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

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

In fact, in this period of the year the sun sets only for a few hours, giving us the possibility to continue photographing for a very long time.

The sheds are extremely comfortable and inside we find space to stand up, lie down and comfortable chairs to shoot. After the photographic sessions we will return to the base camp where we will be able to rest, observe the photographs taken, recharge the 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 at the same time.

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 400mm or more will undoubtedly be indispensable for photographing the main subjects of this tour. Short lenses are also highly recommended, even wide-angle ones for close encounters.

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 in Finland – Base Camp

• 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 – Base Camp

• 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 – Base Camp

• 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 – Base Camp

• 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.
• 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 – Base Camp

• 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.
• 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 6).

Day 6 – Base Camp – Airport 

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