January of 2025 – 8 days

PHOTO TRIP TO BIALOWIEZA

European bison & raptors

13 – 20 January 2025

A photographic journey for those who wish to enjoy an unaltered natural environment. We will visit the integral reserve of Bialowieza, which is home to one of the last primary forests in Europe. Without a doubt, the star of our trip will be the European bison, but we will also have the opportunity to photograph different species of mammals and birds.

WHAT'S THE PLAN?

We will stay in the same environment of Bialowieza. The first four days, we will dedicate two to hide photography and two to the search for bison on foot and with a 4 x 4 vehicle.

On hide sessions we will have the opportunity to photograph species such as the white-tailed eagle, the buzzard, the goshawk and different species of woodpecker, as well as more common birds such as the jay, the raven or the magpie, and if we are lucky mammals such as the deer, the roe deer, the fox and even the wolf.

On bison safari days we will also have the opportunity to see other fauna and enjoy the beautifull scenery of Bialowieza, as we will move throughout the day through forests and plains.

The fifth day of our photographic trip to Bialowieza will be dedicated to visiting the integral reserve with an expert guide. He will explain to us why primary forests, undisturbed by man, are so important. In the afternoon, we will go to Biebrza marshes park, where we will look for moose in the thick forest. Maybe we will also be able to spot otters.

* To reduce the impact on the fauna, the days of hide and bison search the group will be divided into two and each group will have the help of a photographer guide.

Program & details

About Bialowieza forest

Bialowieza Forest is a nature reserve declared a Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is one of the last primary forests in Europe that is also home to a good number of ungulates, among which the almost extinct European bison stands out.

Bialowieza takes its name from the Polish town of Białowieża, the closest to its location and one of the entrances to the forest. The entire reserve is politically divided between Poland and Belarus.

Białowieża Forest is one of the last unmanaged remnants of the former Great Lithuanian Forest, an extensive mixed forest that covered much of central and eastern Europe. Białowieża trees are famous for their size and longevity, as there are no shortage of authentic plant monuments over 500 years old and 50 meters high. The park’s policy focuses on the utmost respect for trees, to the point that dead or fallen specimens are not removed, which serve as a refuge for many species of small animals and as fertilizer for new generations of trees.

In some areas of the forest there are also abundant herbs and bushy plants, the basis of the diet of many of the park’s inhabitants. Thanks to the prevailing humidity in the forest, ferns, mosses and fungi are also very frequent and are represented by dozens of species.

THE EUROPEAN BISON AND OTHER FAUNA

Would you like to photograph some of the last examples of European bison? Bialowieza Forest in Poland is home to 59 species of mammals, 227 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish and more than 11,000 invertebrates. Undoubtedly, the star of this region and the protagonist of the trip is the European bison. In 1932 these forests were declared a protected area and the bison reintroduction project began. This huge ungulate would have been completely extinct if this initiative had not been carried out.

It is the largest mammal in Europe and one of the most endangered. Unlike American bison, European bison do not inhabit grasslands and open spaces, but have made their home in forests, both deciduous and mixed deciduous and coniferous. They thrive in groups of about 20 individuals, feeding on all kinds of plant material, mainly low foliage, but also grass, bark and tender branches.

Other ungulates that we can find in the park are the deer, the elk, the roe deer or the wild boar. With luck we can also see other mammals such as red foxes, badgers, otters and beavers, and sometimes wolves and lynxes.

As for the birds, there is a great variety: white tailed eagle, common buzzard, black stork, eurasian crane, pigmy owl, eurasian jay, great spotted woodpecker and black woodpecker, among others.

Highlights

  • The main focus of this photo tour to Bialowieza is the European bison, the largest mammal on the continent and one of the most endangered.
  • Visit the integral reserve of Bialowieza, one of the last primary forests in Europe, with the company of an expert guide in the area.
  • Enjoy the wild fauna in full freedom.
  • Have the opportunity to see and photograph species such as the white-tailed eagle, the buzzard, the goshawk, the great spotted woodpecker, the moose, the roe deer, the red fox, the otter, the beaver, the wolf or the lynx.
  • Small group to limit the impact on the natural environment and take better advantage of photographic opportunities.
  • On this photographic trip to Bialowieza you will have the experience and advice of two expert photographer guides, who will help you answer all your questions and help to improve your results.

Price

4 people: 3375 € // 5 people: 2920 // 6 people: 2790

THE PRICE INCLUDES

  • Transfer by road vehicle from Warsaw airport to Bialowieza.
  • Accommodation and meals throughout the trip.
  • Two full-day outings in a 4 x 4 vehicle to spot bison.
  • Two full days of hide use to photograph raptors and other wildlife.
  • The hides have openings at two different heights, supports for the tripod ball joint, stove and sink inside.
  • Entrance to the Bialowieza Forest Integral Reserve.
  • Guided excursions through the primary forest (permit and guide).
  • Trip to the Biebrza park and excursions in 4 x 4 to spot moose.
  • Transfer by road vehicle back to Warsaw airport.
  • Two photographer guides, who will provide personalized attention to each traveler, both in the technical aspect and in the behavior of the species to be photographed.

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

  • Round trip international flight to Warsaw.
  • Single room supplement: 20 € per person per night
  • Any item not specified in the “The price includes” section.

This is a trip coordinated by our collaborating agency Travel Ponent

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More photos from this tour

Meet your guides

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Nature photographer and mountain guide, she enjoys traveling through the most varied landscapes and the most starry nights with the intention of capturing the wild and beautiful aspects that nature offers through her images. An unconditional lover of nature and photography, she makes her passion her way of life, in addition to using her work in order to motivate conservation and respect for wildlife.

Marta Bretó

Photographer and translator specializing in photography, medicine and sports books. Photography teacher and traveler.

For years he has been traveling around the world to collect experiences and images, photographing everything that impacts and surprises him.

Author of three books. He has received several mountain photography and film awards such as National Geographic, MontPhoto, Sonimag foto or Mostra d’audiovisuals de muntanya, among others.

Tato Rosés

202006300326

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