Witness and photograph the plethora of invertebrates and wildflowers flourishing in the mountains of Southern Bulgaria on this dedicated macro photography tour.
The Rhodope Mountains provide the perfect mosaic of habitats for a fascinating array of invertebrates and wildflowers from rugged peaks dropping down to rolling, forested hills and wide open meadows. Much of Bulgaria’s mountainous south has largely been left untouched, meaning that habitats which have disappeared from much of Europe provide a refuge for some incredible subjects in this corner of the continent. The rich flora and fauna can be easily found when you know what to look for, and therefore make for some fabulous photography.
With that in mind, we're delighted to bring you a unique, dedicated macro photography tour, exploring two wonderful locations under the expert guidance of the ever-popular Emma Healey. Emma will be accompanied by an expert local naturalist, who will ensure that we're in the right place at the right time to maximise the photographic potential during our week-long stay.
Exploring the varied meadows and grasslands, we hope to build up an impressive portfolio of some particularly sought-after species, away from the crowds in this hidden corner of the country.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Fly to Bulgaria & Arrive Sofia
Today, we depart the UK and fly to Sofia. On arrival at the airport, we're met by our driver and our guide, who drives us to our hotel in Bulgaria’s capital city.
Accommodation: Hotel Vitosha Tulip, 1-night
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Day 2:
Transfer to Madzharovo
This morning we depart Sofia and transfer to Madzharovo, a journey of approximately four hours. Aiming to arrive in time for lunch, this means we have plenty of time this afternoon to enjoy our first macro photography session of the trip at one of the locations close to our accommodation.
Accommodation: Wolf Hotel, 3-nights
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Days 3-4
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Macro Photography Sessions Around Madzharovo
Over the next couple of days, we go on morning and afternoon photography sessions around the local area, photographing the fauna and flora. Our key focus here is to find spoonwings, but we will be on the lookout for other invertebrates, particularly a range of butterfly species such as fritillaries, blues and festoons, in addition to the possibility of reptiles and more.
There are a good number of spots for us to explore, including rocky screes, river banks and lush green roads where butterflies and insects like to roost.
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Day 5:
Drive to Dobrostan
After another morning macro session and breakfast, we then make the journey to Dobrostan taking roughly three hours.
This afternoon, we introduce ourselves to this region by explore some of the surrounding meadows to observe and photograph a variety of insects, butterflies and wildflowers.
Accommodation: Hotel Martsiganitsa, 4-nights
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Days 6-7
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Meadow Photography Sessions from Dobrostan
During our next two days, we explore the surrounding area to photograph various species. There are a number of locations on and around the hills, with meadows full of flowers and tall grasses, which provide excellent feeding and roosting spots for butterflies, beetles and other invertebrates. We drive to a location before sunrise and stay until we head back to the hotel for breakfast.
There's then some time during the day to relax, edit photos or photograph some of the species closer to the hotel.
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Day 8:
Transfer to Pazardhik & Further Macro Photography
Following a final morning in Dobrostan, we transfer to our next location close to Pazardzhik.
Once in Pzardzhik, we aim to visit a site nearby that's a known breeding site for owl flies. We may have seen these already, but this session allows us to hopefully dedicate more time to this intriguing species. In addition, we could also encounter and photograph some fascinating subjects such as robber flies, grasshoppers, eastern bath whites, great-banded greylings and more.
As the sun lowers, it gives us some lovely opportunities to target the owl flies as they prepare to roost, sitting with their wings open, before closing up for the night.
Accommodation: Hotel Forum, 1-night
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Day 9:
Final Macro Photography Session & Departure
This morning we go out for a final morning session at the owl fly site. This is our last chance to look for anything new or to capture the owl flies as they wake up and begin to fly. We return to the hotel for breakfast and some free time before lunch.
After lunch, we check out and make our way back to Sofia, where we're dropped off at the airport to catch our flight home.
Please note: Please note that the itinerary may change due to weather conditions and wildlife sightings.
