From
$6,840
NZ $4,104 per person

Splendours of Balkans and Transylvania (4 Star Hotels)

17 days
From Bucharest to Sofia
4.8
5 traveler reviews
From
$6,840
-40%
NZ $4,104 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

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2025

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
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Sep
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Nov
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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
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Plan your adventure:
In-depth Cultural
Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 4 - 40
Ages 18-59
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Explore Bucharest's historic landmarks
  • Visit Dracula's Castle in Transylvania
  • Discover medieval Sighisoara and Cluj-Napoca
  • Tour the salt mines and castles of Turda
  • Walk through the old towns of Mostar and Kotor

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Bucharest
  2. Day 2 Bucharest City Tour
  3. Day 3 Bucharest, Sinaia, Bran, Brasov
  4. Day 4 Brasov, Sighisoara, Cluj-Napoca
  5. Day 5 Cluj-Napoca, Salina Turda, Hunedeoara, Sibiu
  6. Day 6 Sibiu, Bucharest
  7. Day 7 Bucharest, Veliko Tarnavo, Plovdiv
  8. Day 8 Plovdiv, Sofia
  9. Day 9 Sofia, Belgrade
  10. Day 10 Belgrade, Sarajevo
  11. Day 11 Sarajevo, Mostar,Trebinje
  12. Day 12 Trebinje, Dubrovnik, Trebinje
  13. Day 13 Trebinje, Kotor, Shkoder
  14. Day 14 Shkoder, Tirana, Ohrid
  15. Day 15 Ohrid, Skopje
  16. Day 16 Skopje, Sofia
  17. Day 17 Sofia
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

Travel Talk

Number of tours

165

Age Range

18 to 60 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

96%

At Travel Talk, we have one focus and that is simply to make your trip the...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Guide
    Excellent
    5.0
  • Transport
    Excellent
    5.0
  • Accommodation
    Good
    3.8
  • Food
    Good
    4.0
  • 4.7
  • Splendours of Balkans and Transylvania (4 Star Hotels) reviewer 1
    · November 16th, 2024
    Great itinerary and very organised tour. Crina our tour leader for the Romanian trip is excellent. Highly recommended.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Wilfred, thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the itinerary and organisation of the Balkans and Transylvania tour. Crina is truly an incredible tour leader—your recommendation means a lot to us. We hope to see you... Show more
    Trip date: October 2024
  • CP
    · October 7th, 2024
    We have been on many guided tours and we have to say that Crina Tudor and Simon Simonovic have been one of the best tour guides we have had. Their depth of knowledge of the history and culture of the Balkans were impressive. Their stories and insights made the places we visited even more captivating adding depth to our journey. We have learned and experienced so much in just a few days. The days were packed and strenuous but rewarding and fulfilling, thanks to a well-planned itinerary and exceptional guides. The guides provided clear instructions on the day-to-day logistics, helpful suggestions on activities, local cuisine and shopping, and the essential free time, and answers to our questions however trivial they may be. Overall a wonderful first experience with Travel Talk. We look forward to traveling with them again soon. ~Cecilia
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Cecilia, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with Crina and Simon! We’re thrilled to hear that they made such a positive impact on your journey through the Balkans. We’re delighted that you found the itinerary well-planned and... Show more
    Trip date: August 2024
  • Splendours of Balkans and Transylvania (4 Star Hotels) reviewer 3
    · April 30th, 2024
    The trip was full of fantastic sites with two excellent guides.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Christine, thank you for your kind review! We're so glad to hear that you had a fantastic time on tour, seeing all of the wonderful things that the Balkans and Transylvania has to offer. We hope to welcome you on another adventure with us soon,... Show more
    Trip date: April 2024
  • Splendours of Balkans and Transylvania (4 Star Hotels) reviewer 4
    · September 27th, 2023
    It was a good tour but strenuous. We started our days at 8 and usually finished about 7:30. Then went for dinner. Made for really long days. I was most disappointed in the fact that I got mostly twin beds. I paid a hefty single supplement but just because single doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get a double bed. I think the supplement covers that.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Priscilla, thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are always looking for ways to improve our tours for future travellers, so we really appreciate your feedback. We hope that you enjoyed your trip nonetheless and look forward to... Show more
    Trip date: September 2023
  • Splendours of Balkans and Transylvania (4 Star Hotels) reviewer 5
    · June 26th, 2022
    Overall amazing trip. It was a mix of 3 Trips (all operated by Travel Tours) packaged into one. The Transylvania portion contains lots of unknown small towns and castles. Most of which are pretty interesting. The hotels are a bit mediocre and in the outskirts. The tour guide (Konstantsa) was awesome. Very attentive and great personality. Made sure everyone has an amazing time. The Balkan portion of the trip is very fast paced, as you are switching countries almost every day and that means going through 2 border checks. Lots of traveling on the bus but the absolutely stunning vistas going through many beautiful lakes and mountains will make up for it for sure. It's totally worth it. The hotels were much better (really good) than the first part but still in the outskirts. We were able to take Uber, taxi, e-bikes to get can to town afterwards and return to hotel late at night without any issues though. But the best part of this trip is definitely gonna be your travel guide Simon 🏆. Absolutely the best travel guide I've ever encountered. Extremely knowledgeable about the Balkans, got very interesting perspective to share, very engaging, entertaining, amazing sense of humor and knows how much information to give when, without overwhelming your brain. Also has a winning personality and goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is comfortable and having an awesome time. Totally 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your days will start at 8am after breakfast and it's gonna be all traveling and sight seeing till 7 pm in the evening, with plenty of short breaks for comfort, grabbing a coffee or lunch. Very well timed and planned. Everyday you'll have a walking tour and then few hours to explore on your own. 7pm-ish is when you get to the hotel. Overall very packed day but efficiently designed to give you the maximum out of those hours. Opt-in for the optional activities, especially the boat tours as it'll be very relaxing after many days of exploring and history lessons. Last point, Christian and his Bus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. He is the best at what he does, and someone you will absolutely trust to navigate through those narrow curvy roads high up in the mountains, day or night. The long bus rides were actually very enjoyable partly for the views but also partly because it Christian. The bus itself is extremely comfortable with AC and enough space, with great seats. Overall, totally worth the money if you are in the mood for a trip which is fast paced, packed with agendas, and gives you a good glimpse (and more) into Eastern Europe without you having to figure out the completed transport (the train service isn't great unlike other parts of Europe) situation and border crossing, this is the one to take. Areas of improvement: More time in each city and hotels near central. That's it.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Wow thanks TJ! What a detailed and in depth review, we really appreciate it! We're so glad to hear you had an incredible experience across the Balkans and Transylvania with us. We couldn't agree more regarding the guides too, they really love their... Show more
    Trip date: May 2022

Dates & Availability

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
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    • Free eSim with every purchase

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More benefits

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • S

    Sean

    Asked on August 1st, 2025

    The age requirement of this group is under 59 years old. My wife is 52 years old and I am 68 years old. I am very healthy. So far, we have travelled to 52 countries. We have to travel every year. I run 10 kilometres every other day and do anaerobic exercise the next day. I want to join this group. Do you think it's okay?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten August 2025

      We're quite flexible and welcome guests of all ages. What matters most is that you're comfortable with the itinerary and the pace of the trip!

  • C

    Cindy

    Asked on July 24th, 2025

    Please propose a tour covering the main attractions of these 3 countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia. The trip should start from Zagreb in Croatia. Some details: 2 pax, 2.5 weeks, group tour, time frame April/May 2026.

    Group size
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      We do not organize custom tours at this time. We recommend checking our scheduled group tours.

  • A

    Adriana

    Asked on July 15th, 2025

    I am a young 65 year old and prefer traveling with this age group

    Age Range
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      Many of our travelers are in their 50s, 60s, and beyond, and share the same passion for exploring new places. You'll likely find yourself among a like-minded group who enjoys travel, culture, and adventure.

  • B

    Bruce

    Asked on July 13th, 2025

    I am 66 yrs and relatively fit- can I come on this tour?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      Yes, absolutely—you're very welcome to join the tour. If you're relatively fit, you should have no problem enjoying the experience.

    • B

      Bruce

      TravelerWritten July 2025

      can you help me book to come 2 days early and to leave 2 days after the tour ends please?

    • B

      Bruce

      TravelerWritten July 2025

      Do I need to get any special visa?

    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      For this tour, we don't provide extra-night accommodation. You are welcome to book directly with the hotel for your additional nights as needed. We do not handle visa arrangements. Please check the official government websites or contact your local embassy/consulate for up-to-date entry requirements for the countries you'll be visiting.

    • B
      B
      3 more answers
  • V

    Victoria

    Asked on June 30th, 2025

    I'm a solo traveler, so what is the single supplement?

    Single supplement
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      Unfortunately, the single supplement option is not available at the moment. If anything changes or if additional single rooms open up, we'll be happy to let you know.

  • R

    Rob

    Asked on June 26th, 2025

    We are active seniors in our early 70's. Can we taka this tour?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten June 2025

      Yes, you can definitely take this tour. Many active seniors in their 70s join and enjoy it. If you're active, enjoy exploring, and are comfortable with moderate activity, you should have a wonderful time.

  • F

    Frances

    Asked on June 10th, 2025

    Do you have any bookings for this tour that leaves on 16th August? Is the tour guaranteed to go ahead?

    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten June 2025

      Yes, the departure on that date is guaranteed to operate. We have met the minimum number of passengers required, so you can be confident the tour will go ahead as scheduled. If you need any further information or assistance, please feel free to ask.

    • F

      Frances

      TravelerWritten June 2025

      Can you please give me a price in Aus $ for 2 people

    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten June 2025

      The cost would be 8922 AUD, let us know if that is suitable for you.

    • F
      2 more answers
  • A

    Alicia

    Asked on April 4th, 2025

    We are an active couple in 60s and still can hiking and treking more than 10km and interested in joining this trip but we see the age limited under 60 so we wonder..can we book and join this trip.

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten April 2025

      As long as you are happy with the itinerary, we will be happy to confirm your booking.

  • C

    Charles

    Asked on March 24th, 2025

    Are your Spendours of Balkans and Transylvania April 5 or 12th tours running please?

    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten March 2025

      Yes, both the Splendors of the Balkans and Transylvania tours are running on April 5th and 12th.

  • M

    Michelle

    Asked on March 3rd, 2025

    I would like to know details regarding visa for these 8 countries for Indian passport holders

    Visa
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten March 2025

      We are not legally authorized to handle visa applications or provide detailed visa advice. For accurate and up-to-date information regarding visa requirements for Indian passport holders, please consult the official embassies or consular services of the respective countries. They will provide the most reliable and current information.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Travel Talk with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.
From
$6,840
-40%
NZ $4,104 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

Select departure month

2025

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 222593

  • Currencies
    L
    Lek
    Albania
    KM
    Convertible Mark
    Bosnia
    лв.
    Bulgarian Lev
    Bulgaria
    Euro
    Croatia
    ден
    Denar
    Macedonia
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

    Type C
    Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
    Type E
    Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
    Type F
    Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Albania and Romania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an infected area for Albania. Ideally 10 days before travel.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Albania and Croatia. Ideally 6 months before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Bosnia, Bulgaria and Romania. Ideally 3 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before November 19th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after November 19th, 2025, a minimum payment of $240 is required to confirm your booking with Travel Talk. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Travel Talk will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Travel Talk" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2025

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec