Located at the tip of the three channels, Tulcea makes a great starting point for exploring the Delta; an intricate network of waterways and lakes divided between three main estuary channels. This area of floating reed islands, forests, pastures and sand dunes covers 3,000 square miles and is home to a vast array of wildlife.
The Danube cruise boat was nothing like any of us had expected. What to expect on a Delta Cruise?
#1 – The barge-style vessel – called a “Ponton” – resembles a large house boat with one big exception…it was pulled by a small TUG! This gives access to the smaller waterways, reed channels, and lakes hidden in the backwaters.
Click here to view the embedded video.
#2 – The boat had a sun-deck; shaded outside area on the main deck; a large dining area that served breakfast, lunch and dinner; twin-berth cabins had narrow and short beds with private bathrooms on the lower deck (many in our tall group were very uncomfortable); and a staff of three. We took one look and thought, “This should be interesting.”
#3 – Birds are abundant and birders in our group were ecstatic. Little boats were towed behind the big boat, and the group motored down one of the streams on a three-hour excursion to see more birds. For Steve and myself, three hours of birds is two hours too many.
Egret along the Danube Delta, Romania
flocks of White Pelicans flying overhead, Romania
We boarded the boat by walking across three other boats, moored side-by-side a la Nile Cruise Boats, and settled down for an informational briefing by guide Cristi while the tug pulled us into the main channel and began chugging down the Delta.
Everyone immediately staked out spots on deck to watch for birds; birder’s had binoculars at the ready and would yell out important information, “Egret at twelve o-clock, fuzzy ….. on the right riverbank”… and so on. A large refrigerator on the main deck held free bottled water, beer and wine for purchase (local wine was just so-so according to those gave it a try). Food consensus was also just “so-so” according to the outspoken Explore Worldwide group; Aussies, New Zealanders, and Scots are not averse to telling it like it is. An example: bony carp for a starter, bony carp for the entree, served one after the other and that was lunch. Carp is prolific in the Delta and considered a delicacy by Romanians, but Carp are bottom feeders and trash littered the river. I’d think twice about eating Carp.
noodle pudding dessert on the Danube Cruise boat in Romania
What else to know? The Danube ends its 670 mile journey through Europe in the Black Sea, and here forms one of the most spectacular wetlands in the world; home to more than 300 species of birds and about 160 kinds of fresh and salt-water fish. We spent two days and one night aboard the Ponton (video); relaxing, watching the river traffic, birds and an occasional water snake!
removing a log jam from of a Danube estuary stream in Romania
river traffic on the Danube, Romania
For some in our group, spotting birds on the Danube Delta Cruise was one of the major highlights in Romania, and a never to be forgotten experience. For Steve and myself, the hundreds of noisy frogs, and flocks of white pelicans flying in formation overhead were small but good highlights.
hundreds of frogs surrounded the Danube Ponton boat, Romania
doing the “frog stroke” in the Danube Delta of Romania
Hindsight is always 20/20:
– Unless you are a really keen birder, I recommend taking one of the fast speed boat excursions. They take tourists into the smaller tributaries to see birds and day trip is more than enough!