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WILD POLAND
20 February 2023 - 25 February 2023
| €1890
6 days
1790 €
3 seats
Index
RECOMMENDED PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT:
Destination
Bialowieza forest, residual of primeval forest that extended in Polish north east, is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1979: it is the only remaining fragment of the forest that thousands of years ago stretched all over Europe.
The forest stretches for 879km2, mainly with the typical vegetation of temperate forest, made up of deciduous trees which give the landscape a magical winter atmosphere. But what is the heart of this travel is undoubtedly the wild fauna; the forest boasts of incredible biodiversity, with 11.864 species of mammals, birds, amphibians and insects (260 species of birds, of which 240 reproduce in the forest).
Especially the attention falls on the European giant, the Bison. In Bialowieza we will find the the biggest and most important population of European Bison, considered extinct in 1919 but inserted into a reintroduction project that at moment had as a result a stable population of approximately 5.000 units.
With a lenght of 300 cm, a height of 200 cm and a weight that can arrive up to 1.000 kg, it is the biggest land mammal living in Europe. It populates both the meadows and the most impenetrable places in the heart of Bialowieza forest, allowing us to observe this majestic animal in different contexts.
In addition to European Bison, there are many other species of mammals, for example: the European Wolf, the Lynx, the Deer, the Beaver, the Otter, the Roe Deer, the Wild Boar, the Fox and many more.
The birdlife too is incredibly interesting: Royal Eagle, Bald Eagle, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, different species of night raptors as Pygmy Owl, Common Owl, Ural Owl, Long-Eared Owl, Tawny Owl.
In addition to raptors, there are many other species as dozens of species of passeriforms and all the species of European wookpeckers: Great Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Middle Spotted, Green, Grey-headed, Red-headed, Three-toed, White-backed.
Undoubtedly Bialowieza forest turns out to be one of the most important European wilderness area, where the natual cycles have remained intact during thousands of years, in a primordial forest where you can feel a really wild nature.
Tour information
The rustle of the wind that gently moves the trees of impenetrable forest, the sound of Bison hooves that break the silence in the endless meadowns. The long roads that cross the heart of the park. The imagine of a wolf pack that cross a path. These are the primordial emotions that can be perceived only in places like this.
We will spend six days in search of these feelings, savoring the wilderness of Bialowieza national park, a unique forest preserved for thousands of years.
With a group of maximum 3-4 partecipants we will explore the most remote corners of these areas, searching for herds of Bison in different environmental context, both in the meadows and in the forest, searching for special lights and textures to capture the biggest European land mammal. During our explorations, thanks to the special authorization we have, we will move to the heart of the forest, where silence reigns supreme and where it si also possible meet other elusive inhabitants of the forest like the Wolf, the European Beaver, the Otter or the extremely rare European Linx.
Besides the exploration we will dedicate to the waiting, too. With the exclusive access to photo hides, we will have the possibility to get close to different animal species, without disturbing and observing the natural dynamics of particular animals. From the observation huts, with a little luck, it will be possible to observe raptors as Royal Eagle, Bald Eagle, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, dozens of species of passeriforms and wookpeckers, and of course all the mammals living in Bialowieza forest, as the photo hides are situated within completely wild in meadows behind the forest.
The extreme compactness of the group will allow us to minimise disturbance to the animals, to optimize the photo session and to move dinamically, quickly and silently during all the movements.
The purpose of this travel is to give the opportunity to every nature lover photographer to feel the wild balance of this forest, having the possibility to observe and capture unique moments.
PHOTOGRAPHIC ACTIVITIES
The tour includes 4 full day photo sessions. Photo sessions from the shed will be alternated with exploratory sessions in search of bison and other mammals in the park.
Each session will be carried out with the utmost respect for nature and with transit authorizations in special areas and exclusive entry reserved for tour participants only in the photographic huts. During the sessions in search of mammals we will move with 4 × 4 vehicles in the best areas of presence of bison and other mammals, areas constantly monitored by our guides where we will optimize the sighting possibilities.
The forest environments and the winter climate offer high-level photographic opportunities where you can give free rein to your creativity. The shed sessions, on the other hand, will give us the opportunity to see particular very shy birds, such as birds of prey, a few meters away. These are wild animals and consequently it is not possible to give a guarantee of sighting of every species, however the chances will be very high and sightings of different species will not fail.
There will be no demanding excursions or walks, therefore it is an itinerary open to anyone
RECOMMENDED PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT:
During this tour we will explore very diverse environments: we will carry out photo sessions in the vast grasslands adjacent to the forest, we will look for the large mammals and bird species that inhabit the forest itself and we will carry out photo sessions from the hut for the birds with the possibility of observing mammals as well.
For the activities from the shed, we will have the opportunity to observe the animals even at a distance of 10-20 meters.
We will go to photograph animals of a few grams of weight such as passerines up to large mammals such as bison and moose. Our goal will be to always find ourselves at optimal distances to take excellent shots in both situations, without therefore needing particularly strong lenses.
For this reason, we recommend the use of reflex, bridge or mirrorless cameras with lenses of 300 mm or greater, possibly also accompanied by the use of teleconverters.
For the shed sessions it will be essential to use a tripod or even the head of the tripod alone, as all the sheds we will visit will be equipped with bases that will allow the head of the tripod to be hooked up.
Alternatively, bean bags can be used to support photographic equipment during hide sessions.
Do you think you don’t have the right equipment for this event?
Don’t worry, it is now possible to rent lenses and camera bodies for our events at a special price!
An interesting catalog of lenses and cameras is available to all customers and can be booked and collected directly on site, without deposits or credit cards.
Contact us for more information
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day by day program:
February 20th
Arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport and private transfer to our hotel.
Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
February 21th
Wake up before dawn and departure for the photographic output dedicated to bison. We will spend the whole day in the field in search of the numerous herds of bison that populate the flat areas close to the Bialoweza forest. Packed lunches will be provided by the organizers.
Return to the hotel after sunset, with relative dinner and overnight stay.
February 22th
Wake up before dawn and move to the Bialoweza forest in a shed dedicated to birds of prey and other bird species. Here, with a little luck, we will be able to photograph dozens of species such as golden eagle, white-tailed sea eagle, goshawk, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, spotted woodpecker, crested tit, greenfinches, siskins and many other species. With great luck it will be possible to photograph some mammals, such as wolves, foxes, wild boars or bison.
The shed session lasts the whole day, from sunrise to sunset. The sheds are equipped with heating and bathroom. Packed lunches will be provided by the organizers.
Return to the hotel after sunset, with relative dinner and overnight stay.
February 23th
Wake up before dawn and departure for the photographic output dedicated to bison. We will spend the whole day inside the bialoweza forest, in areas with exclusive access, thanks to our authorizations we will be able to access by our own vehicles, exploring the entire forest.
Here we will have opportunities to photograph bison in the middle of the forest but with a little luck it will also be possible to spot other mammals such as wolves or perhaps the ghost of the woods, the European lynx.
The lunch will be packed and provided by the organizers.
Return to the hotel after sunset, with relative dinner and overnight stay.
February 24th
Wake up before dawn and move to the Bialoweza forest in a shed dedicated to the goshawk and other bird species. Here with a little luck we will be able to photograph dozens of species such as goshawk, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, spotted woodpecker, crested tit, greenfinches, siskins and many other species. With great luck it will be possible to photograph some mammals, such as wolves, foxes, wild boars or bison.
The shed session lasts the whole day, from sunrise to sunset. The sheds are equipped with heating and bathroom. Packed lunches will be provided by the organizers.
Return to the hotel after sunset, with relative dinner and overnight stay.
December 25th
Wake up, breakfast at the hotel, transfer with private transfer to the Warsaw Chopin airport
How to register
Fill out the form to receive all the indications for registration.
For any other questions you can fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page or contact us via whatsapp by clicking the icon at the bottom right.
Included
private transfer to and from Warsaw-Chopin airport
All meals
overnight stay in a double room for 5 nights
private guide for the exclusive use of the group
all photographic exits in the forest
traffic authorizations within the protected areas of the national park
all photo sessions from the shed for the exclusive use reserved only for the group of participants
assistance during the entire duration of the trip by a professional photographer
Not included
flight
extra drinks and other personal needs
Michele Bavassano
Passionate about nature , he travels in search of the perfect shot, exploring unspoiled areas around the world . Through his camera he tries to share moments and emotions. Michele defines his photography “A search for art in nature”. He works as a professional photographer and offers events in the most interesting and important destinations in Italy and abroad. His images have been used by Discovery, BBC , ENEL and have been published in numerous magazines around the world. “In 2015 he participated in the FIAP Youth World Championship with the Italian team, obtaining 2nd place. Since May 2018 he is ambassador of the GITZO brand. He is currently one of the most followed Italian nature photographers on the web. He has collected collaborations with various brands such as “Canon”, “Gitzo”, “Swarovsky”, “Manfrotto”, “Wacom”, “Eizo”, “BenQ”, “Pluto Trigger”, “Scubla”, “Revolution Race “,” Easy Cover “,” Wise “,” Xp-Pen “, “Deer Hunter”, “Polyver” , “Lenz”, “Lens Coat”