Bear Kuusamo’s hides are scattered in beautiful, protected taiga in northeastern Kuusamo, near Lapland. We call our bear hides premium for a reason: they’re comfortable log cabins offering prime conditions for photographers, families, groups, and anyone wishing to see bears in their natural habitat.
Modern Bear Hides Combine Comfort and Responsibility
We’ve developed our bear hides over the last two decades in response to international guests’ wishes and our own ethical principles. Four of our newest hides look like modern wilderness cabins and offer all the amenities needed for wildlife watching and photography.
Every bear hide has panoramic, one-way windows for uninterrupted views, cozy chairs with cushions and blankets, photographic openings, and bean bags for cameras, binoculars, and books about the bears that you can browse while waiting. There’s an eco-friendly dry toilet in a separate, secure room inside the hide, and space to stretch your legs.
Our guests call it luxury, but for us, it’s also part of our responsibility. Insulated log buildings keep human sounds and smells at bay, providing better sightings and helping to keep the wildlife still wild.
Three Locations with Multiple Bear Hides
We have three locations, and altogether seven bear hides to accommodate different-sized groups, families, and individual photographers.
Our original bear watching site, Kuntilampi, has an accessible main building, Karhunpesä, for up to 20 people and four smaller bear hides overlooking an open swamp with forest in the background. There’s a small pond, where bears love to swim, and white-tailed sea eagles hunt.
Forest Hide, Keura, can accommodate groups of up to 8 people. It lies alone amidst old-growth boreal forest near the Russian border zone and overlooks a clear pond.
Our newest and northernmost location, Kuntivaara, combines swamp, forest, and expansive views towards the majestic Kuntivaara fell (a bear hill).
Thanks to multiple locations and hides, we welcome all kinds of visitors: groups, families, and photographers in their private buildings if desired. Better sound insulation means that even small kids can learn more about bears and make lifelong memories with us. There are, of course, rules, which parents can read beforehand in the FAQ section.
Accessible Bear Hide – Even for Wheelchairs
Our main bear hide at Kuntilampi – our largest building, Karhunpesä – is wheelchair-friendly. When you note us at the time of booking, we’ll arrange an earlier arrival, and you can drive up to the hide.
Spending a Night in a Bear Hide
If you choose an overnight bear watching tour, you can either stay awake for more sightings or sleep comfortably. All bear hides have ergonomic mattresses, sleeping bags, and pillows. Five hides have built-in beds, and we usually accommodate overnight visitors in them (unless desired otherwise).
Bear Hide Equipment for Photographers
All hides have several photography openings facing different directions, bean bags to support your cameras, and 3/8” screws with which you can attach your camera(s) to the planks, and the main building has two Manfrotto video heads that you can use freely. Please check bear photography page for further information on each hide’s photo opportunities, shooting distance, backgrounds, etc.
Summary: Bear Hide Facilities
- Panoramic windows for uninterrupted views and photography
- Eco-friendly dry toilets in a separate, secure space
- Main hide (Karhunpesä) is equipped with a gas heater, fan, and gas cooker. It’s also wheelchair accessible
- Binoculars and bear books
- Five hides have built-in beds with all beddings included for spending a comfortable night (ergonomic mattresses, pillows, and sleeping bags). Two smaller photography hides in Kuntilampi have ergonomic mattresses, pillows, and sleeping bags that you can use on the floor
Modern bear hides, a protected taiga environment, and the northernmost location in Finland bordering Lapland make Bear Kuusamo a unique spot to see wild brown bears.