A photographic journey into the kingdom of brown bears and ancient forests
Slovakia isn’t a trip to be undertaken casually. Here, nature isn’t a backdrop, but a constant, vibrant, and unpredictable presence. The mountains, forests, and valleys of the Carpathians preserve one of Europe’s last truly wild ecosystems, where bears still roam completely free and humans are merely passing visitors.
The route winds through damp woods, hidden paths, and long waits in the morning silence. The days begin while it’s still dark outside: the alarm goes off at 2:30 a.m., and we set off into the darkness with thermal imaging cameras turned on, boots soaked with dew, and eyes ever alert.
Every detail can tell the story of a recent passage: footprints in the mud, hairs left on the bark, fresh tracks or marks left along the trail. It’s a journey of observation, patience, and respect.
Getting into the rhythm of the forest:
Walking in these forests means accepting that you’re not in control. You proceed with bear spray handy, listening to every sound in the undergrowth and slowly learning the rhythm of the mountain.
Dampness seeps into your clothes, the chill accompanies the early morning hours, and anticipation becomes part of the experience. But it is precisely in that suspension, in the absolute silence of the Carpathians, that Slovakia reveals its most authentic side: a place where nature still dictates the rules and where every encounter must be earned with time, attention, and respect.
Seeking without chasing:
The most fascinating part of this journey is that nothing is artificially constructed. There are no animals accustomed to human presence, no pre-established routes, or scheduled encounters.
Each day takes shape directly in the field: based on the tracks found, you decide where to go, which valley to explore, and how long to wait. A fresh footprint, marks on the trees, or a recent passage can completely change the rhythm of the day.
Here, photography becomes more than just a simple nature shot. You have to adapt to the mountains, the weather, the changing light between the trees, and especially the wind, one of the most important factors when trying to move without disturbing the animals.
Nothing is predictable: we walk, we observe, we wait. And it is precisely this uncertainty that makes each encounter so intense.
When the forest stops:
An encounter with a bear almost always comes without warning. After hours spent walking in the woods, immersed in the constant sounds of the forest, a barely perceptible movement is enough to completely change the atmosphere.
At first, only a dark shape can be made out among the trees, then slowly everything takes shape: the heavy but silent step, the muzzle raising to check the air, the impressive force perceptible even from a distance.
In those moments, time seems to slow down. No one speaks, no one moves needlessly. We observe, trying to remain part of the landscape, while the bear continues its activities, almost completely ignoring our presence.
It can stop for a few seconds or remain visible for a long time, crossing clearings, searching for food or suddenly disappearing into the thick vegetation as if it had never existed.
And it’s precisely this naturalness that makes the experience so powerful. You’re not witnessing a staged scene, but an authentic glimpse of wild life.
Even waiting is part of the journey:
Not all outings end with a meeting. There are mornings when you walk for hours in the cold and damp, seeing nothing but tracks left behind during the night.
You return tired, with wet boots, little sleep, and that subtle feeling of bitterness that comes when you’ve been so close without actually being able to see the animal.
But that’s precisely what makes it all real. In such a wild environment, we don’t make the decisions. The bear is free, invisible when it wants to be, and every encounter remains a privilege granted only under the conditions of nature.
Even the “empty” days remain etched in your memory, because they make you understand that the value of the journey lies not only in the final photograph, but in the silence of the forest, in the fresh tracks in the mud, and in the constant sensation of being in a still authentic environment.
The moving forest :
What makes these outings so interesting is not only the possibility of seeing a bear, but the fact that the forest is alive at all times.
Even when nothing obvious is happening, the forest is constantly moving: deer and roe deer cross the clearings, stopping, starting again, and taking turns following the same paths used by bears.
There’s never a truly stable point or a completely empty area. Simply change sides or wait a few more minutes to find signs of a different presence.
Taking part in an experience like this means entering a complete ecosystem. You’re not looking for a single sighting, but rather observing the workings of nature as a whole.
Golem:
Among the bears that populate this area, there is one that has become easily recognizable over time and is called “Golem”.
It is a large adult male, sighted only on rare occasions, but which over the years we have been lucky enough to encounter and photograph several times during our outings.
Its distinctive feature is a single, clearly visible ear, a detail that makes it immediately identifiable when it appears among the trees.
Precisely because of his shy nature and the rarity with which he shows himself, any encounter with him is never a given, even if you know the area and his movements well.
Over time, it has become almost a symbolic presence for those who have frequented these forests for years. Not because it’s easy to spot, but for exactly the opposite.
When it appears, even for just a few minutes, everything stops. It’s one of those animals that reminds us how complex, fragile, and unpredictable the wild world that inhabits these woods is.
why come back:
We return to Slovakia for reasons that are difficult to explain to those who have never truly experienced the forest. Not to collect sightings or seek the perfect experience, but because here every day is different and unpredictable.
The bears are free, the forest is constantly changing, and nothing happens according to a precise pattern. Sometimes you walk for hours without seeing anything, other times it only takes a moment for everything to change. And it’s precisely this uncertainty that makes every outing so intense.
We return because nature here isn’t built around man. There are no staged scenes, animals accustomed to human presence, or routes designed to guarantee results. There’s only the forest, with its own rhythms and rules.
But above all, you return for that rare sensation that lingers even after the journey: the silence of dawn in the Carpathians, the fresh tracks in the mud, the anticipation, the adrenaline rush of a sudden noise in the undergrowth, and the awareness of having experienced something authentic.
MY SETUP FOR Slovakia:
Over the years , I’ve also selected a series of garments and accessories that I actually use in the field in conditions like these, choosing only what I consider reliable in terms of comfort, protection, and practicality. For those who want to learn more, I’ve compiled my complete setup for Norway on a dedicated page, detailing the products I use and why I consider them ideal for this type of experience. This setup also includes some products and brands that I regularly use in the field, such as AKU, Scott, and Zotta.
FIELD LOADOUT
My setup for Slovakia
Technical clothing, shoes, gloves, accessories, and photography setup: on a dedicated page, I’ve collected the gear I actually use in the field to tackle Slovakia, including late-night departures, wet grass, long waits, and itinerant wildlife photography in the Carpathians.
Open the full loadout
The journey that remains
There are journeys that end once you return home, and others that stay with you for a long time. Slovakia is one of those.
Not for the convenience or the certainty of sightings, but for the rare sensation of having truly entered a nature that has not been tamed.
Here, everything continues to exist independently of our presence: bears cross the valleys following their paths, deer move through the woods before dawn, and the forest changes face every day without ever truly repeating itself.
We can only walk through it in silence, trying to understand its rhythm.
And perhaps this is what makes the trip so hard to forget. Not the single sighting or the successful photograph, but the feeling of having lived, even for just a few days, inside something authentic, enormous, and still free.
When you return home, you’ll be left with the silence of the forest, the smell of wet earth, the tension of every noise in the undergrowth, and the awareness that, in some corners of Europe, there are still places where nature dictates its rules.
WORKSHOP
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