Bear Kuusamo’s photography hides are among the best in Finland for varied sightings and natural backgrounds. We’re the northernmost bear watching site bordering Lapland, which means magical midnight sun, vibrant autumn colors and snow in early season. Premium bear hides at three settings can be booked for private sessions or bear photo safaris. Bear cubs, swimming bears, reflections, mating fights – we have it all.
Finland’s Northernmost Bear Photography Hides Near Lapland
For photographers, our northernmost location means more light throughout the season. In June and July, you can take photos throughout the night thanks to the midnight sun. In August, the light is soft and beautiful, and the colors in the landscape slowly shift towards autumn. In September, days are still long enough for photographing bears against the backdrop of stunning autumn colors.
Bear Kuusamo is just 40 kilometers from Kuusamo or Ruka. We’re located in northeastern Kuusamo, near the Russian border, in Lapland and Oulanka National Park.
Bear Photography in the Protected Taiga
Bear Kuusamo’s photography hides lie in a unique taiga environment within a private nature reserve. You can include old forest, swamp, and water in your photos. Swimming bears and striking reflection shots are our specialties.
We call our bear hides premium: they are fully equipped for professional photographers and suitable for spending a comfortable night in the wilderness. Several photography openings in the hides face North, East, and West, providing excellent backlight and sidelight photo opportunities.
Three Locations for Photographers
Bear Kuusamo’s original bear photography location, Kuntilampi, has a vast, open swamp for expansive views and a pond where bears love to swim, beautiful, long grass in summer, and a forest in the background.
Kuntilampi offers a great variety of sightings, and you can use different bear photography techniques, from fast shutter speeds to freeze splashing water and running bears, to panning and drastic backlight photos. Kuntilampi is also the best location for photographing white-tailed sea eagles, other birds of prey, and waders.
Kuntilampi has five photography hides in different sizes that can accommodate up to 20 photographers in total. Usual shooting distance is 15-50 meters with additional frames at 60-200 meters.
Forest hide, Keura, is set alone amid an old-growth boreal forest with a clear pond right in front of it – perfect for stunning reflections. This modern photography hide accommodates 1-8 photographers, and there are four built-in beds for staying overnight. Shooting distance is 10 to 40 meters.
Our newest location, Kuntivaara, has the best of all worlds: forest, a vast open swamp for expansive vistas, and a scenic backdrop of Kuntivaara fell (bear hill). Currently, there’s one exclusive bear hide for 1-10 photographers. Shooting distance is 20-70 meters with additional frames at 100-300 meters.
All hides can be booked exclusively for one photographer, workshop, or bear photo safari. Contact us for more details!
What to Expect from Bear Photography in Finland?
Throughout the season, there’s plenty of action at Bear Kuusamo. You can photograph bears in the snow in early May. The first male bears arrive in April, and in May, we see some females and young bears, too.
In early June, we usually see bear cubs that have been born during winter hibernation. That’s also when females separate their 1.5-year-old cubs, as mating seasons begin, and those youngsters provide a lot of action trying to follow mum, running away from other adults, and learning to be independent.
June is the best time to photograph bear fights, as the big males compete over females. Bear couples roam together and bond only for a short period, offering distinctive photo opportunities: even bear mating has been photographed at our hides for many years in a row!
At Bear Kuusamo, you can photograph swimming bears from June to August. Best chances are during the nightless nights of June and July, but bears often swim during the evenings, too. You can take bear reflection photos as soon as the ice melts, from mid-May to late-September.
Bear density is at its highest in July and August when mating is over, and bears concentrate on maximizing their body weight towards the next hibernation. In July and early August, we might see up to 8-10 different bears in one evening.
We don’t try to maximize the number of bears, as we prioritize the well-being and natural movements of wildlife. Minimal erosion in the landscape guarantees beautiful backgrounds for photographers and supports the restoration of our forests and swamps.
By visiting us, you support responsible wildlife tourism and get to photograph the natural behavior of wild brown bears.
More questions? Please see the FAQ page for further information on hide amenities and sizes, how to reach us, etc.
The usual distance to the bears is approximately 20-60 meters for ethical reasons, with additional frames at 70-200 meters.
Having a zoom lens or different focal lengths is optimal, though not necessary. For example, 100-400 mm or 200-600 mm are perfect choices for zoom lenses, and 300 mm or 600 mm primes are great. For bears in the landscape, a 24-70mm or 24-105mm zoom lenses work well. If the bears choose to come closer, you can get great shots with a wide-angle lens – or even with a mobile phone.
Brown bear photography is our specialty, but it’s also possible to photograph white-tailed sea eagles and several other birds. Sometimes, a wolverine, fox, or moose is seen.
During spring (May to early-June), you can also photograph many migratory bird species, including various waders such as ruff. For example, the wood sandpiper, green sandpiper, common sandpiper, and common greenshank stay at our swamps for the summer.
The Midnight sun shines in Kuusamo from mid-June to early July: then the sun doesn’t set at all. Also, the nights in May and July have plenty of beautiful, soft light, as the sun only briefly dips under the horizon. Later in autumn, we still have ample light well into the evening, but having a faster lens is, of course, an advantage.
For photographers, we suggest booking 2-3 evenings or nights at the hides to maximize your chances of getting all the photos you want. You can also switch between our three locations to get different backgrounds, including reflection photos, backlight photos, bears in the landscape, portraits, etc.
At Bear Kuusamo, you have a 99% chance of seeing the bears, but since they are completely wild, sightings are never guaranteed. However, our Original Bear Guarantee applies to you if you don’t see any for some reason, and you can come back for free until you do.
Special Equipment for Brown Bear Photography
Especially designed for bear photography, all our hides are equipped with several photography openings, bean bags, and 3/8” screws with which you can attach your camera(s) to the planks.
Bear Kuusamo’s hides are equipped with:
- Panoramic, one-way windows for uninterrupted views
- Several photo bag openings in different directions for your camera(s)
- Binoculars
- Eco-friendly dry toilets in separate, secure rooms
- Fan, gas heater, and cooker in the main hide (Karhunpesä, Kuntilampi). Heater is available seasonally in some of the smaller hides, too.
- Built-in beds in five hides with all beddings included for spending a comfortable night (ergonomic mattresses, pillows, sleeping bags). Two of the smaller photo hides in Kuntilampi have ergonomic mattresses, pillows, and sleeping bags that you can place on the floor.
- Wheelchair access (Karhunpesä, Kuntilampi’s main hide)
- Solar power (Karhunpesä, Kuntilampi’s main hide)
Bear Photography Safaris and Workshops
Bear Kuusamo has hosted many special interest photography groups, film crews, bear photo safaris, and workshops over almost two decades. If you wish to arrange your own photo tour, contact us, and we can create a tailor-made solution for your group!
For private guests, our professional guides can provide photography guidance during the evening.
Any questions on your mind? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and let’s plan your visit and bear photography evening together!