Our Permits, Licences & Responsible Tourism
Full transparency on how we operate — our regulatory permits, wildlife protocols, and the commitments we've upheld since 1995.
Operating Permits & Licences
Ibis Tours holds all permits legally required to operate wildlife tours in Romania's protected areas. These are issued by Romanian state authorities and must be renewed annually — they are not historical credentials but actively maintained licences.
Danube Delta Core Zone Operator Permit
The Administration of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (ARBDD) issues access permits to licensed operators for the strictly protected UNESCO core zones. These permits cover overnight vessel anchorage inside the reserve and motorboat access to the core-zone lakes where Dalmatian Pelican and other rare species breed. Individual tourists cannot obtain these permits independently.
Held continuously since 1995Carpathian Bear Watching Hide Licence
Our partner hides in the Carpathian Mountains are licensed by Romsilva — Romania's State Forestry Authority — and operate within Romsilva-administered forest concessions. The licence sets the conditions for wildlife management, supplementary feeding standards, and maximum guest numbers per session.
Partner hides operating 15+ yearsARBDD Entry Permits (per guest)
Every guest entering the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve is required to hold a personal ARBDD entry permit. Ibis Tours collects guest data before departure and acquires these permits on behalf of all participants — included in the tour price, no action required by guests.
Included in all delta tour pricesCompany Registration (CUI: RO7115695)
Ibis Tours SRL is a legally registered Romanian company (CUI: RO7115695) with registered address at Str. Dimitrie Sturza nr. 6, Tulcea. All tours are operated by the registered entity as a licensed tourism operator under Romanian law.
Registered in RomaniaNote on permit verification: ARBDD permits issued to our vessel and crew are carried on board during all cruises and are available for inspection by ARBDD rangers during the trip. Romsilva hide licences are held by our Carpathian partner. If you have questions about our specific permit status, please contact us directly.
Wildlife Non-Disturbance Protocols
Our guides operate according to strict non-disturbance protocols developed over 30 years. These are not optional — they are enforced on every excursion, regardless of guest pressure for closer approach.
- Pelican colony approach — 200m minimum, engine off
All Dalmatian and Great White Pelican colony islands are approached to a maximum of 200 metres. The engine is cut at this distance. The vessel does not move until birds have resumed undisturbed behaviour. No approach is made during the first two weeks of nest establishment (late March).
- Engine protocol on core-zone lakes
When crossing open pelican and eagle lakes, engine is set to trolling speed and all passengers are asked to remain seated and reduce noise. Photography flash is not permitted at nest approach distances.
- Bear hide entry — silent approach, no scent
Guests are briefed on protocol before departure: no perfume or strong-scented products, silent approach by 4x4 then on foot, phones set to silent, no movement inside the hide once bears are visible. We do not use calls, lures, or any method that alters natural bear behaviour beyond the existing supplementary feeding points.
- Raptor nest avoidance
Known White-tailed Eagle nest trees are given a 300m exclusion zone during nesting season (February–July). Guides are updated annually on active nest locations from the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) records.
- No playback for breeding species
Audio playback to attract breeding birds is not used on any Ibis Tours programme. Playback is used only for identification purposes at non-breeding sites during migration, with a strict limit of 30 seconds per species per session.
- Waste management — zero discharge in the reserve
All waste generated on the floating hotel is brought back to Tulcea. No grey or black water discharge occurs within the Biosphere Reserve boundary. Fuel top-up does not occur inside core zones.
Statistics & Claims — Methodology
We publish sighting rates and encounter statistics on this website. Here is exactly how each figure is calculated and what it means.
| Claim | Basis | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| 95%+ bear sighting rate | Evening hide sessions, July–October, over 15 seasons of hide operation with our Carpathian partner (2009–2024). Calculated as: sessions with at least one bear sighting / total sessions. | Rate applies to peak season (July–October). Spring sessions (April–June) and early-autumn sessions may be lower. Extreme weather (heavy rain, high wind) reduces encounter probability. Individual variation applies. |
| 100–160 bird species / 4-day cruise | Species lists recorded by guides on 4-day cruise programme, May–June, 2019–2024. Verified against guide logs and guest trip reports. | May–June peak season. Off-season cruises (March, October) typically record 60–100 species. Species totals vary with conditions, wind, and time of day access to core zones. |
| 95%+ pelican sighting rate | Dalmatian Pelican sighted on cruise — minimum one bird visible — on all cruises April–September 2019–2024. | April–September season, core-zone lakes visited. March and October have lower probability. Winter cruises do not include pelicans (migratory species). |
| 30 years experience | Ibis Tours SRL founded 1995. Wildlife tour operations continuous from that date to present. | Factual; verifiable from company registration records. |
Honest conditions note: All wildlife encounters depend on natural conditions outside our control — weather, season, animal behaviour, and water levels. We publish best-season figures because those are the conditions under which we operate most tours. We do not guarantee sightings on any individual session. If conditions significantly reduce encounter probability, our guides will inform guests in advance.
Our Responsible Tourism Commitments
Beyond regulatory compliance, these are the commitments we have maintained voluntarily since 1995 — because protecting the wildlife and habitats we depend on is inseparable from operating an excellent tour business.
Small group sizes
Maximum 20 guests aboard the floating hotel, excursions in small groups of 5–8 per motorboat. Small groups reduce habitat disturbance, allow quiet approaches, and mean every guest can hear the guide and see the wildlife clearly.
Local employment
All guides, crew, and support staff are Romanian nationals from Tulcea and the surrounding delta communities. We employ local naturalists who have grown up in and around the reserve.
No single-use plastics
The floating hotel has eliminated single-use plastic bottles, bags, and packaging. Guests are provided with refillable water bottles. All cleaning products used on board are biodegradable.
Guest education
Every cruise includes evening talks on Danube Delta ecology, conservation status of key species, and the threats facing the reserve. Guests leave with a deeper understanding of what they've seen — and why it matters.
Species data contribution
Our guides submit sightings records to the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) and contribute to annual ARBDD monitoring counts. Every cruise generates data that supports conservation management of the reserve.
Non-disturbance first
We will always choose the welfare of wildlife over a better photograph or a closer view. Guides are empowered to override guest requests for closer approaches when the protocol minimum distance has been reached.
Questions About Our Operations?
We're happy to answer specific questions about permits, protocols, or our responsible tourism practices. Contact us directly.