The Carpathian Mountains form asweeping and majestic arc that risesin Slovakia and passes east alongthe Polish border before turning south intoUkraine and finally Romania. This is arelatively young mountain chain, aneastern extension of the Alps which rosearound 60 million years ago and is stillrising to this day. It is in Transylvaniahowever, the forest-clad central Romanianprovince steeped in legend and folklore,that the Carpathians are at their widestand most majestic. This is a region famedfor the supernatural, but for the naturalistsuch legends are but an interestingdistraction from the wealth of wildlife to be found here. Fortunately, werewolves are difficult to locate these days, butWolves and Brown Bears still roam theforests in good numbers, birds andbutterflies are abundant, and the floracontains a profusion of species endemic to the region.For centuries the people living within theelbow of the Romanian Carpathians haveexisted in harmony with a rich variety ofbirds and animals. The continuation oftheir ancient, low-intensity farmingmethods has allowed the wildlife toflourish and provides an insight into howour own landscape would have looked indays gone by. Add to this abundance ofwildlife the soaring peaks of theCarpathians and one of the most beautifullandscapes in Europe and you have all theingredients for an unforgettable holiday!Our tour begins with a flight to Bucharestfrom where we drive for three hours out ofthe flat plains that surround the capital andinto the cool, forest-clad mountains of theCarpathians. We will base ourselves for theweek in the attractive mountain village ofMagura, set within flower-filled meadowsand commanding spectacular views of thesurrounding forest-clad hills and jaggedpeaks of the Piatra Craiului National Park.From here we will head out each day toexplore the beautiful mountains and valleysof Transylvania and to enjoy the birds,mammals and landscapes on a series ofnatural history walks. Our exact itinerary will depend on theweather conditions and the advice of ourlocal guide. We will, however, spend timeexploring the forests, peaks and limestonegorges of the nearby Piatra CraiuluiNational Park. This spectacular park isdominated by a jagged, 25-kilometrelimestone ridge, widely regarded as one ofRomania's most beautiful sights, whichreaches a height of 2,244 metres. BrownBears, Wolf and even Lynx still roam theforests whilst, to date, 110 species of birdand 1,108 species of higher plant havebeen recorded, including two endemics.The lower slopes are sliced by a series oflimestone gorges, such as the ZarnestiGorge, home to Wallcreepers, BlackRedstarts and wheeling flocks of AlpineSwifts. The forests are also the haunt ofBlack, Grey-headed and Three-toedWoodpeckers, Sombre Tit, plus themajestic but elusive Ural Owl. There isalso much to keep the botanist andlepidopterist interested including 41species of orchid, Carpathian Bellflowerand Alpine Lady's Mantle, plus suchbutterflies as Scarce Swallowtail, CloudedApollo and Meadow Fritillary.On another day we will join a localnaturalist in order to learn how to track the larger mammals by finding andidentifying their prints, spoor and the othereasily missed signs of the large carnivoresthat still patrol these hills. We hope to findWolf and Brown Bear tracks and learn howto tell the former from the more commondog prints. Then, as the sun lowers, we willmake our way to a specially constructedhide deep in the forest to watch theanimals themselves. Wolves and Lynx arerarely seen, but the Brown Bears frequentlydescend from the hills in the evening and,whilst nothing is certain in the world ofwildlife watching, we have a good chanceof seeing one or more of these magnificentcreatures. Indeed, Romania still holds thelargest population of Brown Bears on thecontinent and, whilst they are not faring sowell in other regions of Europe, in theCarpathians they are flourishing! There is so much more to enjoy in thisspectacular region. Butterflies areabundant, and there are numerous otherbirds and plants to find that are notmentioned above. It is, however,impossible to visit Transylvania andcompletely ignore the folklore and storiesthat abound here. We will, therefore, take ashort break from the wildlife to visit nearbyCastle Bran, the 'alleged' haunt of Vlad theImpaler, on whom the Dracula stories arebased. Finally, for those who wish, we canarrange an excursion into the nearbymedieval town of Brasov before we mustsadly retrace our steps back to Bucharestto catch our flight home. Romania - The Wildlife of TransylvaniaAn 8-day holiday to the beautiful Carpathian Mountains of Romania in search of birds, flowers, butterflies and European Brown Bears. Saturday 2nd June - Saturday 9th June Cost: £1,395Saturday 9th June - Saturday 16th June Cost: £1,395Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationHUNGARYUKRAINEMOLDAVIASERBIABULGARIARIVER DANUBERIVER DANUBEBUCHARESTMAGURABRASOVTULCEADANUBEDELTACONSTANTACARPATHIANMOUNTAINSBLACK SEAROMANIAOutline itineraryDay 1Fly Bucharest andtransfer Magura.Day 2/7Wildlife excursions fromMagura.Day 8Fly London.AccommodationA comfortable tourist guesthouseoffering excellent home cooking; allrooms have private facilities. FoodAll included in the price.GradingB. Easy to moderate day walks. FocusBirds, butterflies, flowers, wildlifeand local history.LeaderRob Murray or Alan Outen.Single room supplement£130.Web quick search: ROM01109Scarce SwallowtailUral OwlCarpathian Mountains

The extensive, sweeping grasslands ofthe western Pontic Steppe arerestricted - in eastern Europe - toRomania, Moldova and the Ukraine. This isa land of distant horizons anduninterrupted views, dominated byextensive semi-arid grassland and low-lying wooded hills, through which tree-linedrivers flow and lakes are scattered.Parched by the hot summer sun and frozenduring the cold winter months, the steppeis also a land of extremes, but one that ishome to a rich assemblage of excitingplants and other wildlife. One of the best remnant areas of steppehabitat can be found within Romania'seastern region of Dobrogea. Here, the low-lying plains around the Danube Delta arebisected by the Macin Mountains, a smallchain of undulating hills, some 20kilometres in length and formed of graniteand Palaeozoic schist. These are clothedin steppe and supra-Mediterranean forests,and offer dramatic panoramic views acrossa largely unspoiled landscape of naturaloak forests, steppe thickets, andgrasslands with their characteristic feathergrasses and fescues.This is not a wholly dry landscape,however, for the dry steppelands ofDobrogea merge into the edge of themagnificent Danube Delta, one of Europe'sgreatest natural treasures. The broadfloodplains and reed-fringed lakes and waterways of the Delta are not only hometo an abundance of birdlife, but offer thebotanist a rich assemblage of plantspecies that are in stark contrast to thosefound in the dry habitats further inland.This exciting Naturetrek tour offers aunique opportunity to explore a number ofthe habitats associated with this region,and to enjoy the varied, often localised,plants and other wildlife they contain.Following a flight from London toBucharest, the capital of Romania, we willdrive to Tulcea, the principal city ofDobrogea and gateway to the DanubeDelta. Here we will stay on a floating hotelfor three nights and head deep into theheart of the Delta, using smaller boats toexplore the maze of waterways andchannels and to access the traditionalvillage of Letea for some terrestrialbotanising within the primeval oak forestnearby. Dominated by ancient Quercuspedunculifloraand Fraxinus pallisiaetrees,the forest also boasts impressive sanddunes on which grow the sedge, Carexcolchica, and Scabiosa argentea, plusrarer species such as the joint pine,Ephedra distachya, and the lyme-grass,Leymus racemosusssp. sabulosus. Onanother day we will explore the reed-fringed Furtuna and Baclanesti lakes, andstudy the aquatic and marginal flora of theDelta, including the threatened waterchestnut, Trapa natans, and the water fern,Salvinia natans. Naturally, we will also turn our eyes skyward to enjoy the abundantbirdlife of the Danube Delta which includesPygmy Cormorant, Glossy Ibis andmagnificent flocks of White Pelicans. The second half of our holiday will be land-based, in Tulcea, from where we'll headsouth each day to explore Dobrogea. TheEnisala Landscape Reserve protects an areaof rocky steppe and offers not onlymagnificent panoramas but also theopportunity to enjoy species such asEuphorbia myrsinitesssp. litarderei. Nearby,the Babadag Forest is one of the richestbotanical sites in the area and offers ahabitat comprising both Balkanic and supra-Mediterranean forests, as well as bothwooded and open steppe. It is also home tomany threatened species, such as the rareLizard Orchid (Himantoglossum caprinum),the feather grass, Stipa pulcherrima, andEuphorbia glariosassp. dobrogensis.The Macin Mountains are a prime locationfor many typical steppe plants. Here wewill look for the endemic bellflower,Campanula romanica, together with Silenecompacta. The Chervant-PriopceaLandscape Reserve, part of the MacinMountains, offers yet another habitat toexplore. The rocks here are a mix ofschists and limestone creating acharacteristic rocky steppe habitat,dominated by the thyme, Thymuszygioides, and the sandwort, Minuartiaadenotricha.At Vadu, on the Black Sea coast, we willbotanise among a mix of saltmarsh,brackish wetlands, lagoons and coastaldunes. On the mainland side of thelagoon, the Cheile Dobrogei NatureReserve sits atop a limestone hill, theremains of an ancient fossilised coral reef.This spectacular reserve is home to anexciting variety of plant species such asthe endemic sandwort, Moehringia jankae,and the nettle tree, Celtis glabrata. Otherinteresting species to look out for duringour time exploring the steppe include thesage, Salvia ringens, Yellow Asphodel(Asphodeline lutea) and Wild Jasmine(Jasminium fruticans). Finally, we mustretrace our steps back to Bucharest wherewe catch our return flight to London. Romania-Wild Flowers ofDobrogea&theDanubeDeltaAn 8-day botanical holiday by boat, on foot and by minibus, to Dobrogea and the Black Sea coast of Romania.Wednesday 13th June - Wednesday 20th June Cost: £1,295(This tour can be combined with our 'Romania - Wild Flowers of the Carpathians' holiday outlined on Page 111)Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Bucharest.Day 2/4Floating hotel, DanubeDelta. Day 5/7Dobrogea, from Tulcea.Day 8Fly London.AccommodationFloating hotel in the Delta.Comfortable, but simple, hotelselsewhere. All rooms have privatefacilities. FoodAll included in the price.GradingA/B. Easy to moderate day walks. FocusPlants and other wildlife.LeaderPaul Harmes, plus local guides.Single room supplement£195.ExtensionsExtra nights in Bucharest, or otheroptions, available on request.Web quick search: ROM05110Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryHUNGARYUKRAINEMOLDAVIASERBIABULGARIARIVER DANUBERIVER DANUBEBUCHARESTBABADAGTULCEADANUBEDELTAVADUDOBROGEAN PLAINCARPATHIANMOUNTAINSBLACK SEAROMANIAConvolvuluspersicusDalmatian PelicanPaeonia peregrina, Podisul Nord