Starting next year, we will run our very first volunteering program, the perfect chance to visit Transylvania and to contribute to the kind of community and world you want to live in every day. This gives you the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself and use your own skills and knowledge to assist in our efforts to make a difference long-term in the life of bats in Romania. Half-day you will get hands-on into whatever activities the CBRC has in store for you, while the other half is spent exploring the “land beyond the forest” (Transylvania), with the satisfied feeling you get after accomplishing meaningful work for the places you visit.
This day is reserved for your arrival and for giving you some recovery time from your jetlag. Whatever time you land, we’ll arrange a private transfer to take you from the airport directly to your hotel. We wrap up the day with a welcome dinner during which we will get through all of the details of the project.
Today we head to the mysterious location of Bran Castle. With a rich and controversial history, we try to debunk the real mystery behind the fortress commonly known as “Dracula’s Castle”. Here you will also have the chance to install your very own bat house, provided by us together with a CRBC specialist.
The journey continues and we reach Brasov, a former trading post city located right in the middle of the mountains. Here we walk through the narrowest street in the country, we visit the Black Church – an important turning point in religious affairs during medieval times – and we discover the foundation of the very first Romanian school. The afternoon is reserved for volunteering activities.
The first part of the day will be spent for volunteering activities in fortified churches in Saxon villages around Sighisoara. After lunch we would like to welcome you to Sighișoara, one of the most beautifully preserved inhabited citadels in the world! This UNESCO gem is home to medieval buildings, hidden chambers, colorful houses, towers and ornate churches full of myths and legends. It is here that Vlad the Impaler was born, who served as inspiration for one of the biggest legends in international folklore, Count Dracula.
First stop of the day is our very own natural Disneyland found in the Turda Salt mine, used for the past 2000 years. In the afternoon we will arrive in the charming village of Rimetea, where we will discover a medieval fortress and an important ground for bats.
The Apuseni Mountains are known for their hundreds of caves and impressive natural beauty. An important ground for bat research, here you will spend the whole day engaged in volunteering activities in a local cave.
Corvins’ Castle is known as one of the most haunted castles in Europe and in the morning we discover its legends and secrets. Hunedoara has a fascinating ancient history and we will discover the former capital of Dacia, Sarmizegetusa, nestled deep in the mountains.
Sibiel is a gorgeous village where the countryside of Romania is reflected in its authenticity. We will spend the day installing bat houses in the area and in the late afternoon we will arrive in Sibiu, named European capital of Culture in 2007 and the Gastronomical European Capital in 2019.
Situated between Sibiu and Brasov, we find the small village of Carta, with one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in Europe, built in the 12th century by monks that arrived here with the Teutonic Knights. Here we find out about its histories of invasions, destruction and how it became abandoned. On our way to the last legendary place of the tour, we drove on Top Gear’s favorite road in the world: Transfagarasan highway, the passage between Transylvania and Wallachia, an entwined road that cuts right through the mountains. At the top we make a stop to revel in the breathtaking landscape around us while having a picnic of locally sourced food.
The road finishes when we reach Poenari Fortress, the real outpost of Vlad the Impaler. This monument will make you work if you want to see it as it is reachable only after climbing 1476 steps, but the stunning views from the peak are more than worth it! When we arrive in the evening in Bucharest we will get ready for our farewell dinner.
Today we’ll transfer you from the hotel to the airport or show you more around the city if you have a late flight. Depending on your schedule, we can go on a walking tour around the Old Town or arrange a visit to the Palace of Parliament, it’s your choice.
It will be hard to say goodbye but we’ll make sure to celebrate your adventure with a personalized Romanian departure gift.
