The vast untouched forest along the Finnish-Russian border is a stronghold of the brown bear. Europe’s other large predators – wolverines and wolves – live here too and we use specialist hides to film and watch them.
The nearby lake and rich landscape around the lodge provide the perfect backdrop for short daytime camera technique workshops, as well as the chance to practice and refine techniques while seeking out some of the other wildlife that lives here, like red squirrels and birds. In these informal sessions, your expert guide will cover a range of techniques, including macro, timelapse and long lens filming, as well as the editing process. There will also be the chance to see how camera traps can be used to capture hidden and intimate moments.
The real focus of the trip will be the evening sessions in the hides, and with more than 20 hours of daylight in midsummer, we have lots of light to work with. Fortunately, with filming, we don’t have to worry about noisy camera shutters, but it is still essential that we keep quiet at all times in the hides to give ourselves the best chance of enjoying long views of bears and seeing the more transient wolverine and wolf.
Beyond the filming and photography, this trip is a wonderful chance to immerse ourselves in a wild forest landscape while learning about and connecting with the wildlife that lives here.
This tour has been created for anyone who feels inspired or intrigued to learn how to film wildlife, to capture more than just photographs or to build their video portfolio. And the great thing about modern DSLR, mirrorless and bridge cameras is that they offer excellent video quality and the ability to effortlessly switch between video and still modes. So, if you’re already enjoying your photography, there’s little need to worry about whether you have the right camera for this trip. A fluid tripod head is the more important piece of equipment to think about bringing.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Depart UK
On arrival, we transfer to our lodge in Kuhmo, by Kuikka Lake (a drive of around four hours). Depending on how early we arrive at the lodge, we may be able to spend our first evening in the hides, however the likelihood is that we will prepare kit and settle down for a full night’s rest at the lodge – we will need it with some long and exciting nights ahead.
Today we spend the day exploring the area around the lodge and lake. After a brief get together to talk through kit and camera settings, we have an early dinner and make our way to Paradise Hide to spend our first evening looking for brown bears, wolverines and wolves. The walk into the hides takes around 20-25 minutes over uneven terrain, but isn’t overly strenuous.
There is usually some time to wait before the first animals show themselves. Bears are likely to show up while we wait for wolves, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get more shots of them. Wolves are the most nervous of the three species, and their visits can be fleeting – if they do show themselves, we must be ready with our cameras and continue to keep noise to an absolute minimum.
We take it in turns to be on watch throughout the night, allowing others to rest between periods of activity.
Days3-4: Filming from hides & landscape videography
After long nights in the hides we are likely to need at least some time during the day to rest. We can also use the day to enjoy a variety of activities, such as using a boat to reach a beaver dam, practicing timelapses of the landscape or going for a walk on the headland around Kuikka where there are several nest boxes for birds. Berries and mushrooms also offer good opportunities for macro work. During our free time, we can also make the most of the lakeside wood-fired sauna.
Neil will run short workshop sessions in and around the lodge covering camera techniques, the editing process and any areas of filming and photography that you may want to improve on. We will also have the chance to listen to the team of naturalists at the lodge talk about wildlife and conservation issues, allowing us to get a deeper insight into the current situation of Finland’s predators.
At night we use the variety of smaller hides and we can be flexible based on what success we had on our first night in Paradise Hide, and on what kind of subjects interest you. There is the chance to try our luck with wolverines. These fierce predators are less brazen than bears, so patience is a must. With a little luck we should encounter some cooperative individuals during the evenings.
Day5: Continue filming bears, wolverines and wolves
After spending the day resting, exploring the area around the lodge and lake, and a short camera technique workshop with Neil, we return to Paradise Hide to again look for brown bears, wolverines and wolves.
We will be hoping for the return of all three of these iconic predators and this will be a chance to build on what we have already filmed.
Day6: Further filming session from the hides
Depending on the success of previous evenings, there is the option to try to film wolves or spend time with wolverines again. Again, brown bears are likely to show up while we wait for wolves, so there should be plenty of opportunities to get more shots of them.
During the day we will again rest and make the most of the area surrounding the lodge, trying some of the camera techniques Neil has covered in the daily workshop sessions.
Day7: Return UK
After our last night in the hides we return to the lodge for breakfast and a chance to freshen up. We then transfer to the airport.
Key info
Duration and price including flights from/to UK: 7 daysfrom £3,095 pp
Duration and price excluding international flights: 7 daysfrom £2,895 pp
Single supplement:
From £550
Trip type:
Group Tour
Group size: 8
When to go: Jun
Group Departures: We are currently finalising future dates for this tour. Please contact us for further details.
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.
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Where: Kuhmo
Ideal for viewing: brown bear, wolverine, white-tailed eagle, Eurasian wolf, Ural owl
Base Camp Kuikka is a traditional Finnish log cabin situated on a promontory in Kuikka Lake, in the middle of the forest. It has just nine rooms accommodating 20 guests and offers a convivial, rustic atmosphere, with various photographic hides nearby where you can watch for bears, wolves and eagles.
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