This active winter holiday in Finland is designed for those who wish not to only challenge their selves in the northern winter and experience all the must do -activities during their stay, but also learn about the way of life and connect with the local people along the way. This 7-day all-inclusive (meals, transfers, equipment rentals, activities, accommodation) guided tour in remote Hossa national park area consists of; three separate 5-6 h snowshoe hiking days in different locations, doing a 5h day trip with the huskies one day and visiting /spending time at a local reindeer farm at the end. Building an igloo from snow, enjoying the sauna every day and learning the tricks of ice-fishing will be other highlights of the trip. This active winter holiday in Finland is tailored for small groups with the max. of 8 people, in order to provide a truly unique and intimate travel experience away from the crowds.
The three separate snowshoe hiking days take place in and around the Vieremänsuo protected old growth forest and marsh reserve and on the beautiful and versatile forests of the Hossa National Park. Observing nature and wildlife during the days is a solid part of this trip, as well as enjoying the blissful stillness of the surrounding wilderness. You´ll do fine with moderate physical condition but a certain level of fitness is required for the walks nevertheless; the conditions vary and walking in deep snow can be demanding.
Accommodation in the winter tour is 4 nights at the Wilderness Lodge (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) and 2 nights (Thursday, Friday) at the heart of the Hossa village, in a cozy apartment. Couples have a private room and individual passengers can wish to stay by themselves or share a room with the same sex; both places of accommodation have five separate bedrooms with two beds each.
Below you will find the program in more detail, send us en e-mail to hossatravel@gmail.com if any questions arise.
Arrival to Kuusamo, Kajaani or Oulu airport and transfer to Hossa. During the transfer you´ll get the idea how remote and sparsely-populated this area truly is. We´ll enjoy a welcoming dinner at the Wilderness Lodge, settle in and get familiar with the surroundings and how everything works in such a rustic and authentic place like this, where the water is carried from a natural spring and washing yourself is done in a hot sauna, just like the old days. Staying simply and being surrounded by wilderness, provides a setting that is perfect for switching off and creating a true back to basics –experience. Winter quality sleeping bag that you are provided for these nights spent at the wilderness cabin make sure that you will sleep warm and cozy, no matter how harsh the winter temperatures might get during the night.
After 8.30 breakfast served by your guide at the dining room, you´ll head on an exploration in the protected forests and marshes around; the circular snowshoe walk will start right from the doorstep with the total walking distance being around 8,5 km. Sceneries vary from vast open marshes and frozen lakes to dense old forests, not many people but plenty of wildlife here. Tracks of moose, wolverine and pine-marten are not uncommon for example. Picnic-lunch around open fire during the day, on a nice camping spot by a lake. Once we are back from our walk, the traditional wood-heated sauna will be heated up and the dinner will be served around 7.30pm.
This morning after a 8.00 breakfast there´s a 30 min transfer to the starting point situated at the heart of the Hossa National Park, where you do another app. 8,5 km circular snowshoe walk across the snowy wilderness and visit the must-see wonder of the Hossa National Park, the 4000 years old rock painting made by the Stone Age hunter-gathering people who used to live in the area thousands of years ago. Here you´ll learn about the Finnish mythology and the shamanistic and animalistic world view of these ancient people. The forests here are more dominated by taller old pine trees alternating with moist mire areas and there´s a bit more ups and downs on the way, different types of owls and grouses can be seen here if lucky. Picnic-lunch around open fire again at a camping spot halfway of the walk and after having returned to the car in the afternoon around 3-4 pm, your guide will drive you back to the Wilderness Lodge, where the warm embrace of the sauna awaits. Dinner will be served around 7.30pm just as yesterday, depending on how long you want to enjoy the sauna as tight schedules do not exist here!
Today after 8.00 breakfast it´s time for the third walk and you will be headed to the National Park again, doing another circular walk, but on another corner of this vast area this time. Today´s views and agenda will be more dominated by climbing and descending steep pine-covered ridges, following rivers and crossing many more lakes. Lunch will be served by the fire during the day as usual and after returning to the Wilderness Lodge in the afternoon around 4pm, it´s time to enjoy the traditional wood-heated sauna for the last time here in the wild, before heading to a different place to stay for the last two nights of the trip tomorrow. Before sauna we will practice our wilderness skills and finish the igloos that we have prepared by shoveling snow on Sunday/Monday; if you feel like you got what it takes, sleeping inside the igloo/snow-cave is made possible. Dinner will be served at the dining room of the main cabin later in the evening.
This morning after 8.00 am breakfast it´s time to say goodbye to the Wilderness lodge and head on a dog-sledding trip; a husky safari through the snowy forests and over vast open swamps is an unforgettable experience. After packing your luggage you are being transferred to the starting point where you´ll learn the basics of dog-sledding and then do a 30 km/5h day trip with the dogs, mushing your own team in pairs and stopping en route to swap drivers and have lunch around the fire. After finishing the safari around 4 pm, you are taken to your accommodation for the last two nights; to a cozy apartment at the heart of the Hossa village with a lakeside sauna and all the modern comforts to ensure your smooth landing back from the wilderness. Dinner is served 7.30 pm at a small local restaurant nearby your apartment.
This morning after having breakfast you are taken to a nearby reindeer farm, where you get to feed the animals and learn about this special way of life first hand. You will also get the chance to try your luck with the fish along the day, as the farm is situated right next to a lake. Soup will be served for lunch and it´s served inside this time, in a beautiful local restaurant/giftshop built around reindeer products and the whole way of life. In the afternoon you are taken back to your apartment where the Finnish sauna is waiting for the last time; dipping in the lake is highly recommended and this is the final chance! Evening dinner will be enjoyed in the same special restaurant where you had lunch and it´s going to be a very traditional and tasty local dish that perfectly wraps up your wild escape in the north.
Breakfast, transfer to the airport and time to say goodbye! Schedule for this day is confirmed when booking the trip.
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*** Other departure dates and tailored itineraries for private trips on request!
What’s included in my trip price?
This active winter holiday in Finland includes 4 nights at the Wilderness Lodge (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), 2 nights in a cozy apartment in the Hossa village (Thursday, Friday), all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), guided activities, all transfers and airport pick up/drop off, equipment rentals (sleeping bags, snowshoes/walking sticks), admissions and the expertise of your local guide from the welcome till the farewell.
NOT INCLUDED : Flights, personal travel insurance.
Other info:
Couples have a private room and individual passengers stay privately or share a room with the same sex, depending on the final group size and wishes of the participants; both places of accommodation have five separate private bedrooms/cabins in total.
Requests concerning special diets/allergies are fulfilled when given before the trip. The food that is served is strongly relayed on local ingredients and many times the dinners consist of potatoes cooked in different ways and served with seasonal local fish, vegetables or meat. Pasta and rice is commonly on the menu too and salad is always served on the side. Coffee/tea is available on all meals.
Breakfast includes fruit, yoghurt, muesli, berries, jam, eggs, bread with cold-cuts, cheese and tomato/cucumber + coffee and tea of course. Lunches are served mostly outside by the fire and they include soups, sausages, pastries and sandwiches with varying options.
You will have the chance to buy soft and alcoholic drinks during your stay.
Tour leader has some additional thermal clothing (boots / overalls) but a whole set of winter clothing ( mittens / gloves, woolly hat, thermal boots / isolated hiking boots and overall ) can be rented at the arrival for 95 € / week. Please ask in advance!
We reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary due to major occurence and weather and snow conditions.
How do I book?
Send us en e-mail to hossatravel@gmail.com with info on how many people you want to book and for which dates. We agree on airport pick up/drop off before confirming your place on the tour and after confirmation, send you an invoice for the deposit payment along with some further instructions and a list of things you should have with you for the trip.
Booking more people all at once gives a discount as follows:
- When booking 4-5 people, you pay 1295€/person
- When booking 6-8 people all at once, you pay 1255€/person
How do I pay?
After we have agreed on airport pick up/drop off, we send you an invoice for the deposit payment and the rest of the price will be charged as the tour begins.
Send us an e-mail and let´s start planning!
Bookings and Questions:
Phone / WhatsApp: +358 407 646 137
E-mail: hossatravel@gmail.com