Enter the world of the mysterious forests of Kočevje and explore the nature in all its primal glory. This area is home to the largest brown bear population and the highest number of primeval forest remnants in Europe.
Join an expedition to explore the migration paths of the brown bear. Experience the wilderness of the Kočevje forests under the experienced guidance of a local guide. Get a good close up of the king of the Kočevje forests and taste unusual edible forest herbs.
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An experience that will change your view of the forest and wild animals
Visit the largest uniform forest area in Europe and one of the rare places in the world where it is still possible to see three large predators in their natural habitat – the bear, wolf and lynx. Follow wild animal tracks to discover stories from the forest and learn to listen to the silence in a place that no Wi-Fi signal can reach. Learn the skills of picking edible plants and treat yourself to a lunch in the vicinity of a primeval forest. Enter the Bear's Den in the formerly closed territory of Kočevska Reka and discover the behind the scenes of the habits of the second largest terrestrial predator in the world. End your adventure by testing your patience in a forest observatory. If you're lucky, you might just meet Mr Bear in person. The entire visit is in harmony with sustainable tourism and minimal environmental impact, particularly on wild fauna.
The itinerary of the experience:
Meet with a local guide who will lead you through the experience in the Bearlog Hostel, see a presentation of the experience and the code of conduct for safe movement in bear territory.
Picnic in the heart of the Kočevje forest with local delicacies and freshly picked herbs.
Go on an exploration expedition, following the tracks of bears and other wild animals in their natural habitat.
Visit the Bear's Den in Kočevska Reka. Refresh your knowledge on bears and see a presentation of the code of conduct during the evening bear watching from a forest observatory.
Have an early dinner at Ranch Marina in the village of Koče and then meet with a local hunter.
Enjoy evening bear watching from the safe shelter of observatories in the depths of the Kočevje forest in the company of a hunter.
Opening hours: form April to October
Duration: 8.5 hours
Starting point: Hostel Bearlog
Price: 2 people – €350.00/person, 3 people – €270.00/person, 4 – 8 people – €250.00/person.
The price includes:
A guided visit by a qualified local tourist guide
All on-site local transportation
Forest picnic
Early local dinner
Evening bear watching in the company of a hunter
Evening bear watching from the safe shelter of an observatory
Gift – a lucky wooden bear souvenir, a product handcrafted by a local artisan
Home to approximately 900 to 1000 bears, Slovenia has one of the largest brown bear populations in the world. The majority of those bears live precisely in the Kočevje forests.
With nine tonnes of accumulated carbon dioxide per hectare per year, Slovenian forests hold the European record for C02 absorption.
With 60% forest coverage, Slovenia is among Europe's four most forested countries. Almost every fourth Slovenian owns a part of a forest. In Kočevje, the forest coverage is even larger, with forests covering over 80% of its territory.
Slovenia has no less than 500 football fields worth of primeval forests. The Snežnik-Ždrolce nature reserve and the Krokar primeval forest are inscribed on the UNESCO Natural World Heritage List.
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