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Wildlife Locations

5 recommended locations. Please contact us for further suggestions.

Kaamanen

Located in the heart of Finnish Lapland, Kaamanen is a small village and the main sources of income in Kaamanen are tourism and reindeer husbandry. The area around the village is a true Arctic wilderness: popular with outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts and especially rich in birdlife. Find Out More

  • Where: Lapland
  • Ideal for viewing: pine grosbeak, Siberian jay, Siberian tit, willow grouse, red squirrel
  • Excellent for: Birdwatching ,

Kainuu

Situated in north-east Finland on the border with Russia, the region of Kainuu is one of Europe’s wildest and a haven to some of the continent’s finest wildlife. Covered by immense boreal forests, you can observe brown bear, wolverine, golden eagle, Ural owl and various other intriguing species. Find Out More

  • Where: North-east Finland
  • Ideal for viewing: wolverine, great spotted woodpecker, great grey owl, European brown bear, Eurasian wolf
  • Excellent for: Bear watching, Birdwatching , Wildlife festivals, Self-drive

Kuikka Lake

Located in Finland's Kuhmo region, directly opposite the Russian border, Kuikka Lake is surrounded by boreal forest, the typical habitat of brown bear, wolverine, wolf and white-tailed eagle. The surroundings are composed of wetlands and open grassland, offering good visibility for spotting wildlife. Find Out More

  • Where: Kuhmo
  • Ideal for viewing: brown bear, wolverine, white-tailed eagle, Eurasian wolf, Ural owl
  • Excellent for: Bear watching, Wolf watching , Wildlife photography, Landscape & wildlife videography

Martinselkonen Nature Reserve

This reserve is one of the best places in Europe to photograph brown bears. Hides are located in sparse coniferous forest beside a small bog and, lured by carrion, bears can be seen at night from as close as five metres away. During the day there are nature walks, with good opportunities for birdwatching. Find Out More

  • Where: Pirttivaara, Suomussalmi
  • Ideal for viewing: brown bear, elk, wolverine, black grouse, capercaillie
  • Excellent for: Bear watching , Wildlife photography

Viiksimo

Viiksimo is located between two nature reserves – Elimyssalo and Iso-Palonen – in an area that is a tapestry of small lakes, numerous ponds, pine heaths and eskers. Right in the midst of the Finnish wilderness, it is a great place to watch and photograph bears, wolverines and wolves. Find Out More

  • Where: Kuhmo
  • Ideal for viewing: brown bear, wolverine, grey wolf, elk, whooper swan
  • Excellent for: Bear watching, Wolf watching , Wildlife photography

View trips to these locations

Wildlife trips

One of Europe’s last remaining wildernesses – a mosaic of taiga forest, crystalline lakes, peat bogs, and pine heathland – stretches from Finland into Russia. This undisturbed countryside is the best in Europe for viewing brown bears and makes a perfect refuge for its 430 bird species, 100,000 moose and around 200 wolves.

10 recommended trips. Our trip ideas are offered to inspire you and can be tailored to suit your requirements.

Brown Bears in Finland

This perfect short-haul break takes you to a wonderful spot for sighting brown bears in the Finnish wilderness. Staying at Martinselkonen Wilderness Lodge, enjoy overnight bear watching from hides located deep in the forest, allowing close-up encounters with these fascinating animals and their cubs. Find out more about Brown Bears in Finland

  • Price (inc. flights): 4 days from £1,395
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A

Boreal Predators Photography

Join us on this remarkable photography tour and capture images of Finland’s finest predators – brown bear, Eurasian wolf and wolverine – in the boreal forest. Accompanied by a photographer and using dedicated hides, this week makes the most of the late light from the long summer evenings. Find out more about Boreal Predators Photography

  • Price (inc. flights): 6 days from £2,895
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S

Brown Bear Explorer

Long evenings and early dawns allow incomparable opportunities to watch and photograph the wildlife of the forest on this small group trip in Finland. Staying at purpose built hides, night vigils with a naturalist guide reward you with close-ups of brown bears, wolverines and occasionally wolves. Find out more about Brown Bear Explorer

  • Price (inc. flights): 6 days from £1,895
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J

Boreal Predators Photography in Autumn

Photograph Europe’s elusive predators as the colours of Finland’s eastern forests change. With the colourful autumnal hues and wildlife busy preparing for winter, this is the perfect time for a photography tour using a number if purpose-built hides. This small group tour is guided by an expert photographic leader. Find out more about Boreal Predators Photography in Autumn

  • Price (inc. flights): 6 days from £2,995
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • S

Finland’s Brown Bears in Style

Bear watching from hides in Finland has long been one of Europe’s best wildlife experiences, but staying overnight in a hide doesn’t appeal to everyone. However, there’s a new option available – it’s now possible to watch brown bears and other Finnish wildlife from the comfort of your own luxury cabin. Find out more about Finland’s Brown Bears in Style

  • Price (inc. flights): 5 days from £2,495
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • A
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O

Bears, Wolves & Wolverines Self-drive

Brown bear, wolf and wolverine are among Europe’s top predators. All can be seen and photographed from specialist hides in the enigmatic taiga of Finland. Elk, reindeer, white-tailed eagle, capercaillie and other inhabitants of the far north can also be found on this self-drive wildlife adventure. Find out more about Bears, Wolves & Wolverines Self-drive

  • Price (inc. flights): 8 days from £2,495
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • A
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A

Bear Photography with Tom Mason

Join wildlife photographer Tom Mason on a dedicated bear-photography trip to Finland’s taiga forest. Visiting two lodges, each with specialist hides for brown bear and wolverine in the best photographic locations in the forest, we take advantage of the lingering evening light of the Finnish summer. Find out more about Finland Bear Photography with Tom Mason

  • Price (inc. flights): 6 days from £2,395
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J

Northern Lights & Lapland Birds

Our popular Northern Lights and wildlife trips go in search of many sought-after Siberian specialities as well as other exciting species, at a time of year when there is plenty of daylight, but the nights are still long enough for a good chance of seeing the spectacular Northern Lights. Find out more about Z) Northern Lights & Lapland Birds

  • Price (inc. flights): 7 days from £3,495
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • M

Finland Videography Workshop

Northern Finland's remote boreal forest is home to exciting and iconic wildlife, and in the company of filmmaker Neil Aldridge this videography workshop spends several days filming and photographing brown bear, wolverine, wolf and a variety of birdlife in this remote landscape. Find out more about Z) Finland Videography Workshop

  • Price (inc. flights): 7 days from £3,095
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • J

European Festival of Bears

Join us as we celebrate Europe's brown bears from a base in the dense taiga forests of central Finland. Travelling during autumn we will be provided with plenty of opportunities to watch and photograph brown bear, wolverine, wolves and foxes amongst spectacular autumn colours and scenery. Find out more about Z) European Festival of Bears

  • Price (inc. flights): 6 days from £2,495
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • O

When to go

The best time to visit depends on what you want to do. Bears are best viewed during the long summer days between late May and mid-August. Snow lays thick from December to March.

Seasons

  • Winter

    Nov to Mar: Northern Finland is covered snow, and the days are short
  • Spring

    Apr to May: The days lengthen and the snows begin to clear. Ice cover melts in the lakelands
  • Summer

    Jun to Aug: The nights are short and light, with midnight sun above the Arctic Circle
  • Autumn

    Sep to Oct: The days shorten, temperature drops and migratory birds depart – but colourful foliage

Wildlife events

  • Jun to Aug: Brown bears active and foraging in the forests