The National Parks of Romania are incredible landscapes, paradises for flora and fauna where they flourish.
They preserve and maintain valuable cultural and natural landscape, suitable regional economy and education for a sustainable development.
If you are interested in amazing landscapes and outdoor adventures, these places are the perfect locations. For a hiking experience we recommend our hiking tour of Transylvania.
For bird watching enthusiasts we recommend our Birds of the Danube Delta Photo Tour.
Our Private Tours of Romania, Guided Tour of Transylvania, Hiking Tour of Romania, Christmas Markets Tour, Scenic Self-Drive Tour, Private Christmas and New Year Holiday, Tour of Transylvania from Bucharest, Tour of Transylvania from Budapest or Belgrade all include bear watching!
Here are some of the most important and unique National Parks in Romania.
The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării)
It is the largest of the national parks of Romania, a unique place in this geographical area. Moreover it is the third largest in Europe. This delta has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO since 1991. The place is a paradise for which the lens of the camera yearns at every step. In this natural park of Romania we meet over 5500 species, of which 1800 of plant areas, mostly protected by law.
Once you arrive in the area, you will admire a very special landscape where Mother Nature reigns, far from the crowd. The area is the least populated in Romania. You will be among poplars and willows, enjoying the silence of nature under the splendid song of birds. This natural park in Romania is perfect for activities that highlight the rich aquatic and fish fauna. One of the activities we can organize is bird watching. There are over 300 species of birds, some unique and others migratory, such as red-necked ducks, swans, and cormorants. Here, in this wonderful area, we also organize special eco-friendly activities like canoeing. This natural park in Romania is the only area in Europe where you will encounter wild horses in the Letea Forest. As a result, hiking or biking is a special experience for nature enthusiasts.
You can visit the Danube Delta by joining our Birds of the Danube Delta Photo Tour.
Transylvanian Highlands (Colinele Transilvaniei)
They represent the largest low-altitude wild meadows in Europe, encompassing rural areas with a great biodiversity of flora and fauna where traditional agricultural practices thrive.
Outdoor adventure lovers flock to the area. In 2022, the Ministry of Tourism recognized it as an eco-tourism area. Located in the center of the country, it spans over 3 counties, 260,000 protected areas, and 44 communities with fortified churches. It also features 600 kilometers of tourist trails. The Carpathian Mountains chain, 50 km away, guards the area, which boasts special landscapes.
Here, you can walk or bike over hills full of wildflowers, butterflies, and centuries-old oaks. Explore the rich local fauna of the forests, including bears, foxes, and wolves, and enjoy bird watching sessions.
The area, part of Natura 2000 sites, hosts the largest population of eagles, along with hawks, woodpeckers, and other birds that inhabit the river areas. For a complete experience, participate in brunches organized in traditional Saxon villages. They have unique eco products specific to the area, with events held near the fortified churches.
Transylvanian Highlands (Colinele Transilvaniei)
The National Retezat Park (Parcul Național Retezat)
It is a natural jewel hidden deep in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains in the southwest. In this national park of Romania, you can see over 20 mountain peaks that exceed 2000 meters, places where the sky seems to meet the earth. Here, you can admire how the sun hides behind the summit of the mountain. Simply enjoy romantic sunrises and sunsets. The area is full of glacial lakes, 80 in total, where the sky is mirrored. This area is an Eden for mountain lovers. They can practice mountaineering, hiking, or even skiing in winter. Amazing-colored flora creates a vivid picture of this national park. You can also find endangered species such as the enigmatic and solitary Carpathian lynx, bear, and black goat. The experience in this mountain park is unique. You get to enjoy fresh air, astonishing landscapes, and memories that last a lifetime.
Calimani National Park (Parcul Național Călimani)
Here we meet the wildest and highest volcanic mountains in Romania. The area has a special beauty that abounds in glacial caldera and alpine ridges. The entire National Park is perfect for hiking, mountain biking, the area being full of mountain ridges and wooded valleys properly signposted. In the area you will have the opportunity to see rare animals such as the raccoon or the marmot. This mountain area, with peaks of over 2000 meters, chiseled by nature, gains beauty thanks to the Iezer Lake.
This astonishing landscape stands out a flower pink carpet which encompasses the beauty of the mountain peony (Rhododendron kotschyi).
The Buila Vanturarita National Park ( Parcul Național Buila- Vânturărita)
Located in the southern Carpathians, this area offers a rugged landscape shaped by nature, perfect for hiking enthusiasts. This area features steep rocks, mountain rivers, caves, and waterfalls. Its forests are home to Carpathian bears and lynxes. The forests also host high-eared bats, mouse-eared bats, and yellow-bellied amphibians. On the mountain paths you can admire a true paradise of flowers. The silence and the landscape will fill your soul. It also features difficult hiking paths compared to other national parks of Romania.
Bicaz Canyon (Cheile Bicazului)
This is the place carved in the mountain by the force of the Bicaz River and a true paradise for climbers. The area is full of serpentines, canyons and vertical walls in which the Bicaz River meanders. It is also known for the amazing lakes that can be found here, such as the Red Lake. The area is one in which have been found many fossils of marine species from the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods. In this region you can admire over 1100 species of plants, some of them protected by law such as the cornflower (Leontopodium alpinum Cass), and animals as: the bears, wolves, deer or the mountain grouse.
Bicaz Canyons, is a picturesque destination and depending on the season, you can practice rock climbing, skiing, hiking, being the place that will fill you with positive energy.
Macin Mountains National Park (Parcul Național Muntii Macin)
Located near the Black Sea, this area features Romania’s oldest mountains, offering stunning views and ideal hiking opportunities. The region boasts rich fauna and flora. That is over 1700 species of plants, 72 protected by law, and 181 species of birds. 37 of which are very rare and protected both nationally and internationally. You can practice horse riding and other outdoor sports such as biking. It is the perfect destination to witness amazing sunrises and sunsets, hearing only the hum of insects.
The Apuseni National Park (Parcul Muntilor Apuseni)
When you arrive at The Apuseni National Park (Parcul Muntilor Apuseni) you will be greeted by the coolness of the mountain with a mix of landforms: peaks, rocky cliffs that satisfy the appetite of any climber, caves that attract explorers and alpine meadows ideal for hiking lovers. This splendid mix of various forms of relief in a unique place was recognized internationally and by the European Commission in 2009, as part of the EDEN (European Destination of Excellence) gala, as an excellent tourist destination.
The forests in this natural park are made up of beech, elm, hornbeam; here we can encounter species of mammals such as: deer, black goat, bear, wolf, etc. live. The area is considered the heart of the Dacian civilization, so this splendid landscape area also contains many places of ancient importance.
Nera Gorge National Park ( Parcul National Cheile Nerei )
This is located in the south-west of the country. The place is a truly spectacular one where the Nera River dug a splendid gorge of 20 kilometers in the stone, the longest in Romania. In this natural park of Romania, we find a real luxuriant landscape with countless waterfalls, caves and avenues. This national park of Romania houses the most beautiful waterfall in the country, the” Bigar Waterfall”. This corner is a real paradise for photos, for hiking and for a great rafting adventure.
A day in this park is an unforgettable one full of activities. Here you can see one of the most important population of bats in Romania and also the largest population of day and night prey birds. Rocky and steep areas provide the perfect habitat for the Carpathian lynx and the rivers in the area are rich in fish. In the area you can admire a diverse range of flora, many being even from the Mediterranean area, others being endemic. Among them are the cuckoo’s milk, (Leontopodium alpinum Cass) and the daisy (Bellis perennis).
This natural park of Romania is full of caves, lakes and waterfalls, part of the UNESCO heritage and offers tourists amazing landscapes and activities that best define the word relaxation.
The Drangon’s Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)
The last, but not the least, is the National Park of Romania called The Drangon’s Garden (Grădina Zmeilor). The area lies in the north-west of the country. Here you will have the feeling to be part of the Jumanji movie, the rock formations take you to think of some giants of the place. It is a deeply wild area where you will feel a shaping force of nature, and even a special kind of spirituality of the place embedded in myths and legends.
In this area we meet many species of trees such as: ash, beech, hornbeam, hazel and many others. The inhabitants of this wild place are the wild boar, the fox, the squirrel, the rabbit. Birds include the woodpecker, the blackbird, the finch, the cuckoo and many others. It is unique not only amongst the national parks of Romania but also in Europe. These rocks carved by the force of nature give authenticity to the place. No matter the sport—climbing, hiking, or biking—the area highlights Romania’s diverse landscapes. Romania’s natural parks offer varied terrains and unforgettable experiences for outdoor enthusiasts.
Conclusion
These are just some of the great National Parks of Romania, there are a lot more, small and big.
Experience Romania’s natural parks with unique activities for relaxation, benefiting both body and mind. For adventure seekers, these parks offer ideal opportunities for unforgettable experiences.
