Top Bucharest Sustainable Tours

My wife and I had a wonderful experience. Beginning with the communications with Marian, questions answered quickly and we were given a lot of insight into what we could expect. Our guide, Mihai was incredible. Very knowledgeable, and willing to share his love of Romania. And a great sense of humor. The lodgings were wonderful, even the ones without dogs. And the meals prepared by the owners of these remote guesthouses were fabulous. The hiking itself was through some very beautiful countryside, from villages to peaks with incredible views. Just hard enough to be challenging at times, but all the time needed to take it in and take pictures. We could not be more grateful.Kevin

What made this trip unforgettable: The artful choreography of the journey. Each day unfolded like a new chapter with its own distinct character. One day, I wandered through dramatic gorges, dwarfed by towering limestone walls that revealed millions of years of geological history. Another day led me past quiet farms, where dogs announced my arrival and curious cows watched from the fields. Along the way, farmers raked hay beneath rolling hills, creating scenes that felt lifted straight from a Cézanne painting. On the final day, the trail climbed beside seven waterfalls, each ascent feeling like a step deeper into a hidden world. The warmth of the village communities. What touched me most was the genuine kindness of the people I met. They seemed sincerely invested in making visitors feel welcome, offering generous hospitality despite limited resources and remote conditions. Home-cooked breakfasts, thoughtfully prepared lunch packs, and hearty dinners carried a sense of care that no luxury resort could replicate. The simple village hotels were spotless and comfortable—an appreciated upgrade from the mountain huts and chalets—yet it was the human connection that made each stay memorable. The exceptional support from Active Travel. Throughout the journey, their team was consistently responsive, attentive, and reliable. Whether it was logistics, questions, or unexpected needs, help was always just a message away. Their service combined efficiency with genuine care, earning a well-deserved five-star rating. Having hiked in many remarkable places around the world, I know the feeling of standing before the dramatic peaks of Lofoten or the vast glaciers of Patagonia. The Carpathians offer something different. They do not overwhelm with spectacle; instead, they invite you into a quieter, deeper experience. Days are spent hiking through forests, meadows, and mountain valleys, followed by peaceful evenings in villages untouched by mass tourism. There is no rush to shop, no long list of attractions to check off—only the simple pleasure of walking, observing, and being present.The landscape possesses a gentle, timeless beauty, but it is the thoughtful design of the journey that elevates the experience. Every day reveals a new perspective, a new story, and a new connection to the land. By the end, the Carpathians feel less like a destination and more like a place you were fortunate enough to briefly call home.

We had the very best experience - super guide Mihaela with experience and in depth knowledge, great English PLUS such a nice personality.Best recommendations from me 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

We had no issue getting the ebikes with all we needed to be safe and comfortable (helmets, locks), the company even provided directions to what we should see and visit in Bucharest. Thank you very much for a lovely experience!

An excellent experience (professional, friendly, knowledgeable). This was an all day event. Laura (our guide) picked us up at the hotel with her driver friend. Both ladies were absolutely lovely and we had a lot of laughs along the way. First stop was Peles castle. The exterior was partially under renovation but you could imagine its beauty. Inside was very impressive - the wood work detail, stained glass windows, chandeliers, mirrors etc. made in Murano. It was filled with the original furniture pieces. Laura provided sufficient history that was not overwhelming. Next, we headed to Laura’s house in a true Romanian village (small and quaint). We met her neighbors who assisted with making us lunch (cheeses, meats, fresh vegetables, dips, grilled trout, potatoes, polenta), which was delicious. We sat on the deck that overlooked her rose garden and fruit trees and enjoyed the fresh air. The family/neighborhood dog, Carmel, was a delight. After lunch, we headed for the wagon hooked up to two horses, which took us through the village and into the mountain country side. The ride is bumpy but safe - just hold on to your hat as it gets wind gusts. The views at the top were stunning. A few grazing cows posed for pictures. Once we got back to the village, we had dessert at Laura’s house - biscuit salami - the name was deceiving as it had nothing to do with salami and it was sweet and tasty. My husband and I enjoyed this tour immensely. We are early 60s and had no issues walking to the castle (it is uphill) or riding in the wagon (don’t recommend for people with a bad back). A truly unforgettable experience.

Fast and easy pick up, great team, nice area in the town, I would book it again. If you want to explore the city faster with more fun, this is the perfect choice

I was the only one who had signed up for this tour on this particular day, so it was more of a private tour. My tour guide was very nice and friendly, however, it was a rather long day of mostly being in the car. I would still recommend this tour for the experience of seeing the beautiful Romanian country side, the amazing drive through the Carpathian mountains on the Transfagarasan Road.

We had THE BEST time. I was looking for a tour based in Romania, using local guest houses, walking on trails, paths, forest roads, small roads through villages, and breathtaking scenery. And that's what we got. And every meal was provided. Hiking meals were simple but breakfast and dinner were wonderful, everything so fresh. They limit tours to 10. We were only two which made it our own private tour. Last but not least, our guide was a lifelong Romanian, extremely knowledgeable about the country! We learned so much. Thank you, Active Travel.

Wonderfull journey, wonderful experience, very honest, very professional.Highly recommend!

This tour is one of the best I have ever been on. The tour blends in fact two of the biggest attraction points of Romania: Sinaia, with the royal castle - a must see, a castle emerged from the fairytales, in my view comparable to Hohenschwangau, even though very different in architecture - and the rural charm of Romanian village life. Romania is one of the few countries in Europe where one can enjoy horse drawn carriages (not designed only for tourists, but for daily use) and see small farms supporting the livelihood of the villagers. Secaria village is not only traditional, but it is set against a breathtaking scenery and every single person we got to meet was extremely nice. Yes, on this tour you actually get to meet locals, not only the guides. The guide, Laura, is extremely knowledgeable, engaged and eager to make things happen, whenever possible.

Amazing experience of royal and rural Romania! The exquisite Peles Castle is always worth a visit and this tour was so informative and fun, full of nice little stories bringing about the old times of the kings and queens of Romania.The tour guide Laura is an amazing person, knowledgeable, dynamic and friendly, keeping all of us engaged and entertained throughout the day. The next stop in the quaint little village of Secaria was a great treat, with delicious local food (notably the “bulz” with local smoked cheese “cascavea”) and walks in the forest. A great weekend experience, combining culture and nature, a few hours away from Bucharest. Highly recommend it.

Our party of three greatly enjoyed our visiti, in particular the wonderful boat trip which was everything we could have expected except for the following : You told us that we would be staying at a guesthouse in the countryside overnight and that we would have a meal of local fish in the area after the boat trip ...... instead of which we found ourselves staying in a rather drab hotel in the town of Tulcia and, after the boat trip, being rushed off towards Bucharest and eventually stopping to eat at a motoring service station ! Your driver/guide/Claudio had never before been to the Delta and drove constantly above the speed limit in an uncomfortable and hair-raising manner as well as suffering from an unpleasant cold which I have now got ! Another time employ a more considerate driver who knows the area(although he did take us to Constantia which was interesting ) and keep to the itinerary you promised !

The afternoon before, we found conflicts with Google’s directions and Dan gave us useful feedback via WhatsApp showing us how to find the exact place…. Google ‘forgot’ to tell us to cross the road.Dan (plus one other tour member) was at the meeting place earlier than arranged, so no commencement time was wasted. There appeared to be an unexpected roadblock which Dan by-passed without any problem and we made reasonable progress to our planned meeting point with the final two tour members near Bran Castle.Dan compared the legends and the facts about Bran Castle and gave any one of us the opportunity to veto the suggestion that we by-pass Bran. We all agreed to go directly to Piatra Craiului Park – part of the incentive to ‘skip’ Bran, was that the ‘time saved’ would allow us a less strenuous hike. Only when we started our hike, were we told that some of the party insisted on the ‘shorter’ hike, as that included the ‘Bat Cave’. It was pointless to argue. Dan kindly ‘introduced’ me to Nordic Hiking Sticks – which really helped me. Along the route, we passed fields, paddocks with farm animals, birds, individual homes, a few local people, a number of building sites and many, many beautiful natural scenes, including the gift of freshly covered snow-peaked mountains and most amazing – the Autumn colours. Dan gave us occasional information – usually as answers to our questions. Beyond his ‘call to duty’, Dan (and some of the others) insisted on helping both of us’ by carrying our jackets, when the air heated up. At no time did I feel that we slowed the pace. If anything, my camera kept me behind many times and I more than made up by hurrying forward. When we reached the area of the Bat Cave, we opted to stay out and enjoyed the lovely scenery and chomping sound of tramping over the fallen leaves. We all returned to our starting point for lunch, which was vegetarian (at least 2 of the 5 tour members are vegetarians) and included a couple of local cheeses. Dan gave a brief explanation about what we ate, then we returned to our points of departure. Using his family structure as an example, Dan told us of the challenges young Romanians have in facing the realities of daily life. Dan was very open to answering personal questions, which added to our understanding.

Peles Castle is truly extraordinary - the mix of German and Italian Neo-Renaissance styles is eye-catching. The guide explained the history very well, and the experience of having coffee in the garden of the castle was really great. Going to the village of Valea Doftanei, riding a horse carriage, eating local food and mingling with the villagers made our trip even more special..... The scenery is beautiful, but the journey is a bit long, so I gave 4 stars.

This trip was exactly as described and expected. Hiking through remote villages with stunning views, lots of animals, and delicious local dinners and palinka at night. I had an incredible time with my guide Alina. She is incredibly passionate about Romania, I learned so much!I recommend this for any nature/travel lover who wants to explore Romania.

I would strongly recommend this trip for a real insight into Romania. Active Travel's brilliant Tour Guide, Charlie Andras, drove us 1,800 kms round Transylvania - highlights were 10 kms walk through rural villages of Magura and Pestera, visiting Biertan, Rimetea, Sighisoara and Sibiu. So many extraordinary images from storks nesting on top of telegraph poles, horses and carts, forested hills, wildflowers and of course spectacular medieval castles.