Brown Bears & Picture Perfect Lake Bled

In September last year, my wife and I opted for a week's holiday in Slovenia. It was a country that I had only heard good things about, particularly from my colleague Bret Charman who has been leading bear photography trips there for the last few years, and it did not disappoint!

My wife Dani is as much a wildlife enthusiast as I am, and our personal holidays are always wildlife-focused. Rarely do we allow ourselves time to relax and unwind, but on this occasion, we decided to break from the mould and spend four nights bear watching, followed by three nights at the breathtakingly beautiful Lake Bled.

Only a two-hour hop from London to Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana, we were soon on the ground, collecting our hire car and heading out into the countryside on excellent roads. Leaving the city behind, we very quickly got a feel for why the country is held in such high regard. A landscape of traditionally farmed arable and pastoral fields, forest stands and meandering rivers unfolded before us, punctuated by quaint well-kept villages.

Our guesthouse for the first four nights in Slovenia was located on the edge of the sleepy village of Markovec, in the south of the country. Simple, but perfectly comfortable, the hosts provide wholesome Slovenian food, and it is a charming place to relax when you are not in the bear hides which are located in the surrounding hills, a short drive away. The grounds of the guesthouse attract a variety of birds including black redstart, crossbills and even white-backed woodpecker, and on our trail cam we recorded both pine marten and otter within a stone’s throw of the property.

Visiting at the end of the bear watching season, hide sessions typically commenced around 15:00 and continued through to 19:00 when the light would begin to fade. Unlike Finland where the bears are often waiting for you at the hides, bear watching in Slovenia requires more patience, but this only serves to make it even more rewarding when the bears do show, and we were lucky enough to see bears on each of our outings. The hides are set in some stunning forest locations, specifically selected with photographers in mind, and throughout our stay, Dani was able to capture some fabulous images.

When not in the hides, there was plenty to keep us occupied with superb limestone caves and excellent birding at Lake Cerknica, all just a short drive away. A bird photography hide complete with reflection pool is also located in the grounds of the guesthouse and can be particularly productive in the warm summer months.

Lake Bled is located in the Julian Alps in the Upper Carniolan region of north-western Slovenia, approximately 100 kilometres from the guesthouse. With its turquoise blue waters, picture postcard island church and rockface medieval castle, I can honestly say that it is one of the most stunning places we have ever visited. Staying at the superbly located Villa Bled for three nights, we were able to soak in this view every day, and it did not grow tired. An excellent trail around the lake makes it easy to get out and explore, with a visit to the castle and its superb cliffside restaurant an absolute must.

It almost pains me to say it, but having a few days at Lake Bled to unwind, read a book and swim in the glacial waters was just what we needed, and it combined superbly with the bear watching. I cannot speak highly enough of Slovenia as a European holiday destination, it is a beautiful country, well-kept, friendly and extremely easy to travel around.

Contact our team to learn more about our bear watching and Lake Bled holiday.