Finland

Day 1 – 25/5/26

Our tour begins in Helsinki where we will meet our local guide and pick up the vehicles. We will leave Helsinki behind and head northwest to the Lahti area, situated on the vast Finnish lake district. With the long daylight hours, we should arrive in time for some initial exploration.
Night at Manor Hotel Messilä.

Day 2 – 26/5/26

Finland is well known as one of the best places in Europe to find northern forest owls, and already our first site offers great chances to find breeding Ural Owl, magnificent Great Gray Owl and the delightful Eurasian Pygmy Owl. This is also a good area for Red-necked Grebe, Eurasian Woodcock, the nominate form of the Lesser Black-backed Gull, the impressive Black Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker and with a bit of luck, the rare White-backed Woodpecker. We will visit an area which is known for a large lek of Black Grouse. Other nice “eastern” birds we will search for include: Thrush Nightingale, Blyth’s Reed and River Warblers, Wood Lark and Crested Tit. The area is known for breeding Corncrakes and we have a good chance at seeing, not just hearing this notorious skulker.

Other more common species that we will most likely find include Great Crested Grebe, Mute and Whooper Swans, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, European Honey Buzzard, Ring-necked Pheasant, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Black-headed, Common and Herring Gulls, Common Tern, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Great Spotted and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Tree Pipit, White Wagtail, Eurasian Wren, Dunnock, Whinchat, Fieldfare, Redwing, Icterine Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Wood and Willow Warblers, Common Chiffchaff, European Pied Flycatcher, Blue and Great Tits, Eurasian Treecreeper, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch and Yellowhammer. Night at Manor Hotel Messilä.

Days 3-4 – 27-28/5/26

After some more birding in the Lahti area we will travel northwards to Oulu, situated near the head of the Gulf of Bothnia and close to some interesting wetland and forest habitats. Oulu is another good area for owls, particularly Tengmalm’s and Great Gray Owls, so we will have a second chance in this region if any of the key species proved troublesome further south. Here are some of the best coastal marshes in Finland and such species as Greylag Goose, Western
Marsh Harrier, Black-tailed Godwit, the extraordinary Ruff and Caspian Tern breed in the area, while non-breeding Common Cranes and White-tailed Eagles spend an easy summer amongst these rich feeding grounds and Rooks reach their northernmost limits in Eurasia. Ortolan Buntings breed here as well, while more widespread species include Eurasian Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Common Cuckoo, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Northern Wheatear, Blackbird,
Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Siskin and more.
Nights at Scandic Hotel Oulu Station.

Day 5 – 29/5/26

After some final birding in the Oulu area we will start heading northeast to
Kuusamo, at the southern edge of Finnish Lapland where we will stay for three nights. We should arrive in time for some initial exploration. Night at Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki.

Days 6-7 – 30-31/5/26

The Kuusamo region includes rugged uplands covered in vast coniferous and mixed forests, dotted with numerous lakes and bogs. Our main targets here are three much-wanted species: Siberian Tit (or Grey-headed Chickadee), Siberian Jay and the semi-nomadic Parrot Crossbill (a ‘Western Palearctic’ endemic) all of which we should find. The other specialties of the Kuusamo region include Black-throated Loon, Taiga Bean Goose, the handsome Smew, the huge Western Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Willow Ptarmigan, the unobtrusive Hazel Grouse,
Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Rustic and Little Bunting. At this time of year, we should find Red-flanked Bluetail and there is also a slim chance for Greenish Warbler, although this is a very late arriving breeding bird. Around Kuusamo we will search for the beautiful Northern Hawk-Owl although the chances for this species are higher further north. Other cool species here include the lovely Bohemian Waxwing, Brambling and Common Rosefinch. More widespread species include Western Osprey, Common Kestrel, Little Gull, Grey-headed Wagtail, European Robin, Common Redstart, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Northern Raven, Common Redpoll, Red Crossbill, Eurasian Bullfinch and more.
Nights at Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki.

Day 8 – 1/6/26

Today we will travel northwards across the classic ‘forest and bog’ country of northern Finland to the town of Ivalo, situated far to the north of the Arctic Circle, for a two nights stay. We shall stop for some birding en route, to break up the long journey, and one of the key species for the day is Eurasian Dotterel.
Night at Hotel Ivalo

Day 9 – 2/6/26

Today we drive even further north from Ivalo to the northern edge of the forest, where we first visit an interesting area of pools and bogs, which is enlivened by the sights and sounds of waders setting up their territories before the onset of the all too short Arctic summer. Likely species here include Whimbrel, Common Snipe, the beautiful Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Temminck’s Stint, Dunlin, Ruff (doing their whacky display) and Red-necked Phalarope. We should also find some Broad-billed Sandpipers here, and there is even a small chance for a displaying Jack Snipe. Other birds we often encounter here include Lapland Bunting, Bluethroat, Long-tailed Skua, Willow Grouse, Rough-legged Buzzard and Short-eared Owl. Next on the agenda is the obligatory visit to the Grosbeak Café in Kaamanen, where we should have brilliant views of several Pine Grosbeaks visiting some bird feeders while enjoying our lunch. Other species often sighted around the café include Siberian Tit, Siberian Jay, Brambling, Common Redpoll etc. After some more birding in the ‘forest-tundra’ zone we will return to Ivalo via scenic Lake Inari.
Night at Hotel Ivalo.

Day 10 – 3/6/26

Our last day. We will bird some more areas around Ivalo, searching for any species we may have missed. Our tour officially finishes around noon at the Ivalo airport, from where we will fly back to Helsinki.

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Tour price:

5 pax (sharing) – € 3730
6-7 pax (sharing) – € 3380
8 pax (sharing) – € 3180
9-10 pax (sharing) – € 2950

Single supplement: € 420

Price includes: 

Airport transfers
9 nights’ accommodation on HB basis
All meals from dinner on day one
All transportation and entrance fees
Guiding fees

Price excludes: 

International Flights to Helsinki
Internal flight from Ivalo to Helsinki
Alcoholic beverages
Travel insurance
Medical expenses and prescription drugs
Tips for guides