The king of the forest lures tourists to the safari bus in the middle of nowhere – few Finns understand how coveted the moose is
A Lapland safari company has made moose hunting a profitable business. Many tourists want to meet Europe’s largest land mammal, but only a few organize tours.
Five young Dutch men stare impassively out of the window of a moving minibus in the middle of the dark Tervola forest. The group has paid hundreds of euros for a late-night excursion to see the king of the Finnish forest, the moose.
But the moose lets himself wait. No one can know for sure where a wild forest animal is hiding right now. Still, the driver is sure that moose will be seen. Tourists have been given a guarantee.
The red minibus travels along Kätkävaara’s forest roads and kinttupaths. We didn’t set off until a little before nine in the evening, because the August dusk is the best time to see hornbills.
You don’t go into the forest on foot, but you move all the time in a car, the sound of which is neutral for elk.
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The tourism company Lapland Welcome has been organizing elk bonga safaris for 25 years and most of the locals still don’t know about the service. The safaris are aimed at tourists who want to see Europe’s largest land-dwelling mammal.
In Tervolala, the operation has been profitable: from May to September, tourists flock to the forests almost every day. During the summer, approximately 600 customers have time to visit.
