Our charity trek in Transylvania is not about living in the gym, but you do need to train. Loads of people who sign up for our non-competitive charity challenges have low levels of fitness when they register. The point is to train, do your best, and reach your fitness goal while making a big difference for the charity that means the most to you.

Once you register for the Bear Necessities Trek Transylvania 2023, we'll send you a realistic training plan. This builds up gradually over time so you'll be ready and raring to go by the time we start the charity trek. You can also check out our top trekking tips here and our indoor training ideas for the days you don't feel like facing the weather!

We'll face long days of trekking in the mountains, encounter steep climbs, and tackle a lot of uneven terrain. Please invest in a pair of quality hiking boots with ankle support to wear during your training and on your trek in Romania, as these are essential for walking on uneven terrain. We also recommend incorporating hills in your training walks.

Our supportive challenge guides and community spirit will help you conquer the trek of a lifetime. You're also likely to improve your mental health and well-being.

Please don't be! The majority of people will sign up on their own and our overseas charity challenges are renowned for the amazing camaraderie and life long friendships made as our groups take on these incredible feats together.

Once you've signed up for our trekking challenge, we'll send you a link to a private Dream Challenges Facebook group. Please feel free to use this space to swap questions, advice, and updates with your fellow trekkers on your training and fundraising. You may also want to reach out to the other participants in this group to see if there's anyone in your local area you can train and fundraise with.

Everyone aged 18 years old or over is welcome to join our Bear Necessities Trek in Transylvania. One of the amazing things about our charity challenges is that people of all ages come together to do something very special for charity. 

If you would like someone under the age of 18 to join you on our trek, please contact us to discuss (01590 646410 or bookings@dream-challenges.com, Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm).

The Dream Challenges team are here to help you achieve your trekking challenge for charity and we will support you all the way. We are on hand from the minute you sign up to answer any questions that you may have about your training or the challenge itself.

Once you have registered, we will send you regular updates with everything you need to know about your charity challenge, including the itinerary, an example insurance policy, details about our challenge destination in Romania and the weather we can expect on our trek, the structure of an average trekking day, a full kit list, and a realistic training plan to help you get fit for the challenge. The training programme builds up gradually as the trek gets closer.

We'll also send you seasonal fundraising ideas. During the trek in Romania, we'll have a UK doctor with expedition medicine training accompanying the group at all times, along with a team of outdoor remote first-aid trained challenge guides.

You will need a pair of quality walking boots with ankle support — these are essential for trekking on uneven terrain. Please also bring a 2-litre water bottle.

We'll supply you with a full kit list for your overseas trekking challenge well before we leave for Romania.

Your non-refundable registration fee of £299 per person is used to administer the challenge.

Your challenge costs of £1,295 (ie. 50% of the fundraising target if you choose the sponsorship option) cover:

• Your flights (excluding airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, capped at £250).
• Meals throughout the charity challenge in Romania.
• Accommodation.
• All transfers and luggage transportation in Romania.
• Exclusive visit to the bear sanctuary in Bran.
• Dracula's Castle visit.
• A team of awesome, outdoor remote first aid-trained guides and Dream Challenges staff.
  Full support from the Dream Challenges office in the lead-up to and during your challenge.
• Medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training, who will accompany us throughout the charity trek.
• Your Bear Necessities Trek Transylvania 2023 medal.

In addition to paying your registration fee (£299) and either self-funding your challenge costs (£1,295) or fundraising the minimum sponsorship target (£2,590), you'll need to budget for your:

• Travel to and from the airport in the UK.
• Airport taxes and fuel surcharge (capped at £250).
• Personal travel insurance.
• Gratuities.
• Personal expenses.

This challenge isn't called "bear necessities" just because of the bear sanctuary. Apart from the hotel on the first night, we'll be staying in simple huts and lodges and camping in tents throughout the rest of the challenge. All camping equipment is provided.

Yes of course! If you would like to extend your stay in Transylvania, please let us know at least 17 weeks before our departure date and we can arrange this for you.

The easiest way to get in touch is by emailing us at bookings@dream-challenges.com or calling us on 01590 646410 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday)

Travel Insurance
You will need to take out your own personal travel insurance covering health, accident, loss and repatriation. Please arrange your insurance as soon as you can after you sign up to ensure you have coverage for your booking as well as the challenge.

In your Welcome Pack, you will receive information about an insurance provider that specialises in our type of overseas challenges and also covers you for cancellation due to medically-diagnosed COVID-19.

You can, however, take out your own insurance, providing it covers you for a charity trek in Romania. Please ask the insurer about the nature of the cover. It is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate coverage for your challenge.

Visa
Each participant needs to organise their own tourist visa if needed. Currently, UK citizens don't require a visa to enter Romania. If this changes before we start our challenge in 2023, we will let you know and provide you with all the information you need. 

As we're not medically trained, we're afraid we can't offer you advice on this. We recommend you contact your GP or your local travel clinic, who will have the latest travel health advice.

We also recommend you visit the NHS Fit for Travel website here, to keep up to date with current travel health news and advice on staying healthy abroad.

NHS Fit for Travel website: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home