Wolves, Moose and Beavers 4 days

Day 1: Welcome day

Meet your guide at Stockholm Arlanda airport for the two hour transfer to Skinnskatteberg. If you travel by car you can drive directly to the guesthouse and meet us there.

You're greeted by the stunning setting of Färna Manor. Experience the contrast between the mansions parlors and the nature of Bergslagen. Enjoy the food grown and produced by our local farmers and our own gardens!

Night at Färna Manor

Day 2: Moose watching and forest hike

Go for a morning walk if you like and enjoy a late breakfast in the cozy open dining.

Our first outing together is a delightful walk through an old-growth forest. We learn about the inhabitants of our taiga ecosystem and acquaint ourselves with the nature around us. We may not see wildlife, but your guide will show many interesting signs of them. Moose, beavers, wolves and lynx - they are all here, and we are humble visitors in their home.

In the evening you meet up with your guide again. This time in search for moose! The surrounding forest is fantastic for moose watching. We go for a walk and your guide shares the skills of tracking as we look for hoof prints, fresh droppings and bite marks. No wonder being a guest in their home grounds feels so natural, so true - this is how us humans interacted with the wild since the very beginning.

We are out for about five hours, both hiking and driving, and although most moose are seen while driving we always do our best to get out of the van to get a good view. Moose are large and majestic animals, and very beautiful. Admiring them, relaxed in their native habitat, is an aweinspiring experience!

We light up a campfire after an hour or so and enjoy an evening meal together in a beautiful spot overlooking a small forest lake. We return to the manor late at night

Night at Färna Manor

Day 3: Beaver watching and canoe trip

Last night's adventure ended late, so you can take your time in the morning. After a leisurely breakfast you meet up with your guide for a canoeing excursion on the lake. 

Our Canadian style canoes are stable and safe, and paddling is an ideal way to explore this lake and its islands. Keep an eye out for Black-throated diver, Osprey, Common tern, Grey heron and Common crane. We usually start out canoeing together and after a while you can take off on your own if you like.

It's been a relaxing morning on the water and we will serve an outdoor meal for lunch by the lake. 

Enjoy some rest this afternoon or go for a hike in the surroundings. During July, August or September the forest floor is literally covered in berries and mushrooms of all kinds. Pick as many as you like! Hop in the lake for a wild swim, and be sure to enjoy the wood-fired sauna at some point during your stay.

This evening we travel to a secret lake nearby for a beaver safari. It's an enchanting night silently cruising across the pristine lake and river as the sun is setting. We use small boats with quiet electric motors to spot beaver lodges and beavers up close without disturbing. We may see them when it's still light out, on the shore or swimming close to our boat. As darkness falls we use headlamps to watch these busy little animals on the shoreline.

It's a tranquil and very fascinating excursion. Beavers are amazing creatures that contribute greatly to biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. Your guide will share knowledge, not just of the beavers, but of all wildlife we encounter along the way. We may see moose, roe deer, red fox, badger, wild boar, mink, bats, and birds like Kingfisher, Grey heron, Black throated diver, Common crane and Tawny owl. 

We stay out for about five hours and share our evening meal on a pretty island in the lake before continuing down the river. We keep going into the night and return to the manor late at night.

Night at Färna Manor

Day 4: Wolf howling tour with night in tent

We have a thrilling adventure ahead! Enjoy breakfast and lunch at the manor and explore the surroundings on your own. 

Before we head out into the wolf territory we sit down to learn more about wolves. What is a wolf territory? Why do wolves howl? Who's the leader of the pack? And how many wolves does it take to take down a moose?

We head out to a nearby forest where a family of wolves keep their territory. The exact location is kept a secret and it is very important that you don't share this information with anyone. We will explain why. 

Depending on the current situation with the wolves we may search for paw prints, droppings, killed prey and other tracks to give us clues that wolves are around. We also meet up with one of Sweden’s foremost wolf experts who will talk about his work with wolves and other large carnivores. It's very interesting and gives you a lot of insight into the wolf's behavior as well as management issues and conservation efforts.

We all help out setting up our tented camp, light a camp fire and enjoy an evening meal together. As darkness descends upon us, we move closer to the wolves to increase our chances of hearing them howl. We walk up to an hour in rough terrain, often in the dark, in silence. Our aim is to reach a strategic location where we can settle down and spend a few hours to listen.

This can be both a meditative and thrilling experience. Imagine sitting on a hill in a dark forest surrounded by trees, watching the night sky above. All the while knowing a family of wolves is nearby. We wait, listen and hope to hear them howl.

We always stay at a respectful distance as we don't want to disturb the wolves. Our guides are very experienced and know how to handle any situation that may occur. Hearing wolves howl is one of the most exciting experiences you can have in nature! Although we cannot guarantee that this will happen, we do actually hear wolves howl on most of our tours

After midnight we return to our camp and sleep well in our tents. 

Day 5: Return transfer to Stockholm

During some tours we choose to get up early for a short morning excursion, it depends a little on what we experienced during the night and the current wolf situation. 

We pack up our tented camp and head back to civilisation for a well-deserved brunch at the manor before we conclude the tour. Hopefully it's been five truly fascinating days together with your guide and fellow nature lovers, and it will surely be a little sad to say your goodbyes. So many wonderful memories though!

You have the chance to have a shower before it's time to leave. At around mid day we take you to a train station for a bus or train to Arlanda airport or Stockholm.

As you may be tired after a night in the forest we highly recommend staying an extra night at Färna Manor, for a chance to relax and sleep well before you leave. 

Note that if you decide to stay an extra night at Färna, we will not be able to bring you back to Stockholm. But you can easily book your own train from Skinnskatteberg at www.sj.se. The taxi from Färna to Skinnskatteberg station will be on our behalf.