Itinerary – Slovenia Spring Bird Photography Tour

Please note: Below you will find an outline of how the photography tour may look. The daily schedule and locations may be adapted according to weather, light, recent sightings and wildlife activity. This flexibility allows us to pursue the best photographic opportunities while ensuring that the welfare of the birds always comes first.

Day 1: Forest Birds of Koroška

Our photography programme begins among the unspoilt forests of Koroška in northern Slovenia. This first session gives us time to settle into the rhythm of the trip while searching for black woodpecker, white-throated dipper and other woodland birds.

We will explore with our photography and local birding guides, looking for the best available light, backgrounds and bird activity. Depending on our arrival time and conditions, we will continue photographing until dinner.

Day 2: Owls and Alpine Habitats on Mount Peca

After an early breakfast, we travel to Mount Peca for a short to moderate walk through its alpine and forest habitats. Our main targets will include boreal, Eurasian pygmy, Ural and tawny owls.

Finding owls requires patience and local knowledge, so the programme will depend on recent sightings and activity. Our guides will carefully search suitable trees while ensuring that nesting and roosting birds are not disturbed. During the afternoon, there may also be an opportunity to photograph other woodland birds from permanent hides.

Day 3: Woodpeckers, Owls and Hide Photography

Today’s programme will combine several photographic approaches. We may begin by searching for black woodpeckers in the morning before concentrating on owls later in the day.

We may also spend time photographing from established hides, giving us opportunities to work with other forest birds at closer range. The precise schedule will remain flexible, allowing us to respond to the latest sightings, weather, light and wildlife activity.

Day 4: Rače Ponds and Transfer to Ormož

We leave Koroška early and begin our journey towards Ormož. Along the way, we stop at the fishponds near Rače, an important wetland where more than 200 bird species have been recorded.

Three photography hides provide opportunities to photograph a variety of waterbirds and other species attracted to the ponds. Possible subjects include grebes, ducks, kingfishers, herons and birds of prey, depending on the season and conditions.

After our photography session, we continue to Ormož, arriving in the late afternoon before enjoying dinner at our new base.

Day 5: Birds of the Ljutomer-Ormož Hills

The Ljutomer-Ormož region is known for its rolling hills, vineyards and excellent food and wine. These cultivated landscapes also provide important habitats for a wide variety of birds and offer colourful, distinctive settings for photography.

Possible subjects include European bee-eater, hoopoe, common cuckoo, kingfisher, green and middle spotted woodpeckers, common redstart and European turtle dove. We will use a combination of hides and photography on foot, adapting our approach to the birds we find and the available light.

Day 6: Wetland Birds of the Ormož Basins

We spend much of today exploring the Ormož Basins Nature Reserve, a 55-hectare wetland within the Drava River ecosystem. Its shallow pools, reedbeds, rushes and surrounding flooded forest support nationally and internationally important populations of breeding and migratory birds.

Possible photographic subjects include reed and great reed warblers, little bittern, ferruginous duck, black-winged stilt, common tern and a variety of waders. Water rails and crakes may also be present, although these secretive birds are often easier to hear than to see.

We will work carefully around the reserve, always following local guidance and ensuring that the welfare of the birds comes first.

Day 7: Following the Best Bird Activity

Our final full day will remain deliberately flexible. Drawing on the latest information from our local birding guide, we will return to the most productive locations or explore new sites around Ormož and the surrounding countryside.

This flexibility allows us to concentrate on species we have not yet photographed, improve earlier images or respond to unexpected opportunities. We may work from permanent or portable hides or explore on foot, depending on the subjects, weather and light.

With forests, vineyards, farmland and wetlands all within reach, there should be plenty of variety throughout our final full day of photography.

Day 8: Final Morning in Ormož and Departure

Depending on our flight schedule, we will use our final morning for one last photography session around Ormož. We may return to a productive location, concentrate on a particular species or make the most of a new opportunity identified by our guides.

Afterwards, we return to the accommodation, collect our luggage and begin the journey home.

Room Options & Conditions

This trip can be booked from £2550 per person, based on a shared twin room basis.

The single room supplement is £250

• Shared twin room (1 person): £2550 per person. When you book this option, you will share a twin room with another guest of the same gender. If no suitable roommate is available, the single-room supplement for this trip will apply. This room has separate beds.
• Double room (2 people): £5100 per person. This option is suitable for couples or two friends travelling together. When booking, please indicate in the comments field whether you would prefer one double bed or two separate beds.based on two people sharing.
• Single room: £2800 per person. When you book this option, you will have exclusive use of a room. A single room supplement applies. Depending on availability, you may be allocated a room designed for two or three people, but the same single room supplement will apply.

Practical Information – Slovenia Spring Bird Photography Trip

Participants Meeting

Prior to the photography trip, a participants’ meeting will be organised. This is an opportunity to meet each other and discuss mutual expectations. Additionally, it is a chance to go over all the essential details necessary for the success of the photography trip and to ask any questions you may have for the trip leaders.

Difficulty

This trip will involve some short easy walks so please bring walking shoes with you. There may also be an option for a longer hike.

Transport and Flights

All transfers within the trip are included. International flights are not included.

Required Equipment and Materials

• Two camera bodies are strongly recommended.
• For bird photography from a hide: a lens with a minimum reach of 400mm, or the equivalent when using a crop-sensor camera (e.g. a Nikon D500 with a 300mm lens provides a 450mm equivalent).
• You can also bring a wide-angled lens for landscape and a macro lens for flowers/insects but the main focus of this trip will be bird photography.
• Sufficient memory cards.
• Plenty of camera batteries, as you cannot recharge them in the hides.
• Power banks.
• An external hard drive or laptop.
• A tripod.
• An empty rice bag for stabilisation.

Baggage

When arranging your flights, please carefully review the allowances for both checked baggage and hand luggage on your outbound and return journeys, as weight and size restrictions apply. Full details can be found on your airline’s website.

If necessary, smaller items such as lenses, camera bodies and spare batteries may be carried in the pockets of a large coat or photography vest, as these are not typically weighed. Please note that adherence to baggage regulations remains your own responsibility.

To make travel easier, both on the flight and during photography outings, it’s important to keep your luggage to a minimum. Soft bags or flexible suitcases are preferable, as they are easier to stack and transport.

Climate and Clothing

In April and May, daytime temperatures in Slovenia can range from 15°C to 25°C. Make sure to dress in layers. Although the walks are not strenuous, we recommend sturdy hiking shoes, as you may encounter uneven terrain.

Vaccinations

For the latest information on recommended or required vaccinations, please refer to the UK government website. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/slovenia/health

Passport and Visa

Travel to Slovenia requires a valid passport. Please check the UK Government’s entry requirements for Slovenia before travelling.