Along the Danube: Golubac Fortress & Iron Gate Gorge day trip from Belgrade

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12 hours (approx.)

Hotel pickup offered

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Overview

Travel along the Danube from Belgrade to the Iron Gates to see the area’s most famous sights, accompanied by live, professional guidance and in an air-conditioned vehicle. You will visit the famous Golubac Fortress and hear interesting stories about its turbulent history. You will also see the stunning beauty of the longest composite valley in Europe. And of course, we will take a boat ride through the Iron Gate, one of the most dramatic natural wonders of Europe, dividing the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. You will have the opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of Eastern Serbia and savor the region’s traditional products.

What's Included

1-hour boat ride trough the Iron Gates
Entrance fee for Golubac Fortress
Transport by air-conditioned van or a minibus
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Services of a professional, English-speaking tour guide

Full traditional Serbian lunch (optional) = 1,700 rsd (15€) per person (payable only in cash)
Gratuities (optional)

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Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Pickup details

If you have booked the shared tour option, pick-up will be 15-30 minutes before the departure time. One day before the trip, not before 6 pm, we’ll send you an email with all the pick-up details. If you have booked the private tour option, the default departure time is 08:30. If you want a different departure time, you should contact us and let us know when you would like to start.Pick-up is possible from any hotel, Airbnb, or pension, up to 5 km from Republic Square. For pick-up locations further than 5 km from Republic Square, please get in touch with us directly. Important note: Depending on the traffic conditions, location of your hotel/Airbnb, the number and the positions of the pick-up locations on the day of your trip, we may ask you to walk to the closest pick-up point (never more than 7-8 minutes of walking from the place where you're staying). If you want to start your tour at Belgrade airport, you could do that with a supplement of 15€ (possible on a private tour).

What To Expect

Belgrade

Our tour starts from your accommodation, and we will head toward Eastern Serbia. Two hours of the ride we’ll spend enjoying the beautiful landscapes and listening to interesting stories about this part of the country.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Golubac Fortress

Our first stop is the Golubac fortress, a defensive complex used to defend many kingdoms through the centuries. Golubac is the perfect fairy-tale castle, wonderfully set off by its location in the rugged landscape at the head of Đerdap Gorge. There are nine towers in all, each between 20 and 25m high, combined with the interesting position of the fortress leaning over the Danube; they make Golubac undoubtedly one of the most beautiful castles along the 2850km Danube odyssey from source to the Black Sea.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Djerdap National Park

After visiting the mighty fortress, we will continue our ride along the Danube River, and for the next 40 minutes, you will enjoy the scenic views while learning about the history and present-day aspects of Djerdap National Park. Next, we will stop at a unique, authentic restaurant with a fantastic view overlooking the Danube to enjoy a traditional lunch featuring specialties of Eastern Serbian cuisine (not included).

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kapetan Misin breg

After a pleasant ride, we will make a stop in a unique, authentic restaurant with a fantastic view overlooking the Danube to enjoy a traditional lunch made with specialties of Eastern Serbian cuisine (not included).

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Iron Gates

After we’ve fed our stomachs with good food and our eyes with nice views, we’ll head for the last attraction on our tour. After around 30 minutes of driving, we will reach the most beautiful part of the Iron Gates – The Great Boilers. Here we will hop onto our boat, and in the next 60 minutes, you will enjoy some of the most spectacular views in this part of Europe. Cruising through the breathtaking natural marvel where the Danube River winds through towering cliffs and lush forests, we will visit the most famous sights in the gorge: Tabula Triana – a memorial plaque erected to commemorate the construction of a military road by Roman Emperor Trajan, the rock sculpture of Decebalus, the Dacian king and the rival of the Romans, Mraconia Monastery on the Romanian side of the river and the historic signal balloon stations of Varnica and Pena. Here we will end this river journey where history, nature, and legends meet.

1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Belgrade (Pass By)

After taking in so many impressions, we’ll get back into our vehicle, and after roughly three hours (with one coffee and toilet break), you’ll be back in Belgrade. We believe that, after finishing the tour, you will have a completely different perspective.

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Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Service animals allowed
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
Confirmation will be received at the time of booking.
The restaurant doesn't accept credit cards, so payment is possible only with cash.

On a shared tour, the entrance ticket for “Zone 1” (the green zone) of Golubac Fortress is included. The other zones are available only on a private tour, moderate to extremely challenging, and require visitors to be in excellent physical condition. Also, appropriate clothing and footwear are mandatory (tracksuit, trousers, capris, trainers, hiking shoes).
We kindly ask you to bring your passports (just in case), as the fortress is located very close to the Romanian border, and the border police in that area occasionally request documents from tourists.
The minimum number for a shared tour to operate is three guests.
At least 16 hours before the trip, we will inform you in case there are not enough guests on tour, and we will offer a choice between: 1) canceling the tour with no fees applied; 2) changing the tour date; 3) moving to another available tour.
In the event of unfavorable weather conditions for sailing (which occur extremely rarely), we will substitute the boat ride with a drive to one of the scenic viewpoints and a visit to the Lepenski Vir Museum.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Along the Danube: Golubac Fortress & Iron Gate Gorge day trip from Belgrade?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (CEST).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025