Turing Scheme
Wildlife Tracking and Conservation, Romania.
Head to the awe-inspiring Carpathian Mountains, Romania. This project gives you an immersive, hands-on insight into wildlife monitoring, forest conservation and restoration, and wilderness survival. With plenty of time for hiking, tracking and foraging, this expedition is the perfect balance of education, adventure, and pure nature immersion.
Embark on an epic 14-day adventure to explore one of Europe’s largest mountain ranges. Plus, you’ll further your knowledge on the Sustainable Development Goals that align with this project, as well as gain a deeper understanding of your own social and environmental impact.
Immerse yourself in stunning landscapes on this awesome 14-day adventure, learning about biodiversity restoration, wildlife tracking and reintroduction.
Camping under the open sky in the Făgăraș Mountains, exploring ancient beech forests, and encountering wild mountain goats provide unforgettable moments of awe and inspiration.
This expedition is about opportunities, working on your personal development as you challenge yourself to tackle a unique environment. Unlock your inner explorer as you discover stunning landscapes and adaptive communities that utilise the world around them. It’s a jam-packed few days that won’t be forgotten!
*Costs: £1600pp (exc flights) - cost to the student £900
Travel grant available for Romania £325pp
ITINERARY OVERVIEW:
Day 1: Arrive in Bucharest, private transfer to Brasov. Walking tour of the city (dependent on flight times). Overnight here
Days 2: Leave Brasov and head to camp, settle into mountain life
Day 3: Introduction to wildlife monitoring, invasive species, orientation and survival skills
Day 4-7: Conservation work begins; wildlife monitoring techniques such as camera trapping, drone photography, eDNA and bioacoustic monitoring
Day 8 : Piatra Craiului National Park hike
Day 9: Session with Bison specialist and re-introduction programme
Day 10: Final data collection, checking traps and collecting cameras.
Day 11: Descend to Education Centre, data review, and prepare a presentation.
Day 12: Rafting day and BBQ, transfer to Brasov and overnight here.
Day 13. Brasov to Bucharest, enjoy city tour and overnight in here.
Day 14: Depart
About your adventure
Exploring the geographical features of Romania will introduce you to some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. Gain insight into cutting-edge conservation efforts, including the bison reintroduction program and invasive species removal initiatives.
Take part in wildlife monitoring techniques such as camera trapping, drone photography, eDNA and bioacoustic monitoring, and gain invaluable scientific knowledge and practical experience that will enhance both your academic and personal growth. Spend your evenings around the campfire under the stars, breathing some of the freshest air in the world.
Our trips are designed to help you develop a wide range of life skills and a deeper understanding of how you can help us work towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Learn more ⟶
Wildlife and Conservation Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Bucharest
After arriving in Bucharest, you will transfer to Brasov and head to your hotel to settle in. After a quick refresh, you’ll head out into the city for a walking tour (TBC, depending on flight times). This is a chance to soak up your new surroundings, experience the culture here and rest before the mountain adventure kicks off!
Meals: L, D (depending on arrival time)
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2:
Hike to camp
Today you will leave Brasov and head to camp. A short hike into the mountains for your first taste of wilderness life. Settle into your life in camp, this afternoon will be about orientation, helping you feel relaxed in your new environment.
Enjoy dinner around the campfire, each night here will be spent eating dinner around a fire and camping under the stars - an incredible sight in this area of limited light pollution.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Day 3:
Wildlife monitoring, invasive species, survival skills
Your first few days are all about monitoring wildlife, managing the land and surviving in the wilderness. These mountains are home to numerous large carnivores including brown bears (Ursus arctos), Carpathian lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus), wolves (Canis lupus), European wildcat (Felis silvestris) as well as countless more species of birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals. Many of these are elusive - tracking, eDNA collection and camera trapping are effective ways to confirm their presence.
In addition, you will take part in invasive species removal to protect local biodiversity, orienteering games to understand how to navigate the landscape, and a wilderness survival workshop to learn essential survival skills.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Days 4-7
The conservation project begins! For the next few days you will be hiking out to check camera traps, collect DNA probes and participate in wildlife tracking with rangers. You will also enjoy sessions with a resident Biologist and learn all about beaver ecology (you’ll even get a chance to see the beaver dams and take a dip in the river! Discover the rich array of species living in the Carpathian Mountains and get stuck into discussions with local experts on climate change and the importance of conservation work.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Day 8
Piatra Craiului National Park
Today, take another hike over mountain peaks, pasts rivers and villages, towards Piatra Craiului National Park. This area (complete with mountain goats!) is famous for its rolling valleys and biodiverse meadows of beautiful wildflowers - one species, Dianthus callizonus, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Head back to camp for another beautiful evening under the stars.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Day 9
Rest and bison reintroduction
Take a well-earned rest after a busy first week. Relax around camp and take in some of the beautiful views, reflecting on all you have learnt over your time in Romania. In the afternoon, learn all about European bison (Bison bonasus), the most successful reintroduction programme in Europe. You may even be lucky enough to see them around camp during your time there.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Day 10
Final data collection
Head back out to the landscapes surrounding camp and see if you can recognise any wildlife tracks, as you collect all the camera traps and DNA probes you put out the week before.
Enjoy the final night in camp with your acquaintances and reflect on the incredible experience you have had.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Wilderness camp
Day 11
Leave Camp
After breakfast say goodbye to camp and hike back down to the Education Centre where you can spend time looking at the data you’ve collected. This is a chance to prepare a presentation to show all the amazing things you have found, piecing together the biodiversity puzzle that exists in these remote landscapes. Rest up - tomorrow will be a day of rafting!
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Education centre
Day 12
Rafting and BBQ
Today you are going to have so much fun! This is a day of rafting, and no experience is necessary! This is an awesome way to spend a day with your friends making your way down an incredible river.
Afterwards, when you’ve worked up an appetite, you can tuck into a BBQ! Tired and full, you’ll then transfer back to Brasov, where you will overnight.
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 13
Bucharest
After breakfast, it’s time to transfer to Bucharest, where you can enjoy a cultural tour of this beautiful city. Spend the afternoon wandering around the pretty streets and enjoying the old town, where you will feel transported back in time!
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 14
Depart
Say goodbye to Romania, where you’ve spent the last 15 days; you are heading back to Bucharest airport with incredible memories and a wealth of new knowledge
Meals: B (Flight time depending)
What’s included
NOTE:
The itinerary may change from day to day due to numbers and weather but we’ll do our best to ensure that everyone gets to take part in all the activities that they want to. Personal expenditure and any other services not listed above are not included.
Important notes
Make sure to check out the kit list and field notes below to make sure you have everything you need for your trip. You will also receive further information about the adventure itself and the daily activities as well as further detail around what you can expect to learn. This includes your pre-departure conservation and sustainability workshops, as well as your impact surveys and reports. If you have any questions about the trip please get in touch. If you have any questions about Flooglebinder’s educational adventures please take a look at our FAQs page.
VACCINATIONS
For this particular trip, please see details below.
Please check with your local GP to find out which vaccinations you require for any adventure that you decide to book. These are a guide; a full consultation is necessary to establish individual risk and suitability of vaccines. There may be instances where more than one appointment is required to assess whether a vaccine can be offered.
Recommended vaccinations:
• None but please check with your GP
Vaccinations to be considered:
• Tetanus, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
INSURANCE
Please check if your school/college provides insurance and if not we will require your policy number and details 8 weeks before departure. Flooglebinder has public liability cover of £5million but participants must arrange their own travel insurance for all other levels of cover (e.g. cancellation, curtailment, loss of personal belongings etc.). Please feel free to contact us for any advice or recommendations.
Your safety is our number one priority on all of our educational adventures. All of your finances are protected through Financial Failure Insurance and each programme adheres to British Standards (BS8848). If you have any questions about our safety and security measures, please do get in touch.
See what life is like on tour
