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Private tour to Bears Sanctuary and Dracula's Castle
5.0
9 Ratings
Zarnesti
Embark on a private tour from Bucharest to the Libearty Bear Sanctuary and Dracula’s Castle. Discover the largest brown bear sanctuary in Europe and explore the legendary castle of Vlad the Impaler. Immerse yourself in Romania’s history, culture, and wildlife on this unforgettable journey.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti - Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zarnesti, Romania, is a refuge for rescued bears that have been previously kept in captivity. The sanctuary provides a natural environment for these bears to live in, allowing them to roam, forage, and interact with others. It’s one of the largest bear sanctuaries in Europe and aims to raise awareness about the need for bear conservation and responsible tourism.
Here you can see happy bears in their natural environment, after a bad life in circuses and zoo cages. The tours are guided by trained animal welfare experts and the visitors can see brown bears really close.
- Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) - Bran Dracula’s Castle is a national monument and landmark in Romania. It is a popular tourist attraction, boasting an impressive and varied history dating back to the 14th century. The castle is known for its unique, imposing architecture, as well as its associations with Vlad III, the 15th-century Romanian ruler better known as Vlad the Impaler, or Dracula.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- On-board WiFi
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Bucharest
- Professional guide in English
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Entry/Admission to Bear sanctuary - 17€ per person
- Entry/Admission to Bran Dracula’s Castle - 14€ per person
Additional Information
Embark on a captivating journey from Bucharest to explore Romania’s natural and cultural wonders.
Begin your adventure at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, where rescued bears roam in a spacious, forested haven. Witness the heartwarming efforts to rehabilitate these majestic creatures and learn about their stories of rescue and recovery.
Next, venture to the iconic Bran Dracula’s Castle, perched atop the Carpathian Mountains. Discover the rich history and legends surrounding this medieval fortress, often associated with the infamous Dracula. Explore its eerie corridors, secret passages, and take in breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
This tour seamlessly blends wildlife conservation and historical intrigue, offering a diverse and unforgettable experience for nature enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
- Access to the Sanctuary is forbidden to children under five years old!
Location
Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti
F, DN 73A km 6 - near the entrance in Zarnesti from Rasnov
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(9 Ratings)
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Kay_w
Sep 7, 2024
Awesome trip - We were picked up by Octavian, lovely friendly young man. Made us instantly at ease. His historical knowledge was amazing. He stopped whenever we needed a break, no problem. First stop the bear sanctuary. Many sad stories but the guides were lovely and would recommend the sanctuary. You see the bears having a new life. Octavian then took us for a lovely spot for lunch, no time pressure, all relaxed. Onto the Castle and Octavian obliged in taking many pictures of us in the gardens and at the castle. He knew all the answers to our questions no matter what we asked. During the journeys Octavian chatted and laughed with us. You could not do better with a guide. Would highly recommend Octavian and the trip.
Kay and Stewart from Scotland.
Review provided by Viator
Kmc8955312
Sep 7, 2024
Fabulous day trip - We were picked up by Octavian, lovely friendly young man. Made us instantly at ease. His historical knowledge was amazing. He stopped whenever we needed a break, no problem. First stop the bear sanctuary. Many sad stories but the guides were lovely and would recommend the sanctuary. You see the bears having a new life. Octavian then took us for a lovely spot for lunch, no time pressure, all relaxed. Onto the Castle and Octavian obliged in taking many pictures of us in the gardens and at the castle. He knew all the answers to our questions no matter what we asked. During the journeys Octavian chatted and laughed with us. You could not do better with a guide. Would highly recommend Octavian and the trip.
Kay and Stewart from Scotland.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
848nidala
Jun 18, 2024
Strongly recommend - We went with Roxana. First thing I would like to express my gratitude for her, for her kindness, education and for the valuable information she gave us about the places and the country.
I strongly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meganbm7542fv
Mar 2, 2024
Would highly recommend - Booked this tour while I was away with my boyfriend it was our first time booking a tour like this and it was well worth it. Mircea was a great tour guide he was so full of knowledge, really friendly and accommodating even sharing his traditional Romanian food with us, the Bear sanctuary was brilliant and Dranculas castle was so interesting I loved the history behind it and learned so much about the country of Romania
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Donna
Feb 12, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed Bear Sanctuary & Bran Castle with teen son & hubby - Had an excellent experience, picked up at 7ish. The bear Sanctuary location was a bit remote, set within 69 hectares of forest. We'd booked the tour at 10.45 but arrived much earlier (no traffic) & was able to swap to 9.30 instead. Loads of opportunities for photos of multitudes of bears, initially watched video explaining origin & ethos of sanctuary. Bran castle a short drive away, our driver gave good information regarding its history as well as offering to take family photos. Had opportunity to visit market stalls surrounding the castle. Our return journey endured much traffic, taking 3/4hrs, arriving home at 5pm
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer06489078854
Jan 4, 2024
A perfect day! - First of all, my children and I would like to thank our guide and driver Catalin!
It was simply perfect.
Full of attention (among other things, he helped us get our tickets to enter the castle), always an anecdote to tell and interesting discussions, immense knowledge on the history of Romania, of Bran Castle and its occupants , Catalin really impressed us both with his knowledge and his kindness.
Plus, we were lucky enough not to have to queue to enter the castle.
When we come back to visit Pelès Castle, he is the one we would want as our guide.
Concerning the bear (and now wolf) sanctuary, it is a great educational experience and it is also a moving experience. Thank you Anna for your kindness, for moving us by telling the history of the sanctuary and for teaching us lots of things about bears.
If I had to find an improvement to make, I would say that it would be good to have a small bottle of water per person for the journey which is still a few hours (especially the return) even if, as far as we are concerned , we planned to bring some.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_b
Apr 26, 2022
Great day in Romania. - Our tour guide Serban was fantastic, great knowledge, very friendly, so very enthusiastic and most helpful. Would thoroughly recommend him.'
It was a terrific tour, we loved the Bear sanctuary even adopted a Bear.
Review provided by Viator
Cline_z
Oct 3, 2021
Lovely to escape the city - We really liked the trip! It was lovely to escape the city and see a little bit more of Roumania, even if we were only there for 4 days. The Libearty Sanctuary is a very noble cause, defenitely worth a visit. Together with Bran Castle and Brasov it made a lovely and varied day. We were very lucky with our driver, who was a perfect guide who gave us a lovely day. Unlike other drivers in Romania, we felt very at ease with him in the car.
Review provided by Viator
Sarianne_s
Aug 30, 2021
Great combination of sights - Great combination of sights on the tour: Hearing about the rescue efforts for caged and mistreated bears at the Bear sanctuary, history at the Bran castle and exploring the cute town of Brasov. Tour guide Sebastian shares a lot of information and can modify the tour based on wishes. He also drives safely which is very much appreciated as it was not the case with some other drivers. Convenient day tour from Bucharest with pick up and drop off at hotel, and private transport which felt safe during pandemic. Can recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
