Bear watching in the Land of Volcanoes

I was collected by my guide from my hotel, and we drove up into the mountains. A short (500-750m) up hill walk to a hide in a meadow, where four bears appeared over the next 15 minutes. Close views, great photos. My guide was very informative about bear behaviour on the drive up, and we had a good conversation on the way back. Strongly recommend this tour.

I had the best experience watching the bears and 100% recommend this tour (said from a professional wildlife filmmaker) My guide, Andra, is super knowledgeable about the bears and is super enthusiastic about sharing this knowledge. The hide itself is great, as the big window and short distance to the bears allows great photography for professional equipment and phones alike. I was lucky enough to experience 5-6 bears for extended periods of time. And most importantly of all; I sensed a deep respect for the wild animals. This seems to be the best way to get an up close encounter with the bears without having a negative affect on their wild behaviour.

I visited Romania on a family trip, but I decided to go on this bear-watching excursion solo, as our 5-year-old was a bit too young to remain quiet (children under a certain age aren’t allowed). As an amateur photographer with a deep love for wildlife, I was really excited for the opportunity. The hide used for the excursion was developed by a professional photographer, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into its design. It’s positioned very close to where the bears come to feed, offering an exceptional vantage point. The setting itself was absolutely stunning, especially in autumn with the golden, amber, and yellow leaves filling the trees around us. While it’s a bit of a long drive from Brașov, the journey is well worth it. Our guide, Andra, was incredibly knowledgeable. She shared fascinating insights about bear biology, as well as the efforts being made by both the government and local communities to protect these magnificent creatures while ensuring public safety.