DURATION: 8 days, Saturday to Saturday
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 6-12 PAX
DATES: Every week in May, June, July
ACCOMMODATION: Local hotels
TRANSPORTATION: Van, boat, 4WD
MEALS: Restaurants – Packed lunch
DIFFICULTY: Easy, support from guides expert about the area and photography – mild temperature
INFORMATION: SKUA headquarters – info@skuanature.com – +39 0141 918349
Eight unforgettable days
in one of the last wildest corners of Europe
ULTIMA FRONTIERA
The perfect trip for wildlife photographers.
From the moment we set out, this journey takes us spiritually further away from the Europe we know, until we finally reach the untouched nature of this land. When we reach the Danube Delta, we enter the largest wetland in Europe, one of the last areas where nature is still the undisputed queen.
We arrive at the 1000-hectare reserve that makes up Ultima Frontiera after a 4-hour trip by car and speedboat, as there is no road connection between this incredible place and the mainland. We will stay for a whole week in an excellent lodge in the middle of the reserve, so we can explore and appreciate the potential of this untouched place.
The reserve is not only a paradise for wildlife observation, but also for the most demanding wildlife photographers. We will be able to use more than 25 photo hides of the latest generation, active at different times of the season and dedicated to different species, to always guarantee a wide range of photographable subjects.
We will participate in 2 different boat excursions and an off-road vehicle safari through the steppe, which will allow us to fully experience the Delta. Thanks to the small electric buggies provided by our reserve and the hydrohides, we will be able to explore the environment autonomously and discover the many small natural microsystems that comprise all the habitats of the Delta.
Throughout the week we will be accompanied by specialized guides who will help us get to know the different species that live in these places: we will observe and photograph the habits of the Golden Jackals and probably experience interactions with the majestic White-tailed Eagle. We will be accompanied in the middle of the reeds to observe the Purple Herons and kingfishers fishing. We will cross the lakes in search of the Great White Pelicans, the rarer Dalmatian Pelican and other nesting species.
This hidden corner of Europe called Ultima Frontiera is waiting for you!
RATE PER PERSON: from € 1 900
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
- Transportation Bucharest-Ultima Frontiera-Bucharest
- 6 nights at Ultima Frontiera
- 1 night in Bucharest
- Professional photo hides
- Electric buggies
- 2 boat excursions
- 1 4WD excursion
- Lunch, dinner and breakfast
- Assistance from experienced wildlife and photography staff
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Roundtrip airfare
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Day 1
After landing in the easternmost capital of the European Union, we leave Bucharest to begin a 280 km journey across plains and hills toward the northeast. On the way, we will explore rural Romania and pass several villages with a rural flair, where we will see buggies, roadside carts and stands with typical local products. We will slowly immerse ourselves in a land with an old taste and observe some rare species of animals such as Prairie Dogs or Red-footed Falcons.
In Tulcea we will board a boat on the Danube and dive into the labyrinth of channels that this huge Delta forms before flowing into the Black Sea. We will parade in front of white herons and colorful kingfishers, while among the branches of the trees that cover the banks of the canals, White-tailed Eagles watch from above the intruders that cross their territory.
After 80 km we reach Ultima Frontiera and enter the reserve, where we make a short tour of the area. We will cross rich systems of canals and reeds, hedgerows and prairies and encounter the Black-winged Stilt, Bearded Reedling, Purple Heron, and Western Marsh Harrier. We will observe the European Roller and the European Bee-eater in the trees and, if we are lucky, we will see the first Golden Jackals, the guardians of this protected area, which will surely greet us at dusk with a chorus of howls. Afterwards we will be welcomed in the hotel, where a dinner with typical specialties will be waiting for us, so that we can regain our strength and be ready for the next days of photography.
Day 2-6
These are the days when we will experience the Danube Delta to the fullest. We will be accompanied by local guides through the sandy roads of the reserve to reach the different photo hides, especially if it is your first time at Ultima Frontiera. This is also because the hides are designed to blend in with the surroundings and we run the risk of driving past them without seeing them. Here we will find more than 25 hides of the latest generation and of different construction: some are buried in the hills to offer comfortable perspectives at ground level, others have elevated drinkers to facilitate access to water for the animals. We will also be able to use floating hides camouflaged in the reeds, as well as small tent hides hidden in the grasslands.
On each day we will be offered and arranged 3 photo sessions, 2 to take advantage of the best light hours of dawn and dusk, and a third, after sunset, for those who want to encounter the nocturnal predators thanks to our hides specially equipped for night photography. The hides are distributed over the 1000 hectares of the reserve to take advantage of the great diversity of the environment and approach the species at any time of day, such as the packs of jackals that are active at the first light of dawn, Purple Herons, majestic eagles, small kingfishers that go hunting, or the pelicans that gather at the edge of the lagoons at sunset.
Ultima Frontiera is not only about hides: you can move freely in the reserve with electric buggies and jeeps or go on hikes and walks. We will also make 2 excursions to get to know the Delta in depth. The first excursion will take us on a boat at dawn to visit the spectacular inner waters of the Delta. Through impressive tunnels in the tangle of the forest, reminiscent of the Amazon environment, we reach the lakes, home to Great White and Dalmatian Pelicans and many other species. But it’s not just a paradise for those with a telephoto lens, as standard or wide-angle lenses are also used to immortalize not only the intricate riparian vegetation of the canals, but also the white and yellow water lilies that make the background an explosion of colors, or the seasonal dwellings of the fishermen, small structures made of mud and wood surrounded by boats and nets. On another excursion, we will reach the island where the reserve is located by an off-road vehicle and go on a photo safari. Beyond the boundaries of the reserve, we will explore miles of steppes and forests, including the majestic Letea Forest, one of the last European primary forest, where most of the eagles you will see nest. It will not only be a trip to the Romanian steppe, but also to the past. In fact, there are several old and often abandoned fishing villages on the island. Among wooden and straw houses, horse carts and geese that roam on the road, we will be able to observe at close range the Collared Pratincole and the Red-footed Falcon that are on their migration to the Delta. Among all the wild animals, there is one species that embodies the spirit of the prairie: the Letea Wild Horse, one of the 5 European wild horse species that live on the island where we will be staying, and that we can observe in all its splendor and photograph in large herds led by indomitable stallions.
Day 7
On this last day in the Delta, we will have our last sessions in the hides and the last photographic activities before heading back to Bucharest before noon.
On the way back, we will take a different route and we will first explore the lakes of the Delta. On this last field trip, we will try to best photograph the Red-necked Grebe, Pallas’s Gull, Eurasian Spoonbill, Common Tern, Whiskered Tern and large groups of pelicans fishing.
After our photo session, the boat will head west to leave the Delta and take the route back to Bucharest. We will spend our last night in Bucharest.
Day 8
In the morning we will head to the airport and fly back home, looking forward to our next adventures together.
The hide, or photo hides, are special structures for observing wildlife that fit perfectly into the environment and can comfortably accommodate 1 to 6 people, depending on the size of the hide. They are in strategic points to increase the possibility of observing wildlife at close range, and to guarantee participants discreet comfort and optimal photo conditions. There are hides made of different materials, shapes, and features, but all have the goal of approaching animals without disturbing them and minimizing the impact on the area. In these structures, wildlife never come into contact with observers and photographers: visitors remain hidden behind special glass windows or camouflage nets. In this way, the animals do not get used to the presence of people and do not change their natural behavior. The wild nature of the animals is respected, and they can continue to visit their usual areas undisturbed.
- Clothing for temperatures from 10°C to 30°C.
- Flashlight/Headlamp.
- Travel insurance is required.
- We strongly recommend booking flights that provide refunds in case of cancelation or change of itinerary.