Slovenia is an often unknown pearl of Europe! The small country between Austria and Italy not only offers Alpine regions, but also beautiful cities and even a piece of the Adriatic coast. The journey to the brown bears of Slovenia takes us from the enchanting capital Ljubliana to the Notranjska region, about 1.5 hours away. Over the course of 5 days, we set off in search of the kings of these forests and get to know an often unknown but beautiful region and friendly people.
Normally it is not that we find the bears, but the bears find us. We spend several hours a day sitting in small wooden cabins, the hides, which serve as our hiding place. With a little patience and perseverance, you can experience unimaginable encounters this way. The bears are often only a few meters away from us.
During our days in the hills of Slovenia, we are accommodated in a beautiful guesthouse, where we are also fed. Transportation is provided by a comfortable passenger van.

The aim of this trip is to encounter the Eurasian brown bear. The forests of Slovenia are one of the best regions in the world for observing these animals. On the one hand, there is a very high density of bears here. Around 1500 animals are said to live in the whole of Slovenia. On the other hand, coexistence with humans works comparatively well here.

We not only have the chance to observe bears wandering alone, but often also mother bears with their cubs. Encounters with the little bears in particular leave no one indifferent!
Some corn is scattered in front of the hides. On the one hand, the bears stay with us for longer, but on the other hand, the light feeding helps to prevent the bears from moving towards the villages, which could lead to conflicts.

In addition to the bears, we also have the chance to encounter other wild animals. Various bird species and squirrels or foxes can be found at the hides from time to time. With a bit of luck, we may also come across various species of owl, such as the Ural owl (Strix uralensis). Wolves and lynx also roam these forests, but an encounter requires a lot of luck.

During our days in the Notranjska region, we stay in a beautiful guesthouse with modern rooms and a pleasant restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating on the edge of a small, typically Slovenian village. Especially from the outdoor area you have a beautiful view of the woods and the meadows in between. Pure idyll!
The host takes great care of her guests and cooks us fresh regional dishes every day. Allergies and intolerances can also be cared for.

We usually have the opportunity to take a look around the region in the morning. Our accommodation is in a small village with a church on a hill, which is typical of Slovenia. Not far away, there are impressive limestone caves that we can explore. Of course, there is also the opportunity to look at the photos from the previous day or go on an animal excursion. After lunch, we will then head into the forest to the hides at around 1 p.m., where we will wait anxiously for the bears for anything between 5 and 7 hours.

In the hides, it is important to be very quiet and attentive in order to encourage the best possible encounters. First of all, there are no toilets!

After returning to our accommodation, we treat ourselves to a drink and a hearty dinner before diving tiredly into our beds.

We spend the first two days of the tour in the hides before going in search of owls on the third day.
On the fourth day we are back in the forest with the bears. On the fifth day, we head back to Ljubliana after breakfast.

Normally, we enjoy pleasant temperatures of around 23 degrees and sunshine throughout the day. In the evening and at night, however, it cools down noticeably, so warmer clothing should not be missing. Good sports or trekking shoes are also suitable, hiking boots are not necessary.

For photographers we recommend medium lenses (from 200mm), but in the hides you can also shoot great photos and films with smaller lenses and even cell phones. A tripod is also very practical, especially the ball head. These can be attached to screws in the hides.

We don't know whether it takes 20 minutes or 5 hours for bears to appear. A book or podcast is a good distraction!