The Martinselkonen Wilds Centre in Finland has organized bear watching safaris since 1995. With over 20 years of experience, we can guarantee that our expert guides will find the king of the forest in locations designed for safe bear observation.
The bear watching and photography season begins in the spring when the bears wake up from hibernation in April and continues until mid-August when the nights begin to get dark. At the beginning of the season, mostly adult bears visit the Martinselkonen bear photography hides and they can generally be photographed against the snowy background. When the snow starts to melt in May, even the smaller bears can move about more freely and more bears tend to be seen. June is the favorite time for bear photographers, because there is plenty of light all through the night and the bears are out in great numbers. With luck, you can even see a mother bear with her cubs. The bears around Martinselkonen have had several litters over the years, and the cubs tend to visit our hides almost every summer. In addition to bears, you may also get a view of the white-tailed eagle, the black kite and occasionally also the wolf and the wolverine.
Our bear watching hides are large, comfortable huts with seats and viewing openings for every visitor as well as bunk beds and a composting toilet. Our bear photography hides are smaller and more suitable for taking beautiful pictures of the bears. These bear hides are located in a variety of different terrains: forest, swamp and lakeside.
Our overnight bear watching and photography safaris begin at 4 pm, and we return to the Center the following morning. For those not wishing to spend the night at the hides, we organize evening bear safaris that end before midnight.