Slovenian Bears, Slovenia

Location added by Giampaolo Masserano

The information about this location have been automatically translated with Microsoft Translator.

Rank : 9.0 (average on 1 votes)

Coordinates : 45.712474, 14.499376 (Open in Google Maps)

Subjects : Brown bear, Ural tawny owl, squirrels, fox, badger, woodland birds (jay, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, hawffinch, blackbird, thrush, etc.). A shed for the Otter is being set up.

Recommended equipment : For stalking birds, a medium-tele is sufficient because birds and squirrels reach up to a couple of meters, attracted by the food that is widely distributed from the first light of dawn. For the bear, a telephoto zoom lens (150-600, 200-600) is ideal: the animals can in fact appear (suddenly and silently) from any direction and sometimes a few meters from the photographer. The stakeouts are very solid and positioned at the edge of clearings: the light is therefore always sufficient, especially with mirrorless cameras. Tripods cannot be used: however, each station is equipped with a bracket with a screw on which to attach a tripod head (the ball head is recommended, for maximum flexibility and speed in framing). In the huts, in order not to disturb (in addition to being silent, of course), it is mandatory to use the electronic shutter and deactivate the auxiliary autofocus light.

Best months : For bears, from April/May to September/October depending on weather conditions.

How to get there : From Gorizia you travel about 90 kilometers to the East and then South-East, mostly on highways (H4) and then on smooth panoramic roads to the town of Markovec.In Slovenia you do not pay tolls and therefore there are no toll booths, but you must be equipped with an electronic vignette (which can be purchased online) with the license plate of the car and the period of validity.

Visits : As indicated in another sheet, to photograph from the huts it is mandatory to contact MIHA MLAKAR (Slovenianbears.com website), which manages all the facilities and organizes the activities. You can book daily visits or multi-day "packages" that include full board and overnight accommodation (in the central building or in agreement with a guest house in the surrounding area). Normally, hikes for bears start at 3-4 pm and end at 8 pm. The huts can be reached by car on largely unpaved but uneasy roads, preceded by an expert guide. The birdhouse, on the other hand, is a few meters from the reception and is open from 5 am.

Notes : The valley has a strong rural vocation and is dotted with very small villages dispersed in the countryside: therefore, the possibility of finding a restaurant or a bed near Markovec is practically zero. As a result, it is imperative to lean on Miha for the night and meals. If, on the other hand, you want to vary your activities by looking for accommodation further away, about 25 kilometers away there are the famous Postojna Cave or the fabulous Predjama castle, in an area with a greater tourist vocation where it is easier to find hotels and B&Bs.

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Sunrise: 05:45, Sunset: 20:11

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🌕 Full Moon, Brightness: 98%

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