• Accommodation in Cluj Napoca.

In the morning we will travel towards the Maramures, one of the most authentic regions of Romania where you will spend the first 4 days of this tour.

On the way we will stop by the tallest wooden church in the world, UNESCO World Heritage site built in the 18^th century. It is an impressive structure located in a peaceful location surrounded by a small cemetery and trees.

Further on we will have a walk in a typical village from Maramures. This will give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the way of life, the style of the houses and we may even see locals traveling by carts pulled by horses.

As we will pass by Cavnic, we will also try to find brondosii, men specially dressed for this time of the year in huge metal bells.

You have been to this region in the summer. Now you will experience it in the winter and it is especially interesting if we will have snow. In the last decade 1 in 2 or 3 Christmases had snow in this area.

• Accommodation in Maramures.
• Drive time: 4 h

We will start the day with a visit to prison-museum where you will learn about the communist era, its impact on the people and the culture and where the country now more than 30 years after transitioning back to democracy. This place is optional, we can skip it if you want. We will then walk through the local market and see locals doing some of the last purchases before Christmas. Then we will go to the Merry Cemetery, a one-of-a-kind place. In the evening you will meet carolers wandering from house to house, some of them dressed in traditional clothes. Caroling is a fascinating custom, recently listed as part of Romania’s UNESCO Intangible World Heritage.

• Accommodation in Maramures.
• Drive time: 2h

The first part of the day will be spent capturing the magical atmosphere of Christmas as villagers go to church for the Christmas Mass. For mass we will go to a monastic complex made of wood. Maramures is called “the land of wooden churches”. The churches are made entirely out of wood, using traditional building techniques and some of them are even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So we will look at creating interesting composition with the wooden churches, the villages, valleys and mountains hopefully covered in snow. After the religious service in several villages in the region children play Viflaim, a religious theater about the birth of Jesus. We will attend one of those and capture this unique tradition. If considered safe at that time, we will cross the border to Ukraine and walk for about an hour in a small town near the border, have lunch and return to Romania a few hours later.

• Accommodation in Maramures.
• Drive time: 2h

In the morning we will be shooting the narrow-gauge steam train, Mocanita. The train passes through a spectacular landscape of mountains and valleys and with the winter snow adding a touch of magic, you will be sure to get some beautiful photos. Interesting pictures can be taken also in the train station as the trains prepare for departure.

As we return to our hotel we will stop in one of the villages to see people coming out of church. On this day you will be able to see the highest number of people dressed in traditional clothes, a lot of the men wearing thick white wool jackets and sheepskin hats.

• Accommodation in Maramures.
• Drive time: 2h

• Accommodation in Bucovina region.
• Drive time: 4h

Bucovina is famous for its painted monasteries and we will visit one of them in the morning. The exterior frescoes are 500 years old and are very well preserved and impressive. In the coming days we will be in the North and Eastern part of Romania which is the richest in traditions related to the New Year and which are different from the Christmas traditions in Maramures. At this time of the year in almost every good-size town there is a festival in one of the days between Christmas and New Year. The exact dates vary from year to year and are known some months before. So on December 28 and 29 we will look for festivals in this region. It is in this region where the bear dance tradition is popular but also “The Goat”, “The Stag”, “The Horses”, “The Plow” and many more.

• Accommodation in Comanesti.
• Drive time: 2h

We will the day in the Eastern part of Romania, a region which gets very little visitors. The rural life gives the feeling of stepping back in time and we will explore for a few hours the countryside, especially people traveling by horse-drawn carts. We will also consider any of the local festivals which will scheduled closer to the date. And in the afternoon we will have a private encounter with a group of bears dancers. We will have the chance to see them perform in a nice environment and get to learn about this tradition and ask all the questions you may have.

• Accommodation in Comanesti.
• Drive time: 4h 30’

Every year on this day, groups which perform various winter holidays rituals gather at lively festivals, we will attend the biggest such festival. You will be able to witness and photograph people bringing to life customs from all across the country, amongst which “The dance of the Bear” is the most impressive. During the bear dance both man and women, young and put on bear skins, dance and stroll through the town in an impressive and surreal display of color and liveliness. This will offer abundant opportunities for taking really unique shots and at the same time learning about this very special custom.

There will be 300 to 500 people dressed in bear skins; they will parade through the town and then perform on stage as part of a contest. We will spend the entire day at the festival until the last group performs and the winners are announced and it gets dark. If the bear dance festivals from Romania is what draws you to Romania at this time of the year, then this will be the richest day in action.

• Accommodation in Comanesti.

We will leave the area of the bear dance and festivals and head back to Transylvania. We will photograph from the outside the famous Bran Castle, known for its association with Dracula. You will now have the chance to learn its true story and uncover its mysteries. Due to its location, perched on top of rocks and surrounded by the forest, it makes for interesting photography, especially if there is snow. If interested, we can also visit it; though it may be crowded.

Later in the afternoon we will arrive in Sibiu, probably the most charming town in Transylvania and the location of the best Christmas market in Romania. We will participate in the New Year festivities at midnight and enter the new year with a glass of champagne in the main square of the town.

• Accommodation in Sibiu.
• Drive time: 5h

• Accommodation in Sibiu.
• Drive time: 3h

We will have a day trip to the beautiful countryside near Sibiu. We will visit a Roma coppersmith family, the fortification in Biertan and the medieval citadel of Sighisoara (both UNESCO world heritage sites). The next day the tour will end and you will fly out of Romania. You can look into flights out from Sibiu or from Cluj. If your flight is from Cluj, you will be transferred to Cluj this evening or next morning (depending on when your flight takes off).

• Accommodation in Sibiu.
• Drive time: 3h

• Trip planning and assistance before and during the tour by email and phone
• English speaking tour guide services throughout the program (accommodation and meals are included)
• Accommodation for 12 nights in standard single room with breakfast (B) included
• Transfer by 4 wheel drive car on the itinerary mentioned above
• Entrance tickets to tourist sites mentioned in the itinerary
• Meals

1 lunch on Christmas day in Maramures 4 dinners in Maramures Services which are not included in the tour price

• Private session with bear dancers on December 29, to be confirmed closer to the date
• Meals, except those included above. On average you can pay for a meal 12-15 EUR
• International flights
• Travel and medical insurance