Seal-watching trips to the National Park on a wooden boat, daily from May to August.
Our trained Seal Guide knows the best seal-watching spots!
A Seal Safari to Linnansaari National Park, to the home waters of the seals, is an unforgettable experience. Our seal guide will take you to the labyrinthine archipelago of Linnansaari, to the best seal-watching spots. During the excursion, we’ll explore the rocky shores for resting seals and other inhabitants of the national park, such as ospreys, waterfowl, and sometimes even beavers. At the end of the morning excursion, we’ll enjoy Savo-style espressos with something savory at the Safari House, and for the evening excursion, snacks are provided for the trip.
To see seals most reliably on the trips, they are scheduled according to the seal’s daily rhythm. In early summer, seals bask on the rocks from early morning to dry their fur, while in late summer, seals are most reliably seen at sunset.
Welcome aboard with the Seal Guide to the most magnificent and seal-dense waters of Saimaa!
Duarion n. 2,5 hours. The trip is suitable for all.
Daily departures:
15th May – 14th Jul, daily at 10 am.
15th July -31st Aug, daily at 6 pm
Price: 87€/ adult, 43,50€/ children
Get your ticket from online shop or by maing the reservation at the Safari House. You can also purchase ticket to Seal Watch Trip without accommodation.
*The trip may be cancelled or re-scheduled due to heavy weather conditions (thunder storm, average wind speed ≥ 14m/s).
Watch vlog from the Trip
Seal friendly trips – now and always
The Saimaa Ringed Seal is one of the most endangered seal species. This cute seal was trapped in Saimaa region after the last ice age and Saimaa is the only area in the world where you can spot the Saimaa ringed seal. We at Järvisydän are fully committed to respect the habitat of Saimaa ringed seal and we always take the Seals into considerations when planning and arranging the trips.
We are fully committed to arrange the trips in a way that does not interfere seals in any way.
-We spread awareness and understanding of the Saimaa ringed seals.
-We observe the seals from proper distance.
-We do not publish any geolocations information of the seals.
-During winter, we choose routes that does not interfere the nesting of the seals.
10 Interesting facts about Saimaa Ringed Seal
- The Saimaa Ringed Seal is believed to be as intelligent as a dog.
- The seal uses its claws to dig a breathing hole in the lake ice.
- The Saimaa Ringed Seal can remain submerged for over 20 minutes. Typically, a dive lasts less than ten minutes.
- In late February the female gives birth, usually to one pup, in a lair that is dug into a lakeshore snowdrift. The lair is difficult to spot from on top of the lake ice, because it is accessed via a hole in the ice.
- The seal mainly feeds on small fish, such as ruff, smelt, vendace, perch and roach. An adult seal eats about 1,000 kilos of fish a year.
- You may spot a seal pup playing in the water – by carrying a straw in its mouth, for instance. The mothers also sometimes play with their pups.
- Each seal has an individual fur pattern, by which it can be identified just like a person can be identified by their fingerprints.
- The largest male ever found in Lake Saimaa, known as “Viljo”, weighed 124 kilos. Usually a mature seal weighs around 60 kilos. The weight varies a great deal, depending on the season.
- A Saimaa Ringed Seal reaches sexual maturity at the age of 4 to 6 years and may live over 30 years old.
- he seal has a short tail between its hind flippers.
Source: Metsähallitus -www.nationalparks.fi/saimaa-ringed-seal