Finland Wildlife Photo Tour, August 5-11th 2026
FLIGHT
Please plan to arrive a day early.
Arrival: Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) on 4 August 2026 (tour starts on the 5th).
Departure: Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) on 11 August 2026, no earlier than 1pm.
Please book your hotel in Rovaniemi on 4 August. Recommend Scandic City Rovaniemi or any other hotel close by. Scandic City Rovaniemi will be our meeting point in Day 1 (5 August 2026).
HOTEL
We will be staying Hotel Kalevala, breakfast and access to evening sauna and indoor/outdoor Jacuzzi’s are included. Hotel Kalevala is located in the middle of the forest by a lake and nature begins right on the doorstep. At the hotel, you can experience the invigorating and calming power of nature far away from traffic jams and mass tourism. This hotel is cozy, private and warm-hearted. They have recently renovated all rooms to meet the needs of the guests. You can enjoy local cuisine such as fish, berries, mushrooms and much more. Its location is right at the origins of the mythical stories of the Kalevala. The city of Kuhmo played an important role in the creation of the Finnish national epic Kalevala.
ITINERARY
A typical day would be:
08:00AM: breakfast (included in hotel)
09:00AM: go to hides
02:00PM: lunch (pack food)
03:00PM: back to hides
07:00-8:00PM: back to hotel
PHOTO EQUIPMENT
- Camera: DSLR or mirrorless.
- Lenses: we recommend lenses in the range from 100-600mm. It is more practical to have a telephoto zoom, like 100-400mm with 1.4x teleconverter, 200-600mm or 400-800mm. If you want to bring telephoto prime lens, like 500mm or 600mm, I suggest to have 2 camera bodies, one on telephoto zoom and one with telephoto prime. You may also want to bring a standard zoom like 24-70mm or 24-105mm. The wildlife usually appears anywhere between 5 to 100 meters (16 to 328 feet).
- Tripod: in the hides there is no need for tripods. We only need to bring ball heads to attach in the hides.
- Microfiber cloth, blower, and lens brush
- Memory-cards and camera batteries. Make sure to bring chargers.
- (Optional) laptop and external hard drive for backups.
WEATHER
In August, average daily high temperatures in August range from 58°F to 67°F (14°C to 19°C). Temperatures rarely exceed 76°F (24°C) or fall below 50°F (10°C). Nighttime is cool, with average lows around 8-10°C (46-50°F). It is recommended to be prepared for alternating sunshine and rain showers.
WHAT TO BRING
- Casual and comfortable clothes and shoes.
- Rain coat.
- Bug spray or bug repellent.
- Travel adapter: the power plugs and sockets in Finland are of type C and F (we use types A and B in US). The standard voltage is 230 V (US: 120 V) and the standard frequency is 50 Hz (US: 60 Hz). Example: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Worldwide-Universal-Adaptor-Charging/dp/B01DJ140LQ/
- You may need a voltage converter for non-dual-voltage devices, as Brazil uses 230V, while the USA is 120V; check your device labels to see if they are dual voltage (look for “100-240V”). Most laptops, camera chargers, and phone chargers can handle without a voltage converter. Example: https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Universal-100-220V-Converter-Worldwide/dp/B07R2JMHQR/?th=1
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Full trip cancellation insurance, along with accident, medical and baggage insurance, is highly recommended. Before you leave home, ensure your policy reflects your actual dates of travel, covering you from the date you leave home until the date you return. Update your travel insurance coverage to include extra hotel nights, non-refundable flights, etc., if applicable. Confirm that your policy covers medical evacuation from Finland.
CONTACT
Please add my phone number to your contact list: +16092168607. Afterward, kindly send me a message in the WhatsApp with your name and the date of your workshop. I will then add you to the WhatsApp group chat where all the communications will be shared during the workshop. Rest assured, my cellphone will always be switched on during my stay in Finland, and this is the same number through which you can reach me.