Choosing the right tour in Romania can make all the difference in your travel experience, especially in a country as diverse and culturally rich.
From the mystical castles of Transylvania to the serene beauty of the Danube Delta, from the modern cities to the high peaks of the Carpathian mountains, picking the right tour requires careful consideration.
Here’s how to ensure the tour you select fits your expectations and delivers a memorable Romanian adventure.
Choose how many days to spend in Romania and what to visit
If you know exactly how many days you want to spend here, this may be an important criterion to choose your tour. Search for an itinerary that has the number of days you want and make sure it covers the areas you are interested in. Some of the main places to visit in Romania are Transylvania, Bucharest, Maramures, Bucovina, and the Danube Delta.
Do you want to get an overview of the country, to explore its natural wonders, or to have a culinary experience? It is good to know that before booking because you can get exactly what you want only if you define what your expectations are.
You don’t know how many days to spend in Romania? Somewhere between 7 and 10 will allow you to see the best of the country. If you want to spend less than that, choose a shorter tour. In 5 days you can visit Bucharest and a small part of Transylvania or Bucharest and the Danube Delta.
A 7-day tour can show you Bucharest and the best of Transylvania, its medieval towns, beautiful castles, and small villages. If you can spend 10 days or more in Romania, you won’t regret it! It will be the perfect occasion to explore Bucharest, Transylvania, Maramures, and Bucovina.
Decide if you want a private or a group tour in Romania
Decide whether you prefer a private tour or a group tour, but remain flexible. Private tours offer a more personalized experience but tend to be more expensive in theory. Group tours are more economical and offer a chance to meet new people. However, Romania is not such a popular tourist destination and group tours tend to be rare.
That is why it may be very hard to find a group tour that fulfills your expectations: departure date, type of accommodation, the number of days you want to spend here, and the attractions you have on your personal agenda.
Some of the “small group tours” are actually private, but they are advertised as small group tours to sell them better. Or they are as pricy as a private tour. But do you want to pay for a private tour without getting the benefits? It is important to ask how many people will be in your group and what is the minimum number.
If you are searching for group day trips from Bucharest you will find many. But they are the standard type with big coaches and a strict schedule.
That is why, even though you are the group tour type don’t reject the private tour idea. A private tour is the perfect choice to reach the main landmarks and enjoy some local experiences that you won’t receive on a group tour.
Set a flexible budget
Your budget plays a crucial role in the type of tour you can select. Determine how much you are willing to spend. But remember, the cheapest option isn’t always the best. When you choose a certain tour, factor in what includes: meals, entrance fees, transport. Sometimes, paying a bit more upfront can save you money in the long run.
If you want a guided tour, be ready to spend a little more. For those who want to enjoy Romania on a budget without worrying about organizing the trip, we have developed the self-guided tours. They include accommodation, car rental, a detailed itinerary, access to our app with self-guided walking tours in the main cities, and assistance during the entire trip.
Choose a local DMC Over an online tour marketplace
While online tour marketplaces offer a wide range of options, choosing a local Destination Management Company (DMC) provides several benefits.
Local DMCs have in-depth local knowledge and stronger relationships with local service providers. They are also more equipped to offer tailored experiences and can more effectively handle any on-trip issues that arise.
With a local DMC, you will enjoy many experiences that are not “for sale” on the marketplaces and you can get a better price without the marketplaces’ commission. But it is very important what tour company in Romania you choose.
Pay attention to the tour company in Romania
The reputation of the tour company is very important. A good tour company ensures safety, quality, and an authentic experience. Research the history and credentials of the company. How long have they been in operation? What kind of expertise do they have in Romanian tours? And most importantly, do they operate legally?
Unfortunately, there are many tour companies in Romania that don’t have a tourism license and operate like that. And this is the main reason why we decided to write this article: to show you how you can check who will operate your tour.
There are several things you can do to make sure the company you selected operates legally:
Check their website. Do they have a website? Do they have content there? Can you find their legal name and company data on the website?
The tourism law in Romania stipulates that all travel agencies must have a website with the company data in the footer. Check this website’s footer. You will find there the license details (number and date), the valid insurance policy, and the social capital. A tour operator in Romania must have a social capital of 25000 lei (aprox. 5000 euros).
Another thing you should find on their website is a copy of the tourism license and their valid insurance policy. Check the Terms & conditions or About us sections for these 2 documents. Our documents are in the About us section.
If you can’t find all these details on their website, be careful. Are you willing to take the risk and book with a company that doesn’t have the minimum requirements to operate in tourism?
Unfortunately, no tour marketplace checks if the suppliers listed on their website meet these minimum requirements.
Check their reviews
In today’s digital age, reviews are invaluable in assessing the quality of a tour. After you have a short list of legal tour operators in Romania that can offer you the trip you want, look for reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and social media. Pay close attention to comments about the professionalism of the tour guide, the organization of the itinerary, and the overall satisfaction of past guests.
But take them with a pinch of salt. A 5-star review from someone with low expectations and who is looking for the cheapest option is not the same as a 5-star review from an experienced traveler who tried different guides and companies. Always correlate the reviews with the standard public of the company.
Read also the negative reviews. What do they say? Is it something to worry about? I read once a 1-star review of a company that has many 5-star reviews that the guide stole their money. I couldn’t believe it, how could this happen? This doesn’t affect only the experience of the travelers, but also their safety.
Never book a tour directly with a tour guide
The tour guide is your gateway to understanding the real Romania. A good guide not only shares knowledge about the places you visit but also enriches your overall experience with local insights and stories.
A good tour company has experienced guides and a long relationship with them. Before working with a new guide, we have several meetings to get to know him, we ask for reviews and we test him on 2-3 hours walking tours and day trips. Only after that, we conclude whether he is a good choice for our travelers or not.
But there are many guides that sell their services directly and ask you to book with them. This is also illegal.
A guide cannot organize a tour for you because they don’t have a tourism license, so many of them will ask you to pay them only their fee for guiding services and transport (in cash) and book the hotels on your own.
The price may seem lower, but things could go wrong. You don’t have a contract to protect you and if the guide has a problem and must leave the tour, you won’t have a replacement. Plus overall, you can pay more because there are not many things included in this type of offer.
Study the itinerary on a map
Scrutinize the itinerary closely. Look for how well the tour is structured. Does it include all the places you want to visit? Are there enough breaks and free time included? How much time is spent traveling between locations? An itinerary that’s packed too tightly or too loosely can significantly affect your enjoyment.
Evaluate the logic of the itinerary. Does the tour flow smoothly from one location to another, or does it involve backtracking and long travel times? An efficiently planned route maximizes your time exploring and minimizes time spent in transit.
Many companies sell itineraries that are created just to check the places. After an itinerary like that, you will be tired and you won’t remember anything from Romania.
Driving days should include attractions on the way, so you can have longer stops. They should alternate with walking days for a balanced experience. Only this way you can feel the beauty of the country.
Beware of the extra fees and expenses
Every offer you receive should have an Included/Excluded section. Always ask about what’s included in the price and what isn’t. Look for hidden charges like “optional” excursions that aren’t so optional, or meals that you thought were included but aren’t. Understanding all the costs upfront will help you budget more effectively and avoid surprises.
Pay attention to details
The details can make a great experience or can ruin it. Two tours in Romania that have the same description can get 2 different reviews because of the guide, the accommodation, the transport, and so on. But probably the guide is the most important factor.
Or, if you choose a self-guided tour, communication with the travel agency in Romania will play the main role.
By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a Romanian tour that not only fits your budget and preferences but also leaves you with lasting memories of one of Europe’s most enchanting countries.
We offer different tours in Romania. But we can also start from an itinerary and personalize it for you.
Our guides have faced different situations during the trips and they solved them in the best way for the client. We guarantee that our travelers are safe and enjoy the best experience they can have! So, pay attention to all these little things when you decide to book your next tour in Romania.
When you book a tour with us, you pay for the tour, but you get safety, amazing experiences, excellent guides, and a trip to remember a lifetime!
Check here our tours in Romania:
