Bear watching in Finland: A magical experience in Kuusamo

Bear watching in Finland had been a long-held dream of mine, and in July, I finally got to make it come true. In the Finnish taiga, I wanted to experience brown bears in their natural habitat and find out just how close you can get to these impressive animals. In this blog post, I share my experiences, tips, and impressions from the bear-watching tours.

Kuusamo in northeastern Finland

Endless forests, countless sparkling lakes, and an incredible sense of tranquillity – Finland captivated me from the very first moment. Already on my first trip a few years ago, I knew I wanted to return. And this time, I had a very special goal in mind: bear watching in Finland. The opportunity to observe brown bears in their natural habitat had been a long-held dream of mine, one that eventually led me to the forests around Kuusamo.

Kuusamo is a small town in northeastern Finland, with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants, making it one of the country’s quieter and more laid-back places. The region is best known for the nearby winter sports resort of Ruka, one of Finland’s most popular ski destinations and a venue for international winter sports events.

But the region has plenty to offer beyond the winter months, too. Once the snow melts, Ruka reveals a completely different side of itself. Numerous hiking trails wind through the Finnish countryside, offering beautiful views of the vast forests and countless lakes that dot the region. The unspoilt nature surrounding Kuusamo also makes it a special starting point for bear watching in Finland.

Rather than staying in Kuusamo or Ruka itself, I opted for a wilderness lodge surrounded by nature. Its location was ideal, as the starting point for my bear-watching adventure in Finland was just a short distance away. Looking back, I couldn’t have made a better choice. I was able to enjoy the tranquillity of the Finnish countryside while still being just a short journey away from the bears in the evening.

The lodge was also situated right next to a beautiful lake – a peaceful spot where I could unwind after my adventures and soak up the unique atmosphere of Finland’s natural surroundings.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that having your own car is highly recommended when exploring the region. Without one, it can be much more difficult to reach the various starting points around Kuusamo.

In theory, you could walk from the wilderness lodge to the starting point for the bear-watching experience. However, I didn’t see anyone making the journey on foot. You should allow around 30 minutes or more to walk there from the lodge. The accommodation can usually arrange an airport shuttle for your arrival and departure, but I was glad to have a car of my own.

When exploring the region around Kuusamo, you might be lucky enough to spot some fascinating wildlife even outside of a planned bear-watching experience. Reindeer are a familiar sight here and can often be seen wandering around the area – sometimes appearing unexpectedly alongside or even on the roads. When that happens, it’s important to slow down and give the animals plenty of space.

Locals often describe the reindeer as semi-wild, as they roam freely through the landscape but are not quite the same as fully wild animals. I also had the chance to encounter these fascinating creatures near my accommodation. One morning, I spotted a reindeer right by the lake and was able to enjoy this peaceful moment surrounded by Finnish nature.

I spotted this reindeer right at Kuusamo Airport – a very special welcome to the Finnish wilderness.

The region around Kuusamo offers the perfect setting for unforgettable wildlife experiences. However, my trip had one very specific goal: bear watching in Finland. But before sharing my experience, let me first introduce the star of the show – the brown bear.

The brown bear

Brown bears belong to the class of mammals and the order of carnivores. They are part of the bear family (Ursidae), which comprises a total of eight species. In addition to the brown bear, this family includes the American black bear, the Asiatic black bear, the polar bear, the sloth bear, the sun bear, the spectacled bear, and the giant panda.

In German, the bear family is also referred to as “Großbären” or “Echte Bären”, meaning “great bears” or “true bears” (Photo above: brown bear; bottom left: giant panda at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna; bottom right: spectacled bear at Schönbrunn Zoo).

As their name suggests, small bears (Procyonidae) are small to medium-sized mammals. Like the great bears, they belong to the order of carnivores. The family Procyonidae currently comprises a total of 14 species. Among its best-known members are the raccoon and the coati (Photo left: raccoon in Berlin; photo right: South American coati in Brazil).

The red panda, also known as the lesser panda, belongs to neither the great bears nor the small bears, but to the family Ailuridae. This family currently includes just two living species. Red pandas were once classified as members of the small bear family (Procyonidae) (Photo: red panda at Berlin Tierpark).

Nevertheless, there are several subspecies of brown bear. Some of the best-known include the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos), the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), and the Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). Numerous other subspecies have also been described in scientific literature. However, as scientists still disagree on which subspecies should officially be recognised, I won’t go into further detail on this topic here.

From this point onwards, whenever I refer to “bears”, I mean the brown bears that live in eastern Finland.

Brown bears have a stocky, powerful build. Their heads are large and broad, with a prominent snout. Their ears are relatively small, rounded, and positioned on the sides of their heads. Their eyes are also comparatively small.

Their eyesight is relatively poor. However, brown bears have good hearing and, above all, an exceptional sense of smell, which is their most important sense when it comes to finding food and navigating their surroundings.

Brown bears generally have dark brown fur. However, their coat colour can vary considerably, ranging from yellowish and greyish-brown shades to almost black.

Brown bears also have large, powerful feet. When walking, they place the entire sole of each foot on the ground. Like all bears, they are classified as plantigrade animals. Both their front and hind feet have five toes each.

As you can see in the photo, brown bears have only a short, stubby tail.

Brown bears in Finland can reach a body length of up to 250 cm. Their weight varies considerably depending on the time of year. Males can weigh up to 300 kg, while females can reach up to 170 kg. The bears shown in the photo illustrate this difference between the sexes: the male is on the left and the female on the right.

Bear watching in Finland

What should you do if you encounter a brown bear while out walking? Admittedly, this question crossed my mind time and again during my daytime hikes. The answer is simple: never run away. Instead, stay calm. Some experts even recommend speaking to the bear in a quiet voice to let it know you are not a threat. Playing dead is only recommended in certain situations, such as when a brown bear actually attacks.

Fortunately, encountering a brown bear while hiking in Finland is relatively unlikely. Brown bears are shy animals that tend to avoid contact with humans. They are also most active at dusk and at night rather than in the middle of the day.

Thankfully, I was spared an unexpected encounter during my hikes. In the evening, however, my excitement about finally seeing brown bears was all the greater. After all, that was exactly why I had travelled to Kuusamo: to go bear watching in Finland.

It would still be a little while before I finally caught sight of my first brown bear. For now, patience was key.

I was supposed to arrive at the meeting point at 6 pm. When I got there, several other participants were already waiting. I was surprised by how many people had gathered. Apparently, quite a few of us wanted to go bear watching in Finland that evening. I wondered whether we would all be accommodated in the same observation hide.

The answer was no. The group was divided between several observation hides.

On my first evening, I ended up in the largest hide, together with around ten other bear enthusiasts. At first, I was worried that there might be too many of us. Surely, the bears would stay away if people kept talking or moving around? But my concerns turned out to be unfounded. Everyone behaved remarkably quietly. You could have heard a pin drop.

If you want to go bear watching in Finland, there is one thing you need above all else: patience. So we waited. Minute after minute passed. We scanned our surroundings, watched the landscape – and kept waiting.

At first, not a single bear appeared.

Instead, I watched the white-tailed eagles, along with the numerous gulls and corvids gathering in front of the observation hide. Although I was hoping to see brown bears, there was already plenty to discover in the Finnish wilderness.

Finland is estimated to be home to around 2,000 to 3,000 brown bears. However, the exact population size is unknown, and estimates vary depending on the source.

Kuusamo is an excellent place to go bear watching in Finland. Bears mainly inhabit the vast coniferous forests of the taiga, which provide them with plenty of food, shelter, and places to retreat. As solitary animals, brown bears need large territories with minimal human disturbance – conditions they can find in Finland’s remote forest regions.

Then, quite suddenly, the first brown bear appeared.

It was a male – an old and truly impressive animal.

Our guide whispered to us that this brown bear was probably experiencing his last summer. He was already very old and had lost much of his muscle mass. Depending on their living conditions, brown bears can live for around 20 to 30 years in the wild.

As I watched him, I noticed how slowly he moved. Even reaching the salmon that had been attached to a tree seemed to be a struggle for him.

Yes, salmon! To increase the chances of spotting bears in Finland, the guides place salmon around the pond and in the surrounding area near the observation hides. However, there is still no guarantee that you will see any brown bears. Even when food is provided, these are wild animals that come and go entirely on their own terms.

In fact, we had to wait several hours. Despite the salmon nearby, it was entirely up to the bears whether they decided to show up or not.

Brown bears primarily feed on berries during the summer. However, they are omnivores and adapt their diet to whatever food is available at different times of the year. In autumn, they also eat nuts and tree fruits such as acorns and beechnuts. During this time, they need to build up sufficient fat reserves to get them through the winter. In the colder months, brown bears enter a state of winter dormancy.

In spring, their diet includes roots, grasses, insects, and carrion.

Kuusamo lies right on the border with Russia, but this border means nothing to the bears. They roam freely between the two countries and also venture into Finland in search of food. This includes salmon, which provides a welcome additional food source for many brown bears.

The old bear moved at a slow pace. He searched for salmon in several spots, clearly familiar with the routine. With practised ease, he moved from one place to the next, seemingly knowing exactly where his search might pay off.

Eventually, he even ventured into the water. He continued searching for salmon there and actually struck lucky: he found one.

Even so, he didn’t seem entirely at ease. Every now and then, he would pause and look around attentively, as if keeping a close eye on his surroundings.

Eventually, however, he decided to retreat into the forest. Something seemed to have unsettled him.

Brown bears do compete with one another for food and resources. Older or weaker animals, in particular, tend to avoid confrontations with younger, stronger males. Perhaps the old bear had sensed something – a sound, a movement, or possibly even another bear nearby. We can only speculate.

We waited again.

I hoped he would reappear, and sure enough, after a while, the old bear emerged from the forest once more. This time, however, he seemed noticeably more restless.

He searched for salmon again but didn’t stay for long. He kept looking around cautiously, seemingly alert to his surroundings. At one point, he sat down briefly, presumably to rest. Eventually, he decided to disappear back into the forest once again.

I had been hoping to see more bears. Apparently, there was also a mother bear with two cubs in the area, which could supposedly be spotted around midnight. However, female bears with cubs are particularly cautious and tend to avoid adult males. The reason is that infanticide can occur among bears: males sometimes kill cubs that are not their own, causing the female to become receptive to mating again sooner.

Then, quite suddenly, another bear appeared. This time, it was a female – but she had no cubs with her.

The moment I spotted the female bear, I immediately thought: yes, females really are noticeably smaller than males.

She had her eye on the salmon, but soon realised that another bear had already beaten her to the river.

It’s precisely these kinds of behaviours that make bear watching in Finland so fascinating. With a little patience, you not only get to observe these animals up close but also gain fascinating insights into their behaviour.

Unlike the older bear, however, she seemed to have no trouble climbing onto a tree trunk to reach the salmon.

By the way, if you ever encounter a bear, you should never try to climb a tree to escape. As I witnessed firsthand while bear watching in Finland, brown bears are excellent climbers, so a tree won’t provide a safe refuge.

The female bear also kept looking around attentively. Although it wasn’t mating season and she had no cubs with her, she seemed constantly aware of her surroundings. She carefully monitored every movement before continuing towards the river.

The mating season for brown bears runs from May to July. During this time, females mate with several males. However, after fertilisation, the embryo does not immediately begin to develop. Instead, the fertilised egg remains free-floating in the uterus for up to five months. It only implants at the beginning of winter dormancy, when the actual gestation period begins.

The cubs are then born in January or February while the mother is in her winter den. They are born blind, hairless, and weighing only a few hundred grams. In spring, they leave the den together with their mother and usually stay by her side for around two years.

Female bears typically give birth to one or two cubs, although litters of three or even four are possible. They usually reproduce only once every two to four years.

Unfortunately, the female bear and her cubs never appeared. She was probably being cautious and avoiding the presence of other bears.

Brown bears are generally solitary animals. Males and females come together during the mating season, while mothers naturally stay with their cubs. Once the mother leaves her young, the siblings usually remain together for a few more months before setting off to establish their own territories. After that, they roam the wilderness alone, just like adult bears.

On my first day bear watching in Finland, I was lucky enough to see two brown bears: a male and a female. However, the other bear watchers and I had to wait around three hours before the first bear appeared. So, if you want to go bear watching, you’ll need plenty of patience.

The second day was much the same, with a similar wait before the first bear finally showed up. This time, it was a younger, powerful-looking male.

A strong male like this one wouldn’t really have needed the salmon, unlike the old bear I had seen the day before. Nevertheless, he couldn’t resist this additional food source either.

As mentioned above, in late summer and autumn, they consume particularly large amounts of food to build up fat reserves for the winter.

Nevertheless, this bear continued searching for salmon in the pond. It was fascinating to watch how purposefully the bears tracked down the fish – a truly special moment during bear-watching in Finland. After finally finding a salmon, he too retreated into the forest. Perhaps an even stronger male was nearby?

I took part in bear-watching in Finland tours on three days in total. On the third day, however, I decided to spend the night in one of the observation hides, as brown bears are primarily active at dusk and during the night.

My observation session started at 5 pm that day, an hour earlier than on the previous days. The first hide was located a little further away from the large pond. I was completely alone there, which allowed me to observe the bears from an even closer distance.

On my third day, I didn’t have to wait long. To be honest, I had been a little disappointed that the bears were so difficult to observe. They had been far away and usually disappeared back into the forest quite quickly. But this day was about to change my impressions completely.

At around 6:20 pm, the first bear appeared. It was a female.

I was absolutely thrilled. I was sitting alone in the observation hide, feeling cold and wondering whether a bear would appear at all. And that is what makes bear watching in Finland so special: you can’t force a sighting. Instead, you have to embrace nature and let things unfold on their own.

At the same time, I had to remind myself that this uncertainty is simply part of observing animals in their natural habitat. Patience and a certain tolerance for frustration are essential.

The female bear carefully scanned her surroundings, searching for salmon.

She was the first bear to appear that day, and of course, she found the salmon. She, too, seemed to know the pond well and knew exactly where to look.

After catching her first salmon, however, she disappeared back into the forest. Just a few minutes later, she returned to grab another one.

After returning, she stayed for longer this time, carefully searching her surroundings for more food. She eventually spotted a hole and began digging into it. I couldn’t help wondering what she had found in there.

Eventually, the female bear made her way towards the water. I was filled with excitement, as this meant I could observe her from even closer. Wow – my photographer’s heart skipped a beat when she positioned herself perfectly, allowing her reflection to appear in the still water. In a quiet whisper, I thanked her for this special moment.

She then stopped by the water and gazed down at the surface, almost as if she were admiring her own reflection.

Of course, she wasn’t interested in her reflection at all, but only in the salmon – and eventually, she found one. With the fish in her mouth, she disappeared back into the forest.

These were truly wonderful sightings. I was incredibly happy to have been able to observe the female bear so closely from this more secluded hide, enjoying that special moment all by myself.

I really hoped she would return once more. And sure enough, she did.

Perhaps she didn’t notice me in the hide. Or maybe the other observation hides were simply too busy. I can’t say for sure. Perhaps I was just lucky enough to observe her from such a close distance.

One thing is certain: she came back.

And sure enough, it wasn’t long before she found another salmon. It almost seemed as though she was tracking down every available fish and making off with it, leaving little behind for any bears that might arrive later.

I hadn’t checked the time, but surely more than half an hour had passed since she first appeared. It was an unusually long and intense sighting – exactly the kind of moment that makes bear watching in Finland so special.

After that, she left the water but stayed nearby. It seemed as though she was continuing to search the area around the pond.

She returned to the hole she had been digging in earlier. Every now and then, she lifted her snout into the air. Was she still trying to pick up the scent of a salmon?

Apparently so, because just moments later, she had another piece of salmon in her mouth. Her keen sense of smell hadn’t let her down after all.

Of course, the female bear returned once again. It turned out to be an exceptionally long sighting, quite unlike anything I had experienced on the previous days. And all this while it was still so early – it wasn’t even 8 pm yet. On the previous days, we had usually spotted the first bear after 8 pm, or even closer to 9 pm.

Then, suddenly, something unexpected happened: the female bear rose up and stood on her hind legs.

I watched, completely mesmerised by this moment.

Perhaps she was trying to get a better view of her surroundings or pick up a scent carried on the breeze. Had she sensed another bear, or was she simply continuing her search for salmon?

After a few moments, she dropped back onto all fours and looked around.

Then she stood up on her hind legs again. Her posture almost looked as though she were trying to signal “stop” to another bear.

But there wasn’t another bear in sight. Or was I simply unable to spot one?

Once again, I felt compelled to thank the female bear in a quiet whisper for these wonderful sightings. She couldn’t hear me – or perhaps she could? – but I said it anyway.

All in all, she must have been visible in front of the observation hide for almost an hour. Eventually, however, she decided to move on. I wonder whether she passed the other observation hides on her way and managed to find another salmon or two along the way.

Bear watching in Finland is a truly special experience. If you want to see brown bears in the wild, the best time to visit is during the spring, summer, or autumn months. In winter, the animals retreat to their dens for winter dormancy – a strategy that helps them conserve energy and survive the cold season.

However, brown bears do not sleep as deeply as true hibernators. They can still respond to their surroundings and seek out sheltered spots such as caves, rocky crevices, or dense spruce forests.

I visited Finland in July and had some incredible bear-watching experiences on my third day. After the female bear had moved on, another bear appeared at around 8 pm. Judging by its size, I could tell it was a male.

This male appeared in front of the observation hide at around 8 pm. He, too, carefully scanned his surroundings. Time and again, he lifted his snout into the air, moving his head from side to side and back again. He was clearly checking his surroundings with his highly developed sense of smell.

He then stepped into the water.

Did he find any salmon there? Not really. He didn’t catch anything, probably because the female had already found most of the available salmon earlier.

He didn’t stay in front of the observation hide for long, perhaps around ten minutes in total. He did a little more digging in the hole where the female had searched earlier, but there didn’t seem to be anything left to find there either.

Shortly before I was due to be picked up, the female bear reappeared at around 9:50 pm. She made her way to the pond once more but disappeared back into the forest again a short while later.

What particularly struck me was how quietly and unobtrusively the bears approached the observation hides. Time and again, it was a surprise when a bear suddenly emerged from the bushes, almost silently and completely unexpectedly.

At around 10 pm, I was finally picked up and taken to another observation hide. This was where the largest hide was located, while I was accommodated in a smaller one right next to it. There were two or three other people in the larger hide, while I had the smaller one entirely to myself. For me, this was the perfect setup for bear watching in Finland.

As it was already late and brown bears are most active at dusk and during the night, it didn’t take long for the first bear to appear.

The next few hours of bear watching in Finland would prove to be just as extraordinary as my time in the previous observation hide. At around 10:20 pm, the first male bear appeared. What immediately caught my attention was an injury on his back.

This distinctive mark helped me recognise him later, as he would return to the hide several more times throughout the night.

This male bear really did spend a long time in front of my observation hide. He searched for salmon, ate, stepped into the water, and repeated the same routine over and over again.

By now, it had grown dark, making photography increasingly difficult. Nevertheless, the bear stayed in and around the pond for quite some time, giving me an unforgettable opportunity to observe him.

That day, the sun set at around 11 pm. However, it never became completely dark.

Whenever I took a break from watching the bears, I found myself admiring the “night” in northern Finland. Interestingly, the sun rose again just after 3 am the following morning.

Nevertheless, the male bear moved on at around 11:45 pm. But it wasn’t long before the next bear appeared, followed by another just ten minutes later. This one was smaller and didn’t stay for long before quickly disappearing again. I heard the larger bear growl, and I couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for the smaller one.

Just a few minutes later, another bear appeared. Could it have been the male with the injury on his back? He came from the same direction, but I don’t think it was the same bear. He seemed smaller, kept his distance, and eventually moved on as well.

The larger bear, meanwhile, remained undisturbed. He swam calmly through the pond, repeatedly lifting his snout into the air as if scanning his surroundings with his keen sense of smell. And then, just like that, he suddenly had a salmon in his mouth.

One particularly special moment was when the male bear came within just a few metres of my small observation hide. Was I afraid? No. I felt safe and protected.

To be honest, I felt more apprehensive when hiking during the day. What if a bear suddenly emerged from the bushes? But these thoughts don’t really do these animals justice. In general, bears are far more afraid of us humans than we are of them.

At some point, I started to feel tired. I hadn’t really intended to sleep – I was far too curious to see what might happen next. I was also feeling cold, so I decided to lie down on the mattress for just ten minutes. However, those ten minutes turned into a much longer nap.

At around 2:20 am, I heard a bear swimming in the pond outside. I was wide awake again in an instant. I didn’t want to miss this moment. I watched him for a while before lying down again.

Before I knew it, it was already 4 am. I hadn’t planned on sleeping so much, but apparently, my tiredness had got the better of me. Nevertheless, I resumed my observations at 4 am. By then, I was moving around a little more inside the hide – not just because of the excitement, but also because I was feeling even colder.

Finally, at around 6 am, the bear with the injury on his back appeared once again.

I was delighted to see the bear again. At the same time, I couldn’t help wondering what had happened to the mother bear and her cubs. Had she stayed away from the pond because of the many other bears that had appeared that night? Or had she actually been there, and I had simply slept through those few precious minutes? I hadn’t slept much, but I couldn’t rule it out entirely.

Nevertheless, I was thrilled to have this encounter, too. That’s what makes bear watching in Finland so special: you never know which bear will appear next.

This male bear didn’t stay in front of the observation hides for quite as long in the early morning. He remained for about fifteen minutes. At times, he was in the water, still managing to find the occasional tasty morsel, while at other moments, he came right up close to the observation hide.

I couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that the bear was at least somewhat aware of my presence. Perhaps he had noticed me but didn’t feel disturbed by it.

In any case, I was delighted to have one last opportunity to observe him up close before my experience came to an end. It’s moments like these that make bear watching in Finland an unforgettable experience. Before disappearing into the forest, he treated himself to a quick mud bath.

I finally left the observation hide at around 8 am.

Practical tips

How to get there

Before travelling to Kuusamo, I spent a few days in Oulu. As Oulu has a larger airport, the city is a convenient starting point for continuing your journey.

I travelled from Oulu to Kuusamo by bus. The journey took around three hours and cost me €31.90. I had purchased my bus ticket in advance through the Mathkahuolto website. I didn’t see a ticket counter at the bus station, although I suspect it may also be possible to buy tickets directly from the driver. However, cashless payments are widespread in Finland and are generally the preferred payment method.

At Kuusamo Airport, I rented a car for four days. If you need to get there from the bus station in the town centre, taking a taxi is a good option. The rental car, including comprehensive insurance, cost me a total of €393.98. Having comprehensive insurance was important to me, as I wasn’t planning to drive exclusively on paved roads.

I returned the rental car to Kuusamo Airport shortly before leaving the region. I also caught my return flight from there. By the way, there are significantly more flight connections in winter, as this is the peak season in the region.

Accommodation

I spent three nights at Isokenkäisten Klubi. For me, this was the best decision, as the accommodation is only a few minutes away from the starting point for the bear-watching tours. It took me just around ten minutes to get there by car.

The accommodation is situated right next to a beautiful lake and offers wonderful peace and quiet. Despite being surrounded by nature, Wi-Fi is available, and the cosy interior left nothing to be desired.

During the day, I used my time to explore the surrounding area. However, a rental car is essential for this, as there is virtually no public transport in the region. Depending on the route, it takes around an hour to drive to Kuusamo.

I paid a total of €303.00 for three nights, including breakfast.

Bear watching in Finland: hide

I went bear watching with Bear Kuusamo. An evening tour cost €130, while the overnight tour was €190. Bear Kuusamo has been offering bear-watching in Finland experiences from various observation hides for many years. This allows visitors to spread out across several hides and observe the bears from different perspectives. For me, it was the perfect way to experience bear watching in Finland.

More information

Have you ever been bear watching in Finland or encountered bears in the wild somewhere else? Feel free to share your experiences with us in the comments!