Dalmatian Pelicans Photo Tour, Lake Kerkini, Greece, 5d/4n, 2026/2027 SHARED
Four nights at Lake Kerkini in northern Greece and six boat sessions at sunrise and in the evening light, with Dalmatian Pelicans flying at eye level. A photographer guide, a single room for you and at most 6 photographers.
Duration
5 days / 4 nights
Tour type
Shared, up to 6 photographers
Photography
6 boat sessions in 3 days
Meals
Half board, optional lunch
Guiding
Photographer guide, in English
Season
December and February
The tour in short
Closer than anywhere on Earth
Lake Kerkini is widely considered the best place on Earth to photograph Dalmatian Pelicans. Here they do not just fly past you: they glide through the morning mist, land in the golden light and gather right in front of your lens.
You meet your guide at Lake Kerkini on day 1, in time for a welcome dinner and a practical briefing. On days 2, 3 and 4 you photograph from the boat twice a day, in the soft morning light and in the warm evening light, and between sessions you rest and review your images. On day 5 the tour ends after breakfast.
Your guide does more than show you the birds: he helps you anticipate their behaviour, read the light, choose the right settings for each moment and compose cleaner, stronger images.
A single room for every photographer. The price includes a single room with a private bathroom, so you rest well between the early mornings and the evening sessions.
Included in the price
What you photograph
Days 2 to 4 · from the boat
Pelicans in flight
Take offs, landings and pelicans flying at eye level, low over the water, in the best light of the day.
Days 2 to 4 · from the boat
Portraits and behaviour
Close portraits with incredible detail, feeding interactions and the social life of the group, natural and unhurried.
Days 2 to 4 · morning and evening
Mist and reflections
Calm water, morning mist and the mountains around the lake, for layered compositions with the birds in their landscape.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival at Lake Kerkini
- Afternoon Meet your guide at Lake Kerkini, by dinner time, with your own car or with our optional transfer from Thessaloniki airport. We send you the exact meeting point after you book.
- Evening Welcome dinner and briefing: what to expect in the field, how the sessions work, recommended settings and gear, the ethical approach to the birds and how to get ready for the first morning.
Meals today: dinner
Days 2, 3 and 4 Photography on the lake
- Early morning Morning session: the departure is at first light. Soft light, mist and calm water.
- Midday Rest and image review at the lodge. Optional lunch, where you like.
- Afternoon Evening session in the warm light, often with more movement and interaction between the birds.
- Evening Dinner at the lodge.
Meals today: breakfast, dinner, optional lunch
Day 5 End of the tour
- Morning Breakfast and check out. End of the tour, or the optional transfer to Thessaloniki airport.
Meals today: breakfast
The light sets the times, not the clock. Session times change every day with the light, the weather and the pelicans’ activity. Your guide tells you the times in advance, so you can rest and be ready.
Shared photo tour · 2026/2027
€1,250
per person
4 nights with half board in a single room, six boat sessions and a photographer guide.
- Single room included
- Deposit to book €500
Essential
- StartDay 1, by dinner time, at Lake Kerkini, Greece
- EndDay 5, after breakfast
- Stay4 nights at a lakeside lodge, single room with private bathroom
- GroupUp to 6 photographers
- Minimum age12 years
- Nearest airportThessaloniki
Price details
What the price covers
The price includes
- A wildlife photographer guide, speaking English, for the whole tour
- 4 nights at a lakeside lodge, in a single room with private bathroom
- Half board: dinner on day 1, breakfast and dinner on days 2, 3 and 4, breakfast on day 5
- 6 Dalmatian Pelican photo sessions, morning and evening, on stable, low profile boats built for photographers
- The welcome briefing on day 1
The price does not include
- Optional lunch
- Drinks
- Optional transfer package: €250 per person, for the transfers from and to Thessaloniki airport and the daily transport between the lodge and the port
- Flights
- Insurance of any kind (travel, camera equipment and so on)
- Personal expenses
Photo gallery
Images from Lake Kerkini
Shared departures
2026 and 2027 dates and prices
€1,250 per person, single room included, in euro, VAT included.
Available dates
Choose your start date in the table below and click Book now. In the booking request form, tell us if you want the transfer package from Thessaloniki airport. We will get back to you to confirm and to send you the next steps.
Period | Places | Price |
|---|---|---|
15 Feb - 19 Feb | 1250 |
How to book
- Send a booking request. Choose your start date in the table, add the number of guests and fill in the form. We usually answer in less than 24 hours. Please check your spam folder too.
- We confirm and send you the payment link.
- Your booking is confirmed when you pay the deposit of 500 EUR, online, through the payment link. Until then, no places are held for you.
- Pay the balance on day 1, in cash or by payment link (EUR).
A request is not a booking. Please pay within 3 days of our email. If we do not receive the deposit of 500 EUR by then, the request expires and the places go to other guests. If you decide later, write to us first to check that there is still room. Do not pay an old payment link without asking us: if the places are taken, we can only refund you.
Bookings are taken only through the form or by email. The phone is for information only.
Cancellation policy
- More than 90 days before the tour, you can postpone your trip. You receive a voucher valid for 2 years.
- Less than 90 days before the tour, the deposit is not refundable.
- The balance is paid in the week before the tour, by payment link, in EUR.
Children
- The minimum age for this tour is 12 years.
- From 12 years, children pay the adult price.
- Parents are responsible for supervising their children during the tour.
Packing list
Bring with you
Camera gear
- A wide lens, about 10 to 50 mm, for pelicans in their landscape
- A 70 to 200 mm lens for close ups and flight shots from the boat
- A telephoto lens for other birds and for sessions from the shore
- Enough memory cards and batteries
- Waterproof bags for your sensitive gear
Clothing and comfort
- Warm clothes in several layers, a hat and gloves: winter mornings on the lake are cold
- Clothes in natural colours (brown, sand, khaki, dark green) and nothing bright
- Waterproof jacket and comfortable shoes
- Insect repellent
Pack compact. There is no porter service, and the space in the car is generous but not unlimited. We do not offer any warranty or insurance for your photographic equipment.
Before you book
Is this tour for you?
For every level
From enthusiastic beginners to seasoned professionals: your guide adapts the advice to you, from settings to composition.
Wild birds, real behaviour
No two sessions are the same. We do not promise identical sessions; we promise the best possible position every single time.
More pelicans?
In spring and summer, Dalmatian and Great White Pelicans nest in the Danube Delta. See the Wildlife Photo Tour to the Danube Delta, 5d/4n.
Meet our guides
Experts in the wild
Our photo guides are professional wildlife photographers and experienced naturalists. They read the light, know how the birds behave and position the boat for the light, the background and the angle, without disturbing the subject.
Wildlife photographers
They photograph here all year and know where and when the light and the birds come together.
Local
They live and work in the Danube Delta and Dobrogea, and are in the field in every season.
The bird comes first
No chasing, no flushing, no stress for a picture or a tick on the list.
Our commitment to conservation
A hard season for the pelicans
Lake Kerkini is a protected wetland of international importance and one of the key places in Europe for the Dalmatian Pelican. Your visit supports the people who look after them.
Why the pelicans are fed
In winter the fish stay in deep water and the pelicans struggle to catch food on their own. Local fishermen and conservationists give them extra food in this season, to help them survive until spring.
The best local partner
We work with the most experienced local operator at Kerkini, the one who started this activity and knows the lake and the birds best.
No disturbance
We work only with partners who follow the principles of nature conservation and ethics in wildlife photography. The pelicans come close on their own terms; we never chase them.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
How close do the pelicans come?
Very close: often close enough for portraits with a 70 to 200 mm lens. They are wild birds, though, and no two sessions are the same.
How many photo sessions are there?
Six: one in the morning and one in the evening on days 2, 3 and 4. The times change with the light, the weather and the birds, and your guide tells you in advance.
How do I get to Lake Kerkini?
With your own car, or with our optional transfer package: €250 per person, for the transfers from and to Thessaloniki airport and the daily transport between the lodge and the port. Tell us when you book.
Is lunch included?
No. The tour is half board, with breakfast and dinner. Lunch is optional: between the sessions you eat where you like.
Do I have to share a room?
No. A single room with private bathroom is included in the price, with no supplement.
Which lenses should I bring?
A wide lens (about 10 to 50 mm) and a 70 to 200 mm for the boat, plus a telephoto lens for other birds and for sessions from the shore.
How many photographers are in the group?
Never more than 6 photographers, plus the guide.
Contact
- Emailcontact@discoverdanubedelta.com
- Phone, SMS, WhatsApp+40 763 869 400
+40 757 894 456 - For bookings and requests we always prefer email. Thank you!
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