Originating and cultivated in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley in the 60’s, the appeal of walking safari’s has recently grown in popularity across the African continent. In itself it is far more than an activity, it is the most immediate way to awaken all of your senses and begin to use them to interpret, experience and immerse yourself in the natural world around you. 

Europe doesn’t immediately appear to be the setting for a walking safari yet it holds areas not only of outstanding beauty but also areas that exhibit intact ecosystems, centred around apex predators and heavyweight herbivores. 

European walking safari is geared towards amplifying participants connections to the natural world as well facilitating wild and raw adventure experiences in nature. The knowledge gained through activities and workshops will help you better understand the relationship you share with nature on your doorstep and beyond.  

CARBON FOOTPRINT COMMITMENT

We offer a range of nature connection courses and expeditions within the Netherlands but also run expeditions to foreign countries within Europe. This obviously asks participants to travel long distances. In the current climate crisis many people are taking the decision to not travel by air. All our destinations in Europe are reachable by train. For Romania it is a 22 hour trip from Amsterdam to Timisoara via Frankfurt and Budapest. For Belarus it is a day travel from Amsterdam to Minsk via Berlin and Warsaw.

For those wishing to still travel by air we pledge to invest from profits 40 euros pp into the carbon offsetting program Sustainable Travel International  (https://sustainabletravel.org) that specifically invest in retaining continuous forest cover rather than in plantation schemes. 

If these travel conditions mean that travelling abroad is not for you then please do scroll down in our expedition segment and see the nature courses that are available in the Netherlands and the city nature tours in Amsterdam. 

SNOW- TRACKING WOLF & LYNX IN THE STUNNING TATRA MOUNTAINS

Destination: Tetra Mountains, Slovakia

Duration: 8 days 

Dates: 12th Feb - 20th Feb

Group Size 5-8 people: SPACES AVAILABLE

Age: 16+

Cost: €1495 / 1295 sterling pp 

This is truly the trip of a lifetime immersed in Slovakia's winter wilderness. Snow cover and winter conditions not only offer the best viewing possibilities for wildlife but also allow us a unique and intimate opportunity to trail right behind Europe’s top predators the Grey wolf and European lynx.

Being both Soft footed animals their trails are tough to follow for most of the year. However in snow their secret lives are revealed before our eyes. Deep ecology can be observed such as kill sites, denning areas, group dynamics and interspecies connections and at the end of the trail is the opportunity to see the animal itself. 

On this 8 day trip safari guide Kristian de la Riva will take you adventuring on show-shoes into the heartland of the mountain forests to not only trail Europes top predators but also to experience the dynamism of an intact ecosystem that also contains that the mighty European brown bear, red deer, wild boar and many more species. All this animal life is supported by the complex forest mosaic. On this trip we will also learn about the interconnectedness of such an ecosystem and via the art of tracking and trailing we will begin to build a stronger connection to the natural world around us. It's powerful stuff!

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

· Snow track wolf, Lynx and Brown bear 

· Learn about the stars, the soil and understand the processes that underpin the ecology of any natural habitat. 

· Sleepouts and cooking around camp fires in the snow (weather permitting)

· Assist in crucial conservation research centred around predator populations. We will snowtrack wolves and lynx using GPS to monitor predator distribution patterns. This contributes to essential ongoing research that informs species protection programs across Europe.

· Experience the intimacy of nature in solo sit spot sessions and connect to nature in a way you may have thought was not possible.

· After a days tracking we return to the forest Lodge to warm up with home cooked food!

This trip is based on walking and Ski shoe-ing within remote wilderness areas so a good level of fitness is required. Wild camping is also scheduled on the itinerary however this is not a bushcraft experience rather an engagement with natures intricate networks and your own relationship to it.

For all bookings & enquiries please contact: europeanwalkingsafari@gmail.com