The Danube Delta (Ukrainian: Дельта Дунаю), located in the far eastern corner of Romania, at the border with Ukraine, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent, which also makes it famous for its saline-marine ecosystems.
According to WWF, it is home to the largest colony of pelicans outside Africa, which provides a peaceful haven for 2,500 breeding pairs of pelicans arriving here every spring and 500,000 wild geese wintering here. The reason they are attracted to this isolated 5,000km2 region is because it is a wildlife haven and boasts the largest reed bed in the world. Nearly all the world’s red-breasted geese live here, while another 300 species of birds spend half their lives here, too.
The Danube Delta is also the home of half of the European species of freshwater fish, which roam the Danube, including the giant beluga sturgeon, which can grow to the size of a small bus.
What you can do in the Danube Delta region?
Bird watching and fishing are the major tourism activities in the Danube Delta region. Because of its perfect location, millions of migratory birds choose the Danube Delta as a stopping-off point between the Equator and the North Pole. Thus, Danube Delta becomes a bird-watchers’ paradise. You would have the opportunity to spot more than 300 species of migratory and resident birds, including eagles, egrets, vultures, geese, cranes, ibises, cormorants, swans and pelicans.
You would be able to take a boat journey into the heart of the Delta passing through small villages and see the fascinating local lifestyle while enjoying the beauty of nature.
Fishing tour in the Danube would allow you to catch catfish at Periprahava on the Ukrainian border, experience the traditional ‘tonk’ method used by the local community and try out some authentic Delta-region food.
Some ecotourism ventures are also supported by the WWF. Lodges will be built to accommodate nature tourists and nature-based tour guide will be produced. A Sustainable Navigation Plan is expected to be developed by Delta country to preserve this Europe’s richest natural wildernesses.