On this six day stay in the height of summer, long evenings and early dawns in purpose built hides allow incomparable opportunities for bear watching and photographing the wildlife of the Finnish forest.
You will stay at one of the finest lodge in the Finnish taiga forest equipped with purpose-built hides, where you keep a night vigil with a local guide to see brown bears, wolverines and wolves lured by carrion. In the day there are nature walks in the vicinity or optional trips further afield. Your expert leader will be at hand during the day to advise you and guide you around. Dedicated smaller hides are available at extra cost for professional photographers.
Although this is a small group trip, we can also tailor an itinerary to your individual requirements, or you may wish to consider our bear watching short break to Martinselkonen.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Fly to Kajaani & transfer to Martinselkonen
Fly via Helsinki to Kaajani* where you will be met by your leader and transferred by road to the Martinselkonen Wilds Centre, a journey of approximately two hours. Depending on the times of the flights, there may be time for dinner in the evening after checking in to the lodge.
Days2-4: Overnight bear & wildlife watching at Martinselkonen
After breakfast you can go for a walk in the nearby forest by way of an introduction to this ecosystem, returning to the lodge for lunch. Following an early dinner, at around 16:00, you will be driven to the drop-off point in Martinselkonen Nature Reserve, then walk nearly two kilometres along a forest track to the hide for your first overnight bear watch. Outdoor clothing and waterproof walking boots are essential as much of the ground is boggy. You should also bring a waterproof jacket and a warm fleece. The hides are unheated and may get quite chilly in the early hours of the morning, so prepare accordingly and dress in layers. This will be the pattern for the next three days at Martinselkonen and you will spend the night in different hide each evening.
During the day, there are optional excursions available including a guided boat trip on Öllörinjärvi (Wilderness Lake). The lake is a popular nesting place for birds, and elk may sometimes be seen swimming across the lake.
Day5: Last evening at Martinselkonen
For the final night in Finland, you will head out to the hides once again and spend the evening there for one last opportunity to observe the wildlife of the Finnish taiga forest before returning to our accommodation around 23:00 as there will be a relatively early start the following morning for the transfer back to the airport.
Day6: Transfer to Kajaani & fly back to the UK
This morning it is time to check out and depart for the transfer back to Kajaani* airport (one and a half hours' drive) and the return flights back to the UK via Helsinki.
Please note: Depending on domestic flight schedules (which are subject to change), instead of transferring to Kajaani you may transfer to another airport in Eastern Finland - such as Kuusamo (140 kilometres) or Oulu (270 kilometres) - and fly from there direct to Helsinki.
Key info
Duration and price including flights from/to UK: 6 daysfrom £1,895 pp
Duration and price excluding international flights: 6 daysfrom £1,695 pp
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.
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Where: Pirttivaara, Suomussalmi
Ideal for viewing: brown bear, elk, wolverine, black grouse, capercaillie
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.
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Where: Kuhmo
Ideal for viewing: brown bear, wolverine, grey wolf, elk, whooper swan
Excellent for: Wildlife photography, Bear watching, Wolf watching
These hides are occupy a fantastic position two kilometres inside the forest, from where you can listen to and photograph bears at close range. Two purpose-built wooden buildings accommodate nine people each and offer comfortable seating, with basic bunk beds. Smaller professional hides are also available.
Find Out More about Martinselkonen Nature Reserve Bear Hides
