Arrival at Cluj-Napoca international airport. Met and transported to first night accommodation
The geo-politics that have played such a role in the shape of the area cast a very long shadow. Transylvania sits physically within Romania, but it’s perhaps emotionally Hungarian. The majority of inhabitants are ethnic Hungarian, and Hungarian is mainly the spoken tongue. In some respects it is possibly more accurate to call this tour Székely Land (but then most people wouldn’t know where that is!)
What we do know is; if you are a photographer, this is Eastern Europe at its most natural. It is a fascinating, thrilling, and staggeringly beautiful area to be situated, in the hills and valleys of the eastern Carpathian Mountains. We have discovered an area in Harghita where the pace of life is more settled; where the ravages of progress and transition are less obvious, and where people seem utterly at one with their surroundings. Where the dense forests hold the biggest number of bears in Europe, and where farmers travel to work on horse and cart. Families even today till their plots of land with pitch-fork rather than machinery.
Arrival at Cluj-Napoca international airport. Met and transported to first night accommodation
After an initial morning of photographing the sunrise, we will continue on to the village that we shall call home for the next few nights.
It’s such an amazing experience living in amongst this community – Hungarians and Romany peoples make up the majority of the population of this part of Romanian Transylvania. The locals don’t talk of the legend of Dracula, because they know that Transylvania offers so much more. The farming peoples of these traditional villages harp back to0 a gentler and substantially quieter time; a time before social media and the technology that in modern times we feel we cannot live without.
The mountains of Harghita, sitting as part of the Carpathian are awe-inspiring. The views are dotted with fortified or baroque churches and as we travel further there are salt-mines and castles aplenty.
And then there are the forests – dark and mysterious in places, with over 60% of Europe’s bears calling this place home.
I wonder if we’ll see any?
START DATE | END DATE | REGULAR PRICE | DEPOSIT | BOOK |
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9th September, 2024 | 13th September, 2024 | £1499 | £400 | Book now |
We keep the numbers low in Transylvania. There is not a structure of hotels in the remotest regions, but we have found the perfect place! For that reason, we keep the numbers to 8.
Every level of photographer is very welcome. The workshop is designed to be able to meet the needs of total amateurs right through to working professionals.
As with the photography levels and with all of our tours, the workshop is designed to cater for all fitness levels.
We can certainly advise. There are a few possibilities. If you have any concerns or questions, we would be delighted to help you solve them. We want this to be as smooth a journey as possible, but without limiting your ability to be flexible.
Although the concept of “hotel” in Transylvania is a little different to European norms, we have found a very appropriate traditional place to stay. Individual rooms in a small village community location. It’s very comfortable and with local food, you’ll feel immersed in Transylvanian life!
In many respects, all you really need is a camera with ability to recharge, and enough memory to hold the images. Even if it’s just an iPhone, we can guide you all the way to better photography. For those looking for help with their bigger camera systems, we will email a recommended kit list to all participants well in advance of the departure date.
The climate at the time we are traveling should be very good, possibly even quite hot. Although we are not expecting poor weather, you should be prepared. There will be occasions that we have the chance to walk to the top of good hill, so please bring suitable footwear for that.
You certainly do. Although we do our best to mitigate against problems, it is essential that you arrive with your own travel insurance. We will ask to see proof of insurance before we depart so that we can ensure everyone is as safe as possible.
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