Our Guides' Favourite Wildlife Photography Locations

Pui Hang named Bulgaria as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Bulgaria, with itineraries designed around Adonis Blue, Chapman's Blue, Common Blue, Eastern Festoon & Great Banded Grayling rather than general sightseeing. Current Bulgaria departures include Bulgarian Butterfly Macro, Bulgarian Mountain Butterfly Macro & Reptiles & Amphibians in Bulgaria, with time planned for flight photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Bulgaria
Bulgaria sits at the crossroads of European & Mediterranean fauna, & our trips here are built entirely around specialist macro photography - two dedicated butterfly workshops & a third focused on reptiles & amphibians. The country's varied landscapes, rich plant communities, & favourable summer conditions produce exceptional butterfly diversity, making it one of the most rewarding macro destinations in Europe.
Our visits are designed to maximise time with target species while working in calm, undisturbed habitats. A small-group structure, combined with experienced guidance, allows careful attention to light, background, behaviour, & technique, with ongoing photographic support throughout. These tours suit photographers at all levels, from those new to macro to those refining advanced field skills.
Photographic Conditions
Bulgaria's butterfly season peaks June through August, when clearings, woodland edges, & flower-rich meadows hold the highest species diversity. Early mornings are ideal for dew-covered subjects on low vegetation - allowing controlled aperture work & clean backgrounds. Working distances of 30-60cm are typical; a 100-180mm macro lens is the core tool, with a diffused ring flash or reflector useful for bright midday sessions.
Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Bulgaria include Apollo, Swallowtail, Eastern Festoon, Southern Festoon, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Southern White Admiral, Adonis Blue, Marbled White, Common Blue, Chequered Skipper, Large Skipper & Large Ringlet

David & Ian have named Costa Rica as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Costa Rica, with itineraries designed around the country's birds, mammals, reptiles & amphibians rather than general sightseeing. Current Costa Rica departures include Ultimate Costa Rican Wildlife, Essential Costa Rican Wildlife & Wildlife Icons of Costa Rica, with time planned for cloud forest, rainforest, wetland, hide, garden & night photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Costa Rica?

Over 25% of Costa Rica is protected land, making it one of the most photographically productive small countries in the Americas. NaturesLens focuses on hide-garden photography at specialist lodges rather than open trails.

Hummingbird feeders at cloud forest & rainforest lodges concentrate multiple species at predictable distances. High shutter speeds (1/2000s+) freeze wingbeats & render iridescent plumage in full colour; longer exposures blur motion into context. Red-eyed tree frogs, glass frogs, & poison dart frogs position themselves on broad leaves at dawn & dusk - unlike mammals, they hold position long enough to work focus, light angle, & composition variants methodically. The eyelash palm pit viper - in gold, green, or brown variants - is located by specialist guides who confirm safe approach distances.
Best Season
November-April (dry season) for optimal access & peak amphibian visibility. May-June brings humidity-enhanced colour & floral activity at the cost of some trail access.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Costa Rica include Basilisk Lizard, Blue Jeans Poison Dart Frog, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Collared Aracari, Emerald Toucanet, Fiery-billed Aracari, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Glass Frog, Green Iguana, Keel-Billed Toucan, Mantled Howler Monkey, Montezuma Oropendola, Red-eyed Tree Frog, Resplendent Quetzal, Strawberry Poison Dart Frog, Three-toed Sloth, Two-toed Sloth, Violet Sabrewing, Violet-capped Woodnymph, White-throated Hummingbird & White-faced Capuchin

Johnny named Finland as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Finland, with itineraries designed around Brown Bear, Common Raven, White-tailed Eagle & Wolverine rather than general sightseeing. Current Finland departures include Brown Bears of Finland, with time planned for hide, flight & landscape & behaviour photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Finland

Finland's wilderness offers some of the most reliable large-mammal photography in Europe. The boreal forest that covers most of the country shelters healthy populations of Brown Bears, Wolverines, & White-tailed Eagles, & our trips are built around purpose-built hides that put photographers at close range without disturbance. The long summer light of the Finnish north - sometimes 18-20 hours of usable daylight - transforms every session into an extended golden hour.

Bear hides in eastern Finland are among the most productive in Europe. Positioned beside natural feeding areas in old-growth forest, they offer consistent, close-range encounters with adult bears & cubs, often against clean boreal backgrounds that require no cropping. Wolverine sightings are rarer but remain a genuine possibility, & eagle sessions at fish-baited perches deliver sharp, backlit wing shots that are difficult to achieve anywhere else in Europe.

Photographic Conditions

The peak season runs May through August, with midsummer providing near-continuous light that suits both static hide work & longer exposure landscape shots. Focal lengths of 400-600mm cover most bear hide distances (typically 20-50 metres); ISO performance is important for dusk sessions when bears are most active. Eagles at perches work well at 300-500mm.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Finland include Brown Bear, Golden Eagle, Great Grey Owl, Hazel Grouse, Whooper Swan, Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Willow Tit & Ural Owl

Alison named Greece as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Greece, with itineraries designed around Common Crane, Dalmatian Pelican, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican & Pygmy Cormorant rather than general sightseeing. Current Greece departures include Dalmatian Pelicans of Lake Kerkini & Pelicans of Lake Kerkini, with time planned for hide, boat-based & flight photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Greece?

Lake Kerkini in northern Greece holds one of the most accessible & productive wildlife photography opportunities in Europe. The lake is home to one of the continent's largest populations of Dalmatian Pelicans - a globally threatened species with a wingspan of up to 3.5 metres - & during the winter & spring breeding season, the birds are remarkably approachable from traditional wooden fishing boats. Photographers can work at distances of 5-10 metres as pelicans display, preen, & take flight against the water & the backdrop of the Belles mountain range.

Beyond pelicans, Lake Kerkini supports significant populations of Great White Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants, herons, egrets, & a variety of wildfowl. The lake's shallow northern end concentrates birds during winter drawdown, & early morning mist across the water creates atmospheric conditions that suit both wildlife & landscape photography in the same session.

Photographic Conditions

The peak season runs December through March when pelicans are at the lake in highest numbers & displaying behaviour is most active. Boat sessions allow very close approach with patient manoeuvring; 400-600mm covers most pelican distances, though a 70-200mm is useful for wider environmental shots with the mountain backdrop. Winter morning light is low & warm - arriving at dawn gives the best combination of light angle & bird activity before fishing boats disturb the lake.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Greece include Dalmatian Pelican, Great White Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Common Crane, Whooper Swan, Greater Flamingo, Great Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron & White Stork

Robin named Iceland as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Iceland, with itineraries designed around Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern, Atlantic Puffin, Black Guillemot & Black-legged Kittiwake rather than general sightseeing. Current Iceland departures include Puffins of Iceland, with time planned for boat-based & flight photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Iceland

Iceland strips wildlife photography to its essentials: extraordinary subjects, dramatic light, & minimal obstruction. The landscape is uncluttered - black basalt, grey sea, wide sky - & the animals stand fully within it.

Grímsey Island hosts one of the most accessible Atlantic Puffin colonies in the North Atlantic. With virtually no predators on the island, the birds have no learned flight response to human presence, allowing close-range photography at eye level as they land on clifftops, exchange sand eels with partners, & tend burrow entrances within a few metres. Arctic terns defend nests actively, diving at close range - giving dynamic flight sequence opportunities throughout the breeding season. Oystercatchers, fulmars, black guillemots, & kittiwakes complete the seabird complement.

Light Conditions

The Iceland window (June-July) runs under midnight sun. Golden-hour light at 11pm & dawn light again by 2am - soft, low-angle, directional across the full 24-hour period. Pale subjects against bright sky will underexpose on evaluative metering: work with positive exposure compensation & monitor your histogram. Bring weather-sealed kit; sea spray from exposed clifftops reaches further than you expect.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Iceland include Atlantic Puffin, Arctic Fox, Arctic Tern, Great Skua, Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Gyrfalcon, Iceland Gull, Razorbill, Rock Ptarmigan, Common Guillemot & Black-legged Kittiwake

Pui Hang also named India as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in India, with itineraries designed around Bengal Tiger, Barking Deer, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey Langur & Indian Gaur rather than general sightseeing. Current India departures include Majestic Bengal Tigers of India, Tigers of Bandhavgarh & Wildlife of Kaziranga National Park, with time planned for hide, flight, night or low-light & landscape & behaviour photography sessions.

NaturesLens offers wildlife photography holidays in India, with itineraries designed specifically around wildlife photography opportunities. Current India trips include Majestic Bengal Tigers of India, Wildlife of Kaziranga National Park & Tigers of Bandhavgarh.

Why Photograph Wildlife in India

India sits among the world's great wildlife photography destinations, & Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is its centrepiece. Few places on earth offer a comparable chance to photograph Bengal Tigers in open sal forest - the reserve's tiger density is among the highest in India, & relaxed, long-exposure encounters with adult tigers & cubs occur regularly across multiple game drives. Beyond tigers, Bandhavgarh's wildlife includes Leopards, Sambar Deer, & a rich bird community that rewards every hour between big-cat sightings.

Our India programme extends to two further iconic reserves. Gir National Park in Gujarat is the last stronghold of the Asiatic Lion - a functionally distinct subspecies photographed in dry teak & acacia scrub with a very different visual palette from Africa. Kaziranga National Park in Assam carries the world's largest population of Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, alongside Wild Water Buffalo, Asian Elephants, & one of India's finest wetland bird assemblages, all viewed from elephant-back safaris & jeeps across sweeping floodplain.

Photographic Conditions

Bandhavgarh & Gir are most productive October through April, when vegetation is lower after the monsoon & animals concentrate near water. Early morning drives deliver the best tiger light as animals are active & shadows are short. 400-600mm lenses cover typical jeep distances; a 70-200mm is useful for tighter forest tracks where tigers approach closely. Kaziranga is best February through April before the rains flood the grassland.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within India include Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Crested Serpent Eagle, Ganges River Dolphin, Grey Langur, Hog Deer, Indian Elephant, Indian Gaur, Indian Hornbill, Indian Leopard, Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, Indian Peafowl, One-Horned Rhinoceros, Sloth Bear, Spotted Deer, Swamp Deer & Wild Water Buffalo

David also named Madagascar as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Madagascar, with itineraries designed around Asities, Aye-aye, Baron's mantella, Black & white ruffed lemur & Blue coua rather than general sightseeing. Current Madagascar departures include Madagascar Wildlife & Rainforest, with time planned for flight & garden & close-up photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Madagascar

Madagascar is one of earth's great evolutionary outliers - isolated from mainland Africa for over 88 million years, the island has developed a fauna found nowhere else on earth. More than 90% of its wildlife is endemic, from the extraordinary diversity of Lemurs - over 100 species, from tiny mouse lemurs to the spectacular Indri - to chameleons, fossas, & a bird community unlike anything in continental Africa.

Our Madagascar trips are built around the island's most photogenic primate encounters: Ring-tailed Lemurs at Berenty, Sifakas dancing across open ground in their distinctive sideways gait, & the haunting calls of Indri in the eastern rainforest. The island's reptile diversity - including the world's highest chameleon species richness - rewards macro photographers with subjects of extraordinary form & colour.

Photographic Conditions

The dry season (April through October) provides the most accessible conditions in the south & west; the eastern rainforest is productive year-round but wet season travel is challenging. Lemur photography in reserves is close-range work - 200-300mm is often sufficient. Chameleon & reptile macro requires specialist lighting; a dedicated macro setup (100-180mm) with ring or twin flash is the essential complement to standard wildlife telephoto.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Madagascar include Fossa, Boky, Giant jumping rat, Verreaux's sifaka, Red-fronted brown lemur, Pale fork-marked lemur, Red-tailed sportive lemur, Gray mouse lemur, Indri, Diademed sifaka, Common brown lemur, Eastern gray bamboo lemur, Goodman's mouse lemur, Eastern woolly lemur, Black & white ruffed lemur, Red-bellied lemur, White-fronted brown lemur, Aye-aye, Macarthur's mouse lemur, Red ruffed lemur, Northern bamboo lemur, Masoala woolly lemur, Masoala sportive lemur, Greater dwarf lemur, Ring-tailed vontsira, Spotted fanaloka, Falanouc, Madagascar flying fox, White-breasted mesite, Sickle-billed vanga, White-browed owl, Couas, Vangas, Parrots, Pygmy kingfisher, Blue coua, Asities, Tetrakas, Pitta-like ground roller, Rufous-headed ground roller, Madagascar harrier hawk, Helmet vanga, Scaly ground roller, Oustalet's chameleon, Nicosia's chameleon, Short-horned chameleon, Parson's chameleon, Short-nosed chameleon, Perinet's chameleon, Horned leaf chameleon, Thiel's leaf chameleon, Panther chameleon, Hooded chameleon, Giant leaf-tailed gecko, Mossy leaf-tailed gecko, Satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Madagascar tree boa, Malagasy giant hognose snake, Spiny-tailed iguana, Elegant skink, Green-backed mantella, Baron's mantella & Tomato frog

Pui Hang also named Spain as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Spain, with itineraries designed around Black Kite, Golden Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Lesser Kestrel & Red Kite rather than general sightseeing. Current Spain departures include Birdlife of Northern Spain, Birds of Extremadura, Iberian Lynx in Summer & Iberian Lynx of the Spanish Winter, with time planned for hide, flight & night or low-light photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Spain

Spain is built around hide-based photography - you are static, silent, & the animals move on their own terms. The result, when conditions align, cannot be staged.

Around Toledo, the focus is the Iberian lynx - one of the world's rarest wild felids, now recovering from near-extinction & accessible in mountain scrubland south of the city. Hides positioned at established movement corridors allow close-range, natural-light photography without any disturbance to the animals. Alongside the lynx: the Spanish imperial eagle, another highly restricted species, photographed in flight between feeding grounds & nest sites during the breeding season.

In Extremadura, the cork & holm oak dehesa supports one of Europe's most spectacular raptor concentrations. Greater & lesser kestrels, red kite, black vulture, & enormous white stork colonies - best in March-April when nesting birds crowd the rooftops of ancient towns - give flight photography opportunities unavailable elsewhere in Western Europe.

Best Season

February-April for Iberian lynx & imperial eagle. March-May for stork colonies & raptor concentrations. October for red deer rut - stags bellowing through misty mountain mornings that reward atmospheric technique.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Spain include Azure-winged Magpie, Bonelli's Eagle, Common Crane, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Griffon Vulture, Iberian Lynx, Little Owl, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Black Vulture, Egyptian Vulture & Red Kite

Conny named Sweden as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Sweden, with itineraries designed around Arctic Redpoll, Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redpoll, Eurasian Bullfinch & Golden Eagle rather than general sightseeing. Current Sweden departures include Northern Sweden’s Eagles In Winter, with time planned for hide, flight & night or low-light photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Sweden

Sweden's vast boreal forests & remote highland terrain provide the setting for one of Europe's most impressive raptor photography programmes. Our Sweden trips are built around Golden Eagles - one of the continent's great aerial predators - photographed at purpose-built feeding stations that bring the birds to reliable, repeatable positions in excellent light. Shooting distances are consistently close, giving photographers the opportunity to fill the frame with an eagle in a way that is difficult to achieve anywhere else in Europe without hide infrastructure.

The Swedish forest also holds Brown Bears, Wolverines, & Moose, & our itineraries can be structured to include additional mammal hide sessions alongside eagle work. Sweden's northern latitudes produce long summer evenings with warm, directional light that extends well past 9pm, giving several hours of prime photography conditions around each hide session.

Photographic Conditions

Golden eagle sessions work year-round but are most productive in winter & early spring when eagles are less mobile & feeding is concentrated. Snow backgrounds in winter produce clean, graphic compositions. Shooting distances of 15-30 metres are typical; 300-500mm telephoto lenses are the core tools. High-speed burst & good AF tracking are essential for capturing landing & take-off sequences.

Photography Themes

Species that must be photographed within Sweden include Golden Eagle, Great Grey Owl, Whooper Swan & White-tailed Eagle

David also named Trinidad & Tobago as a favourite location for their wildlife photography.

NaturesLens runs small-group wildlife photography holidays in Trinidad & Tobago, with itineraries designed around Bananaquit, Bearded Bellbird, Blue-chinned Sapphire, Channel-billed Toucan & Collared Trogon rather than general sightseeing. Current Trinidad & Tobago departures include Tropical Birds Of Trinidad, with time planned for hide, flight, garden & close-up & landscape & behaviour photography sessions.

Why Photograph Wildlife in Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad & Tobago offer some of the finest tropical bird photography in the Caribbean, combining extraordinary resident diversity with close-approach opportunities that are genuinely rare in the region. The twin islands sit near the South American mainland & share much of its avifauna - Trinidad alone holds over 450 species, including Tufted Coquettes, White-bearded Manakins, Blue-crowned Motmots, & the extraordinary Scarlet Ibis, which roosts in mangrove swamps in flocks that turn the treeline red at dusk.

The world-famous feeders at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad's Northern Range rainforest are the centrepiece of any visit - multiple hummingbird species, honeycreepers, trogons, & large woodpeckers feed at close range on the veranda, giving relaxed, controlled portrait sessions without any fieldcraft required. Forest trails around the centre add trogons, antbirds, & specialist understory species.

Photographic Conditions

The dry season (January through May) is the prime photography period - reduced humidity & clearer light, with Scarlet Ibis roost flights at Caroni Swamp at their most reliable. Feeder work at Asa Wright suits 200-400mm; forest trail shooting requires higher ISO tolerance & fast AF in variable shade. Tobago adds offshore seabirds & reef-edge frigatebirds for a broader portfolio.

Photography Themes