General Tour Information

Suitability

Novices and professionals are welcome. Professionals will find our tours flexible enough to allow them to photograph in their own style. Novices will always get practical advice on photography and fresh ideas about what to photograph from our expert guides. Non-photographers can also join our tours without worry that they might feel bored following photographers around all the time. There are plenty of activities to choose from. Feel free to contact us is you have any questions.

Photography

Photography is the main objective of our tours. Most of the tours cover different types of photography such as nature, landscape, people, wildlife, macro, architecture, street, and even aerial (optional panoramic flights). The travel photographer will easily find subjects. Our leaders work with digital SLR cameras as do the majority of our guests, but users of all formats are more than welcome.

The voltage in the entire region is 220V at 50Hz, and the electric sockets only accept round-pin plugs with two circular metal pins. Appliances designed to operate on 110/120 need a voltage converter and a plug adapter. In major cities, there are several photographic stores that sell photographic equipment; memory cards, film, and batteries are usually available all over the region.

Transportation

Slovenia is a small country and the distances we will travel are short. Ljubljana, the capital, lies in the centre of the country and it is less than a two-hour drive from there to the most remote parts of the country. Our tours are designed to minimize the amount of driving per day. We use our lodgings as our base from which we drive around the area photographing. We travel in spacious air-conditioned vans with enough room for all your luggage and photo equipment. The roads in Slovenia are well-maintained and most are in good condition. Traveling is generally safe and comfortable.

Croatia: road conditions are similar to Slovenia with the distances being greater. Travelers should take into account ferry schedules when planning a trip.

Bosnia and Herzegovina & Montenegro: logistically, these countries are more demanding. There are no modern highways. The roads are worse, but also more picturesque for photographers, providing many photo ops. Montenegro roads are very winding; at times even a sheep or a donkey might overtake us. There are fewer facilities along the road, many of them being squat toilets.

Airport transfers are organized by us. We will pick you up at the airport and drop you off for departure. If you arrive/depart at different dates or at/from a different airport than what is specified in the tour itinerary, please let us know in advance (additional transfer costs may apply).

Our team

Adriatic2Alps has an expert team of photographers and guides. Our team members have many years experience in tourism and know every corner of the region. They are your tour guides, photography advisers, and companions throughout the tour. They are skilled and passionate photographers, and this passion is infectious. Your comfort is very important to us and our team is always ready to help. Click here to learn more about our company and our tour leaders.

Accommodation

We will stay in 3 or 4-star hotels in places such as Ljubljana, Sarajevo or Plitvice Lakes NP. In the countryside, we will stay at family-owned guest houses and tourist farms. All lodgings are carefully chosen for their location, convenience, and quality of service. Wherever possible, free internet access is provided. The pricing is based on a shared double bedroom (2 twin-sized beds), but single rooms are available upon request (at an additional charge). In Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Montenegro the accommodation may be basic, but clean and comfortable enough. Friendly locals more than make up for it.

For further information on accommodation please contact us.

Registration

See the Terms & Conditions section.

Sightseeing

Although the tours are tailored for the photographer’s needs, there are usually also sightseeing opportunities. In fact, through photography you will experience most of the sights better and you can stay there longer. For example, most tourists visit Lake Bled or Dubrovnik town on a half day trip, but we stay there three days, so you get a more in-depth knowledge of the area. Our guides are also very resourceful about the history, art, nature and other characteristics of the country.

Weather

The climate in Slovenia is very diverse for such a small country. There are the Alps in the northwestern part of the country, and the Adriatic Sea, which brings mild Mediterranean weather almost all the way to the Alps. The rest of the country has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. There are four distinct seasons, each one of them with its own characteristics and highlights for photography; the temperatures range from -5 to 10 C in winter and from 22 to 30 C in summer.

The dates of scheduled tours are selected with good weather in mind. We run the tours in late spring, summer, and mid-autumn when the weather is more stable.

Especially in the Alps the weather can be unpredictable. It may be sunny in the morning, but stormy an hour later. This is also one of the reasons why we budget longer stays for each location; if it rains one day, we can hopefully still catch nice weather the following day. It rarely rains constantly for days, and for photographers some wind and rain can be quite welcome as it clears the sky for better visibility. After the rain, there are beautiful mists or even rainbows. In the worst case scenario, we can adapt the itinerary and visit other parts of the country where weather conditions might be better.

What to bring

You should bring comfortable outdoor clothes, formal dresses and ties are not needed. In emergency clothes can be bought everywhere at reasonable prices. Umbrellas will be provided in case of rain.

Food

Our tours are conducted on an “HB basis”, which means that two meals per day are always included. There is always enough time for lunch during the day and we can always recommend great places to eat. Snacks and bottled water are also available in our vans. Breakfast and dinner times might be occasionally adjusted to allow photographing at the best light. Vegetarians and people with special diet requirements are well-catered for, but it is better to inform us of any special needs in advance. The cost of lunch in a decent restaurant is usually around 10–20 € (including drinks). In our experience, travelers tend to enjoy local food, especially regional specialties at farmhouses or inns.

Health and safety

Slovenia (and the whole region) is one of the safest countries to travel to in Europe, if not in the world. Health care system in Slovenia is excellent and good in other regions. Travel insurance arranged from home is recommended. Despite relative safety common sense should be used. Pharmacies can be found everywhere; all western medications are widely available. Travelers should use sun protection (bring some sunscreen and a hat), drink plenty of water and be careful where they step when outdoors. A repellent for mosquitoes and ticks may be useful in some parts.