{"id":1014,"date":"2014-05-31T12:22:42","date_gmt":"2014-05-31T12:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ganeandmarshall.com\/blog\/?p=1014"},"modified":"2014-06-02T09:18:50","modified_gmt":"2014-06-02T09:18:50","slug":"bear-watching-finland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ganeandmarshall.com\/blog\/bear-watching-finland\/","title":{"rendered":"Bear Watching in Finland"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brown Bear Watching Finland<\/h2>\n

May and June are simply magical months to go brown bear watching in Finland<\/a>. The onset of summer marks the beginning of an unrivalled wildlife spectacle, the bear-viewing season.\u00a0 Finland<\/a>\u2019s 1,000-strong population of brown bear emerge from their winter hibernation and begin to roam the woods and mountains to the east of the country. Here, in the remote taiga on the border with Russia, you can watch these most elusive of creatures in the wild, as they play, forage, and mate in their natural habitat largely undisturbed by man. Few countries in Europe offer wildlife experiences to rival that of bear watching in Finland. <\/p>\n

\"My!<\/a>
My! What big paws you have!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you go into the woods of Finland today…<\/h2>\n

Finland is a land dominated by trees. Its boreal woodlands form part of the wild taiga (broadly: Russia, Canada, and Scandinavia), the greatest forest on earth, which contains as much as one third of the world\u2019s trees. The sparsely populated east of the country, in particular, is host to stunning woodland\u2014chiefly coniferous and lichen forest that provides a habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including elk, beaver, wolverine, wolf and black grouse. Most significantly, this is where Finland\u2019s brown bear population is concentrated, safe in the wooded wilderness that straddles the Russian-Finnish border. \u00a0Bears across Scandinavia were hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 20th-century, but today their numbers, though low, remain stable, helped by conservation efforts and tourism.<\/p>\n

Finland\u2019s eastern wilderness is divided into a number of wildlife sanctuaries, almost all of which are home to brown bear, but the best place to go bear watching in Finland and reliably see them is the Martinselkonen Nature Reserve, in the Kainuu wilderness. Here you can spend a few nights in a wilderness hide, watching and photographing bears at exceptionally close range. The hides, of which there are several, are perfectly situated amidst the pine forest and swamp and give reliable bear, and other wildlife, sightings. Few visitors return from Martinselkonen disappointed!<\/p>\n

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An exciting day in the bear watching hide!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fancy a weekend bear watching in Finland?<\/h2>\n

The relative accessibility of Martinselkonen and the reliable bear sightings that it offers make it perfect for a long weekend break. It\u2019s also affordable. We offer two night stays in Martinselkonen from as little as \u00a3645 per person, inclusive of all ground arrangements (not international flights), including specialist wildlife guide, accommodation and transfers, and with the option to extend or upgrade to a specialist pro photographers hide.<\/p>\n

Regular readers of our blog and newsletter will also know that we\u2019re currently offering a discount of \u00a350 per person<\/strong> on all tours to go Bear watching in Finland over \u00a3500 (and \u00a3100 off over \u00a31000), meaning you can enjoy the weekend bear watching break in Finland for as little as \u00a3595 before international flights.<\/p>\n

\"Bear
Brown Bears People Watching in Finland!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For more information, contact Sarah@ganeandmarshall.com<\/a>. Sarah manages our World Wildlife programmes and will be glad to help you plan your bear watching in Finland.<\/p>\n

As well as bear watching, there are a number of other wonderful options in Finland for wildlife enthusiasts, from huskie trekking and sledding to wild wolverine tracking. \u00a0See our Finland pages <\/a>for more.<\/p>\n

Read other blogs on Bears:
\nBears\u00a0on Offer<\/a><\/p>\n

Have you been Bear Watching in Finland? <\/span><\/strong>
\nWe’d love to hear your comments.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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