SEA KAYAKER - sandy robson

the sea kayaking specialists

sea school

Resources for paddling the Donau

1. I used the Donau Radweg (cycle touring) maps for the river up until the border of Austria and Slovakia. I used the TID maps for the rest and these are awesome, THE BEST, don't leave Austria without them.
3. I used the German guide book for the Danube (Kanu - Die Donau und Nebenflusse by Otto Kaufhold)...this is great for knowing which side to paddle to for the locks and where you can portage the locks. The river numbers (its labeled on the side how far to the black sea) are also great (even though some are missing). The book is in German, but still get it even if you do not speak German. Note: This book is not informative for Serbia, the information in it is incorrect about Serbia.
4. I used the TID schedule for finding campsites. TID organisers gave me contact sheets for clubs and loads of additional useful resources.
5. I used resources from Serbian Veslaci when paddling there. These were custom made for me by kayak club president Dejan Jovanović.
6. Map: Deutschland - Sudwest 1:45000 fur Kanu-und Ruder Sport - this looked awesome with great additional information included. I would source this if doing the trip again.

the tour international danube (TID)

Paddle across Europe! This is an annual international paddle expedition on Europe's 2nd longest river and crossing Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Romania & Bulgaria. Do all, or select a part of the journey. TID welcomes paddlers from over the world to join them.

TIME Jun-Sept - 2500km

You paddle the set route of 30-60km per day, arriving to designated campsites by 6pm each day. Events are organised by country representatives.

THE TID Team

During my 'Retracing Oskar Speck Expedition' I departed from Ulm in Germany on the Danube River. Representatives of the TID team assisted me with information, contacts, guide books and fabulous maps of the river. If you are doing your own expedition on the Danube, then with a wealth of local knowledge to share, the TID team certainly are a fantastic help. On the first part of the Danube in Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary there are canoe clubs offering places for paddlers to pitch a tent (some have low-cost accommodation). If you participate in the TID then paddler campsites are all arranged for you. If you are doing your own tour then it's good to make contact with the canoe clubs in advance to let them know you are coming. In Hungary the local people use the river a great deal and there are many places to wild camp. In Serbia, there is a paddling club that you can make contact with for up-to-date information about the best places to camp and possible local hosts / paddlers who might join you. The club is called the Serbian Veslaci. If you can only do a part of the TID, then I recommend the section through Serbia and especially the Iron Gates Gorge as this is the most stunning place to paddle on the Danube River. I found the paddlers of the Serbian Veslaci to be some of the most welcoming and kind people in the world. If you have time, you might even get involved in some of their local paddling trips. Email Dejan: tidejan@gmail.com (if you can write in German, Hungarian or Serbian then it's easier than English for him) He's also on FB: Dejan Jovanovic'