Get Ready for a Wild Encounter: Brown Bear Watching in Central Sweden
MAX GROUP SIZE
UP TP 6 PERSONS
MEETING LOCATION
Kungsberg, SWEDEN
DURATION
1-2 NIGHTs
KID FRIENDLY?
Yes, if you rent the hide for yourselves
ACCOMMODATION
You stay in a brown bear watching hide
WHEN
May - September
DIFFICULTY
EASY. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED. You just sit in a hide but must be able to walk 300 m to and from the hide.
✨ HIGHLIGHTS ✨
Great chances of seeing brown bears up close
Although there are no guarantees in the wild, most guests get to see Brown bears at this place. Many people are afraid of bears. Our aim is to give our guests a better understanding and greater respect for bears. From this hide you can really study the bears and get a unique insight into their lives.
The lookout cabin
Spend a night in a hide-out in a mossy wild pine forest where Brown Bears roam free. It's an incredibly special feeling to observe and photograph wildlife in complete silence, safely hidden away. You can see them, they probably don't even know you're there. The hide has comfy chairs, beds and bathroom.
Excellent photo opportunities
The hide has views in three directions and slots for your camera. In the evening, the forest comes alive, and bears and other wildlife may show up at any time. Often they come as close as just a few meters, and many other wild animals may pass by. Wolves, foxes, badgers, squirrels and a large variety of birds.
Good chance to see many other wild animals too
We have seen wolves, wolverines, red foxes, badgers, squirrels and a large variety of birds.
Bear cubs show up too
Sometimes we are lucky to see female bears with cubs in front of the hide.
“Brown Bears are just amazing! We love them. We care for them. We want to protect them. This is how we contribute.”
Now open for booking for Summer 2024
Our booking procedure is simple. Just click the button “Date & Prices”, choose a date and fill in the booking form. If everything is okay we will send you a confirmation by email within 24 hours. You pay the full amount when your booking have been confirmed. For cancellations up until 30 days before arrival you will receive a 80% refund of your total sum paid. You can also choose to add an extra Cancellation Protection which will give you more flexibility.
🛡Full financial protection: Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
The plan
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Arrive in Kungsberg in the afternoon and meet up with your guide Sara for a welcome coffee and sandwich. She is a nature enthusiast and an experienced wildlife photographer. Sara is happy to show photos of her bear encounters in the surrounding forests. She will also tell you about bears, wolves, owls and other wild animals that you have a chance to see. After some practical details of how to act and behave in the cabin to increase your chances of seeing bears, it's time to head to the hide-out!
Sara brings you along in her car for a short ride into the wild forest where the Brown Bears roam. A gentle fifteen minute walk along a forest trail takes you to the wooden cabin on a small hill. The cabin is built for bear viewing, and this is where you will spend the night. Sara will make sure you're settled in nicely, and then leave you in the hide for a peaceful yet exciting evening, night and morning of observing wildlife up close.
As dusk falls you make yourself ready with your camera in one of the camera slots. It's a very meditative and serene experience to simply wait in silence, peering out from the windows facing three directions for any sign of wildlife. Sometimes you see a bear after just an hour of waiting, but other times you may have to wait all night and just get a glimpse of something that may have been a bear. On most of the evenings however, bears will appear while there is still enough light to see and photograph them.
Remember that the bears are wild and shy so you need to be quiet not to scare them away. Although bears do show up most of the nights, there is no guarantee. These are wild animals.
You're in the middle of a wild beautiful pine forest. Soft green moss covers the ground and large boulders left from the last ice age are dotted across the surrounding landscape. Many wild animals live here and you are also likely to spot foxes toptoe past, badgers and squirrels, if lucky even wolves! The diversity of birds is amazing. You will probably be accompanied by Great spotted woodpeckers, Grey-headed woodpeckers and Jays while looking out for the bears. Buzzards and Goshawks often visit too. Black woodpecker, Siberian Jay, Great tit, Blue tit, Nuthatch, Tree creeper, Chaffinch, Brambling, Robin and Willow tit are also frequent.
During the dark of the night you may want to get some sleep in one of the beds.
Note that animals sometimes show up when it is too dark for photography or even in complete darkness. If you come during June, July or first half of August, the hours of daylight are longer. Around midsummer the sun stays up almost until midnight, and rises again just a couple of hours later.
Dinner is not included in this experience. We recommend ordering from us in advance, or you can bring a packed evening meal and drink.
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Wake up and spend the early morning hours quietly observing any movements in the forest glade. It's lovely watching the forest come alive again, and hopefully more bears will visit.
As the morning turns into day, Sara will return and bring you back to her house where breakfast awaits. If you are tired after a long night with little sleep you are welcome to take a nap in one of the guest bedrooms in her house.
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Many of our guests say they wish that they would have stayed longer at this fantastic place. Well, now you can! 😀
We highly recommend that you extend your stay wby adding one more night in our other photo hide. This hide is purpose built to attract badger, fox, squirrels and other wildlife that often show up just a couple of meters from your camera.
How to book? Just add “Night wildlife photography” during the booking process.
The bear hide
The new bear hide
You stay in the photo cabin all night. You cannot leave until the guide picks you up in the morning. This cabin is purpose built for brown bear photography with functional details to enhance your experience. We've chosen this area for several reasons, including the abundance of wildlife and stunning natural scenery.
This is what it looks like inside
Prepare for hours of waiting in silence, but it is super exciting!
The cabin is 17 square meters and accommodates up to 6 people. It features 10 photo openings, including 4 at different levels for maximum comfort. Two openings are situated at a low level for bird and squirrel photography, while 4 others are located on the sides of the hide. We provide adjustable chairs and a range of camera equipment options, such as gimbals, bean bags, and swing tripods. Please note that flash photography is not permitted.
Safety is our top priority, and you can feel secure in the hide. The bears are shy and easily startled by loud noises, so we ask that you keep noise levels to a minimum.
Beds and bathroom
The hide is equipped with 2 beds measuring 140x200 cm, which can accommodate 2 people each. Additional mattresses are available for larger groups. There are also blankets, warm ponchos, pillows, and warm slippers of various sizes. The floor is insulated, and there are rugs on top for added comfort.
A toilet is provided in a separate room inside the cabin. If you need some rest after the long night in the hide you are welcome to rest in one of the beds at Sara's house.
I will be your host
Sara Wennerqvist
Hi there, I am a wildlife photographer and bear lover! I take you to see bears from my photo hide in the forest.
LOCATION & HOW TO GET here
We meet at Sara’s home in Kungsberg.
Address: Kungsbergsvägen 60, Järbo >> Link to Google Maps
Travel by train: You can take a train to Sandviken (2 hours from Stockholm) and then book a taxi (approximately 850 SEK per car one way) by contacting www.taxi107000.com, phone: +46-26-274000, email: info@taxi107000.com. Purchase your train tickets online at www.sj.se.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
One night in brown bear watching cabin. You will be guided to and from the hide but spend the night in the hide on your own, shared with max 4 participants.
Coffee/tea and sandwich at arrival
Bright binoculars
Breakfast
Add one more night of excitement!
Many of our guests say they wish they could stay longer. Well, now you can! Choose to stay one more night in a different hide perfect for night photography. This extra night gives you more opportunities to see and photograph wildlife. What is special about this hide is that it has a water pond just in front and the space in front of the hide is lit up all night, giving you a unique chance to take photos of animals active during the dark hours. It can accommodate 1-2 people with beds, camera slots, and a toilet. When you book this extra night, you will have access to a guest room at the lodge during daytime and you will have a lunch with us. You can arrange these two nights in any order you like. Just click the booking button to see available days.
The water station
The water station is a small photo hide with a small water pond just in front of the camera slots. This pond attracts all kind of animals. It is contracted for two people, with beds and toilet.
Excellent photo opportunities for Bager, red fox and much more
We often see Eurasian badger, Red fox, Pine marten, owls and many species of birds, and all come just 4-5 meters from your viewing hide.
Red squirrel in the morning
We have had several Red squirrels visiting this hide, and they often show up in the evenings and mornings.
Frequently asked questions
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Between 2016 and 2020 more than 90% of our guests got to see bears. During 2022 and 2023 just 75% of our guests got to see bears, a decrease mainly because of intensified bear hunting. Our season is covering the best time of the year for bear watching. Normally bears also visit the hide one month before and one month after the actual season.
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Our guests often get to see a variety go wildlife.
Most of the time: Common jay, Chaffinch, Great spotted woodpecker, Red squirrel
Often: Badger, Fox, Willow tit, Bullfinch, Blue tit, Great tit
Sometimes: Black woodpecker, Grey-headed woodpecker, Crossbill, Treecreeper, Brambling, Buzzards, Goshawks, Sparrow hawk, Raven, Great tit, Crow, Magpie, Robin
Rarely: Golden eagle, White tailed eagle, Wolf, Pine marten, Wolverine
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Not at all. Bears in Sweden are very shy and there is no risk of being attacked by a bear during this activity. You are sitting inside a hide and wild bears are outside. We have never had any incidents at all.
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You must be able to walk on a trail for 5 minutes on a trail through the forest. Walking level is easy. Note that you have to be quiet during the whole stay in the cabin, from early evening until the next morning. No talking, just whispering.
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• Wear waterproof clothing and boots for the walk to/from the hide.
• If you have personal binoculars that you prefer.
• Your own packed evening meal, snacks and drinks.
• Do not bring rustling packaging. Repack such things in boxes.
• We provide blankets and pillows in the hide
• Avoid strong perfumes / detergents or other strong scents
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You can come on most days during 10 May until 10 September.
Pre-season Bear watching 21 April - 9 May: As the ground may be snow covered during this time of year and it might not be possible to drive on the road, we may have to walk 2 km through the forest to get to the hide. Therefore you must be in good physical conditions and we don’t allow children under 15 years. We also meet up one hour earlier during this period.
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The best light conditions is May, June, July and first half of August.
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Yes, but please be aware that phone reception is very limited in the hide. If you are traveling with children, we recommend downloading movies and games before your stay, as the reception is only reliable for phone calls and texts.
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You are welcome to bring your children, if you book the entire hide for yourselves. Kids love it! Recommended minimum age is 5 years but you are welcome to bring children of any age.
