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Bisons & Raptors

6-day photography tour in search of the wild nature of Bialowieza National Park, among bison, wolves, and birds of prey.

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Bisons & Raptors

Days

3-8 December 2024

Max participants

10 participants

Price

 500,00

1990€
1890€

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Destination

Explore the ancient Białowieża Forest in six unforgettable days of nature photography. Adventure to discover the majestic European bison, the largest land mammal on the continent, in a wild and uncontaminated environment. But that's not all: this forest is also renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity, which includes the European wolf, the Eurasian lynx, deer, roe deer, wild boar, the raccoon dog and a myriad of bird species, including the golden eagle, the white-tailed sea eagle and the buzzard.

Immerse yourself in the prairies and dense forests, exploring the hidden secrets of this magical land. With photography safaris and exclusive access to specially placed huts, you'll have the opportunity to capture the beauty and power of Northern Europe's wilderness with your camera. A unique experience for lovers of nature photography and for those who wish to get closer to the splendid fauna and flora of this region.

Dates and participants

Duration

6 Days and 5 Nights

Dates

3-8 December 2024

Number of participants

10 participants

Activity details

Overnight stay and meals

5 nights in a double room in Białowieża National Park

breakfast lunch dinner

Photographic activities

Difficulty

🟢 Easy

Preparation and equipment

No long hikes or other challenging physical activities are planned

Modality

Safari – Shed – Itinerant

Costs and Tour leader

Tour leader

Michele Bavassano

Starting from

1990€
1890€

Payment

€500 deposit upon registration and balance 60 days before departure

Details of the tour

We will spend 6 days exploring the wilderness of Bialowieza National Park. Divided into small groups of 4, we will search for herds of European bison in various environments, capturing particular lights and textures. Thanks to the authorizations, we will enter the heart of the forest, where we will be able to meet wolves, beavers, otters and European lynxes.

In addition to exploring, we will use photography huts to get up close to species such as golden eagles, white-tailed sea eagles, goshawks, buzzards, passerines, woodpeckers and other mammals. The huts are located in wilderness areas, allowing us to minimize disturbance to wildlife.

The compact group will optimize photo sessions, allowing dynamic and silent movements. The goal is to offer every photographer the opportunity to perceive the wild balance of this area and immortalize unique moments.

The tour includes 4 full day photography sessions. Photographic sessions from the hut 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 only for tour participants in the photography huts. During the sessions in search of mammals we will move with 4x4 vehicles to the best areas of presence of bison and other mammals, areas constantly monitored by our guides where we will optimize the possibility of sightings.

The forest environments and the winter climate offer high-level photographic opportunities where you can give free rein to your creativity. The hut sessions, on the other hand, will give us the opportunity to see particular, very shy birds, such as birds of prey, just a few meters away. These are wild animals and consequently it is not possible to give a guarantee of sightings of every species, however the chances will be very high and there will be no shortage of sightings of different species.

There will be no excursions or challenging walks, so it is an itinerary open to anyone.

We will stay in small apartments/rooms right next to the forest, so as to facilitate and shorten travel for photographic activities. Each room will have single beds, private bathroom, Wi-Fi, heating and everything you need. Breakfast and dinner will take place in a restaurant near the property, while lunch will generally be packed during the photographic activities.

Detailed plan

Find out how the days will unfold and what activities make up the tour

Day 1

12.00: Arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport and private transfer to our hotel in Białowieża Forest. (About 4 Hours)

5.30pm: Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.

From day 2 to 5

5.00: Wake up before dawn and leave for a photographic outing.

Over these four days we will alternate activities between safari-style sessions dedicated to bison and photography huts. We will spend the whole day in the field looking for the numerous herds of bison that populate the flat areas close to the Białowieża forest. We will take advantage of our special authorizations to access the forest in exclusive areas in search of particular atmospheres and settings. We will carry out the session in safari style and we will be able to leave the vehicle to optimize our shooting point or to get close to the animals at the right distance.

12.30: Lunch will be packed and provided by the organizers.

1.30pm: After lunch and a short break we will continue with the research until sunset.

6.00pm: Return to the hotel after sunset, with dinner and overnight stay*.

Day 6

8.30: Wake up, breakfast at the hotel

9.30: Transfer with private transfer to Warsaw Chopin Airport

2.00pm: Arrival at the airport and greetings with the group

Flight information:

It is essential to be at Warsaw Chopin Airport by 12pm on 3 December and depart after 4pm on 8 December. You have the flexibility to choose flights that respect these times and, if necessary, land or depart even earlier or later. Near the airport, you will find several options for additional overnight stays, offering you a convenient solution should you need it. If necessary, after your registration, you will be able to access our dedicated assistance to also receive help with purchasing flights.

Tour leader. Find out who will accompany you on the tour

Michele Bavassano

Passionate about nature, he travels in search of the perfect shot, exploring pristine areas around the world. Through his camera he tries to share moments and emotions. Michele defines his photography as “A search for art in nature”. He works as a professional photographer and proposes 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. ”.

What's included

5 nights in a double room
All meals (Breakfast, Lunches and Dinners)
All transfers on site
2 full day hut sessions
2 full days of activities in the forest

What is not included

Flights
Single Room Supplement (€200)

Frequent questions

Signing up will be very simple!

Simply follow the booking procedure by clicking on "Book Now". Once you have entered your personal data, you will only be asked to pay a deposit, not the full price. At the end of the operation the registration will be confirmed. You will then receive a confirmation email once the procedure is completed. The balance will then be requested according to the terms reported at the top of the page, usually 60 days before departure.

During this tour we will explore very diversified environments: we will carry out photographic sessions in the vast prairies adjacent to the forest, we will look for the large mammals and avifauna species that populate the forest itself and we will carry out photographic sessions from a birdhouse with the possibility of observing mammals too. For hut activities, we will have the opportunity to observe the animals even at a distance of 10-20 meters.
We will photograph animals weighing just a few grams 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 advanced lenses. For this reason, we recommend the use of reflex, bridge or mirrorless cameras with optics of 300 mm or greater, possibly also accompanied by the use of teleconverters.
For shed sessions, the use of a tripod or even just the tripod head will be essential, as all the huts we visit will be equipped with bases that will allow the tripod head to be attached.
Alternatively, bean bags can be used to support photographic equipment during hut sessions.

For the photo sessions in the hut it will not be necessary to have technical or special clothes. The photography huts are heated and therefore we recommend comfortable, layered clothing to adjust to the temperature.
For the itinerary sessions, however, the temperatures could be cold and the ground wet. We therefore recommend waterproof boots, heavy trousers and jacket. Hat and gloves are also essential for harsh winter climates. More information on clothing will then be communicated in the following steps.

It is essential to be at Warsaw Chopin Airport by 12pm on 3 December and depart after 4pm on 8 December. You have the flexibility to choose flights that respect these times and, if necessary, land or depart even earlier or later. Near the airport, you will find several options for additional overnight stays, offering you a convenient solution should you need it. If necessary, after your registration, you will be able to access our dedicated assistance to also receive help with purchasing flights.

By booking by paying the deposit to the organizers you accept the following clauses:

1. Since this is a pre-registration, the organizer will endeavor to promptly communicate any possible change in the price of the tour, characterized by cost fluctuations. An annual price fluctuation of around 5% is highly likely if booking is made more than one year in advance. in relation to potential changes in prices of ground services (for example changes influenced by fluctuating costs of electricity, fuel and more).
2.⁠ ⁠The price of the entire workshop will be paid via the payment methods offered by the organizer, such as bank transfer, PayPal, credit card or cash according to the procedures and deadlines established by the organizers, taking charge of the transaction costs.
3.⁠ ⁠⁠In the event that the tour does not take place due to the organiser, the entire amount paid will be refunded.
4.⁠ ⁠In case of cancellation for personal reasons of any kind and in any case not dependent on the organizer, the deposit and any other registration fees will be retained as a reimbursement of expenses.
5. In case of cancellation for personal reasons within 60 days of departure, the entire balance of the tour will be required.

By registering, paying the deposit and sending your personal data you again accept clauses 1,2,3,4,5.

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Bisons & Raptors

1990€
1890€

1 Spots Left