A group trip to search the Carpathian lynx. Teamwork, waitings and much more wildlife. The dream of every wildlife photographer.
There is a region between Poland and Ukraine where a small population of lynx lives, which is slowly being displaced by wolves.
They are not easy to find and for some time some of Europe’s most experienced professional photographers have been trying to capture them without success.
We are talking about photographers who remain motionless for weeks waiting for a Eurasian Carpathian lynx to appear, sometimes even with the help of guards, but it seems to be almost impossible. The lynxes have changed their territories and now nobody is able to find them.
This was one of the biggest motivations that led me to come up with this crazy proposal. And after a long time, I can say that I have located several lynxes, in different territories, and I have permission to place hideouts within their territory and even take several photographers to try to photograph them.
It is an exclusive trip, unique wherever you look. And this is our seal of identity, if it is difficult and even if it seems impossible, we try to make it happen.
I assure you that it has not been easy, not easy at all and therefore it will be essential to take a small previous course. It will be done at the destination during the first days.
We are going to have some special permits for those days and we have to make the most of them. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to feel like an authentic wildlife photographer and get photos that no one else will have by being the only one who will be in that place and time.
No more public information can be made due to the delicacy of the species.
Registration priority for those who have already traveled with us before and it will be necessary to carry out a previous interview.
Thank you for understanding.
For this very special trip, we have chosen a remote place in the easternmost Poland, an area full of evergreen forests and lush valleys ideal for lynxes to hunt and at the same time protect themselves during all seasons of the year without having to travel.
This time of year is when the lynxes come into heat and they move an average of 50% more, even moving between territories.
In addition, winter and the presence of snow make it easier to track animals and this can help us a lot to choose the best the area for temporary hiding places.
Lynx Territory
Polish Carpathians
After locating some areas of the forest where the lynxes move, we have detected the points and steps that they use most frequently within the forest.
We have placed hiding places and we are currently able to verify, thanks to the remote cameras, that animals are entering to the area, and not just only lynx, also wolves and bears.
We will also place other mobile hideouts in areas where we find a large number of footprints, this fact indicate the imminent presence of some individual.
There will be one photographer per hideout and you will be completely alone. Before entering, you will receive a course and training on the behavior that you must have within the area as well as many other important details to take into account about the animals in the area.
Once inside the hideout, the guide will move away and stay in contact with each photographer by radio, providing support and managing all movements detected in the area around each hideout.
Definetly, once the photographer is in his position, he must have self-sufficiency and avoid being detected by animals, he will have all the knowledge after receiving the specific training that he has received before.
You must spend the night in the hideout at least once and we will assess the endurance of each participant, that is beaceuse they will also be testers of it and we need to know the sensations experienced and the possibilities of sleeping for several nights.
Every day, the photographer is picked up again and returns to the accommodation. Another photographer will take over at that time so as not to leave the space empty for a single day.
It is a team effort, with various points and various hideouts that will simultaneously be active, and several photographers simultaneously resting.
We are going to try to ensure that each photographer enters the hideout several times and on rest days can also photograph other species.
The program is an estimate of the activities that we will carry out, but it is totally adaptable to the situations, that is, the schedules can vary based on the needs of the group, the locations can change depending on the weather, etc…
The trip begins with the reception of the group at the airport previously agreed with the participants, it may be Krakow or another airport.
I’ll wait for you at the airport. We get into the vehicles and set off in the direction of the mountainous area of the Carpathians.
Approximate travel time depending on the weather, from 3 to 5 hours. We must consider the state of the roads that can delay the trip, snow, ice…
Arrival
Once we arrive at the accommodation, we settle in and get comfortable, we distribute the rooms and present the strategy that we are going to follow the next few days.
If we have time, we will make the first area observation
Today a large part of the day will be dedicated to a detailed explanation of the mode of actuation, use of equipment and materials, behavior inside the hideout, resolution of possible setbacks and we will also do some tests.
We eat in some restaurant, and then continue with the preparation of the participants.
This day we will also receive the visit of the senior guard who will give his explanations and recommendations to the group. In addition, he is the one who grants us the permits and watches over the proper functioning of the activity together with our team.
It is a beautiful day and the last one before the total immersion in Lynx Territory
It’s time to enter in the hideouts.
After breakfast, we prepare all the luggage, check the material and go to the woods where we have the hiding places.
Each photographer will enter in a specific photographic hiding place accompanied by the guide, from this moment they will not be able to leave it and must be attentive to the outside since perceiving or detecting the movement of the animals.
Night in the hide.
Enjoy the night and all the forest´s sounds.
Next day
You have to be up awake before sunset and watch for any movement, it’s time for lynxes, wolves and even bears.
Until the guide gives the indication or picks you up, you must remain inside the hideout. If there are no animal movements it will be around mid-morning when you leave the hide.
Thereafter, rest in the accommodation, a good hot shower to recompose the body and a good restaurant for a well-deserved feast.
The afternoon of this day is dedicated to rest and during the evening we will go out in search of lynxes with the vehicles. A more relaxed and very exciting activity.
Last day
It is the end of the trip and it is time to return to Krakow. Depends on flights could be possible make the last observation.
Our accommodation is a typical Polish house. With comfortable beds, kitchen, hot shower, TV and everything you need to feel comfortable at the end of the day. Outside area with barbecue and outdoor space. It also has heating and also has free Wi-Fi connection.
Lunches and dinners will be made at home or in restaurants in the area where, in addition to typical dishes, they cook traditional recipes.
On this trip we have a nearby supermarket where we can buy all meals and beverages we want. This will be possible daily.
In the Wolf Mountains, which is how the region is popularly called, a large number of species coexist that at any time can give us a spontaneous appearance and some unexpected photographs, this is the true magic of the place.
In some occasions we can see animals crossing the roads, and even from the accommodation we can have the great luck of spotting some species.
The number of mammals that cohabit in the territory is striking, but the number of birds that we can observe in winter is also impressive:
European bison, European wolf, Boreal lynx, Carpathian wild cat, Brown bear, Deer, Roe deer, Wild boar, Fox, Beaver, Otter, Golden eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Tawny owl, Black and white stork, Kingfisher, Nutcracker, Corvids and a variety list of picids
In order to carry out the trips there must be a minimum of 4 participants and they will be filled in order of reservation. In case of being less or a private group, contact us directly.
Expedition 1: From March 4 to March 13 – FREE PLACES (2)
Expedition 2: From March 18 to March 27 – FREE PLACES (6)
In search of the wildest fauna of the Polish Carpathians, magical region full of mountains, rivers and valleys, where bears, wolves and bison coexist.
Hide session in the Cantabrian Mountains. Have fun photographing the little birds of the town of Argovejo, surrounded by the Leonese landscapes.
A workshop in which you will learn to properly configure the basic parameters of your camera, to photograph the stars and the Milky Way.
