Bear Watching Hide of Alutaguse

I was lucky enough to spend the evening with the owner and had a really good night chatting and asking lots of questions. The hide was comfortable enough, there were basic chairs for looking out at the wildlife and a comfy bed with sleeping bag. We saw a mother bear with her 3 cubs who stayed for around 45 minutes and then left but came back later again so a fantastic evening. There were also jays, a heron, racoon dogs, a european green woodpecker and lots of animal noises (there is a microphone outside with a speaker inside) that I could not identify! I would recommend this experience to anyone.

There was a kettle in the hide to make drinks but no cups.

Alles wie erwartet, einfach aber praktisch und sauber und zweckdienlich um die Natur und Bären beobachten zu können.

Es ist besonders, Bären zu beobachten. Die Hütte war sauber, Heizstrahler hat funktioniert.

Ich finde es einfach zu teuer. Man schläft schließlich nur in einer Hütte - der Guide, der uns zur Hütte geführt hat, brachte keine Begeisterung und keine Informationen über das Leben der Bären rüber.

If I were to rate the experience solely based on the number of bears I saw, it would be a 10 out of 10. I also appreciated the good communication with the team via messages and the possibility of observing wildlife from two sides of the hide.

I was disappointed by the photography conditions. I chose this place partly because it is presented as suitable for photography. Their website states: “If the visitors wish, they can take pictures through the windows (without flash) and photographers are allowed to take photos through special photography holes.” When I asked the guide about using the photography holes, however, I was told that they do not use them for photography. This was confusing, especially as photos from other visitors seem to suggest otherwise. As a result, I could only photograph through the glass. Throughout the evening, reflections from the windows on the opposite side of the hide were visible in the glass, which significantly affected the quality of my photos. Perhaps better equipment or more experience could have reduced the problem, but in any case, I think it should be clearly stated in advance if photography is only possible through glass and the photography holes mentioned on the website are not available. There is one more point where I would appreciate greater transparency. Given the number of bears repeatedly appearing immediately around the hide, it seems clear that there is a reason why they are attracted to this particular spot. I think the current practices and the reason bears (and racoon dogs) congregate around the hide should be clearly explained on the website rather than leaving visitors to discover this information through customer reviews.