Caraorman Forest
About Caraorman Forest
Caraorman Forest grows on the sand bank of the same name, a strip of sand of marine origin in the centre of the Danube Delta, between the Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe arms. The name comes from Turkish, "kara orman", meaning "the dark forest". The nature reserve covers 2,250 ha, was declared a protected area by Law 5/2000 and is one of the strictly protected zones of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, within the area inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.
The core of the forest, about 700 ha, is a mix of oak, ash and poplar, with thickets of buckthorn and sea buckthorn and lianas of hop and clematis hanging from the branches. At the southern end of the forest stand old oaks more than 400 years old, and the best known of them, the Kneeling Oak, has branches that reach down to the ground and a local legend about a Cossack and his bride. In 2024 the Ministry of the Environment announced that it had started the procedure to declare the oak a natural monument.
The reserve also protects the most developed sand dunes in the delta, up to 9 m high, largely bare, with only tufts of grass growing on them. On the edge of Caraorman village stand the empty blocks of flats and the machinery of a quartz-sand plant built in the last years of the communist regime and abandoned in the 1990s.
What you can see
The trip starts from Caraorman village, where the ships and boats arrive along the channel from Crișan. To the ancient oaks it is about 10 km of soft sand track, hard going on foot and almost impossible by bicycle, so locals take visitors in old lorries, off-road vehicles or tractor-drawn trailers. The track first crosses the dune field, with waves of white sand and clumps of willows, then enters the forest and reaches the clearing with the old oaks and the Kneeling Oak. With luck and quiet you may see roe deer, wild boar, white-tailed eagles or black woodpeckers.
Good to know
The forest is a strictly protected zone: you may enter only along the tourist route, with the access permit of the Reserve Administration (ARBDD). After 2020 ARBDD considered restricting access, because improvised tracks had fragmented the habitats and degraded the landscape; before the trip, ask at the ARBDD information centre in Crișan whether the route is open.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- The Kneeling Oak, an oak more than 400 years old with branches that reach the ground, at the southern end of the forest.
- The clearing of ancient oaks, with massive trunks and lianas of hop and clematis hanging from the branches.
- The dune field next to the village, with waves of white sand up to 9 m high, the largest in the delta.
- The empty blocks of flats and rusting machinery of the former quartz-sand plant on the edge of the village.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: to Tulcea, ~295 km from Bucharest (A2 motorway to Cernavodă, then DN22A and DN22 via Hârșova, ~4 hours) or ~130 km from Constanța (DN22, ~2 hours). The car stays in Tulcea: there is no road to Crișan or Caraorman.
Public transport: from Tulcea harbour, the Navrom Delta ship to Sulina calls at Crișan; in season the classic ship at 13:30 connects with the Fieni launch, which leaves Crișan for Caraorman at 16:30 and takes about an hour for the ~15 km of the Crișan – Caraorman channel. The return is the next day at 06:30. More simply, guesthouses and boatmen in Crișan and Tulcea run day trips by boat to Caraorman, and from the landing stage locals take visitors by off-road vehicle to the oaks.
- Where to park
There is no car park: cars cannot enter the delta. Leave the car in Tulcea, in the paid car parks at the harbour (for example at Port Tulcea Aval, where the private boats leave).
- Fees & discounts
ARBDD access permit: 5 lei per person per day or 15 lei a week, free for children, pupils, students and pensioners; buy it online at permise.ddbra.ro or by SMS. The Navrom Crișan – Caraorman ticket is sold at the ticket office or on board. The off-road vehicle or lorry ride from the village to the oaks and the boat trips have no official fare; the price is agreed with the locals or the guesthouse.
- Rules
Strictly protected zone: keep to the tourist route, with no detours along improvised tracks. Smoking and any fire are forbidden, as are climbing trees or lianas, picking plants and loud noise. Carry your ARBDD permit and ID. Bring water, a hat and mosquito repellent; there is no shade on the dunes. Drones need ARBDD authorisation.
- Facilities
No facilities in the forest (toilets, water, shop) · a few guesthouses and a shop in Caraorman village · ARBDD information centre in Crișan · mobile signal in the village, weak in the forest · the sand track is not accessible to people with disabilities
Frequently asked questions about Caraorman Forest
- How much is a ticket to Caraorman Forest?
- A ticket to Caraorman Forest costs 5 lei/day (ARBDD permit; transport extra). ARBDD access permit: 5 lei per person per day or 15 lei a week, free for children, pupils, students and pensioners; buy it online at permise.ddbra.ro or by SMS. The Navrom Crișan – Caraorman ticket is sold at the ticket office or on board. The off-road vehicle or lorry ride from the village to the oaks and the boat trips have no official fare; the price is agreed with the locals or the guesthouse.
- How long does a visit to Caraorman Forest take?
- A visit to Caraorman Forest takes about 3½ – 4 hours (half a day from the village).
- Can you visit Caraorman Forest with kids?
- Yes, Caraorman Forest is suitable for children (long ride on sand, mosquitoes).
- Where can I park at Caraorman Forest?
- Caraorman Forest has no parking of its own (the car stays in Tulcea). There is no car park: cars cannot enter the delta. Leave the car in Tulcea, in the paid car parks at the harbour (for example at Port Tulcea Aval, where the private boats leave).
- How do I get to Caraorman Forest?
- Caraorman Forest is located at Caraorman sand bank, south of Caraorman village (Crișan commune); access from the Navrom landing stage in the village, Caraorman, Tulcea County. By car: to Tulcea, ~295 km from Bucharest (A2 motorway to Cernavodă, then DN22A and DN22 via Hârșova, ~4 hours) or ~130 km from Constanța (DN22, ~2 hours). The car stays in Tulcea: there is no road to Crișan or Caraorman. Public transport: from Tulcea harbour, the Navrom Delta ship to Sulina calls at Crișan; in season the classic ship at 13:30 connects with the Fieni launch, which leaves Crișan for Caraorman at 16:30 and takes about an hour for the ~15 km of the Crișan – Caraorman channel. The return is the next day at 06:30. More simply, guesthouses and boatmen in Crișan and Tulcea run day trips by boat to Caraorman, and from the landing stage locals take visitors by off-road vehicle to the oaks.
- When is the best time to visit Caraorman Forest?
- The best season for Caraorman Forest: May – October (May–June and September).
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