Destination countries: Hungary-Romania. Arrive to Budapest, depart Bucharest.

Next schedule:
3-16, July 2010 (guaranteed departure!)

Duration: 14 days + extensions available.

Price: Ask!

Accommodation: Three-star hotels with all rooms en suite.

Numbers: Max. 6 tour participants.

Transport: 4WDs.

Description: " ..Romania, a large country, ten times larger than Slovenia or three times larger than Hungary having an incredible landscape, adorned with 14 major ethinc groups with different culture, history and food... and amazing wildlife. Dominated by the Carpathians, Romania offers incredibly rich rural and pristine countryside, something what you never see west of the country, ever. Romania holding 179 butterfly species, great birdlife and the largest population of the so-called megafauna, incl. viable population of Brown Bears andWolfs..."

Target species of the tour:
Papilionidae: Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Apollo (?), Clouded Apollo.
Pieridae: Yellows (Danube Clouded, Clouded, Pale-clouded, Eastern Pale Clouded, Berger's Clouded), Woods (Common, Fenton's, Duponchel's), Whites (Large, Green-veined, Southern Small, Eastern Bath).
Lycaenidae: Arguses (Brown, Mountain Argus, Geranium), Coppers (Violet, Lesser Fiery, Purple-shot, Green-underside, Large, Small, Sooty, Purple-edged), Blues (Anomalous, Damon (?), Osiris, Eastern Short-tailed, Little, Alcon, Ligurian Large, Scarce Large Blue, Silver-studded, Reverdin's, Idas, Adonis, Chalk-hill, Chequered, Transylvanian Turquoise, Meleager's, Baton, Mazarine), Hairstreaks (Sloe, Ilex, Black, Blue-spot, White-letter, Brown, Purple).
Riodinidae: Duke of Burgundy Fritillary.
Libytheidae: Nettle-tree Butterfly.
Nymphalidae: Purple and Lesser Purple Emperors, Admirals (Poplar, White), Camberwell Beauty, Large Tortoiseshell, Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, Hungarian and Common Gliders, Cardinal, Map Butterfly, Fritillaries (Pallas', High Brown, Dark-green, Niobe, Silver-washed /valesina form too/, Marbled, Lesser Marbled, Weaver's, Pearl-bordered, Small Pearl-bordered, Asian, Titania's, Shepherd's, Queen of Spain, Heath, Nickerl's, Assmann's, Glanville, False, Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Knapweed).
Satyridae: Heaths (Pearly, Alpine, Chestnut, Small, Large) Graylings (Common, False Great Banded), Great Sooty Satyr, The Hermit, Dryad, Marbled White, Browns (Woodland, Wall, Large Wall). "Erebias": Scotch Argus), Ringlets (Mountain, Large, Silky, Yellow-spotted, Black, Dewy, Blind, Water, Sudeten), Arran Brown.
Hesperidae: Skippers (Yellow-banded, Mallow, Chequered, Large Chequered, Silver-spotted, Large Grizzler, Dusky Grizzled, Alpine Grizzled, Oberthür's Grizzled, Safflower, Orbed Red-underwing, Lullworth, Small, Essex, Large).

Note: We are not giving out more specific itineraries as a result of illegal and unwanted collecting activities.

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Trip outline:

Day„0”: Pre-extensions (see below).

Day 01: Arrive Budapest. After arrival we drive out immediatelly of Budapest towards our first destination, the Aggtelek Natonal Park, one of the premier butterfly hotspots of the county. En route we stop next to the Bukk Hills in search of some localised species. Overnight at Aggtelek.

Day 02: Full day at Aggtelek NP. Overnight at Aggtelek.

Day 03: Drive to Zemplen Hills, exploring the area. Winetasting at Tokaj, than drive to Hajduszoboszlo for overnight.

Day 04: Driving day to Rimetea, Romania, en route stops at several places, incl. Bucea Pass and the Valea Ierii. Overnight in Rimetea.

Day 05-06: Two full days around Rimetea, incl. Trascau and Posaga de Sus areas. We also visit Turda Gorge, which is possibly the richest nature reserve in the country with innumerable endemic plants, rare insects and excellent birds. Overnight in Rimetea. (If the area is too dry, we have the flexibility to change our plan to save our time for better habitats.)

Day 07: Drive to Odorhei Secuiesc, "capital" of the hungarian-speaking Secler people. Butterfly exploration around Inlaceni, one of the remotest village of Transylvania... a fairy-tail spot. Overnight at O. Secuiesc.

Day 08-09: Butterfly-drives around Odorheiu in the Eastern Carpathians, incl. the sacred peak of the locals, Mt. Harghita and several swamps, incl. Senete-marsh and several others around Miercurea Ciuc. We also visiting the peatbog of Saint Anna lake. Overnight at O. Secuiesc.

Day 09: Drive to the Saxonland, exploring the amazing forests and meadows of the so-called Saxon triangle. We also see Sighisoara, one of the most impressive mediaval town of Transylvania, also the birthplace of Vlad Tepes ("Dracula"). Overnight at Sighisoara, in the mediaval citadell.

Day 10: Continouing with the Saxon area, we visit the remote Viscrii, a favourite spot of Prince Charles where he even bought a property, and he visit the village ona very regular basis. We will be hosted with Caroline and Walter Fernolend, an amazing couple, who are responsible for several wetland and architectural projects with the support of the Mihai Eminescu Trust and Prince Charles. Overnight at Sighisoara, in the mediaval citadell.

Day 11: Drive towards Zarnesti, en route stop at the Kalnoky-mansion, where we will heard about the family and the restoration work, and we will exploring the area for butterflies. Overnight at Zarnesti.

Day 12: Butterfly-drives in Piatra Craului National Park, and visit the local Large-Carnivore Project' site to see Wolfs and Brown Bears. Overnight at Zarnesti.

Day 13: Drive to Busteni, where we take a cabelcar high up to Mt. Bucegi, one of the most famous butterfly mecca of Romania. We will explore the area within our walking distance. Overnight in Sinaia.

Day 14: Drive to Bucharest, departure day.


Extensions:
- Pre-extension: Detailed Budapest sightseeing is available with Danube Bend (Visegrad Royal Palace, Esztergom' Basilica) and Szentendre. 1-2 days on request, before the trips.
- Post-extension: 1 days detailed Bucharest sightseeing recommended.