Full immersion in the endless forests of northern Europe, in search of the great predator: wolf, bear and wolverine

The howl of a wolf pack, the sound of the paws of a brown bear walking on ice: two of the largest predators meeting each other.
On the borders of northern Europe we find endless stretches of unexplored forests where flora and fauna intertwine in an incredibly diverse ecosystem.

The predominantly coniferous forests stretch for hundreds of kilometres, offering shelter to wolves, bears, wolverines, moose, foxes, black grouse, eagles, Lapland owls, Ural tawny owls and hundreds of other species.

A photography workshop on the edge of northern Europe, in search of this continent most important large predators. With a private transfer we will drive along the endless dirt roads that plunge into the Finnish forests, until we reach our base camp. Here we will find several completely wooden structures equipped with all amenities such as electricity, running water, bedrooms, wi-fi and a cook who will cook for the group. We will take advantage of the beautiful Finnish lights to observe and photograph wolves, bears, wolverines and, if we are lucky, also white-tailed sea eagles, golden eagles, and other animals!

It will be a full immersion from the best hides where we will carry out photo sessions, taking advantage of every minute of light in the afternoon and at sunset, then waiting for the first light of dawn. We will bring with us food, water, and a sleeping bag if we want to sleep during the few hours at night (the hides are equipped with small bathrooms and beds for resting).

In fact, at this time of the year, the sun only sets for a few hours, giving us the opportunity to continue photographing for a very long time. The hides are extremely comfortable and there is space inside for standing up, lying down and comfortable chairs for shooting. Once the photography sessions are over, we return to base camp.

where we can rest, look at the photos we have taken, reload our equipment and, of course, eat excellent hot meals.

Level of difficulty: SIMPLE

No hiking or other physically demanding activities are planned. Walking will be short and in flat areas.

Our hides stand on the edge of a major wolf pack territory. They have been used by the BBC and National Geographic because of the incredible possibility of observing the European wolf, the European brown bear, and the wolverine, even simultaneously.

Hide photography is the most widely used technique for photographing wild animals at close distances without interfering with or disturbing the fauna. The hides we are going to use have been designed and built to ensure maximum comfort during the photo session and at the same time to optimise the chances of sighting, with the use of special strategies for odour elimination, acoustic and visual isolation. The hides are equipped with slits for shooting in total comfort and have a small bathroom and beds for resting.

Inside the hides we will also be able to use camera heads that can be inserted directly into a pre-built housing. The large, darkened upper windows will allow you to observe outside the hide in complete freedom, being invisible from the outside. In this way, in addition to taking photographs, everyone will be able to enjoy natural spectacles just a few metres away.

A telephoto lens of 300mm or more will undoubtedly be indispensable for photographing the main subjects of this tour.

We recommend the use of a camera head to be inserted into the housing provided in the hides, in order to ensure greater stability when taking photos and videos.

More detailed information will be provided at the time of registration.

Day 1

• Arrival at the local airport in the afternoon and transfer to base camp by private transport (approx.v2.30h).
• Accommodation in own rooms.
• Presentation of the group and itinerary.
• Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2

• Wake up in the morning and explore the areas around the base camp, with opportunities for landscape and macro photography.
• Briefings where professional photographers will explain the details of photo sessions, advising on the best settings and basic and advanced wildlife photography techniques to apply in the field.
• Lunch and move to the hides.
• Photo session until sunset (approx. 9.30 p.m.), followed by a sunrise photo session (approx. until 9 a.m. on day 3). Beds are available in the hides where it will be possible to sleep during the few hours at night.

Day 3

• Return from the hide session to base camp for breakfast.
• Free morning where you can rest, charge your various devices, or explore the surroundings of the base camp.
• Photography postproduction lesson at the base camp. There will be a complete editing lesson of approximately 2 hours where all basic and advanced postproduction techniques, aimed at wildlife photography, will be demonstrated.
• Lunch and move to the hides.
• Photo session until sunset (approx. 9.30 p.m.), followed by a sunrise photo session (approx. until 9 a.m. on day 4).

Day 4

• Return from the hide session to base camp for breakfast.
• Free morning where you can rest, charge your various devices, or explore the surroundings of the base camp.
• The common room will always be available for those who wish to use these free hours to post-produce or archive their images.
• Projection of the shots and videos taken during the first 4 sessions. Professional photographers will be available to discuss the participants shots together.
• Lunch and move to the hides.
• Photo session until sunset (approx. 9.30 p.m.), followed by a sunrise photo session (approx. until 9 a.m. on day 5).

Day 5

• Return from the hide session to base camp for breakfast.
• Transfer to local airport (approx. 2.30h).
• Greetings before departure!