Wildlife Tracking in Romania

Our Rewilding Adventures take place in areas that are actively undergoing a process of ecological restoration known as rewilding. Increasingly, scientists and environmental activists see rewilding as a key solution to the ecological crises facing the planet. At Much Better Adventures we have followed this youthful movement closely, and it is clear that tourism has a role to play in helping to fund rewilding projects and show our adventurers the ecological transformations happening on the ground. Our trips explore these areas and particularly the species which are coming back to the returning wildernesses.

On any of our Rewilding Adventures, you'll be guided by expert wildlife trackers with a deep understanding of the rewilding efforts and the ecological improvements occurring in the areas they live and work in. You will search for and learn about keystone species such as wolf and bison which are either expanding from small historical numbers or being actively reintroduced. You'll see up close returning tree coverage and wildflower meadows, and even witness rivers running clearer due to the land growing wilder and withholding sediments. We aim for our Rewilding Adventures to instil a sense of hope that the damage which human activity has caused to the wild places on our planet can be reversed.

Every booking we take on a Rewilding Adventure directly supports and positively impacts the area in which your adventure takes place. Tourism provides a sustainable revenue stream to the local community, boosting the social and economic benefits from conservation and rewilding work, and therefore the incentives to support it.

Included in the trip cost is also a Rewilding Levy of 5% which goes directly to the rewilding project connected to the trip. On top of this, the Much Better Adventures Foundation channels an additional 5% of our revenues (not profits) from every booking to support reforestation and rewilding projects that advance our goal to protect the worlds wild places, one adventure at a time.

While we acknowledge that our Rewilding Adventures have a carbon footprint due to the need to travel to them, we have chosen the projects within our foundation for their potential to remove at least 2x more carbon from the atmosphere than enter it as a result of our trips.

Absolutely. As well as providing income to the rural community of conservationists, guides, drivers and chefs, 10% of the costs for this trip goes into a conservation fund managed by your host in partnership with WWF. The fund supports the bison reintroduction project and assists in raising the acceptance of the bison by the local communities. This is additional to the 5% of the trip price that goes into Much Better Adventures' conservation fund

The last of Romania’s wild bison were killed as early as 1790, with the species in critical decline and heading towards extinction across Europe. In 2014, a joint initiative between WWF and Rewilding Europe resulted in the first herd of bison being introduced back to the wild in Romania since they were hunted out of the country.

The water at the guesthouse and in Armenis is drinkable. During the hiking and tracking days, you'll fill your water straight from the mountain water springs in the area. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle or two.

Yes, you can leave any excess luggage securely at the Armenis tourism office or at the guesthouse.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND Romanian food has been shaped by Carpathian farming, Danube plain harvests and a crossroads of Balkan, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influences, so it’s often hearty, seasonal, flavourful and built around soups, stews, maize and preserved vegetables. You’ll eat locally sourced Romanian food throughout the trip, sitting down to dishes that make sense only here in this valley, at this time of year. Your local host builds each menu around ingredients from small farmers, shepherds and foragers who work closely with nature, keeping wildflowers in the fields and life in the soil. They’re quietly setting a benchmark for biodiversity-friendly farming, showing you can care for the land while cooking contemporary Romanian food that still respects agro-pastoral traditions. Expect plenty of variety in the veg, plus meat from free-range cows, sheep and chickens.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets are easily catered for on this trip, provided your host is aware in advance. Most courses are naturally veg‑forward, celebrating local varieties and a deep culture of preservation – vibrant salads, slow‑cooked beans, roasted roots, forest or locally grown mushrooms and heritage grains layered with house ferments, seeds and herbs. Craft dairy and eggs from tiny agro‑pastoral farms add comfort and richness without ever pushing vegetables out of the spotlight.

Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Vegan guests enjoy equally thoughtful menus built from pulses, grains, nuts, seeds and seasonal vegetables, while every plate and craft drink still supports a community that keeps its land alive and champions biodiversity‑friendly farming.

Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Romania and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients may not be available, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

Halal Romania is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, your local host collaborates with local Turkish butchers to provide halal meats upon request, although this can't be guaranteed on every trip. Please contact your host in advance.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten‑free guests are easily accommodated on this trip, because diversity is already built into your local host's pantry. Menus lean on naturally gluten‑free staples – from polenta and heritage corn to buckwheat, beans and other local grains – and many dishes can be adapted without losing flavour or creativity.

Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads without losing flavour or creativity.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Coeliac disease), please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority.

*Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

The mountainous areas of Romania offer a pleasant climate during the summer months. Day time temperatures average around 20°C / 68°F with highs of 26°C / 79°F in July and August. Evening temperatures during summer drop to around 10°C / 50°F. The area can see a fair bit of rainfall in the summer months, so be sure to pack good waterproofs and hiking shoes that keep out moisture.