
- Boat trips
- 3 guided trips
- Meals
- Half board
- Guiding
- In English
- Season
- July and August
The tour in short
Away from the crowds
In summer, most tours in the Danube Delta spend long hours on the water in the hottest part of the day, on channels crowded with speed boats. This programme does the opposite: three boat trips at the hours when the water is quiet, the air is cool and the wildlife is active.
We call it the terror of the speed boats: engines at full power, waves breaking into the reeds and birds flying off long before anyone has the chance to look at them. Our open boats go out early and late, move slowly and stop often. The guides who lead them are naturalists who want you to understand the Danube Delta, not only to see it.
You stay two nights in Mila 23, one of the most authentic villages of the Danube Delta. On the first evening you are already out on the lakes. The second day starts at sunrise, on narrow channels lined with reeds and on lakes covered with white and yellow water lilies, and ends with a late afternoon excursion to Letea, the forest of old oaks, sand dunes and wild horses. The hot hours in between are for resting in the shade of the guesthouse, with homemade local food.
On the water
Three boat trips at the best hours
Evening Lakes Trip
Day 1 · from 17:00Your first hours on the lakes around Mila 23, as the heat fades and the light turns warm. Herons, egrets and terns are feeding again and the water is calm.
Sunrise Lakes Trip
Day 2 · at sunriseWe leave with the first light, when the waterways are still silent: a maze of narrow channels, open lakes and floating vegetation, away from the busy routes, with carpets of white and yellow water lilies.
Letea Forest and its wild landscapes
Day 2 · from 16:00By boat to the north of the Danube Delta, then by safari vehicle and on foot into the northernmost subtropical forest in Europe: ancient oaks, sand dunes, dry grasslands and wild horses.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1Tulcea to Mila 23 and the evening Lakes TripBoat transfer · evening boat trip · dinner
- 14:30Meeting and boarding at Port Tulcea Aval, where you also find details about the location and parking. Please come half an hour before departure, to complete the payment if needed and to find your boat.
- 15:00Departure to Mila 23 by boat.
- On arrivalCheck in. Our guide takes you to the pier of your guesthouse, where the staff hand you the key to your room.
- 17:00Evening Lakes Trip with our guide, in our open boats.
- EveningDinner at the guesthouse.
Day 2Sunrise on the lakes, midday in the shade, Letea in the late afternoonSunrise boat trip · free time · Letea excursion · breakfast and dinner
- SunriseMorning Lakes Trip. We leave when the first light touches the reedbeds and the waterways are still quiet. Depending on conditions, we may meet great white egrets, grey herons, purple herons, kingfishers, terns, cormorants and pelicans. The point is not to rush from one place to another, but to watch, to learn and to enjoy the natural rhythm of the Danube Delta.
- 9:30Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- MiddayFree time in the shade, with an optional lunch (not included in the price). If you like walks and museums, you can visit the Ivan Patzaichin Museum in Mila 23, open from Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 19:00. Entry is free and donations are welcome.
- 16:00Departure for the Letea excursion. You visit Letea Forest by safari vehicle and on foot.
- EveningDinner at the guesthouse.
About Letea. Letea is the northernmost subtropical forest in Europe. Ancient oaks, twisted by wind and time, grow among sand dunes, dry grasslands and Mediterranean plants, in a landscape very different from the wetlands around it. The wild horses that roam freely here are the best known inhabitants, next to many birds, reptiles, insects and rare plants. Our guides explain how the dunes were formed, how the plants survive and how the local communities live with this wild corner of the Danube Delta.
Meals today: breakfast, dinnerDay 3Breakfast and the boat back to TulceaBoat transfer · breakfast
- 8:30Breakfast at the guesthouse.
- 9:30Boarding for the return transfer to Tulcea, mostly on the same route as on arrival and at a higher speed than on the excursions.
- 11:30Arrival in Tulcea, at the same pier. End of the programme.
If you continue by public transport, please plan your departure from Tulcea after 12:00.
Meals today: breakfastThe order of the excursions may vary.
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- 2 nights at the guesthouse you choose, in a double room
- Half board: dinner on day 1, breakfast and dinner on day 2, breakfast on day 3
- Evening Lakes Trip (day 1)
- Sunrise Lakes Trip (day 2)
- Letea excursion, including the safari vehicle (day 2)
- Guiding in English
- Boat transfers from Tulcea to Mila 23 and back
- Danube Delta visiting fees charged by the authorities (ARBDD)
The price does not include
- Drinks, other than the water served with meals
- Lunch: €20 to €25 (100 to 120 RON) per person, at Letea or in Mila 23, paid on the spot, in cash only
- Insurance of any kind (travel, belongings and so on)
- Single room supplement of €60 per person, for solo travellers or for anyone who prefers a room to themselves
Shared departures
Summer 2027 dates and prices
The summer tour runs twice a week in July and August 2027. Choose your guesthouse, then click Request to Book next to the dates you want. Prices are in euro (EUR), per person, for the whole stay.
1
Choose your guesthouse in Mila 23
See the guesthouses: Casa Alexandru & Alexandra, Casa Vaida, Casa Pescarului.
2
Choose your dates
Request to Book opens our booking form in a new tab, with your tour, dates and guesthouse already filled in.
How to book
- Choose your guesthouse and your dates above, then click Request to Book. The booking form opens with your choice already filled in.
- Send the form. We usually answer in less than 24 hours. Please check your spam folder too.
- Confirm your booking with a 30% deposit. You can pay online, through a payment link, or with Romanian holiday vouchers (printed or on card).
- Pay the balance at embarkation, in cash, by card or with holiday vouchers.
Cancellation and rescheduling
- More than 90 days before the start of the programme, you can reschedule your stay. You receive a voucher valid for 2 years.
- Less than 90 days before the start of the programme, the deposit is not refundable and cannot be used for another programme.
Children and groups
- The minimum age for this programme is 5 years.
- Children aged 5 to 12 pay 50% of the price. Children over 12 pay the adult price.
- Parents are fully responsible for supervising their children during the stay.
- The programme runs with a minimum of 4 participants.
- For a group of at least 6 adults, ask us for a custom offer by email.
Before you book
Good to know
This is a shared tour
You travel with other guests. The whole group goes on the same boat, at the hours shown in the itinerary. Please be on time for every boarding, for transfers and for excursions.
Open boats, nothing in between
All trips use traditional open boats built for watching nature: no windows and no plastic covers between you and the Danube Delta, and low sides, so you see the birds at water level.
On the water
The guide chooses the best route for the season, the water level and the weather. The pace is slow, with frequent stops for a bird, a flower, a view or a story.
Midday in the shade
Between the trips you are free: rest at the guesthouse, have lunch, walk through the village or visit the Ivan Patzaichin Museum. Nobody takes you out on the water in the midday heat.
Our commitment to conservation
Nature comes first
Our tours are designed to keep our impact low and to protect the delicate ecosystem of the Danube Delta. By choosing this tour you support a slower, more careful way of exploring it.
Lower power engines
Our boats run on engines with less power than they would normally carry. That means less disturbance in the water, less fuel and lower emissions.
A slow, steady pace
Moving slowly protects the aquatic vegetation that fish need for breeding, prevents erosion of the banks and reduces stress on migratory and resident birds.
Distance from nests
We never enter nesting or breeding areas, and we keep our distance from bird nests along the shoreline. Birds that behave naturally are also the best ones to watch.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Why are the trips at sunrise and in the late afternoon?
Because these are the hours when temperatures are comfortable, the waterways are quiet and the wildlife is naturally more active. In the middle of a summer day the birds hide from the heat, and the main channels belong to the crowds and to the speed boats.
How early does the sunrise trip start?
We leave at sunrise, so the hour changes through the summer: about 5:20 in the morning at the beginning of July and about 6:20 at the end of August. Breakfast is waiting at 9:30.
What do we do in the middle of the day?
You rest. The hours between breakfast and the afternoon trip are free: the shade of the guesthouse, an optional lunch, a walk through Mila 23 or a visit to the Ivan Patzaichin Museum, open from Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 19:00.
Is lunch included?
No. The tour is half board, with breakfast and dinner at the guesthouse. Lunch is optional and costs €20 to €25 (100 to 120 RON) per person, at Letea or in Mila 23, paid on the spot, in cash only.
What will we see?
In summer the lakes around Mila 23 are covered with white and yellow water lilies. Depending on conditions, we may meet great white egrets, grey herons, purple herons, kingfishers, terns, cormorants and pelicans, and at Letea the wild horses. Wildlife is wild, so no sighting can be promised.
Read more about summer in the Danube Delta.
When should I arrive in Tulcea, and when can I leave?
Boarding is at 14:30 on the first day, at Port Tulcea Aval, and the boat leaves at 15:00. On the third day you are back in Tulcea at 11:30. If you travel on by public transport, plan your departure after 12:00.