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2022 – Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday

June 11, 2022 - June 17, 2022

£1999
One of the large male bears pauses in front of the photographic hides photographed during the Majestic Brown Bears Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday

  • Majestic Brown Bears

    of Finland

    Join Johnny Södergård for this 6 night nature photography workshop in Finland, photographing the majestic European brown bear.

    Benefit from the long hours of daylight to capture stunning images of this magnificent predator in swamp, meadow & forest habitats - all from the professional hides located in the Taiga.

    11th - 17th June 2022

    £1999 per participant

    £400 deposit required to secure a place

    Group size: 6 - 9 participants - places available..

    Bookings close: April 30, 2021

    Make a Booking EnquiryMake a Booking

    Majestic Brown Bears of Finland - £1999 per participant

    When
    11th - 17th June 2022
    Cost
    £1999 per participant
    Availability
    places available.
    £1999 per participant - places available.
    • Join Johnny Södergård, for this 6 night nature photography holiday in Finland, photographing the majestic European brown bear.
    Benefit from the long hours of daylight to capture stunning images of this magnificent predator in swamp, meadow & forest habitats.
    Join NaturesLens to capture images of top level predator & their cubs, in Finland, during the Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland photography holiday. This photography holiday is of 6 night/7 day duration on a Full Board, Non-Shared basis & costs £1999 per participant.
    This wildlife photography holiday heads deep into the Finnish forests to photograph the native brown bears & their adorable cubs. The remote woodland habitat offers the perfect backdrop in which to capture these majestic predators & their offspring as they play, hunt & maintain their territory.
    Unlike some operators who visit just one location, you will have the opportunity of visiting two of the best locations in Finland to capture incredible images of this secretive species with opportunities to also photograph wolverine &, if you are lucky, the wolf. What’s more, you will also be photographing from the professional hides on a single occupancy basis instead of the regular hides which take 9 or 12 photographers.
    The majestic brown bear, considered by many as the king of the forest, wanders across an expanse of unspoilt woodland, which lies along the Finnish/Russian border. This area, the Taiga, is one of Europe’s few remaining true wildernesses, allowing native species like the brown bear to thrive without any threat from human activity. They are solitary creatures, coming together only when they mate. The female will keep the cubs with her for 2 to 3 years until they are independent before sending them on their way.
    During this workshop, you will spend three nights in the Viiksimo region to capture images of Finland’s large carnivores – brown bear, wolverine & wolves; before moving on to the Suomussalmi region for a further three nights to photograph adorable bear cubs.
    Throughout the holiday, you will find that hides at your disposal have been built specifically with photographers in mind to give you the best access to views of the landscape from which to take photographs. The hides are equipped with beds & toilet facilities to make your sessions as comfortable as possible.
    We have chosen to run this photography trip to coincide with the natural phenomenon known as the midnight sun in Finland so that your photography will benefit from long hours of light, allowing daylight to light your images for as long as possible. This season is the one during which the bears are most active, making it the optimum time to capture the bears at their best, obtaining the most diverse range of images. The mysterious forested landscape provides the perfect backdrop for achieving stunning images to add to your portfolio. Johnny will be on hand to provide you with assistance & maximise the opportunities provided by the light & environment.
    Join NaturesLens for an exciting nature photography holiday into the Finnish wilderness, capturing beautiful images of the impressive brown bear & their cubs as they thrive in their picturesque natural habitat. Places are limited, so book early to avoid missing out.

    Special Notes

    You will be shooting in low light conditions & overnight.
    Use of pro-photography hides  – The hides that we make use of during this wildlife photography trip only take a couple of people maximum, there are a number of these hides throughout the forest & we rotate the holiday participants through the hides – this means that the variety of photos is quite wide without everyone getting the same images or being packed into one of the larger hides at other centres.
    Camera familiarity  – Talking in the hides must be kept to a minimum to not disturb the bears. Therefore you must be familiar with your camera & what settings to use in low light conditions.Johnny will be available to provide help & advice in the afternoons before dinner, ahead of your hide session.
    Photographable Species: brown bear, red squirrel, wolf, wolverine

    Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday Itinerary

    day 1

    flight to kuusamo from helsinki, transfer to viiksimo & overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 2

    overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 3

    overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 4

    breakfast, transfer to suomussalmi, overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 5

    overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 6

    overnight photography in bear hides *

    day 7

    transfer to kuusamo for flight to helsinki after breakfast & flight to home location

    A wary wolf watches the hides from deep within the forest photographed during the Majestic Brown Bears Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday
    + Google Calendar+ iCal Export

  • 10%

    Discount from Lenses For Hire on any lenses, or other camera equipment, that you require FOR this wildlife photography holiday.

    NaturesLens have partnered with Lenses For Hire to give you an exclusive discount on any lenses hired for any NaturesLens Wildlife Photography Holiday or Workshop.

    • Accommodation on a shared basis
    • Airport Transfers
    • All hide sessions & appropriate permits
    • All in-trip transportation
    • Food on a full board basis
    • Guidance & advice from our Photography Holiday Guide
    • All Drinks
    • Any activities not listed on the itinerary
    • Flights
    • Meals not listed on the itinerary
    • Personal expenses of any type
    • Required Insurances
    • Sundries
    • Tips & Gratuities
    • Transportation to start location
    • Visas

    What our clients say

    • Sorcha - Finland - 2017

      I know I'm in very capable hands as everything is so well organised by NaturesLens.

    Make a Booking Enquiry

    To make a booking enquiry, please complete the form below & we will get back to you as soon as possible.
    You are making an enquiry for the Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland photography holiday, which is scheduled for the dates of 11th - 17th June 2022 & costs £1999 per participant

    , this photography holiday requires a deposit of, £400 to secure a place.
    This form collects your entered details for the purposes of a booking enquiry.
    Please view our privacy policy for full details on how we protect & manage your submitted data.

    How to Book

    Before booking, it is important that you read the relevant photography holiday event page & our Booking Terms & Conditions. If you have any doubts regarding your suitability for this photography holiday, please contact us.
    To book, simply click the relevant link from the event page on our website. You will then be sent a booking form & a copy of our terms & conditions. In order to secure your place on the selected photography holiday, simply complete the booking form with details of all persons travelling & holiday indemnity, in relevant cases, & return to us (either by email or by post) with confirmation that the deposit has been paid. Payments should be made via bank transfer.
    A deposit of 20% is required at the time of booking unless you are booking less than 90 days before departure. In this case, full payment of the photography holiday price is required.

    Recommended Equipment

    Recommended Camera Equipment

    For this photography holiday, we would recommend that you have available, an array of lenses from an intermediate telephoto lens such as the 100-400mm, which is extremely versatile, through to your longest lens, whether that is a 400mm, 500mm or 600mm. If the longest lens you own is a 300mm lens but you have a 1.4x or 2.0 extender this would also be suitable. In fact, you should pack your extenders as this will allow you to further vary your focal length on this photography holiday. A wide angle would also be useful if you fancy capturing some in the environment shots of the bears.

    If you own a lens with an aperture of f/2.8 within the recommended focal length, bring it! These will allow you to focus on your subject faster & will also be useful in low light conditions.

    You should also pack a ball head or gimbal head for use in the hides to help steady your lens.

    Recommended Clothing

    The Finnish summer is light & warm so for this photography holiday, we recommend thin neutral coloured t-shirts & blouses teamed with neutral coloured trousers. You should also pack a thin fleece since the evenings can get cool when the sun sets.

    An eye mask is essential if you want to get any sleep. There are curtains in the rooms but they are not black out curtains so light will inevitably seep through.

    Please remember to pack mosquito repellent and bite relief cream in case you get bitten.

    Additional Notes

    NaturesLens photography holidays do not include flights unless it is explicitly stated on the event page. When it is time to book your flights, we will send you the details in plenty of time to allow for bookings at the best available price.
    The photography holiday itinerary is subject to change & is to be considered provisional.
    NaturesLens photography holidays require a minimum number of participants in order to be viable. If this minimum number is not met, the photography holiday may not go ahead. This photography holiday has a minimum participant level of 6 plus NaturesLens guide(s).
    In the event that the minimum number for a photography holiday to go ahead is not reached, NaturesLens reserves the right to cancel any given photography holiday. In that event 100% of monies received will be returned. However, NaturesLens is not responsible for expenses incurred by its customers.
    Not all mentioned wildlife can be observed & photographed at all times of the year, thus some activities may be considered seasonal & not available.
    Please note the cuisine on many of the NaturesLens photography holidays is authentic & typical of the region in which you are travelling. International or western cuisine is often NOT available. If you have any concerns over the food arrangements or have any special dietary requirements, please contact us prior to making a booking.
    All personal luggage are the responsibility of the owner & we request that photography holiday participants limit their luggage to the equivalent of one suitcase, one flight bag, one camera bag & tripod. We do not wish to appear dictatorial in this matter & the request is made to ensure space & comfort for everyone in our vehicles.
    NaturesLens & its agents act only as agents for the passenger in all matters relating to travel arrangements, & as such, do not assume responsibility for injury, accident, damage, loss, delay or irregularity which may occur via defect of transportation or any other cause.
    NaturesLens reserves the right to substitute hotels, & other previously outlined arrangements as necessary, to either improve or equal the travel experience.
    NaturesLens reserves the right to pass on to photography holiday particpants any additional & unplanned expenditure incurred during a photography holiday, via events beyond the control of NaturesLens. NaturesLens reserves the right to accept or decline any person as a member of any photography holiday.
    Payment of deposit by photography holiday participants or their representative constitutes their acceptance of all conditions contained herein.
    All bookings are made subject to our terms & conditions.
    Travel Insurance Requirements
    It is a condition of booking that you are insured against medical & personal accident risks. This must include cover for the activities to be undertaken during the photography holiday. We also strongly recommend you take out cover for cancellation & curtailment & baggage cover.
    We have made use of the services of Campbell Irvine Insurance in the past, Campbell Irvine has policies which are specially designed for adventure holidays & are underwritten by AXA Insurance. As an alternative, check your standard travel insurance, many bank accounts include suitable insurance as part of a packaged deal.
    Personal Travel Insurance can be arranged directly at Campbell Irvine.
    For photographic insurance, we highly recommend the services of Glover & Howe. We have made use of their policies for a number of years now, adjustments, policy maintenance & claims are handled in an easy & professional manner by them.

    Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday Summary

    The Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland photography holiday is a photography holiday of 6 night/7 day duration, that costs £1999 per participant

     & takes place in Kuhmo in Finland, between the dates of 11th - 17th June 2022. It is ideal for photographing brown bear, red squirrel, wolf, wolverine & more. This photography holiday is led by Johnny Södergård for NaturesLens. The photography holiday is offered on a Full Board, Non-Shared basis. Group size for this photography holiday is a minimum of 6 participants & a maximum of 9, plus Johnny. We consider this to be an event of Medium level of exertion, if you have any questions about your suitability for this event, please contact us prior to making a booking enquiry. The photography holiday starts & ends at Kuusamo Airport. Transfers between Kuusamo Airport & Kuhmo are included in the cost of this photography holiday, this photography holiday requires a deposit of £400 to secure a place.

    Majestic Brown Bears & Cubs of Finland Photography Holiday Payment Details

    • Deposit required to secure a place: £400 payable upon making a booking.
    • Final balance payment due: March 11th, 2022*. Bookings made after this date will require the full payment to secure a place.
    • Bookings close: April 30th, 2021.
    • No-interest payment plan: we offer a no-interest payment plan for our photography holidays. Please enquire for details.
    • * Unless stated otherwise on our event booking form.

    Financial Protection

    Financial Protection provided by the Travel Vault
    NaturesLens Ltd is a company committed to customer satisfaction & consumer financial protection. We are therefore pleased to announce that, at no extra cost to you, & in accordance with The Package Travel & Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 all passengers booking with NaturesLens Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, & subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form.
    The policy will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of NaturesLens Ltd.  This insurance has been arranged by The Travel Vault in conjunction with Towergate Travel through Zurich Insurance PLC.

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    • Details

    Start:
    11th - 17th June 2022
    Cost:
    £1999 per participant
    Event Category:
    Website:
    http://natureslens.co.uk/

    Location

    Finland
    Kuhmo, Vartius Finland + Google Map

    Guide

    Johnny Södergård