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Great holiday! Thank you so much.
J.S. Norfolk
Finland - Easter on the Arctic Circle
Tour Code: FIN01A long weekend in search of owls and other wintering and spring-time specialities of Finland.
5 days
from
£2,995 (Inc flights)
£2,995 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£2,595
£2,595
Highlights
Summary
As the lengthening days of spring breathe new life into the Arctic tundra, we visit northern Finland to enjoy the spectacular birdwatching provided by the avian residents celebrating the approach of summer. Various species of owl will already be defining their breeding territories, as will woodpeckers in the endless tracts of forest where we expect to see a thrilling diversity during this short, but memorable holiday. The itinerary also embraces Oulanka National Park at the very edge of the Arctic Circle, where Reindeer roam the wild landscape and northern birds such as Pine Grosbeak, Waxwing and Arctic Redpoll may enhance the daily bird list.
- Arctic tundra & taiga landscapes
- Excellent opportunities for seeing owls
- Reindeer & other Arctic mammals
- Comfortable Finnish accommodation
- Guided by our expert local ornithologist
Grading
Easy day walks only.
Often referred to as the ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’, Finland is one of Europe’s most wild and unspoilt countries. This tour will take you far north of Britain, up to the westernmost part of the vast Siberian taiga forests and only a short distance south of the Arctic Circle itself. In mid-April, the Arctic wilderness starts to awake after a very long and harsh winter; now the days are getting longer, the weather slightly warmer, and the birds and mammals are beginning to prepare for the short and hectic breeding season ahead. This is a very rewarding and spectacular time to visit Finland. All the resident species such as owls, woodpeckers, grouse, crossbills and both Siberian Jay and Siberian Tit are present and active, and the earliest of the spring migrants will be making their way north. The weather is usually clear and fine, the sun shines and there is ample time for birdwatching. In the evening, as dusk starts to fall, the mixed and coniferous forests play host to displaying owls and after dark there is even the chance of catching sight of the spectacular Aurora Borealis or ‘Northern Lights’, the natural light phenomenon which is at its best during the dark winter and early spring nights! Finland is the seventh largest country in Europe, yet is home to only five million people. A staggering 70% of the land area is carpeted in forest and 10% of that remaining is covered by lakes and ponds. This tour focuses on central Finland’s vast and unspoilt taiga forests and is unusual in the fact that it departs relatively early in the year. For, whilst at this season some of the breeding birds are unlikely to be seen, this shortfall is more than compensated for by those ‘special birds’ that are present, and by the breathtaking snow-covered landscape, a spectacle that later tours miss!
Our holiday begins with a flight from London to Helsinki and then on to Oulu, a town on the north-east shore of the Gulf of Bothnia. The town is surrounded by extensive boreal forests in which live many of the high Arctic bird species most sought after by British birdwatchers, in particular the owls. The Great Grey Owl must surely be the highlight of any trip to northern Finland, but alongside this magnificent species live Ural and Eagle Owls, plus Tengmalm’s and Pygmy Owls, their more diminutive cousins. Hawk Owls are occasionally found sitting atop tall conifers, whilst Snowy Owls visit the more open coastal areas from time to time. Along with the owls, the forests hold Black and Three-toed Woodpeckers, Crested Tit, Parrot Crossbill, Waxwing, Capercaillie and the elusive Hazel Grouse. On the coast, migrating wildfowl will be tracking their way north, and in the sheltered bays and estuaries Whooper Swans and Goosander will be starting to gather alongside fields holding flocks of Snow Buntings. A sudden flurry of wings may indicate a passing raptor which, for the very fortunate, may turn out to be a Gyrfalcon, a truly magnificent falcon and one that often winters along the Finnish coast.
From Oulu we will head north-east through a snow-covered landscape of forests and frozen lakes to Kuusamo, a small town close to the Russian border. Kuusamo is approximately four hours from Oulu and is surrounded by some of Finland’s finest wilderness scenery. Here, amongst the old growth taiga forests, bogs and lakes, we will look for such sought-after species as Siberian Jay and Siberian Tit, Two-barred and Parrot Crossbills, Pine Grosbeak and of course more owls!
Kuusamo lies amongst a vast expanse of taiga forest containing a wonderfully diverse range of habitats that includes deep river valleys, magnificent waterfalls, bogs and meadows, together encompassing an area of hundreds of square kilometres. Spring will have just touched this pristine wilderness and although much of the land will be covered in snow, the birds should be actively setting up territory. Whilst in Kuusamo we will look for such species as Waxwing, Capercaillie, Golden Eagle, Common, Parrot and Two-barred Crossbills, Pine Grosbeak, Arctic Redpoll, Black-bellied Dipper and, once again, possibly a few more owls. Reindeer are a fairly common sight and, with luck, some of the other mammals that frequent the area such as Elk (Moose), Arctic Hare and Red Squirrel may be seen.
From Oulanka we will have to transfer by road back to Oulu to catch our return flight to Helsinki and from there our connecting flight home.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Oulu
Day 2
Oulu
Day 3/4
Kuusamo
Day 5
Fly London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation: Comfortable tourist hotels with private facilities.
- Food:
All included in the price.
Reviews
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would also like to thank Naturetrek for the opportunity to observe some magnificent birds in magnificent scenery. The local guides were absolutely excellent!
A.L. Shropshire -
Excellent trip. Very well led by Jari and Hari.
Mr D. Norfolk. -
Our guides deserve special praise. As a keen birder I found their knowledge and enthusiasm for birds outstanding.
D.N. Merseyside -
Trip leader - couldn't have been better.
M.P. Powys -
Hari and Jan were exceptional.
C.M. Gloucestershire -
The two leaders were excellent, very knowledgeable, very hard working and had obviously done some excellent preparation.
N.M. North Yorkshire -
This was a really good trip. The group all fitted together well and Tom is a superb leader.
R.H. Leicestershire -
I cannot recommend the local leaders too highly for their competence, organisation, ornithological skills and amiability.
A.M.
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 18th Apr – Tue 22nd Apr
3
£2,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,595
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£225
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Among our programme is a significant range of short breaks, designed specially for those wishing to enjoy some of Europe’s top natural history highlights at the best time of year. All of these holidays have the bonus of being short-haul and supported by like-minded wildlife enthusiasts.
Naturetrek Short Break Wildlife Tours
Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme both within the UK and abroad. Most of our short breaks are within Europe, for convenience of travel.
For some of our mini-breaks there is an option to travel by plane or train, and we offer a choice of duration and type of break, from a weekend’s birdwatching in the Somerset Levels to a 6-day whale watching tour in the Azores.
A selection of our UK short breaks:
- A winter bird watching break in Norfolk
- An autumn holiday to enjoy the Red Deer rut in Ardnamurchan, Scotland
- A wildlife weekend in the New Forest
A selection of our overseas short breaks:
- In Spain we look for the world’s rarest cat, the Iberian Lynx
- Wolves on the plains in rural northern Spain
- An exploration of La Brenne’s exceptionally rich butterfly-life in northern France
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer two superb short breaks to the lovely island of Madeira in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds. It’s hard to beat our Just Brown Bears trip for families, while if you fancy something off the beaten track, try Estonia in Early Spring for some excellent spring birdwatching."
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Arctic Wildlife Holidays – Specialist Tours and Cruises in the Arctic
The Arctic is special. Bathed in a surfeit of light and pale blue skies during summer, then plunged into constant darkness during the winter, the seasonal contrasts in scenery, light and wildlife at the poles compared with the rest of the planet are stark. Still visited only by the lucky few, the Arctic has for centuries held an irresistible magnetism for explorers.
For the wildlife enthusiast and the adventurous-spirited, the Arctic has a bewitching appeal and well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s top wildlife destinations. Naturetrek Arctic expeditions are special in that we usually charter an entire ship (30 to 80 berth), and operate our Arctic holidays as dedicated wildlife cruises, focusing solely on the region’s wildlife and visiting the very best wildlife sites. All our Arctic holidays are also accompanied by expert naturalist guides.
Here are some of the reasons why Naturetrek’s Arctic holidays are so successful:
- Our cruises focus solely on the Arctic’s spectacular wildlife.
- We only charter small ships ranging in size from 30 - 80 berths.
- All operate at the best times of year for wildlife.
- Flexible itineraries to ensure the best wildlife sightings.
- We use a team of hand-picked & experienced expedition staff.
- Led by naturalist guides with expert knowledge of the Arctic region.
- We offer a wide range of tours both above and below the arctic circle.
- Cruises include daily zodiac excursions, accompanied by naturalist guides.
- Daily briefings & recaps held.
Wildlife seen on a Naturetrek Arctic holiday:
- Look for Polar Bears, Walrus, Arctic Fox & seals in Spitsbergen
- See the Northern Lights, spectacular fjords & snowy mountains
- Glaciers, icebergs, pack-ice, taiga forests and Arctic tundra Experience 24-hour daylight
- Humpback, Fin & Sperm Whales
- Little Auks, Grey Phalaropes, Ivory Gull & Long-tailed Skua in Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land
- Steller’s & King Eiders plus Gyr Falcon in Iceland
- Bears, Wolves & owls in sub-arctic Finland, Sweden & Norway
- Colourful tundra flora
Our specialist recommends...
"The Arctic is like nowhere else on the planet – and once you’ve been, you will be hooked (I was!). Spitsbergen is the ultimate Arctic destination and one of the best places to look for Polar Bears. Our 11-day Spitsbergen Wildlife Cruise offers a spectacular supporting cast of Walrus, dramatic scenery and huge seabird colonies. If you’re looking for a short break, or a taste of the Arctic, try one of our Bear-watching or owl-focused holidays in Finland or Sweden.”
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
