This 4-night photography trip visits Slovenia’s Dinaric Alps in search of the region’s thriving population of European brown bear.
Experience a range of purpose-built hides to spend afternoons photographing the characterful brown bears and explore the surrounding area during the rest of the day.
You leave the hides after each session for proper meals during the day and a full night’s rest in the comfort of a family-run guesthouse. There might also be the opportunity to see other species such as beech marten and red fox around the hides, but these sightings are relatively rare.
This region is renowned for its limestone karst landscape and offers a plethora of natural wonders to explore and enjoy. For those that are interested, you could spend some of your mornings photographing the local highlights including the Rakov Škocjan Valley, Lake Cerknica and the stunning Križna Jama cave.
We also offer a brown bear photography in spring group trip, where we make the most of the longer days in the hope of capturing images of the brown bears and Ural owls.
Suggested Itinerary
-
Day 1:
Fly to Ljubljana & transfer to southern Dinaric Alps
After arriving into Ljubljana, transfer to your guesthouse. This evening, enjoy a traditional Slovenian dinner before an overview from the local guide of what to expect in the coming days, as well as hide etiquette.
Accommodation: Mlakar Guesthouse, 4-nights
-
Days 2-3
:
Brown bear photography
For the next two days, enjoy afternoon brown bear photography sessions from purpose-built photography hides. There are a range of hides within the local area; some are only a few kilometres from the guesthouse, while others are a little further afield. Each hide has its own setting, and therefore different bears and landscapes can be photographed. The hides are situated in carefully selected locations across the forests of the Notranjska Region, the settings include Dinaric Karst forest, spruce forest with moss-covered rocks, overgrown grass with pine trees and junipers, forest clearings etc.
-
Day 4:
Explore the southern Dinaric Alps & brown bear photography
Once again, this morning you explore the incredible southern region of the Dinaric Alps with its spectacular valleys, stunning scenery and intricate cave systems which are all a product of this karst limestone landscape. Which locations you visit this morning are kept flexible depending on the prevailing weather conditions, but wherever you go, you can admire some wonderful vistas.
Return to the guesthouse for lunch before heading out for another afternoon of hide-based brown bear photography, and hopefully add some more images to your growing portfolios from your time in Slovenia.
-
Day 5:
Return to Ljubljana & fly back to the UK
This morning you return to Ljubljana where you catch your flights back to the UK.
Please note: Wildlife is extremely wary around people and patience is an absolute must – you will spend up to five hours at a time in the hides. When in the hides, there will be no access to toilet facilities. A full briefing on hide conduct will be given on your first night of the tour. Due to the various landscapes we visit - which can at times be rocky and uneven underfoot, with some hides being accessible by ladder only - a reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour. The exact order of the itinerary may change depending on local conditions.
