ARCTIC WOLF AND AURORAS - FACTS AND ITINERARY
Learning about photographing nordic wildlife, wolves, wolverines, and natural phenomena is always interesting. Also, skills and managing in the wilderness are included in this winter photographing tour.
A bit of luck is needed to see the magnificent Northern Lights and these timid wild animals. Sea eagles and golden eagles are living here, so it is quite sure possible that you see these big birds gliding silently above the untouched white snowfields.
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You travel with a local photography guide to different destinations by foot and by car. The guide is a local professional and knows the best spots for beautiful shooting in the area. Daily distances are about 1-5 km on some days. Few days will be spent in the gas-heated photography hides. You also have to carry your own photography equipment, your daily drinks, and other equipment in your rucksack.
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The guide takes care of meals, so you only have enough drinks and snacks in your backpack for the day trips.
​We talk a lot, for example about the light, photographers' position, equipment, and technical issues. We talk about the artistic perspective and your way of thinking about photography in general.
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One of the most important parts of the schedule is the showtime for you at the end of the week. In this part, you can introduce your best shots of the workshop with a projector on the big screen and tell your stories from your perspective.
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One of our unique skills is to make beautiful meals in nature. So, welcome and enjoy. Feel free to make contact us and tell us about your expectations and needs. We will make your wilderness holiday dreams come true!
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Place: Kuikka Base Camp in Kuhmo, Finland
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Availability: 1.1.–31.3.
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Dates: 15.–22.3., 22.–29.3., 29.3.–5.4.2025
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Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
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Number of participants: Min 4 persons, max 14 persons
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Price: 2990 €/person
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Price includes: Return transport from Oulu Airport to Kuhmo, activities due to the program, guidance, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), accommodation in twin rooms, sauna, and shower every day. (Optional accommodation for two nights in the gas-heated wildlife hide)
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The price doesn’t include flights.
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Equipment: Participants have their own boots, winter clothing, warm underwear, etc. according to the cold weather. Please ask for the whole list of equipment after booking.
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Equipment included in the price: Snowshoes, skis, sticks and skiing boots, sleeping bag and all other special equipment needed in the program.
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By additional cost: Winter clothing, mittens, headwear, boots 90 €/set/person/week. Supplement for an extra night at a hotel in Oulu. Aurora hunting by car, 35 €/person. Camera equipment.
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Supplement:
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Payment: Invoice, cash, credit card
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Tour level: Intermediate. Previous skiing and trekking experience is not required. Moderate physical condition is desirable.
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Languages: Finnish, English
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Insurance: We require participants to have their own insurance for skiing and other outdoor activities in Finland and in arctic weather conditions.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP
WORLD CLASS SHOTS
On this tour you have change to take the arctic wildlife shots of your life! Enjoy and have a good time!
TRUE WILDERNESS
True wilderness means a lot of space. You can enjoy clean air, unspoiled nature and clean water outside of cities without noise or light pollution.
INTERESTING WILDLIFE
Eastern Finland is one of the most richest wildlife areas in Europe. This is natural habitat for our four biggest predators and other interesting wildlife.
COSY ACCOMMODATION
Kuikka base camp is an old log cabin which has been renovated in few past years. You have all the amenities that you need in Kuikka Camp.
ITINERARY
1st day:
Arrive at Oulu Airport, where you meet your guide. Transport to Lentiira village, near Kuhmo Town. Transporting time with coffee breaks is approximately 4 hours.​
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Jump into the fascinating astrology and Northern Lights
Rob Johnstone is a Scottish-born professional astronomer and recognized astronomy educator worldwide. During the past years, Rob has educated and enthralled many international tourists, VIPs, schools, educational institutions, companies and corporations, and the general public in Namibia and South Africa.
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Flares of the sun are an amazing spectacle to observe and a great educational experience in understanding why the Northern Lights occur. This guided tour in Lentiira will take you on a fascinating journey from solar wind to Northern Lights and if conditions are right you could capture your photos with their guidance on how to use your camera to achieve this.​
Dinner, transport to Kalevala Hotel in Kuhmo. Accommodation in twin rooms.
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2nd day:
Breakfast in Kalevala hotel .​ Program briefing. To have a great and safe experience, we’ll have basic info about clothing, accommodation, and safety instructions for the week. Hiking trip in Kuhmo Town and lake ice near hotel.
Transport to Kuhmo town for a short shopping and then to Kuikka Base Camp by car. ​
Kuikka Base Camp is a cozy old log house, and the house works for us as a base camp for this unforgettable wildlife adventure for the rest of the week.
​Evening meal in the dining room and accommodation in tidy bunk bedrooms. Northern lights photography trip to the lake ice. Sauna, a fantastic dip to the ice hole, and hot tub on the shore of the ice-covered lake are available!
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3rd day:
Breakfast in the dining room, the introduction to the area. Campfire to the shore and ice fishing trip with snowshoes to the lake ice. The trip will take us to a remote wilderness lake which gives many small fish to silent and calm ice-fishers.
Enjoy the sound of silence. Winter activity photographing. A peaceful hiking trip with snowshoes after ice fishing takes us to the campfire. Landscape and wilderness photographing during the trip.
Picnic lunch by the open fire. Hiking back to Base Camp. After relaxing and hot drink, you will hear the unique stories of the famous nature photographer and author Lassi Rautiainen. Photo exhibition and the possibility to buy some books with pioneer and professional wildlife photographer Lassi Rautiainen's autograph. Aurora borealis photography in the evening.
Sauna, dinner, and accommodation in rooms at Base Camp. Optional hide night for the wolf & wolverine photography in the morning light is available for an additional fee. (Transport back to the cabin by car in the morning)
4th day:
After breakfast, we take wide backcountry skis and start the excursion to the Elimyssalo Nature Reserve area. Elimyssalo is the biggest, most remote, and most wildlife area in Wild Taiga. It is the home of the four biggest predators in Finland. We probably find the tracks of wolves, wild reindeers, elks, and wolverines and might see also the rare lynx tracks.
Skiing in the old forests and on frozen bogs is an amazing experience. Here you can feel the real wilderness and quiet nature. Lunch at the shelter, laavu, by an open fire. Transport back to Kuikka Base Camp. Northern Lights photography trip to the lake ice. Dinner and sauna.
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5th and 6th day:
Breakfast at the Base Camp. Making a picnic lunch and transport to the wildlife hide. Photographing and wildlife watching. Opportunities to see wild wolves, wolverines, and eagles. Sauna, dinner, accommodation. Optional night in the gas-heated wildlife photography hide in winter sleeping bag. If you stay the night in the hide, you can enjoy wildlife in the great morning lights!
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7th day: Processing and demonstration day
Breakfast. Showtime for your best shots of the week! At the end of the photography week, we collect all the wonderful memories, process them together on the computer, and make a presentation of the images. Lunch during the day. A warm sauna and shower are available. Celebration dinner. Accommodation in your room.
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8th day:
Departure day. Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
