Europe
-
Slovenia
Bears Of Slovenia
Wild bears. Ancient forests. Unforgettable encounters
Bears Of Slovenia
Wild bears. Ancient forests. Unforgettable encounters
Bears Of Slovenia
Wild bears. Ancient forests. Unforgettable encounters
Location:
Slovenia
Group Size:
6 (min 3)
Nights in
Slovenia
:
5
Cost:
from £2390
Single:
Please Ask
COST
from £2390
MAX GROUP
6 (min 3)
LOCATION
Slovenia
Photograph wild brown bears in ancient European forests from professional hides, then explore iconic landmarks and medieval architecture. This intimate tour blends intensive wildlife sessions with expert photographic instruction and cultural immersion. Small groups ensure personal attention while you build your skills.
HIGHLIGHTS
Beyond The Bears
Visit Lake Bled’s island church at sunset, clifftop Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, Europe’s most visited cave system. Reflection pool sessions, red squirrels and garden birds add up to a well-rounded portfolio of Slovenia.
Reflection Hide
Two dedicated reflection pool sessions sit alongside your bear hide time, offering a creative change of pace. Work with still water, natural light and reflections to add atmospheric, quieter frames to your portfolio.
Respecting Wildlife
Bears move and forage freely without human interference, the hides aim to exclude human scent, and flash is not permitted. Conversations on ethical photography and bear conservation run through the tour.
HIGHLIGHTS
Beyond The Bears
Visit Lake Bled’s island church at sunset, clifftop Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, Europe’s most visited cave system. Reflection pool sessions, red squirrels and garden birds add up to a well-rounded portfolio of Slovenia.
Reflection Hide
Two dedicated reflection pool sessions sit alongside your bear hide time, offering a creative change of pace. Work with still water, natural light and reflections to add atmospheric, quieter frames to your portfolio.
Respecting Wildlife
Bears move and forage freely without human interference, the hides aim to exclude human scent, and flash is not permitted. Conversations on ethical photography and bear conservation run through the tour.
Dates & Rates
Please note: Payments made as a bank transfer will benefit from a 2% discount - use the e-mail button above to receive availability and Bank Transfer details
Dates & Rates
Please note: Payments made as a bank transfer will benefit from a 2% discount - use the e-mail button below to receive availability and Bank Transfer details
from £2390
per person sharing - please ask about single rates
Basic Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Slovenia and Lake Bled
Day 2: Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle
Day 3: Reflection Pool + Bear Hides
Day 4: Reflection Pool + Bear Hides
Day 5: Editing Session + Bear Hides
Day 6: Transfer to airport and departure
Want a more detailed itinerary?
What's Included
5 nights accommodation
All airport transfers from Ljubljana Airport
All transport to hides and attractions
Full board Days 2-5 (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
3 x bear hide sessions with local guide escorts
2 x reflection pool session
Entrance to Postojna Cave
Visit to Predjama Castle
Post/Critique workshop with take-home content
Continuous photography instruction and support
What's Not Included
International flights (regional or long-haul)
Dinner on Day 1 (€20-€40 at local restaurant)
Lunch on Day 2 (€10-€30 at local restaurant)
All beverages and drinks throughout
Travel insurance (required)
Equipment insurance (required)
Single room supplement - please ask
Any entrance fees beyond those listed above
Recommended Gear
Telephoto 200-600mm (for bear photography)
Wide-angle lens for landscapes and architecture
Tripod or beanbag (gimbal mounts provided)
Water bottle (hides can become very hot at this time of year)
Comfortable walking boots/shoes for short walks
Important Notes
Flash photography is not permitted
Hides are equipped with bolts for gimbal heads
Short walks to hides and attractions. No strenuous activity involved. Suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can manage gentle walking for 10-15 minutes
June/July Weather: Long daylight hours with comfortable to hot temperatures typically ranging 15°C-30°C. Some rain is possible, though hides provide shelter
Hides can be up to 15°C hotter than outside
Language: All instruction and guiding conducted in English
Insurance Requirements
All participants are required to have both travel and equipment insurance for the duration of the tour. This ensures protection for yourself and your gear, giving peace of mind while in the field. Insurance is the sole responsibility of each participant and must be arranged prior to departure, as Focused On Wildlife does not provide coverage.
Focused On Wildlife, however, is fully covered under the UK Package Travel Regulations against financial failure, giving participants reassurance that all bookings are financially protected.
Q&A: Your Questions Answered
Q: Why choose June and July? Isn’t it hot?
A: Yes, Slovenia can be warm in June and July, but there is a very good reason for choosing this time of year. This is when young brown bears and cubs can be active in the forest, giving us the opportunity to see and photograph some of their most engaging behaviour. The longer days and lush woodland also create beautiful conditions for photography.
Q: How much time will we spend photographing bears?
A: The itinerary includes three dedicated bear hide sessions, giving you multiple opportunities to photograph different individuals, behaviours and lighting conditions. Also, there are over 15 hides in different locations so we will photograph various locations.
Q: What else will we photograph in Slovenia?
A: The trip combines wildlife photography with some of Slovenia’s most photogenic locations. Depending on the itinerary, you’ll have opportunities around Lake Bled, Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle, as well as additional wildlife such as red squirrels, garden birds and other woodland species.
Q: How difficult is it to reach the bear hides?
A: No strenuous hiking is required. Access generally involves short walks, and the tour is suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can comfortably walk for around 10–15 minutes at a time.
Q: Why Slovenia?
A: Slovenia offers a fantastic combination of wildlife, beautiful landscapes and excellent photographic opportunities, all within a relatively compact country. It is home to a healthy population of wild brown bears, which are accustomed to visiting feeding sites where corn is provided, giving us excellent opportunities to photograph them naturally without the food appearing in the images. The surrounding woodland, rocks and natural forest settings also provide beautiful, uncluttered backgrounds, helping to create images that really capture the bears in their natural environment.
Bears Of Slovenia
This Slovenia tour is designed around creating strong wildlife images whilst experiencing the best of the country. Rather than simply placing you in front of bears and leaving you to work it out, the experience is structured around helping you develop better photography, with hands-on guidance throughout to support your composition choices, technical decisions and field craft.
You will learn to compose images that include environmental context and atmosphere, handle challenging woodland lighting effectively, build meaningful sequences rather than isolated frames, and adjust your technical approach to the available light. Over six days of dedicated sessions you will photograph wild brown bears from professionally maintained hides in one of Europe’s most densely populated bear regions.
Multiple hide locations offer varied forest settings, backgrounds and compositions, and gimbal bolt mounts provide proper support for telephoto lenses up to 600mm. Qualified local guides monitor bear activity electronically and position groups strategically, while the bears move and forage freely without human interference, and the hides even attempt to exclude human scent. When mothers with cubs are present, you will be directed to them, creating particularly powerful storytelling opportunities.
Whilst brown bears are the primary focus, you will also photograph nocturnal wildlife, garden birds and red squirrels, and because Slovenia is far too beautiful to spend all your time in a hide, you will visit Lake Bled’s island church at sunset, the dramatic clifftop Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, Europe’s most visited cave system, returning with a well-rounded portfolio that tells the complete story of Slovenia.
The pace is deliberately comfortable, with time for discussion, gear preparation and processing, and the tour includes pre-session briefings, real-time in-field guidance, a post-processing workshop on editing woodland wildlife images, take-home reference materials and optional evening image reviews, alongside conversations on ethical photography and bear conservation efforts.
This compact format fits around work commitments and is ideal for photographers who value small group dynamics and comprehensive inclusions. Limited to 6 guests and suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced photographers, you will leave with a diverse portfolio, stronger technical skills, practical field craft knowledge and memorable experiences of Slovenia’s wildlife and culture.
Bears Of Slovenia
This Slovenia tour is designed around creating strong wildlife images whilst experiencing the best of the country. Rather than simply placing you in front of bears and leaving you to work it out, the experience is structured around helping you develop better photography, with hands-on guidance throughout to support your composition choices, technical decisions and field craft.
You will learn to compose images that include environmental context and atmosphere, handle challenging woodland lighting effectively, build meaningful sequences rather than isolated frames, and adjust your technical approach to the available light. Over six days of dedicated sessions you will photograph wild brown bears from professionally maintained hides in one of Europe’s most densely populated bear regions.
Multiple hide locations offer varied forest settings, backgrounds and compositions, and gimbal bolt mounts provide proper support for telephoto lenses up to 600mm. Qualified local guides monitor bear activity electronically and position groups strategically, while the bears move and forage freely without human interference, and the hides even attempt to exclude human scent. When mothers with cubs are present, you will be directed to them, creating particularly powerful storytelling opportunities.
Whilst brown bears are the primary focus, you will also photograph nocturnal wildlife, garden birds and red squirrels, and because Slovenia is far too beautiful to spend all your time in a hide, you will visit Lake Bled’s island church at sunset, the dramatic clifftop Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, Europe’s most visited cave system, returning with a well-rounded portfolio that tells the complete story of Slovenia.
The pace is deliberately comfortable, with time for discussion, gear preparation and processing, and the tour includes pre-session briefings, real-time in-field guidance, a post-processing workshop on editing woodland wildlife images, take-home reference materials and optional evening image reviews, alongside conversations on ethical photography and bear conservation efforts.
This compact format fits around work commitments and is ideal for photographers who value small group dynamics and comprehensive inclusions. Limited to 6 guests and suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced photographers, you will leave with a diverse portfolio, stronger technical skills, practical field craft knowledge and memorable experiences of Slovenia’s wildlife and culture.
Dates & Rates
Please note: Payments made as a bank transfer will benefit from a 2% discount - use the e-mail button above to receive availability and Bank Transfer details
Q&A: Your Questions Answered
Q: Why choose June and July? Isn’t it hot?
A: Yes, Slovenia can be warm in June and July, but there is a very good reason for choosing this time of year. This is when young brown bears and cubs can be active in the forest, giving us the opportunity to see and photograph some of their most engaging behaviour. The longer days and lush woodland also create beautiful conditions for photography.
Q: How much time will we spend photographing bears?
A: The itinerary includes three dedicated bear hide sessions, giving you multiple opportunities to photograph different individuals, behaviours and lighting conditions. Also, there are over 15 hides in different locations so we will photograph various locations.
Q: What else will we photograph in Slovenia?
A: The trip combines wildlife photography with some of Slovenia’s most photogenic locations. Depending on the itinerary, you’ll have opportunities around Lake Bled, Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle, as well as additional wildlife such as red squirrels, garden birds and other woodland species.
Q: How difficult is it to reach the bear hides?
A: No strenuous hiking is required. Access generally involves short walks, and the tour is suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can comfortably walk for around 10–15 minutes at a time.
Q: Why Slovenia?
A: Slovenia offers a fantastic combination of wildlife, beautiful landscapes and excellent photographic opportunities, all within a relatively compact country. It is home to a healthy population of wild brown bears, which are accustomed to visiting feeding sites where corn is provided, giving us excellent opportunities to photograph them naturally without the food appearing in the images. The surrounding woodland, rocks and natural forest settings also provide beautiful, uncluttered backgrounds, helping to create images that really capture the bears in their natural environment.
What's Included
5 nights accommodation
All airport transfers from Ljubljana Airport
All transport to hides and attractions
Full board Days 2-5 (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
3 x bear hide sessions with local guide escorts
2 x reflection pool session
Entrance to Postojna Cave
Visit to Predjama Castle
Post/Critique workshop with take-home content
Continuous photography instruction and support
What's Not Included
International flights (regional or long-haul)
Dinner on Day 1 (€20-€40 at local restaurant)
Lunch on Day 2 (€10-€30 at local restaurant)
All beverages and drinks throughout
Travel insurance (required)
Equipment insurance (required)
Single room supplement - please ask
Any entrance fees beyond those listed above
Recommended Gear
Telephoto 200-600mm (for bear photography)
Wide-angle lens for landscapes and architecture
Tripod or beanbag (gimbal mounts provided)
Water bottle (hides can become very hot at this time of year)
Comfortable walking boots/shoes for short walks
Important Notes
Flash photography is not permitted
Hides are equipped with bolts for gimbal heads
Short walks to hides and attractions. No strenuous activity involved. Suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can manage gentle walking for 10-15 minutes
June/July Weather: Long daylight hours with comfortable to hot temperatures typically ranging 15°C-30°C. Some rain is possible, though hides provide shelter
Hides can be up to 15°C hotter than outside
Language: All instruction and guiding conducted in English
Insurance Requirements
All participants are required to have both travel and equipment insurance for the duration of the tour. This ensures protection for yourself and your gear, giving peace of mind while in the field. Insurance is the sole responsibility of each participant and must be arranged prior to departure, as Focused On Wildlife does not provide coverage.
Focused On Wildlife, however, is fully covered under the UK Package Travel Regulations against financial failure, giving participants reassurance that all bookings are financially protected.
Basic Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Slovenia and Lake Bled
Day 2: Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle
Day 3: Reflection Pool + Bear Hides
Day 4: Reflection Pool + Bear Hides
Day 5: Editing Session + Bear Hides
Day 6: Transfer to airport and departure
Want a more detailed itinerary?
Dates & Rates
Please note: Payments made as a bank transfer will benefit from a 2% discount - use the e-mail button below to receive availability and Bank Transfer details
from £2390
per person sharing - please ask about single rates