About Us
The place where Wild Brown Bear locates is called Bear Centre. All following services you can reach with Wild Brown Bear.
The Wild Brown Bear company is a centre specialising in bear and wolverine photography and observation. Our main priority is offer bear and wolverine phtography and watching services in wild nature in Vartius, Finland for people around the globe.
The company is located in the heart of a wilderness area in Vartius in region of Kuhmo, and it has been arranging bear and wolverine photography and observation opportunities in the wild since 1999.
The company is located less than two kilometres from the Finnish-Russian border. Across the border on the Russian side lies the large nature conservation area of Kostamus and the wild nature in this region sustains a healthy bear population providing fantastic wildlife photography. Since January 2016, the hide area is a private nature conservation area where all kind of hunting is prohibited giving bears and wolverines a calm and safe place.
Our guests consist of professional photographers and filmmakers, as well as half-professional and amateur photographers and filmmakers who want to experience the wild nature and capture the best Bear and Wolverine images. Or people who just want to see bear and wolverine in wild.
In future we will continue our work for the best images. We will answer the need of our guest with our services and our proficient personnel.
Accommodation and services
Sleeping is possible in the hides, but when photographing, it is not recommendable to sleep since bears may come at any time. Accommodation reservation allows sleeping during the day after spending the night inside the hide. Especially in summer it is best to stay awake in the hide and sleep by day.
In addition of sleeping, by day it’s possible to walk outdoors and surrounding area to observe views and perhaps make use of Bird hide.
Arriving
When people arrive and have check in, they receive their room and often go to the hide same afternoon. Arriving time to Vartius should be before 3 or 4 pm, depending the month, to make it possible going to hide same afternoon.
Sometimes the flights from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to Kajaani Airport have time that makes it not possible going to hide same day. These flights arrive to Kajaani late afternoon or evening when it is possible to have one accommodation night before going to hide. Sometimes it might be also better to have a day to rest before going to hide.
When you arrive to Wild Brown Bear, go for check-in to the Reception. You´ll find Reception in the building which is closer the lake, you can see the Reception building in the image alongside.
When you arrive other time, if possible, let company know the arrival time, so we know to wait you. Other time you can have a cup of coffee or tea while you wait or take a look around. Personnel will arrive.
Reception
Reception is open every day:
1st April – 30th April
8.30 – 10.00 am and 14.00 – 16.00 pm
1st May – 31st July
7.30 – 9.00 am and 15.00 – 17.00 pm
1st August – 31st August
8.00 – 9.30 am and 14.30 – 16.30 pm
1st September – 30th September
8.30 – 10.00 am and 14.00 – 16.00 pm
Restaurant for 50 people
In restaurant you can enjoy the dinner before going to hide and in the morning after exciting night you can join to the breakfast. Let us know in advance if you want to have separate dinner or breakfast, so we know to prepare correct amount of food.
Restaurant is open every day from April 1st to 30th September. In February, March and October restaurant is open when service is needed.
Shop
In Bear Centre you´ll find also a small shop to buy snacks, drinks and some small things you may need during your stay.
If you notice you need to buy something, just ask personnel and we try to get it for you.
Smoke sauna
In Bear Centre we have smoke sauna what is possible to use. Notice that warming smoke sauna takes many hours, 6-9 hours.
