How it works
Sunset Seal Safari
Enjoy the sunset and unique lake nature in Linnansaari National Park with a professional nature guide! From June to September the best time of the day to find seals is during sunset.
3 hours
Easy
Description
Sunset Seal Safari in Linnansaari National Park
On this seal safari you will enter deep into the national park, to the home waters of osprey, beavers and the endangered Saimaa ringed seal. You will be guided by one of our wilderness guides specialized in lake nature. Our safaris are made with open boats to give the participants the best possibility to spot animals and enjoy the sunset on the lake. We will also enjoy coffee/tea and a sweet snack during the safari. Duration 3 hours.
All our seal safaris are done in small groups. The departure time of the safari depends on the time of sunset, please check the times from the booking calendar.
Starting place
Oravi village
Lat minute bookings or don't find availability in the booking calender?
Call our office and ask for the next available departure tel +358442747078
Itinerary
Oravi village lies literally in the heart of Saimaa, the largest lake district in Europe. The idyllic village Oravi is located in between the National Parks Linnansaari and
Kolovesi. Via road we are located 42 km from Savonlinna.
Oravi village has been a center for seal watching and research for decades due to the perfect location in the middle of the best seal waters. Oravi is the base camp for seal researchers in summer as well as winter time. Oravi is situated on the shore of lake Haukivesi and Linnansaari National Park, that inhabits ca 80 Saimaa Ringed Seals. On our seal watching trips we guarantee great nature experiences without disturbing the animals.
Itinerary
Linnansaari National Park is home to the Saimaa ringed seal and has some of the most beautiful lakeland scenery in the area. The waters of the park are dotted with lush green islands and rocky islets and is an ideal place for spotting the seals. Linnansaari National Park inhabits ca 80 Saimaa Ringed Seals. At the moment the seal population in Saimaa is ca 450 individuals (year 2023). The largest seals have been found in Linnansaari National park, Viljo (male) 124 kg and Ritva (female) 97 kg.
Linnansaari is located at the Lake Lands, between Savonlinna and Varkaus. Oravi is the main entrance point to the national park.
Itinerary
During the safari we will enjoy coffee/tea with sweet snack.
Included
Tour includes a guide, life jackets, rain gear if needed, binoculars, coffee/tea with sweet snack.
We travel with open boats in small groups.
Excluded
Safari doesn't include a pick up. We have a safari bus from Savonlinna city 17 e/person, timetable:
Oravi - Savonlinna at 9.00 and 19.00
Savonlinna - Oravi at 10.00 and 20.00
Please note
SEAL SEASON: May is the main seal season. In May the seals are molting on the rocks throughout the day. Seals molt from the time the ice has melted for 1 month, this is usually from the beginning of May until the first week of June. In May the chance of seeing seal is 99%. After the molting season (when the seals shed their winter fur) the best time to see the seals is at sunset. At sunset it can be possible to see the seals resting on the rocks but most often we see the seals in the water. On the sunset seal safaris, the chance of seeing seal is circa 50-60%. The departure times for the sunset safaris can be seen in the booking calendar.
SUSTAINABLE: Our trips are seal friendly and we do not disturb the animals.
BOAT: On our lake safaris we travel with safe and fast but quiet aluminum boats (open boats).We also have a catamaran with bow visor for easy access. The catamaran is easy to board also for those with limited mobility.
GUIDES: All our guides have years of experience with the seal excursions, and they know the best places for spotting the seals. All guides are licensed for boat safaris.
WEATHER: We very seldom cancel trips due to the weather. We have the right to cancel the trip or change the timetable in case the wind is very hard or there is a long-lasting heavy rain or thunderstorm. In general, we do not cancel trips due to rain showers or unstable weather conditions.
Dress according to the weather! You can borrow an overall or rain gear from the reception in Oravi (included in the price of the trip)
Essentials to pack for an activity
CLOTHES: Good outdoor gear suitable for the weather. In May we still have cold days and the water is cold. Please take warm clothes, long sleeve outdoor wear, cloves and a beanie hat. You can also borrow overalls, hats, cloves and boots from us (included in the price). We also lend you rainwear if needed.
CAMERA: Take camera if you want to take pictures of the seals. Please notice that we'll take pictures in a distance. If the weather is rainy you can borrow a dry bag for the camera.
Meeting points
Possible starting points for this experience:SaimaaHoliday Oravi
Kiramontie 27
Oravi
Sunset Seal Safari
3 hours
Easy
Next:
Sat 08.Jun'24
place
Savonlinna (Nyslott)
starting at
