Bear Watching In Finland

The Eurpean brown bear and other rare mammals such as wolf and wolverine, can be viewed from a number of different hides that have been set up by several Finnish companies close to the Russian Border. We work closely with them to offer a terrific short break or an in-depth longer safari.

In Finland, there are about 840 bears, 150 wolves, 900 lynx, 130 wolverines as well as numerous reindeer and elk. There are also a good number of different species of owls: Pygmy, Tengmalm, Great Grey, Ural, Hawk and Marsh. There are also White-tailed Eagles and Golden Eagles present in the extensive Taiga forest. Perhaps the most unusual sighting might be the flying squirrel, a very discrete mammal, most often seen leaving its nest at dusk.

Meeting the wild brown bear in its natural environment is an unforgettable experience and of course for photography enthusiasts an opportunity to take the shot of a lifetime from the safety of specially designed photographer's bear hides.

All tourist hides are equipped with comfortable viewing chairs, sleeping areas, toilets and hearing amplification systems that will also pick up bird song. The larger the hide, the greater the comfort and generally the larger hides offer a panoramic view of a site but still with bears as close as 10m. The photographers hides are much smaller and can be a tight fit for even just a couple of persons.

What are your chances of seeing bears? These bear viewing sites have had great success over a number of years with sightings over 95% during the season and often you will see between 4 and 20 bears. All the bears are wild and to respect them there should as little noise as possible in the hides.

There are between 12 to 22 hours of sunlight dependent on when in the season you travel and it never really gets dark in May or June. Later in the season, such as during September you may be able to return to the base lodge of a night or possibly spend get some sleep within a hide whilst you wait for daybreak.

late April - late August

Highlight species

	European brown bear
	Wolf
	Wolverine

Key species

	Other species possible include
	Elk
	Beaver
	Golden eagle
	Great grey owl
	Tengmalm's owl
	Hawk owl
	Siberian jay
	Willow tit
	Raven
	Crane

Cost from £

Please contact us with your travel preferences so that we can quote specific prices.

Our trips are almost always tailored to your requirements, we'll make small changes or alter the itinerary completely for you.

Departure Dates

Any day to your requirements.

Difficulty

A easy trip with some walking on rough ground

Flights

Flights on Finnair from London Heathrow via Helsinki to Kajaani or Kuusamo.

Time

GMT +2 hours

Stay longer for greater photo opportunities, we would recommend a further 2 or 3 days, perhaps changing location too.