Highlights of this trip
A week in the wild heart of Kočevje
Spend seven days exploring one of Slovenia’s most heavily forested and wildlife-rich regions, where ancient beech and fir forests provide a home for bears, wolves, lynx and an extraordinary variety of other wildlife. With a local guide by your side, you’ll go beyond simply seeing the landscape: you’ll learn how to read animal tracks, discover the stories of the forest and explore how people and large carnivores coexist.
Over the course of the week, you’ll hike through the ancient forests of Kočevski Rog, search for wildlife from a forest hide, paddle along the beautiful Temenica River, and visit the UNESCO-listed Krokar primeval forest. Along the way, there’s plenty of time to experience the local side of Kočevje too – from homemade food and a forest tea ceremony to meeting a local woodcarver and getting your hands dirty in a clay workshop.
Highlights include:
- Tracking bears, wolves, deer and possibly lynx with a local wildlife guide
- Exploring ancient and primeval forests, including UNESCO-listed Krokar
- Spending an evening in a wildlife hide with the chance to see wild brown bears
- Hiking through Kočevski Rog and discovering its remarkable wildlife and forests
- Exploring the green waters of the Temenica River by kayak
- Visiting the forest reserve around Kočevska Reka, home to white-tailed eagles
- Creating your own piece of pottery during a hands-on local clay workshop
- Meeting a local woodcarver and discovering traditional crafts
- Enjoying homemade food and locally sourced meals along the way
- Ending the week around the fire, cooking and sharing stories together
This is a journey for anyone who wants to experience Slovenia beyond its famous lakes and mountains – a week of forests, wildlife, local stories and hands-on experiences in one of Europe’s great bear landscapes.
Photogallery
what does the week look like
Day 1 – Arrival
Arrival at Kočevje. Check in to the Bearlog Hostel, free afternoon and get ready for the meeting next day with your guide Petra.
Day 2 – Virgin forest and wildlife tracks
Starting at 9 am from Kočevje we continue towards Kočevski Rog. This is an amazing opportunity to explore our dinaric forests, meet the Queen of Rog, the 500 year old silver fir and peek into the virgin forest. There is a chance to learn about wild nature, to understand its beat and rhythm, as well to look for signs of animals in the forest, including bear and with some luck also wolf. Along the way, there are also great examples of good co-existence practice.
The hike is about 10 kms, with stops to enjoy the nature and hear stories from the guide. We have a picnic on the way and dinner around 6 pm before coming back to Kočevje, still in the heart of Kočevski Rog. Along the way is great opportunity to see coexistence with large carnivores and try some homemade delights (this will be included from different local suppliers throughout the tour).
Day 3 – Open your heart to creativity
After local breakfast we will dive deep into the forest to open our senses. Forest detox experience will enable us to slow down, to relax, and to just be.
This is not a nature walk, rather slow walk where we open our senses and enjoy in the nature. About 2 – 3 hour long experience will conclude with a tea-ceremony in the forest.
After a light picnic in the forest we will continue to the studio to start creating with the clay. There we will spent about 4 hours creating from clay. Maybe you will be inspired to make a plate or mug that will remind you on that special experience here in Kočevje or you might discover a new passion or hobby. Working with clay is something that brings you to the moment and being present. The products will be sent to you later after being fired and glazed in about a month time.
Before returning to Kočevje we will enjoy the local dinner.
Day 4 – A day with a bear
Starting at 9 am from Kočevje we visit a local carver famous for bears. He is the friendliest “bear in the Kočevje” region and you will be able to explore how small wooden bears are carved with his hands. After a while we continue to the forest to search for more tracks of wildlife activity – footprints of bear, deer, wolf, maybe even lynx. There is a plenty of opportunity to track and learn, as well enjoying in the amazing forest of Kočevsko.
After an early dinner we go to a wildlife hide and stay there for the evening to have a chance to see bears. We stay in silence there for couple of hours and return late in the evening back to our accommodation.
Day 5 – Exploring the river from kayak
A short drive from Kočevje will take us to amazing river Temenica where you will explore the amazing green river Temenica on kayak. Guided tour takes about 3 -4 hours and enables a unique experience on the water.
After a well deserved lunch we will return to Kočevje for a free afternoon and dinner.
Day 6 – Unesco Heritage Site
After a local breakfast at your accommodation we start to catch the beautiful morning at the ridge beyond Kolpa river. The views are stunning here and this will be a great getaway to Unesco Heritage site – Krokar. The trail is not long, but is a bit steeper to access and offer some fantastic opportunities to understand pristine nature and forest. Beech threes have survived ice-age here and spread later on through the whole of Europe.
And later we continue to Kočevska Reka to the lake, which is also a forest reserve and a home to a white-tailed eagle. It is only 1 pair nesting here, so chances to see one are not too hight, but whenever there is, we are so grateful!
Evening night by the fire with preparing dinner together. Late return to the accommodation and saying farewell.
Day 7 – Departure
After breakfast, it is time to depart home or venture onwards.
Practical information
Dates & Availability
This is a private trip for 2 or 4 people.
This itinerary can also be booked for a larger group upon request.
Costs (Included & Excluded)
€1790 per person for a group of 4
€2790 per person for a group of 2
Included:
- Six nights accommodation with breakfast
- Guide throughout the programme (5 full days) including the bear-watching, kayaking and arts & crafts.
- Lunch and dinner included from day 1 to 5.
Excluded:
- Flights/ Transport to Kočevje
- Travel Insurance.
- Transfers outside of collective transfer options.
Logistics / Transport
You make your own way to the Bearlog Hostel in Kočevje, which is 1,5 hours from Ljubljana.
Accommodation
Nights are spent in a private ensuite room at the Bearlog Hostel in Kočevje.
Food
Meals are communal and local. Expect bread still warm from the oven, soups that change with the season, and at least one dish you cannot pronounce but will miss deeply afterward. Special diets are respected, though curiosity is encouraged.
Health & Safety
You will be accompanied by a certified wildlife guide throughout your journey, who is equipped with bear spray in case of wildlife encounters in the wild. However, such encounters are very rare, as truly wild animals are shy creatures who creep away from human presence.
This tour requires a low to medium fitness level, as there are some hiking distances with max. 500m altitude difference. Not suitable for guests with low or very limited mobility.
Testimonials
Local guide
Petra Draskovic Pelc
Petra is a curious researcher by heart, also holding a PhD in Biomedical science but always very close to the heart of Nature. Curiosity and spending time in the Nature have shaped her way and helped her to explore the world around.
However, she decided to turn her hobby (photography and travels) into profession in 2015. Since then she works as a professional photographer, responsible nature guide, certified tourist and interpretive guide, certified guide of forest therapy, writer for different magazines, and researcher through different projects. Her passion is also pottery and exploring the potential of clay and own hands.
She loves wild nordic lights, solitude in the forest, as well the spirit of the wilderness of her home - Kočevsko, the secret forest of Slovenia.