Summer Cubs Special 2025

Hello everyone,

For over a decade now, each summer I return to what I believe is one of the finest locations on Earth for photographing brown bear cubs in their natural habitat: the incredible Martinselkonen Wilderness Centre in eastern Finland.

This remarkable destination, nestled right along the Finnish-Russian border, benefits from a unique geographical setting. Surrounded by a restricted border zone or “no man’s land”, Martinselkonen sees significantly higher bear traffic compared to other areas of Finland. It’s also one of the country’s longest established bear-viewing sites, with a long history of bears returning year after year. As each new generation learns this is a safe place, they too return. Having the privilege to visit annually, I’ve come to recognise a number of individuals, which makes it even more special when familiar bears return healthy and thriving, offering a rare glimpse into their usually secretive lives.

Why We Call It the ‘Summer Cubs Special’…

Martinselkonen is renowned for it’s high bear numbers, but it is particularly special for having reliable bear cub sightings. That’s why our annual ‘Summer Cubs Special’ tour, held every July, is timed perfectly for when the cubs are active but still small. It’s late enough that mothers have arrived with their young, but early enough that the bears haven’t retreated deep into the forest in search of berries. After years of refining our dates, we’re proud to say that every single tour has offered successful sightings of bear cubs in the wild.

Our base for this tour is a charming, family-run guesthouse nestled amidst the serene Finnish wilderness. The accommodation offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere with comfortable en-suite rooms and traditional Finnish hospitality.

Day 1: Arrival and First Impressions

This summer was no exception. After meeting my wonderful group at Heathrow, we travelled together to Finland, full of anticipation for the week ahead. Some guests were returning clients, while others were joining BearPhoto for the first time.

After a smooth journey, we arrived at our guesthouse late in the evening. Keen to stretch my legs after the travel, I headed out for a walk - the ideal time to also use my drone. With the sun just setting, I managed to capture a quick flight over the boreal forest - an awe-inspiring reminder of just how vast and untouched this landscape truly is.

From above, the guesthouse we call home during our tour looks small and serene, set against the vast, untamed wilderness stretching to the horizon.

Day 2: Exploring the Taiga and First Night in the Hide

We started the day with a group breakfast followed by a forest walk to an old mining mill tucked beside a beautiful stream. The ancient Taiga forest here was carpeted in berries, a vital food source for the bears. After lunch and kit prep, we readied ourselves for our first night in the hide.

Into the forest… On the first night, I like to take the group to the main forest hide - a favourite of mine for photographing cubs climbing trees. Before we even reached the hide, we spotted several adult bears moving through the trees. Within 30 minutes of setting up, we’d already encountered over a dozen individuals!

One of the highlights was seeing a mother bear with two tiny cubs, born in January or February.

Watching bear cubs tussle like this is a common sight in the forest, especially when their mother feels at ease - her calm confidence naturally reflected in the cubs too. Through play fighting, the cubs build strength, sharpen coordination, and learn the essential survival and social skills they’ll need as adults

Night 2: The following evening, we ventured to the swamp - an open environment perfect for extended light and misty scenes. Once again, the same mother and two cubs returned. Their cautious behaviour at first was fascinating, the mother clearly detecting a possible threat. We watched her “clap” her lips, signalling the cubs to stay close to the forest edge.

Later, under the golden light of sunset, the family returned, this time more relaxed, giving us beautiful photographic opportunities, even coming close enough that I had to switch from my 500mm lens to an iPhone! (Video clips below).

What makes this tour truly special is being close enough to bears who feel safe and comfortable to express their playful nature.

It was such a warm summer that even Grandpa Bear (nearly 30 years old) was busting a few moves, trying to shake off those pesky mosquitoes

Night 3: With the group split across hides, I returned solo to the swamp. It took longer for the bears to arrive on this evening - perhaps due to the very warm weather, but once again, the same family appeared. The cubs, clearly more confident, play fighting in front of me. They even chased off a much larger bear, much to my amusement and concern for their poor mother.

We also observed a second family: a mother with three exceptionally larger cubs - a rare sight, as most mothers would’ve separated from cubs by this stage. Their bond hinted at a strong maternal investment, likely boosting their survival chances. As dawn approached, the haunting calls of common cranes echoed across the swamp - an unforgettable soundtrack to a magical night.

The bond within this family was unmatched, with each cub sticking close together. It’s rare to see cubs this large still accompanied by their mother.

Image taken at the pond hide by Joan Bailie

Night 4: It was now my turn to visit the pond hides - a peaceful setting bustling with life. I enjoyed watching dragonflies zip across the surface while waiting for the bears to show. Finland boasts an impressive 62 species of dragonfly, making it a haven for insect photographers too.

Eventually, a lone female bear appeared. Luck wasn’t on my side this evening though, as later, mist began to dance over the water creating dream conditions for photographers alike. Sadly, no bears visited during the mist.

Night 5: For our final hide session, we visited the ‘evening hide’, which allows for an earlier finish and a proper nights sleep in a bed before the journey home. The mother with two cubs passed through quickly, seemingly spooked by a larger female arriving on the scene.

A sudden downpour revealed something amazing - one of the bears actually took shelter under a tree, peering out like a person waiting for the rain to stop. I’ve seen bears in all kinds of weather, but this encounter was pure comedy - the behaviour was just so relatable…

In such a human-like fashion, it was comical to watch a female bear dash to a large tree, using its branches as an umbrella during a heavy downpour. Every so often, she’d peek out from beneath her leafy shelter, checking if the shower had passed. Filmed on the iPhone.

In between bear sightings, we enjoyed views of a great grey shrike and the ever-vocal ravens. With nearly a dozen bears spotted that evening, we packed up around 21:30, ready for a good night’s sleep and journey home the following morning.

Browse the gallery below for a collection of images captured throughout the week, taken by both myself and my wonderful guests.

What an incredible week it was - a wonderful group of guests, countless magical encounters, and behaviours that left us in awe. Thank you to everyone who joined me this year!

If this trip report has sparked your interest in wildlife photography in Finland, especially of brown bear cubs in the wild, then I encourage you to check out our 2026 tour dates, now live on our website. This carefully crafted itinerary is designed to maximise bear sightings, offer a relaxed pace, and deliver unforgettable moments in nature, all with great company, hearty Finnish food, and charming accommodation. I’ve been working closely with the team at Martinselkonen for many years, building a strong and trusted partnership. Our tours include five nights in the hides, giving guests the chance to experience all the different environments this remarkable location has to offer. Thanks to our long-standing relationship, we can guarantee that everyone has their own two-person hide - no sharing with other guests, unlike many other providers who charge extra for this. We also work with reliable local transport companies to provide comfortable airport transfers, so all you need to do is arrive in Finland and everything will be taken care of from the moment you land.

I already can’t wait to return.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you on a future adventure.

Kyle