Europe
-
Greece
Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini
Capture winter pelicans drifting through soft light
Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini
Capture winter pelicans drifting through soft light
Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini
Capture winter pelicans drifting through soft light
Location:
Greece
Group Size:
5 (min 4)
Nights in
Greece
:
4
Cost:
from £1850
Single:
Please Ask
COST
from £1850
MAX GROUP
5 (min 4)
LOCATION
Greece
Winter transforms Lake Kerkini into a sanctuary for pelicans and other waterbirds. Drift silently across the lake as these majestic birds move through soft morning light. This photography-focused experience offers rare chances to capture intimate wildlife behaviour in one of Europe’s most atmospheric winter landscapes.
HIGHLIGHTS
4 Nights in Greece
Enjoy four nights in comfortable accommodation with private en-suite facilities and meals tailored to suit your dietary requirements. After a day out exploring and photographing the pelicans in cold conditions, coming back to a warm lodge is a real treat.
Multiple Sessions
Enjoy boat-based photography sessions with experienced boat pilots. Photograph wildlife (pelicans and other wildlife) from the boat and shore, making the most of afternoon and evening sessions to explore different lighting conditions and capture a variety of images.
Evening Reviews
Learn from each other during group photo reviews, sharing ideas, techniques and constructive feedback. Discuss post-processing approaches, explore how different images can be edited, and discover practical ways to tackle common challenges and improve your final results.
HIGHLIGHTS
4 Nights in Greece
Enjoy four nights in comfortable accommodation with private en-suite facilities and meals tailored to suit your dietary requirements. After a day out exploring and photographing the pelicans in cold conditions, coming back to a warm lodge is a real treat.
Multiple Sessions
Enjoy boat-based photography sessions with experienced boat pilots. Photograph wildlife (pelicans and other wildlife) from the boat and shore, making the most of afternoon and evening sessions to explore different lighting conditions and capture a variety of images.
Evening Reviews
Learn from each other during group photo reviews, sharing ideas, techniques and constructive feedback. Discuss post-processing approaches, explore how different images can be edited, and discover practical ways to tackle common challenges and improve your final results.
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 £1850
per person sharing - please ask about single rates
Basic Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Northern Greece
Day 2: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 3: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 4: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 5: Final Opportunities and Departure
Want a more detailed itinerary?
What's Included
4 nights in comfortable accommodation with en-suite facilities
Daily breakfast, packed lunches for field sessions and evening meals
Dedicated dawn sessions
Boat-based sessions with experienced boat pilots
Afternoon/evening sessions for different lighting approaches
All transport to and from photography locations
Professional photography instruction throughout
Pre-session briefings for all activities
Evening image review sessions
Post-processing workshop (2 hours)
Take-home reference materials and recordings
Airport transfers from Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)
All ground transportation during the tour
Boat hire for water-based sessions
Access permits where required
What's Not Included
International flights to/from Thessaloniki
Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Alcoholic beverages
Personal equipment and memory cards
Optional additional activities outside the scheduled programme
Recommended Gear
Telephoto lens 200-600mm (make sure you comfortable holding this setup on a boat)
Weatherproof clothing appropriate for January conditions (cold weather)
Comfortable walking boots for short walks
Important Notes
Boats can be tricky for photography - listen to thise who have done this before
No standing at any time in the boats unless you are told to
There will be short walks to boats and shorelines. No strenuous activity involved. Suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can manage gentle walking for 5-10 minutes
January Weather: Short winter days with crisp, cool temperatures ranging 0–10°C. Frosty mornings are common, with occasional rain or light snow. From a boat, you’ll experience the lake’s serene winter light and atmospheric mist, perfect for dramatic wildlife photography.
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: What makes Lake Kerkini so special for bird photography?
A: Lake Kerkini is renowned for its pelicans, including both Dalmatian and great white pelicans. The combination of large numbers of birds, open water, winter light and relatively intimate photographic opportunities makes it particularly well suited to creative bird photography.
Q: Will we photograph the pelicans from a boat or from the shore?
A: Both. Boat sessions are an important part of the experience and provide opportunities to photograph feeding behaviour, flight, social interactions and birds moving across the water. We also use land-based locations for reflections, landscapes and different lighting conditions.
Q: Is the tour only about pelicans?
A: Pelicans are the main attraction, but there is much more to photograph. Winter visitors can include cormorants, herons, glossy ibis, eagles, marsh harriers, ducks and other waterbirds, while golden jackals (if we get lucky) may also be encountered around the lake.
Q: Will I receive help with bird-in-flight photography?
A: Yes. The tour includes hands-on guidance covering shutter speeds, autofocus, panning, exposure, composition and anticipating behaviour. There is also a dedicated post-processing workshop to help you get the most from your images after the trip.
Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini
This Lake Kerkini tour is designed around creating compelling bird images rather than simply positioning you lakeside with a long lens, with hands-on guidance throughout to help you develop stronger bird photography skills. You will learn to capture flight dynamics with the right shutter speeds and panning techniques, work with water reflections and early morning light, anticipate behaviour to capture decisive action rather than relying on static portraits, and compose images that convey scale and atmosphere.
Lake Kerkini hosts one of Europe’s most significant breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelicans, alongside substantial numbers of great white pelicans, and sessions are planned around the best light, with dawn on the shore for reflections and large group compositions, and mid-morning boat sessions for intimate access to feeding behaviour, flight approaches and social interactions without disturbing the colony.
Experienced local guides understand pelican ecology and can predict feeding patterns and flight times, so you may also witness courtship displays, parental care and territorial interactions. Winter also brings cormorants, herons, glossy ibis, white-tailed and lesser spotted eagles, marsh harriers, ferruginous ducks and golden jackals along the quiet lake margins, giving you plenty of variety.
The pace is deliberately structured around optimal light, with rest during harsh midday conditions and no rushing when the light is working in your favour. Learning continues beyond the trip, with pre-session briefings, real-time in-field guidance, a post-processing workshop on editing bird images and managing reflections, take-home reference guides and optional evening image reviews, alongside conversations on ethical practices and the conservation success story that brought Kerkini’s pelicans back from near-extinction.
Ideal for photographers who value small group dynamics and the combination of boat work and land-based positions, the tour is limited to 5 guests and suitable for all skill levels, with beginners receiving support on camera settings whilst experienced photographers are challenged with behavioural interpretation and composition.
You will leave with a portfolio of pelicans, herons, raptors and wetland landscapes, stronger flight and low-light technique, post-processing workflows and, most importantly, memorable experiences of dawn light, coordinated pelican fishing, close encounters from boats, chats with the locals and hundreds of pelicans in flight.
Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini
This Lake Kerkini tour is designed around creating compelling bird images rather than simply positioning you lakeside with a long lens, with hands-on guidance throughout to help you develop stronger bird photography skills. You will learn to capture flight dynamics with the right shutter speeds and panning techniques, work with water reflections and early morning light, anticipate behaviour to capture decisive action rather than relying on static portraits, and compose images that convey scale and atmosphere.
Lake Kerkini hosts one of Europe’s most significant breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelicans, alongside substantial numbers of great white pelicans, and sessions are planned around the best light, with dawn on the shore for reflections and large group compositions, and mid-morning boat sessions for intimate access to feeding behaviour, flight approaches and social interactions without disturbing the colony.
Experienced local guides understand pelican ecology and can predict feeding patterns and flight times, so you may also witness courtship displays, parental care and territorial interactions. Winter also brings cormorants, herons, glossy ibis, white-tailed and lesser spotted eagles, marsh harriers, ferruginous ducks and golden jackals along the quiet lake margins, giving you plenty of variety.
The pace is deliberately structured around optimal light, with rest during harsh midday conditions and no rushing when the light is working in your favour. Learning continues beyond the trip, with pre-session briefings, real-time in-field guidance, a post-processing workshop on editing bird images and managing reflections, take-home reference guides and optional evening image reviews, alongside conversations on ethical practices and the conservation success story that brought Kerkini’s pelicans back from near-extinction.
Ideal for photographers who value small group dynamics and the combination of boat work and land-based positions, the tour is limited to 5 guests and suitable for all skill levels, with beginners receiving support on camera settings whilst experienced photographers are challenged with behavioural interpretation and composition.
You will leave with a portfolio of pelicans, herons, raptors and wetland landscapes, stronger flight and low-light technique, post-processing workflows and, most importantly, memorable experiences of dawn light, coordinated pelican fishing, close encounters from boats, chats with the locals and hundreds of pelicans in flight.
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: What makes Lake Kerkini so special for bird photography?
A: Lake Kerkini is renowned for its pelicans, including both Dalmatian and great white pelicans. The combination of large numbers of birds, open water, winter light and relatively intimate photographic opportunities makes it particularly well suited to creative bird photography.
Q: Will we photograph the pelicans from a boat or from the shore?
A: Both. Boat sessions are an important part of the experience and provide opportunities to photograph feeding behaviour, flight, social interactions and birds moving across the water. We also use land-based locations for reflections, landscapes and different lighting conditions.
Q: Is the tour only about pelicans?
A: Pelicans are the main attraction, but there is much more to photograph. Winter visitors can include cormorants, herons, glossy ibis, eagles, marsh harriers, ducks and other waterbirds, while golden jackals (if we get lucky) may also be encountered around the lake.
Q: Will I receive help with bird-in-flight photography?
A: Yes. The tour includes hands-on guidance covering shutter speeds, autofocus, panning, exposure, composition and anticipating behaviour. There is also a dedicated post-processing workshop to help you get the most from your images after the trip.
What's Included
4 nights in comfortable accommodation with en-suite facilities
Daily breakfast, packed lunches for field sessions and evening meals
Dedicated dawn sessions
Boat-based sessions with experienced boat pilots
Afternoon/evening sessions for different lighting approaches
All transport to and from photography locations
Professional photography instruction throughout
Pre-session briefings for all activities
Evening image review sessions
Post-processing workshop (2 hours)
Take-home reference materials and recordings
Airport transfers from Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)
All ground transportation during the tour
Boat hire for water-based sessions
Access permits where required
What's Not Included
International flights to/from Thessaloniki
Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Alcoholic beverages
Personal equipment and memory cards
Optional additional activities outside the scheduled programme
Recommended Gear
Telephoto lens 200-600mm (make sure you comfortable holding this setup on a boat)
Weatherproof clothing appropriate for January conditions (cold weather)
Comfortable walking boots for short walks
Important Notes
Boats can be tricky for photography - listen to thise who have done this before
No standing at any time in the boats unless you are told to
There will be short walks to boats and shorelines. No strenuous activity involved. Suitable for anyone with normal mobility who can manage gentle walking for 5-10 minutes
January Weather: Short winter days with crisp, cool temperatures ranging 0–10°C. Frosty mornings are common, with occasional rain or light snow. From a boat, you’ll experience the lake’s serene winter light and atmospheric mist, perfect for dramatic wildlife photography.
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: Arrival in Northern Greece
Day 2: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 3: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 4: Boat and Shore Photography
Day 5: Final Opportunities 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 £1850
per person sharing - please ask about single rates