Itinerary:

Day 1: Bucharest / Arrival Day

Upon arrival, you’ll be picked up at the airport and taken to our hotel in the city center. After getting settled and having a rest, we’ll start off with an evening tour orientation and group dinner at one of Bucharest’s most popular Romanian restaurants, located in the heart of the Old City.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Dinner

Day 2: Bucharest

We’ll begin with a walking tour along Victory Street, passing markets, street art and historical sights before entering a neighborhood filled with beautiful early 19th-century mansions and unique street art. From here, we’ll explore narrow passageways, communist structures and vibrant squares. We’ll also visit the impressive Obor Market, recently labeled “The Top Market in Europe” by a journalist for the Financial Times. We’ll tour the market, meet vendors, sample the huge variety of fresh food and even enjoy some local wine. We’ll also make a stop at the Palace of the Parliament before returning to our hotel. Dinner will be at a famous 100-year old eatery!

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Bucharest / Brașov

Leaving Bucharest, we’ll drive 45 minutes to the town of Snagov, where we'll visit the legendary Snagov Monastery, a medieval-era church located on a small island where Vlad the Impaler is rumored to be buried. Then we’ll take a 2-hour train ride to the medieval and beautiful town of Brasov, with its diverse history and vibrant atmosphere. After we check in to our hotel, we'll take an evening stroll through the main square before sitting down for dinner at a long-running restaurant known among locals for its great ambience and food.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Brasov

Today we’ll embark on a full walking tour of the city with our wonderful local guide, visiting Romanian and German neighborhoods, including several traditional businesses where we can interact with locals and learn about their work. We’ll also visit the Black Church, the main square and the historic medieval gates to the city. After some free time to wander this incredibly quaint town, or even take the funicular up to the top of nearby Mount Tampa for sweeping views over the valley, we’ll head to Piata Sfatului, the lively main square where evening festivities always take place. From here, we’ll head to dinner at a restaurant run by a local, award-winning chef.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Brașov / Bran / Brașov

The day begins with a 45 minutes drive to the small town of Bran, home to the famous and imposing 13th-century Bran Castle. We'll take a relaxed tour through the hilltop castle and wander through the gardens below. We'll then head to the home of our dear friend, Gabriela, a local craftswoman in a tiny nearby village. Here is where we'll have a home cooked lunch inside her home, followed by a fascinating, traditional egg painting demonstration (a significant Romanian craft). After our home visit, we'll return to Brasov, where you can enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Brașov / Făgăraș / Viscri / Mesendorf

Embarking on a scenic journey along the roads of Romania, our first stop of the day will be Mandra, where we'll discover a unique private museum dedicated to traditional Romanian clothing. Here, we'll immerse ourselves in the intricate symbolism and stories behind these beautiful garments. Following this experience, our path will lead us to Viscri, known for its UNESCO-listed fortified church. As we meander through the village's serene streets, we'll also have a chance to glimpse King Charles of England's house from the outside. Our day's adventure continues along picturesque countryside roads until we reach Mesendorf, a quaint Saxon village. Here we’ll settle into a beautiful guesthouse, followed by some time to enjoy the village's calm and charming atmosphere before enjoying a cozy home-cooked dinner to round off our day.

Hotel: 3* guesthouse
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Mesendorf / Corund

Today we’ll drive 1.5 hours to the authentic Hungarian region of Romania called Corund. Hungarians have been living in Romania for centuries and have maintained their unique culture and heritage. After checking into our traditional guesthouse by the forest, we’ll head off with our local guide for an undeniably special experience. We’ll visit with local artisans who are producing their crafts, not for tourism, but for the community’s own use, using only time-honored methods of production. This includes a black pottery workshop, traditional weaver and a tinder craftsman (tinder is a type of forest mushroom). We’ll learn about these crafts and the workshops that keep these traditions alive. Dinner will then take place in the beautiful gardens of a local trout farm.

Hotel: 3* guesthouse
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Corund

The truly local experience continues as we head up to the remote Fantana Plateau, home to only a few small villages and the southernmost peat bog in the world. We’ll begin with a 2-hour tour of the villages, nature and a local bio-mushroom farm. We’ll then head to a local cheese farm for a delicious, freshly prepared private lunch before stopping at a local syrup and jam producer where we can taste their diverse range of all natural, and extremely delicious, products. We’ll then return to our guesthouse for an afternoon rest where you can take a walk through the forest or enjoy a drink on the terrace. In the evening, we’ll head to the home of a local family for home-cooked dinner full of local specialities!

Hotel: 3* guesthouse

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Corund / Brateiu / Sighișoara

We'll begin the day with a 1.5-hour drive to the village of Brateiu for a true off-the-beaten-path experience. Upon arrival, we’ll meet and interact with a kind Roma family that has invited us into their home to learn about their culture. We’ll have a chance to visit their home, learn about the metal work crafts they are known for and even taste some of their local snacks and drinks. Afterwards, we’ll drive for a short 30 minutes towards Sighișoara. This hilltop village is often considered the best preserved medieval village in all of Europe. Our guide will take us through the cobblestone lanes to the 400-year old clock tower and impressive cathedral, into a traditional local liquor cellar and to the birthplace of Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for Dracula. You’ll also have free time in the friendly village after checking into our hotel.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast

Day 10: Sighișoara / Bucharest

After a relaxed morning with breakfast, we’ll begin our 4.5-hour journey back to Bucharest, taking the scenic route back through the gorgeous Prahova Valley. This route, known for its stunning views and serpentine twists, will lead us through Romania’s captivating landscapes of rolling hills and lush valleys. Along the way, we'll pause at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, an impressive Neo-Renaissance architectural marvel set against the Bucegi Mountains backdrop. We’ll also stop for lunch at a local restaurant, savoring traditional Romanian dishes, before completing our drive to Bucharest. Once checked into our hotel, you'll have free time to explore the city before our farewell dinner.

Hotel: 4* hotel
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11: Bucharest

You will be picked up for your private transfer to the airport based on the time of your flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Tour Cost:

• $4,495 per person (Twin-share) 

• $4,975 per person (Single)

What’s Included Trip Includes:

• Small group (maximum 12 participants)

• Professional dedicated group tour leader

• Accommodation (10 nights – 3.5*/4* hotels, guesthouses)

• Breakfast every day, 5 lunches and 8 dinners

• Transportation within Romania (Mercedes Sprinter)

• Local English-speaking guides throughout the trip

• All mentioned activities and entrance fees

• All airport transfers

What’s Not Included?

• Flights to/from Romania 

• Passport/visa fees 

• Meals and activities not mentioned 

• Travel insurance (mandatory) 

• Gratuities for Guides and Tour Leaders

Accommodations:

On this tour, we’ll stay in comfortable and convenient 3* and 4* accommodations. All rooms have a private bathroom. There are a maximum of 8 single rooms available. These rooms will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis. The remainder of the rooms will be shared. Solo travelers will be paired together, two travelers per room in two single beds.

Physical Demands - Is This Trip Right For You?

This tour requires a certain level of physical activity. Please note that the trip can involve the following: long days, walking tours in the cities, being outside in potentially warm temperatures, long journeys, early morning wake-ups, climbing stairs/steep hills to reach castles and other similar scenarios.

*Please Note:  In small group travel it’s important to remember that one person’s health and well-being (or lack thereof) has the power to impact us all. If you are unsure of this trip's suitability for you, you may wish to consult your healthcare provider.

Tour Operator:

This private group tour experience is led by Wandering Earl Tours. Unlike tour operators that use the exact same itinerary over and over again, Wandering Earl Tours ensures that every trip is 100% unique. They choose the ideal route, best lodgings, most rewarding activities, tastiest restaurants, and more, for the most extraordinary trip possible. Since 2013, they’ve been providing highly-regarded, excellent-value trips to dozens of groups in dozens of countries around the world.

Payment Terms

• Deposit: In order to secure your spot on this tour, a $500 deposit is required. However, our peace of mind policy ensures that this deposit will be refundable - minus a 3% transaction fee - for 10 days (or until 90 days before the tour starts, whichever comes first). After that, the deposit becomes non-refundable.

• Balance: The payment balance will be due 90 days prior to the start of the tour.

• Cancellations: If you cancel between 60-89 days before the tour start date you will receive a 50% refund of the balance amount, minus a 3% transaction fee. For cancellations made 59 days or less before the tour start date, the balance is non-refundable.

Participant Minimum & Maximum:

This tour requires 8-12 participants in order to ensure the best small-group tour experience.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

1)  Do not book your flights until we’ve met the minimum number of participants required for this trip (8). We will notify you once we can confirm this departure.

2) Details in the day-to-day itinerary may be changed and tweaked as our arrival date draws near or during the trip itself. Rest assured, that any changes will serve only to further enhance and enrich the quality of the experience.

Travel Insurance:

Travel insurance for this trip is required. Let’s face it, things happen. Why is a risk of losing money if you’re forced to cancel for any reason? We recommend a policy with a “cancel for any reason” clause. Better safe than sorry.

Dietary Considerations:

If you have restrictive dietary requirements, we encourage you to reach out to us ahead of booking to ascertain our capacity to accommodate you in a way that suits your needs. While we can guarantee an awesome experience, we cannot necessarily guarantee a destination’s ability to provide nourishment to satisfy every diet.

Tour Operator

This private group tour experience is led by Wandering Earl Tours. Unlike other tour operators using exactly the same itinerary over and over again, Wandering Earl Tours ensures that every trip is 100% unique. They choose the ideal route, best lodgings, most rewarding activities, tastiest restaurants, and more, for the most extraordinary trip possible. Since 2013, they’ve been providing highly-regarded, excellent-value trips to dozens of groups in dozens of countries around the world.

LIMITATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

The organizer shall not be liable for any damage/injury (physical or otherwise) to participants as a result of the physical activity performed during the trip, the consumption of alcohol, breakage of equipment and materials or for any other reason which, within the limits of professional diligence, could not have been foreseen or resolved. The organizer is not responsible for expenses (transportation, meals, hotels) not included in the program but necessary to reach the meeting point or to leave the finishing point at the conclusion of the trip.

PHOTO / VIDEO RELEASE

Wandering Earl Tours occasionally videotapes and photographs guests and activities for promotional use. Please notify us if we are not free to use images of you or your group. If produced, Wandering Earl Tours would be happy to provide you with photos or video clips where you are present.

Got questions? Need more info?

Contact Janet Jaffe, Founder of The Women’s Travel Tribe - info@thewomenstraveltribe.com