Slovenia
May 15-26, 2021
Photo tour: Join Nate Chappell to photograph the mammals and birds of Slovenia. Slovenia is one of the best locations to photograph the European Brown Bear, Ibex, Chamois and a large number of bird species including Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, Black Grouse and Ural Owl. We will visit 3 different regions of Slovenia each with it's own set of wildlife. The forest of the Southeast with bears, badgers, martens, owls and more. The mountains of the Northwest with ibex, chamois, grouse and more. Lastly the marsh areas of the Northeast with an abundance of both water birds and flashy species like Bee-eaters and Hoopoes. We will be photographing mostly from hides, which are newly built, very comfortable and most of them even have restrooms inside. There will be wine tasting and other activities organized for the nonphotographer spouses.
Cost and logistics: The cost of this photo tour is $6,250 per photographer, with a single supplement of $700. The cost for a nonphotographer spouse/companion to attend the workshop is $5,700. The deposit to reserve your spot is $1,700, with the remaining balance due 90 days prior to the start of the workshop. Included in the tour cost are lodging, meals, transportation, hide and property use fees, guiding and instruction. Not included are flights to and from Slovenia.
Leader: Nate Chappell
Number of participants: Maximum of 6 photographers plus companions.
Equipment needed: The longer the lens the more opportunities you will have. However some of the subjects can be at fairly close range. The minimum size lens that you would want to have would be 300mm. For the bears a zoom lens is also important.
May 15th - Arrival to Ljubljana, Slovenia, transfer from airport to a 3 or 4 star hotel, dinner.
May 16th - Transfer by van to the Southeast - Dolenjska region of Slovenia. Check in to a nice country house. Afternoon Brown Bear photography session from 4-10 pm. Accommodation: A nice house in the country, at this lodge we will be in a large house which has many rooms and several bathrooms, so at this location you will not have your own bathroom in the room. At all the other lodges you will.
May 17th-19th We will spend 3 full days photographing Europeant Brown Bears, Badgers, Martens and forest birds here in the Dolenjska region. The bears and other mammals tend to be most active in the afternoon and evening so it's likely we will be focusing more on birds in the mornings and mammals in the afternoon and evening. Ural Owls and Woodpeckers are some of the interesting birds.
May 20th - This morning we will do a bit of photography and then check out and transfer to the Northeast region of Slovenia where we will be staying at a lodge which is location on a winery. Afternoon bird photography at the Bee-eater hide.
May 21st and 22nd - 2 full days of bird photography in the Northeast of Slovenia including Bee-eaters, Hoopoes, and many waterbirds. Wine tasting is an activity both photographers and spouses can participate in. Accommodation: Lodge located at a winery.
May 23rd - Morning bird photography session followed by transfer to the Carinthia region in the North of Slovenia. Afternoon hide bird photography for forest birds including Woodpeckers, Tits, possibly Wallcreeper and other mountain birds. Accommodation: We stay at a beautiful lodge in the mountains.
May 24th - We are up early for a walk to photograph the Ibex. After returning for lunch we will spend another afternoon in the hides photographing birds. Accommodation: Same lodge as on the 10th.
May 25th - This morning we take a jeep ride and then after a short walk photograph the beautiful Chamois, a wild relative of goats and sheep. Then after lunch we check out and return to Ljubljana. Accommodation: 3-4 star hotel.
May 26th- Transfer to airport for your return flight home.
