Wow! What a fabulous experience. Romania will remain at the top of my list for some time as being my favourite country visited (and I've travelled around the globe!) What am adventure into the real wilderness, where the countryside is owned my the wildlife and totally respected my the locals. I never expected it to be as wild as it was. Not a soul in sight and the Romanians are so friendly, welcoming and enjoy a good laugh. We were giving up hope on day two of tracking the Bison when we came across a herd of around 15 to 20 on the forest at around 4pm! We had to sneak up so quietly being careful not to tread on sticks and leaves so not to scare them away. It was remarkable to see them in the wild, unfortunately the spotted us and the whole herd ran away, but wow!! The following day we went tracking for other wildlife hut weren't so successful, this was the night to sit in the bear hide for a couple of hours. We walked quietly to the hide, at this point the group was split into two groups of four. We couldn't believe when we arrived that there was a huge brown bear feasting on some corn that was there for the boars. What an experience as we sat and watched him feast for around an hour and he didn't bat an eyelid at us. We snuck off quietly when he left as we lost sight of him. We were also lucky to spot some Lynx tracks in the mud. We had a swim in a lake and it was so relaxing and beautiful with no one else around. I would recommend to future trackers to wear long trousers as you will track the animals off the beaten path and into the undergrowth, it's also quite uneven and very hilly so ankle support and poles could be useful and we walked for around 9 miles on days one and 2. Definitely book this trip if you are after seeing wildlife in a really remote habitat.

An incredible experience. Learning about wildlife tracking and being shown the signs, which later evolved into spotting some ourselves, was an incredible immersive experience. Silent, slow hiking to not disturb the animals would not instantly appeal to me as I love a chat, but the atmosphere created in the wilderness was amazing. Also helped with some quite long, steep uphill segments! It really is remote, we saw no one else on any hikes. The group was great, similar wildlife and mountain forest enthusiasts but also just lovely people. We were lucky enough to see bison and a wolf, as an epic bison enthusiast it was a magical and emotional moment. Being in their forest and smelling them had however until that point honestly felt special enough. The logistics were smooth, the kit list perfect (do bring bug spray, a large water bottle and binoculars) food & accommodation, including the lovely hosts at each, were way above expectations. As I’m sure you can tell, I would recommend this in an instant and was so sad to leave the beautiful, special place.

This is an absolutely fantastic trip for anyone who loves animals, the outdoors & a little bit of adventure. Our guide Mattei was absolutely brilliant, teaching us how to spot the signs of bison & bears & track their movements. It took us nearly two days to find bison in the extraordinary woodlands covering the mountains but it was all worth it when we finally found them. They swished their tails and chewed a bit before catching wind of us and setting off at a gallop - but past us, rather than away! It was like something out of the Wild West or primordial Europe! A moment of a lifetime. Going to one of the hides with Mattei and discovering a young male bear waiting for us was another incredible experience. The locals who catered for us were lovely and the whole enterprise is incredibly innovative in linking rewilding with the local community. The trekking is not for the faint hearted so bring plenty of water & good shoes but it is all worth it. Five star trip & again a special shout out for Mattei, our hero.

A fab trip! We were really lucky to see the wildlife, but even without that the trekking was great. Loved all the accommodations, the food and the group. Our guide was amazing!

We had a fantastic time tracking and learning wildlife. We didn’t see any bison or bear but the view and the trails are amazing. Our ranger Matei is super friendly and knowledgeable. All the hosts are very friendly as well. All the home made food are delicious. We enjoyed the experience and would recommend to everyone else.

I felt very happy on this trip. For four days, I escaped my ordinary life to turn explorer of an area of unparalleled beauty. On the first evening Matei explained us about the local rewilding project and then we embarked on bison tracking, which I found fascinating. The guides examine with almost forensic precision the bison tracks, and the route follows in the path of the animals. We went through breathtaking forests, meadows with grass reaching up to the hips, we went through mud, crossed a river and had water from the mountain springs. The unspoilt wilderness has its challenges. Although I am not an experienced trekker and this was my first adventure trip, I felt completely safe and very well looked after thanks to Matei,Otilia, Calin and the team. I was also very well fed; all the food was homemade, in an abundance of choices and incredibly tasty with deserts to die for. The accommodations were more comfortable than one would expect in wilderness. My highlight was the day in Poiana Rusca and the evening hide in the forest where we went to spot the Chamois and the brown bears. We sat there still for over two hours, in complete silence, immersing ourselves into the greatness of the forest until the night fell, shapes became shadows and the sounds of the trees and the river became far more intense than in the daylight. It was pure magic. For some reason the bisons, bears and chamonix refused to turn up despite the best efforts of our guides,which made me think maybe I should go again ? The weather was warm and humid, I had my sleeping bag with me but didn't need it. The trip was very well organised and it involved a whole team of local people who put passion and love into the rewilding project. Plans changed as we went along, because in wilderness one must consider the heavy rain , the wind and all the tantrums of the nature. I went solo on this trip and I met very interesting people who I would love to meet again. I wish the holiday was longer because the adventure ended when I was feeling most comfortable ! In summary, I would highly recommend this trip.

A great trip with wonderful guides! Tony, Matei and the rest of the team were fantastic and made the trip so much better. We managed to spot some bison up close as well as a couple of chamois and lizards. Not to mention the local cats and dogs! The area is very beautiful and the trip is well organised. The food provided is great and the accomodation is fine (better than sleeping in a tent). We had access to a hot shower each day which was very welcomed after long treks. It's wonderful to see that big efforts to bring back some of the nature that was once so abundant in Romania are being made and awesome to be a tiny part of that. Unfortunately we didn't see any bears, wolves or wild boar during our stay but we did see bison up close along with chamois and other animals. Lots of bear tracks ...but sadly no bears! In short, it's a well organised trip in a beautiful part of the world with fantastic guides and at a very reasonable price!

Stunning wild nature, awe-inspiring wild animals, exhilarating trekking, passionate, skilled, expert guides. We loved our first European Safari (and hope someday to visit all 9 of the Rewilding areas). On the first two days, we did not see any bison, but were happy to know that they were there in the forest with us somewhere, and we were, in a small way, supporting the rewilding project aiming to establish a viable population here. And the landscape itself was stunning: easily the most extensive and dense forest we have visited anywhere in the world, breathtaking in its scale. On the third day, we were rewarded with a prolonged encounter with a herd of 12-15 bison, including calves, which was a truly magical experience. On the final morning, 3 of us got up early and went for a 7am before breakfast walk, and had another 2 sightings of 2 bison close to our lodge accommodation. I would advise people to be prepared for some treks over challenging terrain (steep, muddy/slippery 'paths'; fighting through forest undergrowth or walking along quite narrow paths with steep drops) and bring a walking stick, or find a suitable one in the forest! Our guide was very good at building in enough rest stops and downtime though, and we ate VERY well, and the accommodation was lovely. The campsite was in an amazing location with wonderful views from an outside, covered dining platform on the edge of the hillside. Also, bring your own warm sleeping bag and thermals for the safari camp stay - it was VERY cold when we stayed (in late September), and there weren't quite enough spares at the campsite to go round everyone.

Great hosts, great experience, great country. Highly recommend

A wonderful trip! Matei and the other members of the local team made us so welcome alongside a fab group of likeminded individuals! We had a special time hiking in the forests, mountains, tracking bison...it was very exciting to see bison and other wildlife in this environment, as well as opportunities to spend much-needed time in nature. Our ranger and guide brought the area to life explaining how the area was being rewilded with the local community involvement - fascinating and incredibly important for the project's long-term success. An amazing scheme that we feel very happy to support, and it was a real highlight to spend time with the local community, they welcomed us! food and plum brandy were great also!! A trip of a lifetime, would highly recommend!