Bears, Wolves, Wolverine in Finland

European Brownbear

Photo trip bears, wolverine and wolves in Finland
Dreamlike and varied wildlife near the Russian border

6 nights with bears, wolves and wolverine

As wildlife bear tours within Switzerland are not possible as of yet we would like to show you the European brown bear in Finland. Experience a whole week in the wilderness of Finland near the Russian border in the so called taiga. While away with us for a week you will see between 35 and 50 different brown bears!
The area along the Finnish-Russian border is considered the largest intact natural reserve of Europe!
With a special permit we are allowed to get as close as less than 1 kilometer close to the Russian border.
In Finland one will find 430 bird species, 115 000 reindeer, 200 wolves, 1,800 brown bears and about 140 wolverines. To observe the large wild animals well, we take advantage of the knowledge of our local guides.
In a conservation area on the Russian border and an area which adjoins it, we spend an entire week with watching all sorts of animals. This area also has a large population of wolves and some wolverine.
My friend Kari Kemppainen, a famous animal movie maker in Finland, will introduce us to this fantastic place.

Special features of this tour: we will not only be watching wild brown bears we will also take pictures of them under best conditions.
Watching those bears is the main purpose of our trip. We are not like others who only spend one night for observation. No, with us you will have 6 nights with the bears!

The best thing about it is: We will be in small observation huts with only 2 people per cabin. These cabins are in the forest, situated by lakes or at the edge of a swamp - exactly where the bears will pass by while going out hunting for food.
We thus have the best opportunities to take amazing pictures and images with different backgrounds.
Often bears are sighted every half hour, single or even several at once, and especially at the end of June, beginning of July, that’s the time the mother bears are around for the first time with their sweet newborns.

We were previously able to observe 15 small bears at once! That was a real bustle! All over sudden more and more female bears crossed path with their cubs.
Brown bears wake up from hibernation early of April and can be seen until the end of September. The light nights in summer allow observation of the bears almost around the clock. In autumn, the days are ideal for observing the mating of the moose and the black grouse.

Bears are guaranteed! Make sure to bring enough memory cards (and a photo tank) with you!
Special observation places
from late afternoon until dark, we have the chance to take pictures in very good light conditions.
With a little luck we will also see during spring and summer some wolves and wolverine, probably even the osprey.

Also various birds like woodpeckers, etc. are native to the area.
The special and professional equipped monitoring stations are designed for 2 photographers.
Each shelter has 4 look outs to the front and one on each side.
We have a total of 6 nights in such observation shelters * and 1 night on arrival at the Wilderness Center / at the base station.
Included are full board and the transfers to the hides and also the local guidance.
The flight to Finland is not included!

For the record, you are like an animal filmmaker in a perfect hide.
* In the autumn we are out from mid-afternoon until night time.
During autumn we will sleep at the base hotel in comfortable beds, not in the hides.
During the summer time, we stay at the Wilderness Center / in the base station were we will provide also a room for every guest. After returning from the observations in the night, you can check into the room immediately. Your luggage will also remain in this room while out in the hides.

The experience with bears is similar to a visit to the mountain gorillas in the African rainforests. In Finland it will be without much effort and especially without physical exertion – but still a genuine Wildlife experience. Remember we are not in a zoo! These are wild animals! The remoteness of this area is the retreat of those animals.
We will enjoy the tranquility in nature.

The whole trip is also suitable for families who enjoy the unique experience being outside and of course for nature lovers who do not necessary like to photograph in particular.
One does not need to be a photographer to be amazed by the sight of a bear. You will be more than impressed.
You do not need to be a semi-professional or professional photographer in order to take good pictures. We guarantee wonderful pictures which you can take with very little equipment as the bears are just about 3 to 5 meters away. It is hard to believe but true.
Locally we are looked after by an excellent nature-team consisting of local, experienced guides and also of the best animal and bear film maker from Finland. We are at places where professional photographers take their pictures for movies, BBC and other famous nature and bear documentaries.
Do not miss this opportunity.
A photo workshop bears and wolves in Finland
If you like we will also show you how and with what kind of programs you can get the best out of your pictures. Step by step you will be able to transform a simple snapshot into a first class picture. If you bring along a laptop you will be able to do the image editing on the spot.
More information will be given to you once you have booked this trip.

Bears in Suomi = Finland
The brown bear is Finland’s national animal. He is strongly connected in the consciousness of its nation. He plays an important role in many finish fairy tales always representing the good and wise. But here the bear does not only exist in fairy tales. In the finish woods all over the country you can find a huge wild living population of brown bears (ursus arctos). The exact number is somewhere between 700 to 1`200. Now and again a few bears from the Russian border are “visiting” as well. The population in Uusima (the south of Finland) has reached a record number. In 1997 there were only 8 brown bears in this area now there about 70 of them and this number is supposed to rise up again over the coming years. Brown bears are over 2 meters tall and can weight up to 500 kg. They are very good climbers, swimmer and also runner. During the cold month they hibernate for 4 to 5 months.
In January the female bears usually give birth to 2 or 3 baby bears, rarely up to 4 new born. Those little ones are born naked, not bigger than squirrels and completely helpless for the first few months.
Brown bears are loner and an omnivore. He prefers compared to other predators vegetable food. Before he hibernates he is almost eating nonstop day and night, he stops 2 weeks beforehand so his stomach can adjust. He hibernates in a cave under a hill, anthill or underneath a fallen tree. When he “wakes up” he will hunt for meat. He will kill sheep, moose or eats carrion.
In Finland the bears are under nature conservancy.

Behavior tips when encountering a bear
As it is not unusual to encounter wild bears in Finland there are a few instructions one should follow as those encounter are not harmless. The reality is that the bear actually spot us humans first and will flee before we will have noticed him. Not even the local residents around the area where we will be do spot bears just like that. In case you will “meet” a bear:
1. Hum or sing a little now and again while you are in the woods. Bears usually avoid humans and they will notice you that way.
2. In the case you will see a bear or stand right in front of one you should not turn your back on him and try to run away. Walk slowly backwards. A bear can run as fast as 60km/h.

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European Brownbear

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