Observation Instructions

Quick links

INFORMATION

for the participants attending brown bear watching tours in a natural environment

Loška dolina

Brown bear observation is always a special, wholesome experience. In order to make it pleasant and successful as well, we hereby summarise the most important information and recommendations.

  • GROUPS

A group of four adults can go into one hunting hideout; there are several hunting hideouts available. An experienced guide will remain with the group throughout the entire session.

Basic communication is mostly held in English; for longer and more complex explanations the staff at the meeting point can be addressed.

  • EQUIPMENT

Clothes and footwear must correspond to a particular season and weather. We recommend you wear light walking boots or sports shoes in dry weather. In the forest about 700 meters above sea level the temperatures in the evening may be colder than down in the valley. That is why warm clothes in spring and in autumn will definitely be useful. In summer it is recommended you have at least one long-sleeved clothing item with you.

The equipment must not be noisy, popping or crackling.

It is forbidden to use perfumed accessories or insect repellents.

  • PHYSICAL LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY

The participants, attending a brown bear observation tour, must be able to walk through the forest for about 10 minutes, climb a 3-m ladder and sit calmly and quietly in a hunting hide for about two hours.

If you have any medical issues that might affect the observation tour in any way, please inform the organiser of your condition, so that a proper solution can be found.

  • HOW TO BEHAVE IN A HUNTING HIDEOUT

It is necessary to remain perfectly calm and quiet.

The participant cannot leave a hunting hide during the session. If you want to complete your brown bear observation tour earlier than predicted, please inform your guide about it. Also inform your guide if you have any other trouble whatsoever in the hideout.

No food is allowed in the hunting hide. We recommend you only have a small bottle of water with you.

Mobile phones must be turned off from the moment you enter the forest until the end of the brown bear observation tour.

  • PHOTOS

In the beginning of a brown bear observation tour taking photos is not allowed. The guide will indicate the best time to take pictures. No flash is allowed while using a camera.

  • THE PROBABILITY OF SEEING THE BEAR

The probability of seeing a brown bear is very high. Be aware, however, that the brown bear is a wild animal and its movement or presence below the hunting hide can never be predicted with absolute certainty.

  • WE ADVISE CHILDREN, YOUNGER THAN 10 YEARS, NOT TO ATTEND THE TOUR

Even the slightest noise in the hunting hideout may prevent the bear from coming close. According to our experience, young children are not capable of sitting still and quiet for two hours.

We recommend you learn about the wildlife habitat with children under the age of 10 in accordance with their needs and capabilities. We particularly recommend you to take a nature trail (Tracking animal footprints) and guided walks in nature.

TIME AND PLACE OF BROWN BEAR OBSERVATION

Meeting point:

Tourist Information Centre Lož

Cesta 19. oktobra 49

SI-1386 Stari trg pri Ložu

T: +386 (0)81 602 853

Please be at the location the latest by: 

May: 16:45

June & July & until the 15th of August: 17:15

August 15th – 31st: 16:45

September: 16:15

Should you encounter difficulties preventing you from arriving on time or keeping you from coming altogether, urgently inform the staff via telephone number +386(0)81 602 853.

The hideouts are about 15 minutes drive away from the meeting point.

It will take an easy, 10-minute walk through the forest to reach the treetop hunting hide.

Upon entering the forest, you must be well aware that it is primarily a habitat of numerous animal species. You should behave in a way that does not disturb or agitate the animals. 

user-profile-pic
Sally Ainsworth
Verified Customer
Before we drove to the hide, we had an interesting presentation on the local bears and other wildlife. They made sure that everyone had silent, no flash cameras, which we were grateful for (hides sometimes have to be shared in the high season). We were then led to the hide by our very experienced and competent guide. At first we only saw foxes (though it was also nice to see their natural behaviours), but our patience was rewarded. We saw 4 juvenile bears in total, which was an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend bringing a good quality pair of binoculars, as you can see quite far from the hide. We had to leave whilst the bears were still out as it was getting dark, but our guide made sure this was done in a calm and safe manner. Definitely recommend!
user-profile-pic
sti wo
Verified Customer
8 Bären in 2 Stunden. Ein unbeschreibliches Erlebnis. Einführung im Info Center sehr informativ, unser Guide sprach leider kein Englisch, daher der Ansitz sehr kommunikationsarm.
user-profile-pic
Angelo Raaijmakers
Verified Customer
We went into the forest with a guide, and waited in a hut for two hours. It was quiet, and you could only listen to the woods and observe the animals. After an hour, two little foxes were playing in front of us. And after some time, a beautiful bear came to eat. It was a truly wonderful experience, that felt like a meditation. I totally recommend this trip.
user-profile-pic
Andrea
Verified Customer
A well organized tour with lots of interesting information on 🐻 a perfect fit for anyone who seeks true adventures and fun
user-profile-pic
Oliver S
Verified Customer
Top Erlebnis, sehr zu empfehlen. Konnten zwei Bären aus nächster Nähe in wunderschöner Landschaft beobachten. Sehr gut organisiert .
user-profile-pic
ebonykent
Verified Customer
A very well informed and eco friendly excursion. We were enthusiastically met at the meeting point where we learned about the bears and how to behave during our adventure. We drove into the woods and walked for about 10 minutes with our super calm guide to the hide where there was a mumma bear with her two cubs already! In total we saw 7 bears, 1 fox and a few eagles. It was genuinely fantastic. Our guide then led us back to our cars before it got too dark (you are definitely in bear country!!) He was super informative and passionate about bears and knew the individual bears that we saw.
Meet Slovenia’s wild brown bear
© Copyright by Bear Watching Slovenia
Portfolio company of World Discovery.