Route 2, or the journey to the heart of the delta, the fishing village of Mila 23. This is a medium-length excursion in the Danube Delta, lasting about 4 hours, and is designed for those who want to discover the hometown of the famous champion Ivan Patzaichin, as well as for gourmets who wish to taste the renowned traditional fish dishes of the Lipovans.

The departure is from the Delta Tours dock, from where we head down Channel 36. Here, we turn right onto Gârla Sireasa where, to our surprise, we find walls of wild grapevines climbing towards the sky on the willows along the bank. We then gently navigate through carpets of plants on the Sontea channel and stop in front of Lake Nebunu, where we look for herons, spoonbills, swans, and cormorants that inhabit this wonderfully protected lake, which unfortunately we cannot access.

We cross Lake Fortuna hoping to find the famous pelicans that prefer this fish-rich lake. Next are the lakes Vacaru and Ligheanca, renowned for their large number of swans as well as for the carpets of white and yellow water lilies.

Mila 23 is just a stone’s throw away. Here, the village museum awaits with its famous kayak and canoe champions. But by now, you’re probably hungry, so we accompany you to a local guesthouse where you can delight your taste buds with a fish meal just like mom’s. Bon appétit!

The return trip takes us along Channel 22 and the Sulina branch.