Ural Owl
Oulu, Finland
Explore Finland's birds, wildlife and landscapes independently by car
A self-drive tour is a budget-friendly way to combine the best birdwatching and wildlife watching in Finland. Finland is full of natural sights and experiences, and we help you to choose the best ones. Our self-drive tours offer you exceptional opportunities to get to see the most attractive birds of the north and biggest predators in Europe – at your own pace.
The basic self-drive tour includes birdwatching excursions in Oulu and Kuusamo and one night in a Brown Bear hide in Kuusamo. If you wish to make the most out of your stay, book an unforgettable night in our Eagle Owl hide and/or extend your stay by spending one night in another wildlife hide where you can see wild Wolves and Wolverines at close distance.
Oulu - Kuusamo self-drive tour, 6 days itinerary
Day 1
Arrival to Oulu and a relaxed walk along a nature trail through marshlands to seek Shorebirds, Marsh Harrier and Common Rosefinch.
Day 2
Guided birdwatching excursion (start at 3am) with Finnature in Oulu region for Owls and other birds. In the afternoon, visit to Liminka Bay Visitor Centre and other interesting sites in Liminka region. Target species Pallid Harrier, Ruff in breeding plumage, Common Crane, Whooper Swan and White-tailed Eagle.
Day 3
Drive to Kuusamo (3 hours). Along the way, interesting sites to visit are a nature trail through a mire to look for Taiga Bean Goose, Common Crane, Golden Plover and Golden Eagle. Alternatively, walk along a nature trail in Taiga forest with possibilities for Red-flanked Bluetail, Three-toed Woodpecker and Hazel Grouse.
Day 4
Guided birdwatching excursion (start at 3am) with Finnature in Kuusamo region for Grouse, Owls and eastern bird specialties such as Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Red-flanked Bluetail and Rustic Bunting.
Day 5
In the morning, visit to a nature trail through Taiga forest to look for Red-flanked Bluetail, Capercaillie and Hazel Grouse. In the evening, local guides will take you to the wildlife hide for Brown Bears in Kuusamo. Birds possible from the hide include White-tailed Eagle, Black Kite and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Overnight in the hide.
Day 6
Departure from Oulu / Kuusamo.
Price: 750 €/person
Would you like to see some more?
To make the most out of your stay, spend an unforgettable night in our Eagle Owl hide in Oulu as a pre-tour or extend your tour to another wildlife site in Kuhmo where you have great chances of seeing Wolf and Wolverine during one night. Driving distance from Kuusamo to Kuhmo is 4 hours.
Prices:
Eagle Owl hide 200 – 300 € / person*
Wolf and Wolverine hide 215 – 290 € / person*
*depending on the group size.
Book you wildlife adventure at our web shop:
Self-drive tour on 15th – 20th May 2023
What does a self-drive tour include?
Self-drive tour includes guided birdwatching excursions in Oulu and Kuusamo and one night in a Brown Bear watching hide in Kuusamo. In addition, we provide you with additional information with suggested birding and landscape sites along the route. We will provide hotel and car rental recommendations as well – these are not included in the price.
If you want to explore Finland’s birds, wildlife and landscapes on your own, self-drive tour is a perfect solution for you!
See what it’s really about
Check more photos of the birds you might see during Finnature’s birdwatching excursions from our Flickr gallery:
Birdwatching early summer in Finland
See more photos of different Brown Bear sites and Wolverine sites also from our Flickr!
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Discover the tour of your dreams - Finnature's famous bird & wildlife tours await
Birdwatching Excursions in Finland
Finland is a dream destination for a birder - enjoy the iconic northern birds with Finnature
Wildlife Watching
Experience the best wildlife watching of Europe with Finnature - Wolverines, Brown Bears and much more
Self-drive tours
Easy way to combine birdwatching and wildlife watching in Finland - explore Finland independently by car
Private Bird & Wildlife Tours
Finnature team is happy to arrange private and tailored bird and wildlife tours in Finland
For tour operators
Finnature provides all land arrangements for tour operators - take advantage of our knowledge on bird and wildlife sites