{"id":17281,"date":"2025-11-19T21:10:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T20:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fernwehmotive.de\/?p=17281"},"modified":"2026-01-12T19:46:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T18:46:18","slug":"finnland-fotoversteck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fernwehmotive.de\/en\/finnland-fotoversteck\/","title":{"rendered":"Finland's wild East \u2013 observe Bears, Wolves, and Wolverines from Photo Hides"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finland.<\/strong> There are places in Europe that are so unspoiled that you might think time has stood still there. Eastern Finland is one such place. Villages are scattered far and wide, roads turn into gravel tracks and end in the forest. Here, where the forests seem endless and the border with Russia is just an imaginary line in the thicket, lies one of the few regions in Western Europe where all three large predators are regularly found: the brown bear, the wolf, and the wolverine. Humans are rare here, their presence usually short-lived\u2014as hikers, researchers, or photographers. My journey took me to this remote region in late September, in search of animals that we in Central Europe mostly only know from old stories or negative headlines in the press. Animals that I associate with the wilderness like few others. I got much closer to them than I expected and was able to observe them from just a few meters away, hidden in specially equipped photo hides far to the east of Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unassigned, unpaid advertising. The article contains affiliate links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wildlife
Ruska \u2013 that's what the Finns call golden autumn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"B\u00e4r
My first bear at Karku-Kuusamo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Autumn in Finland's wild Taiga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Autumn begins early in eastern Finland. As early as September, the birch trees turn golden, the nights grow long, and the northern lights appear in the clear night sky. The bears prepare for their winter hibernation and eat their fill of blueberries to build up a thick layer of fat. I, on the other hand, prepare myself with my down jacket, sleeping bag, hat, and thermos for several cold nights in photo hides at four different locations in eastern Finland. Not every hide is equipped with heating. Most are simple wooden shacks or small huts, sometimes with a bed or bunk bed, or just a soft floor mat. Each one is unique in its own way, sometimes very cozy, sometimes a real pain in the neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Fotoversteck
Hideouts for photographers at the Wild Brown Bear Center near Vartius<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Karhu-Kuusamo \u2013 Finland's northernmost Bear Photography Hide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When I arrive at the Karhu-Kuusamo meeting point, the forest is quiet. I park my car in a small space and watch a jay in the tree opposite. I look around and only when I am sure that there is no bear behind the next tree do I get out and point my camera at the raven. But it hears the two cars approaching ahead of me and takes off. It brought me luck \u2013 from now on, it would only be half an hour before I saw my first brown bear in the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"B\u00e4r<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My first Photo Hide for viewing Bears near Kuusamo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Karhu-Kuusamo observation hides are located about a 30-minute drive from Kuusamo and are the northernmost photo hides for bear viewing in all of Finland. The season lasts from early May to late September, and the sighting probability is 99%. The five hides are wooden huts of varying sizes overlooking a dark pool, a boggy swamp, and the forest beyond. I share a small hide with another visitor. The atmosphere is tense as we set up our cameras on the beanbags and our guide lays out treats for the bears outside, 20 to 60 meters away from the huts. It doesn't take long before I feel completely overwhelmed by the huge bear that suddenly appears at the edge of the forest. But the animals are smart; they know when the restaurant opens for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"B\u00e4r<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This first encounter with a wild brown bear in its natural habitat is a moment that stays with me for a long time. After a few minutes, the big guy disappears back into the dense forest, and I begin to settle into the photo hide. Then, almost hesitantly, a female with particularly light, shimmering blond fur appears at the edge of the forest. At her side is a cub, peeking cautiously out from behind its mother. Above them, several sea eagles sit in the treetops, waiting for their chance. Ravens circle the area, commenting on the spectacle with hoarse caws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Heller<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Sky is wild, too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It's not just the forests that are wild in Finland \u2013 the sky is too. During my observations, I repeatedly saw white-tailed eagles circling above the clearings or sitting in the trees. The white-tailed eagle(Haliaeetus albicilla)<\/em>is one of the largest birds of prey in Europe. It was once almost extinct, but thanks to consistent conservation measures, populations in Finland have recovered. Today, it can be found regularly on lakes and along the Baltic Sea coast \u2013 but it also occasionally appears inland, searching for carrion or fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Night in the Bear Forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As darkness falls, our guide knocks on the door of the hut, which we have locked from the inside. For me, it's now time to move on to the largest of the observation huts, where I will spend the night. He himself will leave the area with the other guests. The thought of being alone in the middle of bear territory makes me a little nervous. I push my excitement aside and get my camera ready while there is still a little bit of light left. Just in time, because the big male bear is already coming back, looking for more pieces of fish. He comes within a few meters of the hut. I hear his footsteps in the muddy swamp, his panting, chewing, and suddenly a deep growl that sends shivers down my spine. I sit still, listen, and feel a rollercoaster of absolute fascination and goosebumps. It's a good thing the hide is so solid and sturdy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only when it is pitch black outside do I crawl into one of the four bunk beds. Surprisingly quickly, I fall into a deep sleep. Maybe it's the tiredness, maybe it's the security of the hide. In the morning, I leave the hut and lock the door from the outside. On the way to my car, I hum a song, hoping to scare away any bears on the way between the hut and my car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information on bear watching from Finland's northernmost photo hide, visit the Karhu-Kuusamo website.<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"
The largest of the photo hides is also suitable for larger groups.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Fotoversteck
In addition to comfortable seating, there are beds and even a gas stove and heating. Bears cannot see inside through the windows, but light sources would shine through and should therefore be left out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"B\u00e4r<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Wild Brown Bear Center \u2013 three Days with Bears and Wolverines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My journey continues south, where I have booked three days at the Wild Brown Bear Center near Vartius. A large observation hut and several small photo hides offer unobstructed views of the marsh, lake, and forest in the border region between Finland and Russia. There is even cell phone reception in the hides, and all guests are connected in a WhatsApp group. We want to use it to communicate sightings and the movements of wild animals, helping us to look in the right direction and not miss anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At around 4 p.m., we set off for the hides, which are about 700 meters away and designed for one to two people. There is a bunk bed, chairs, sleeping bags, and a toilet bucket. I attach my tripod head to a wooden board at the viewing slit, settle in, and wait for a bear to appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"
The yellow mark on the tree indicates the Finnish border zone with Russia. This zone is a security area, and permission is required to enter it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
One of my three different photo hides at the Wild Brown Bear Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Wolverine says Hello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first evening in the hide remains quiet and without sightings. After an equally quiet night, I pack up my camera equipment and am about to leave the hide. A dark brown body darts out of the shadows and runs along the opposite shore of the lake. Just as quickly as it appeared, it disappears again. Gulo gulo, known in English as the wolverine or bear marten, is one of the rarest predators in Europe. Gulo gulo<\/em>, zu Deutsch Vielfra\u00df oder auch B\u00e4renmarder, ist einer der am seltensten beobachteten Beutegreifer Europas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Even without wildlife, it's a spectacular sight: in the evening...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
...and in the morning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We wait, hoping that the wolverine will reappear. Unfortunately, to no avail. At 8 a.m., the agreed time, we guests all leave our hiding places at the same time and meet in the common room for breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next two days follow the same pattern: in the afternoon, after an early dinner, we head out to the hiding places, wait for the animals in the evening, spend the night in the hiding place, and return to base camp in the morning for breakfast. During the day, I go for walks in the area, photograph birds at the feeding station, or look through the photos from the previous evening in my room or the lounge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vielfra\u00df<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An underrated Loner<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While bears are the center of attention here, the wolverine often remains in the shadows. Unfairly so. With its muscular body, powerful jaws, and sharp claws, it moves effortlessly through the terrain. It is a scavenger, but also a hunter that can kill weakened reindeer, hares, or birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the second day, I see the wolverine again and manage to take a photo of the nimble creature. But it is only later, quite a bit further south, at Er\u00e4-Eereo near Lieksa, that I am able to observe and photograph the wolverine at length. The night vision device I borrowed opens up a view into a dark, hidden world that is teeming with life. In addition to the wolverine, I also see wolves, a bear that immediately disappears back into the thicket, and various bird species such as ravens, jays, white-tailed eagles, and sparrowhawks. Read more in my separate article \u201cRendezvous in the forest \u2013 With the wolverine in Finland's wild taiga.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Rendezvous in the Forest \u2013 with the Wolverine in Finland's wild Taiga<\/a><\/blockquote>