WHERE & HOW TO SEE RARE SAIMAA RINGED SEALS IN FINLAND: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE!

When you think of Finland, your immediate thoughts and associations may instantly go to the Winter wonderland of Lapland and the official home of Santa Claus.

And yes, while a Winter getaway to Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland is nothing short of remarkable, Finland also harbours one of the rarest species of seal in the world – the Saimaa Ringed Seal!

So rare in fact, the aptly named Saimaa Ringed Seal can only be found living in ONE specific lake in Finland – Lake Saimaa in Southeast Finland – and no where else in the world.

To discover how you can have the special experience of witnessing this beautiful, elusive seal species with your own eyes – keeping reading our blog post below.

An up close photo of a Saimaa Ringed Seal sunbathing on the rocks at Lake Saimaa. Photograph kindly gifted for use by Lakeland GTE, who provide highly rated Lake Saimaa guided excursions! — **© All photograph copyrights reserved by and kindly gifted for use by Lakeland GTE**.
Pictured: A gorgeous Saimaa Ringed Seal basking in the sun at Lake Saimaa.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE SAIMAA RINGED SEALS?

The best time of year to see the Saimaa Ringed Seal is between May to June, but more so May in particular as the Winter ice is melting.

This very specific and limited time frame is when the majority of Saimaa Ringed Seals spend their time fully out of the water sunbathing on the rocks whilst their seasonal fur changes.

This is the best chance you will have to see the Saimaa Ringed seal and their wonderful unique coats, in full view.

As you progress from June into the late Summer months, the Saimaa Ringed seals tend to swap the rocks for the water, only surfacing their heads from the water once every 10 minutes to come up for breath.

WHERE CAN YOU SEE SAIMAA RINGED SEALS?

The endemic Saimaa Ringed Seal can only be found living in Lake Saimaa. One of the best places along Lake Saimaa to see Saimaa Ringed Seals with a guided excursion is Puumala.

In Puumala, an idyllic archipelago located Southeast of Finland, the seal numbers are steadily increasing, with just over 20 known seals in the immediate area.

HOW TO SEE SAIMAA RINGED SEALS WITH A GUIDED TOUR

To further maximise your chances of a Saimaa Ringed Seal sighting, it is highly recommended to head out with a local experienced guide on a Seal Safari boat excursion.

One such excursion is the 5* rated ‘Cruise in Puumala by Lake Saimaa’ 3-hour experience with local tour agency LakelandGTE, awarded with a Viator Badge of Excellence and renowned for their guided nature tours and adventures!

A photo of the fully electric Ecoboat used on the Lakeland GTE guided excursion on Lake Saimaa to see the elusive Saimaa Ringed Seals! — **© All photograph copyrights reserved by and kindly gifted for use by Lakeland GTE**.

“Cruise in Puumala by Lake Saimaa”
Ecoboat Seal Safari

Top highlights: Intimate small-group excursion with a friendly, personalised service. Venture out for 3 hours on a comfortably warm, weather proof and fully electric motored Ecoboat in search for the endemic Saimaa Ringed Seal on Lake Saimaa.

You’re in the best hands being driven and guided by your experienced skipper, who knows all the best places to look. Enjoy intriguing commentary detailing facts and stories of the Saimaa seals over delicious refreshments (included).

Tour operator: Lakeland GTE

Availability: 1st May 2024 until 9th June 2024

Tour Duration: 3 hours (approx).

Time slots: 7pm. 1 x time slot per day.

Maximum passengers: 10.

Price: From €65 EUR / £57 GBP / $72 USD per adult.

Click to book this ‘Cruise In Puumala By Lake Saimaa’ tour! 🦭💎🛶

ABOUT THE SAIMAA RINGED SEAL:
ADDITIONAL FAQ’S

HOW MANY SAIMAA RINGED SEALS ARE LEFT?

Thanks to conservation efforts set in motion by the WWF, there are now approximately 480 Saimaa Ringed Seals left in the wild.

While this minuscule number sounds somewhat alarmingly low, it is much better than figures from the 1980’s, where numbers got to as low as fewer than 120 due to excessive hunting. Saimaa Ringed Seals were typically killed and hunted due to their interference with the local fishing trade.

WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN OF A SAIMAA RINGED SEAL?

Saimaa Ringed Seals have the capacity to live anywhere from 25 to 30 years old.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT SAIMAA RINGED SEALS?

Saimaa Ringed Seals are one of the rarest seal species in the World, and can only be found living in one specific lake in Southeast Finland, called Lake Saimaa.

The beautiful rings on their fur coats are all individually unique, just like human fingerprints.

Saimaa Ringed Seals are also special as they are one of five seal species in the world that live in fresh water! These species can be found at Saimaa, Russia Ladoga and Baikal, Alaskan Lake Iliamna and Canada Seal Lakes.

CONCLUSION: WHERE AND HOW TO SEE SAIMAA RINGED SEALS

To conclude, the minuscule number of approximately 480 precious Saimaa Ringed Seals are vastly spread across the great Lake Saimaa system.

Nonetheless, for the best chance to ethically see Saimaa Ringed Seals up close with your own eyes, we highly recommend heading to Puumala, where at least 20 known seals reside in, and booking onto a guided seal safari tour.

The 5* highly-rated ‘Cruise in Puumala by Lake Saimaa’, run by local and highly-rated tour agency Lakeland GTE is the best option in the area.

The best months to see Saimaa Ringed seals is May to June, though if given the choice, May is a much better option with a higher viewing success rate.

This is when the majority of the seals sunbathe along the rocks at Lake Saimaa while their fur changes. This makes them a lot easier to spot, plus gives you the unforgettable chance to see them and their beauty in full view!

Have the best time, and remember to bring a camera with a good zoom to get the best photographs possible!

A photo of Jordie, the author of this specific blog post and owner of the wesbite.

This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!

Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com

A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.

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