​06 -12 JULY 2024 - SOLD OUT​
07 - 17 July 2025 - LAST PLACES
Minimal single supplement
Minimum 4 / maximum 6 photographers
10 night specialist 'nocturnal' Finland photography safari, focussing on European Brown Bear mothers with cubs, wolf and wolverine, The bears may be seen in a variety of habitats: in taiga forest; around a lake with a possibility of reflections; and in open swamp areas, where we also have a chance of photographing Golden & White Tailed Eagles.
All 3 major predators - bear, wolf and wolverine share the forests and swamps, and are often seen up close from these hides, making them a versatile and exciting prospect for any wildlife photographer!
And if that isn't enough you'll also find red squirrel, and plenty of woodland birds and macro subjects to photograph during the day
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Fitness level required:
Moderate: 3 -15 minute walks from the vehicles to the hides over uneven ground, carrying your camera gear. You may of course walk, explore and photograph around the lodge grounds in your free time too!
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Tour leader: Trai Anfield - award winning wildlife photographer, film maker, travel writer and broadcaster.
Nocturnal? ...Almost!
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We will be photographing bear, wolf and wolverine from overnight hides to make the most of the extended dawn and dusk golden and blue hours and twilight conditions during which cute cubs and charismatic adult are mostly active.
This means our days are a bit different to the usual safari schedule: after an early dinner we leave around 4pm and stay overnight in the hides (which are equipped with bunks and bucket loos) so we are in prime position around dusk and dawn and the almost endless summer light in between. We return to our lodge each morning for a hearty breakfast and a snoozy day, before dinner and out to the hides once again around 4pm. Please find more details of our daily schedule below.
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​​Your Finland Photography Safari Highlights
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2 locations give the best chance for bears and cubs plus wolf and wolverine
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Close to home for UK and European residents - less expensive and better for the planet than going elsewhere for bears - why would you?!?
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Small group size - min 3 /max 6 guests
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Individual hide occupancy ( or two person share if preferred) with bunk and bucket toilet
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Single lodge rooms available
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Exciting iconic European predators in the wild
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Brown bear: adult males, juveniles, mothers with cubs
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Wolf
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Wolverine
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Birds of prey in the area include golden eagle, white tailed eagle, great grey owl and eagle owl
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Red squirrel and many small birds of the taiga may also be spotted, plus moose, reindeer, beaver and otter
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Glorious forest, marsh and lake landscapes of northeastern Finland
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Safari scheduled to ensure best timing for bear cubs photography
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Great for intermediate/experienced photographers looking for new species and experience
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Interested and patient non-photographer partners/friends also welcome
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1-2-1 technical tuition and creative inspiration with award-winning photographer and tutor Trai Anfield
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Expert local wildlife guides
Our Accommodation & Meals In Finland
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This safari is a little different to our usual departures as we are going "nocturnal" for this one!
Hides
Our active shooting time will mostly be in overnight hides. These are mostly one person hides which include basic facilities such as a bunk to have a snooze and a compost/bucket toilet. If you know your travel companion well there are two person hides available. I have also booked a two-person hide for anyone who wishes to initially have 1-2-1 tuition.
Accomodation
During the day we will head back to our twin or single occupancy accommodation, to catch up on the sleep we lost during our exciting night shoots! Alternatively, you may explore the locality with your camera or edit up your shots during the day.
Meals
As a result of keeping to the same sleep schedule as the bears, wolves and wolverines, our meal times will be slightly different too: we will be served a well-earned hearty breakfast each morning as we return from the overnight hide. Most of us will then want to catch up on some sleep, so lunch is not served here. When we wake up we will have a substantial early dinner at around 3.30 which will set us up for our next overnight stay in the hides. We also take a packed 'lunch' of sandwiches, snacks and hot drinks with us into the hide for overnight nibbling.
YOUR FINLAND PHOTOGRAPHY SAFARI ITINERARY
07 July: Guests taking the train option are advised to travel outwards to Helsinki, where we will stay in an airport hotel overnight (included).
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08 July
Guests taking the train option will travel north from Helsinki on a morning train to Kajaani, where we will spend the night.
Guests taking the flight option should arrive in Helsinki in time to catch the 1735 flight to Kajaani
On arrival we will be met at the train station/airport and transferred to our Kajaani hotel where we will overnight.
09July
Hotel pick up and transfer by road for approximately 2 hours to our first location, deep in the heart of bear habitat, and our base for the next 3 nights.
After checking in to our rooms we will have an early dinner and gather our gear in time to head off at 4pm to the first of our overnight hides. This is the location where we most expect to photograph wolf and wolverine, as well as adult brown bears, in a variety of habitats: open plain, forest and lakeside.
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10 - 12 July
We will soon adapt to our new daily routine:
At around 7.30am our guides will pick us up from the hides and we will return to our base.
A full breakfast will be waiting, and afterwards there will be plenty of free time during the day for rest / sleep / editing images / exploring the local area / taking part in a daytime activity or photography session.
Around 3pm we will have our customary early dinner
At 4pm we depart for our overnight hides once again, spending each of the following four nights photographing bears - and hopefully wolf, wolverine and birds of prey too - from the wide range of hides here. You will be able to choose from a range of forest, lakeside and swamp wilderness locations depending on the type of photographs you would like to try for.
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13 July
After breakfast we transfer to location 2.
This is where we expect to encounter mother bears with small playful cubs in a range of habitats: forest, open marsh and lakeside. This is also a prime area for photographing the bear cubs climbing in trees.
We will arrive today in time for dinner before our first hide session at 4pm
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14-16 July
As before our daily routine will revolve around the bears' schedule:
07:00 pick up from the overnight hides
Breakfast
Rest / exploring time
3pm dinner
4 pm off to the hides with packed 'lunch'
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17 July
After breakfast on our final morning we will be transferred by road back to Kajaani train station and airport for our return to Helsinki and our connecting flights back home.
Alternatively you may wish to consider booking an extension to this trip, which I am happy to help with booking.
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Finland Bear Cubs, Wolf & Wolverine Photography Safari
DATES:
06 - 12 July 2024 SOLD OUT
​07 July (train) or 08 July (domestic flight) to 17 July 2025 NOW BOOKING
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2025 RATES​
1. Greener train option: (includes extra night Helsinki on 7th July)
£3865 (based on 2 sharing accommodation & hide)
Single Supplement £600
2. Domestic flight option: (08 - 17 July)
£3995 (based on 2 sharing accommodation & hide)
Single Supplement £550
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YOUR FINLAND PHOTOGRAPHY SAFARI INCLUDES:
Additional night hotel in Helsinki on 7th July (train option only); return train or flights Helsinki - Kajaani, 1 night hotel accommodation in Kajaani (B&B basis); 8 nights lodge accommodation; all meals and soft drinks at lodges; all road transfers, all hide rental, local expert wildlife advisors, expert photographic and post production tuition with Trai.
EXCLUDES: international flights to/from Helsinki; ETIAS or visa if necessary; gratuities, personal insurances, alcoholic beverages, additional paid daytime activities.
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We are happy to advise on international flights on request.
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