Early Winter Raptor’s Photography

€1200 per person

The Golden Eagle is a captivating bird and its photography is awe-inspiring. This tour is devoted to the passion of observing and taking pictures of this magnificent bird of prey. With an expert guide, you will spend a few days at a Balkan Mountain’s photo hide, one of the best places in the Balkans for photography of Golden Eagles. The hide is built to a high standard of comfort, right in the heart of the Western Balkan Mountain. Golden Eagle, Griffon, and Black vultures, as well as other avian and mammal carnivores (Grey wolf, Red Fox, Wild Cat and others) often frequent the feeding site at the hide.

Two days in the itinerary are dedicated to the hide at the town of Dragoman, where “the usual suspects” are Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Golden Jackal and Red Fox.

This is a private photography tour and can be tailored to your interests and holiday length.

Duration
6 days
What is included
local expert photography guide throughout the tour; ground transportation with pick up and drop off at Sofia Airport; photo hide rental; accommodation according to the itinerary; full board
What is not included
flight tickets, insurance, transfers from or to other airports (Varna or Plovdiv); personal expenses; gratuities; tour extensions, tips
Best period
16-21 Dec 2023

FROM OUR GALLERY

1

Day 1

You will be welcomed by your guide at Sofia Airport and transferred (about an hour's drive) to the village of Iskrets in the Balkan Mountains. From there you will be taken with a 4WD to the hide (usually the accommodation in the hide is an hour before sundown). Kindly note that you can spend the nights at a guesthouse in the village of Iskrets and be transferred every morning and evening to the hide. A small surcharge to the basic price will be applied.

2

Day 2

A full day of wildlife photography from the hide. You can relax, work on your laptop or generally engage in quiet activities, while your guide watches out for an activity in front of the hide. Besides the Golden Eagles you can expect Griffon and Black vultures to show up. There is a very successful reintroduction program for these two species that is running on the territory of Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park, not far from our photo hide.

3

Day 3

The routine will be as the previous day. The hide is in a wild part of the Balkan Mountains, an area were wolves, foxes, wild cats and even brown bears roam. Having a wild wolf in your lens is unforgettable trill.

4

Day 4

This will be the third full day for wildlife photography from the hide. We will leave the hide in the late afternoon, to experience the hospitality and spend two nights at a guesthouse in a nearby village.

5

Day 5

We will start early in the morning and enter the hide near the town of Dragoman before sunrise. The limestone hill Chepan will be the background for our pictures. The feeding for the raptors is done throughout the year and they frequent the area before in front of the hide. The most spectacular behaviour can be captured in photos during the winter, especially when there is snow. This is the time that the chances of photographing Golden Jackals, Red Foxes and numerous corvids are the highest.

6

Day 6

Morning photo session from the photo hide of Dragoman. Transfer (about an hour) to Sofia for your departure flight or an extra night in the capital of Bulgaria. Kindly note that instead of spending the morning at the Dragoman hide, we can organize, at no extra charge a Nutcracker photo session at the Vitosha Nature Park.

TOUR LOCATION

Price

2-3 persons – € 1500 per person;
4 persons – € 1200 per person;
Single room supplement at the guesthouse: € 60 per person.

The price includes

Accommodation: in a guest house en suite facilities for 2 nights and 3 nights in the Golden Eagle hide (sleeping is on cots) on a full board basis;
English-speaking tour leader throughout the entire trip;
Photo hides rental;
All ground transportation costs.

Remarks, clothing and equipment

Maximum capacity of the hides: Golden eagle hide - 4 person, Buzzard and Marsh Harrier hide - 2 person;
It`s forbidden to leave the hide during the day. There is electricity from solar panels. No need for tripods here, but we need them for the Dragoman hide. Warm clothes and shoes, a hat, and gloves are necessary. These are especially necessary for the Dragoman hide. We will prepare our meals and hot drinks in the Golden Eagle Hide. Packed lunch will be prepared for the Dragoman hide;
Equipment: At least 300mm lens plus converter. Stable tripod or only gimbal head; Teleconverters; Batteries; Extra memory cards.