Over the past year I’ve been on a mission to photograph and experience wildlife closer to home. Having been a confirmed Africaphile for over 15 years I still have the urge to photograph big game but perhaps without the long haul flight.

After a bit of searching, I stumbled on what might just be the solution to satisfying my big game craving. Just a two and a half hour flight from London and a whole world of photographic opportunity awaits.

Known as the land of a thousand lakes, with vast tracts of forestry and only a very small population you could be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into the mythical lands of Narnia.

In Eastern Finland, close to the Russian border, lies a no-mans land that requires a permit to enter. It is here, in this restricted borderland that I find myself in the capable hands of Wild Finland Safaris and it’s owner Lassi Rautiainen, the somewhat reluctant pioneer of wildlife photographic tourism in the region.

Lassi, a successful and renowned photographer himself, began photographing the bears and wolves here back in 1978. He established his own techniques and photo hides that allowed him to document the lives of europe’s last remaining predators in a way not seen before.

As word of his success spread, photographers started to turn up unannounced to learn from him and photograph with him. From these tentative beginnings, Wild Finland Safaris has grown in to a destination attracting photographers from around the world. Offering some of the best opportunities to photograph truly wild bears, wolves and wolverine, and for us brits all a relatively painless hop, skip and a jump from London.

I wouldn’t lie, having done the majority of my wildlife photography in the heat and dust of Africa, this proved to be a completely different, although not unrewarding discipline.

The onus is on sitting and waiting for long periods of time in the hides for the animals to come to you. Well that’s the hope but as with all wild animals there are of course no guarantees.

We didn’t have any nights entirely with no shows, but a few of the animals definitely decided to keep us waiting before making an appearance. The wolverine did a lovely display climbing up a tree, mere meters from our hide, but in almost complete darkness so you’ll have to take my word for it as the only images captured were those stored in my own memory banks.

One young adult bear, who we affectionately referred to as Strip-dot, due to a rather distinctive marking, had far less reserve and kept us entertained and our shutters clicking on most evenings. At least until one of the big boys turned up and then he’d beat a hasty retreat.

In the hours of waiting ample distraction was provided by some equally impressive feathered delights. Ravens, White-tailed and Golden eagles stole the show, providing their own photographic opportunities. Visiting in September the time of ‘Ruska” the landscape was a veritable delight awash with vivid colour and misty mornings and for many the chance to tick off a bucket list item, viewing the Northern Lights.

The trip was a host of firsts for me and even on our last morning the area still had secrets to reveal. Having come back to the base camp the night before to photograph the northern lights, we were up early to capture the sunrise over the lake. The weather had finally turned in our favour, the night had been crystal clear and a light frost gave a crunch to our step. Out on the lake a fine mist curled over the water in the gathering dawn. Suddenly at the top of the peninsula a disturbance in the water and a visible wake. Grabbing my binoculars revealed a magical moment, also up before the sun, a beaver was swimming across the the surface. Another first. Although the sighting was brief, due to its unexpected nature and the breath-taking backdrop of the rising sun on a frosty morning, it was exceptionally special and provided the perfect end to this exceptional adventure.

If you would like to join us on a photography tour to Finland click here for our latest trip dates and information.