Trogon Photo Tours

Slovenia Birds and Bears

May 25-June 5, 2022

Hungary Extension

June 4-11, 2022

Photo tour:  Join Nate Chappell and Jure Novak 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 and Ural Owl.  It also a spectacularly beautiful country for landscapes and Iphone photography, has good food and accommodation options and is very safe.  We will visit 3 different regions of Slovenia each with it's own set of wildlife.  The forest of the Southeast with Euopean Brown Bears, owls and more.  The mountains of the Northwest with ibex, chamois, owls 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, although there are plenty of walking opportunities and landscape photography opporunities if you are so inclined.  There will be wine tasting and other activities organized for the nonphotographer spouses which are included in your tour cost.

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.   



Leaders: Nate Chappell and Jure Novak

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 25th - Arrival to Ljubljana, Slovenia, transfer from airport to a 3 or 4 star hotel, dinner.   

May 26th - 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 lodge in the country,

May 27th-29th  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 30th - Morning bird photography session followed by transfer to the Carinthia region in the North of Slovenia.  Afternoon bird hide photography for forest birds including Woodpeckers, Tits, possibly Wallcreeper and other mountain birds. Accommodation: We stay at a beautiful lodge in the mountains.

May 31st - This morning you have the option of photographing owls, the 3 most likely species are Ural, Boreal and Pygmy Owls, or of photographing Chamois and small birds from a blind.  After returning for lunch we will spend another afternoon in the hides photographing birds or photographing owls  Black Woodpeckers should be nesting this time of year which makes another nice photo opportunity.  Accommodation: Same lodge as on the 10th. 

June 1st - This morning we will search for Ibex and Chamois in the highlands, this region is also a great area for landscape photography, so that is another option.  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 water birds hides which are excellent for Common Kingfisher, Little Bittern and others. Accommodation: a beautiful winery in the country.   

June 2nd and 3rd - 2 full days of bird photography in the Northeast of Slovenia including Bee-eaters, Hoopoes, Woodpeckers and many waterbirds.  Wine tasting is an activity both photographers and spouses can participate in.  Accommodation: Lodge located at a winery. 

June 4th - Morning bird photography session in the hides followed by transfer back to Ljubjana and a nice hotel near the airport.  Or you can continue on with our Hungary bird photography extension.  

June 5th - Fly home with a lot of beautiful photos and memories. 

Hungary Extension

Cost and Logistics: $3,495 per photographer, $400 single supplement, $3,150 per non photographer spouse/companion.  We will drive to Hungary from our lodge in Northern Slovenia on the 4th, spend 5 nights photographing in Hungary and then 2 nights in Slovenia on the way back with the last night near the Ljubjana airport.  If anyone wants to join without doing the Slovenia photo tour, they can fly into Ljubjana or Zagreb on the 3rd and we will arrange hotel and transfer to our lodge in Northern Slovenia. 

Itinerary:

June 4th - Morning photography in the winelands of Northern Slovenia followed by check out and about a five hour drive to Oriole Lodge near Kiskunsag National Park in Hungary.  We will have an afternoon photography session in the blinds. 

June 5th-8th - Four full days of photography with a morning and afternoon blind session or vehicle trip each day.  They have tower hides for photographing Roller, Kestrel, Red-footed Falcons, Cuckoos and Bee-eaters.  The waterside hides are excellent for Ferruginous Duck, Black-necked and Great Crested Grebes, Black Stork, Kingfishers, Herons and more.  There are also drinking hides for Sparrowhawks, Tits, Woodpeckers and more.  Hotel:  Oriole Lodge.

June 9th - Morning photography session followed by return transfer to Slovenia of about five hours.  This evening we will stay in a lodge near ski slopes that are good for photographing Ring Ouzel, Pygmy Owl, Fieldfare and other birds.  A lovely lodge in the countryside.

June 10th - Morning photography in the same area with more species including Crossbills and Firecrest possible.  Check out after lunch and one hour transfer to a lodge near the airport.  Afternoon bird photography walk.  A nice lodge near the airport.

June 11th - Transfer to the airport for your return trip home.