Snowshoeing in Finland

6 Reviews

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  Anonymous
  Written on March 22, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  A good introduction to snow shoeing in a stunning location.  Accomodation, food, equipment and tuition all excellent.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Never having been to this part of the world in winter, the whole experience was inspirational.  Highlights were the Little Bear trail (longest day walking) and Riisituntri with it's snow-laden trees.  Also the optional activities of cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.What did you think of your group leader?Leader for our week was Meiju, who was truly excellent.  She looked after the group very well and kept everybody together without being overbearing.  She also has excellent knowledge knowledge of the flora and fauna around.  I must say that all of the staff we came into contact with (and there were several) seemed equally good.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?We found the snow shoeing very easy indeed, much more leisurely than moderate - the longest walk was only 4 hours or so and the stops were frequent.  The only time we felt we were working was when cross-country skiing, which we did our day off.  Returning to base for a hot lunch most days (packed lunches were avalable) was a bit of a surprise as we would have hoped to spend longer on the walks, but had it been much colder then maybe we would have thought differently.You need to buy your lunch every day - the only choice is buy it at basecamp or go without, as there is no choice of venue everybody we spoke to felt that this should be included in the price tag, even if that is then correspondingly higher.Boots - we took our own but didn't use them.  Don't bother, the ones supplied are much lighter and much warmer.  Clothes - apart from one occasion where we wore a basecamp outer jacket, we used our "winter walking in the UK" gear.  Yes, they supply everything (and it's all washed before handing to anyone else) but I'm usually a Medium size and had to take XXL to get the sleeves long enough.Is there anything else you would like to add?Food at basecamp was universally excellent, and special dishes for special diets were no problem at all.The hideously late flight home meant taking 6 days off work for a one week holiday - I would look for alternative flights another time.  And Gatwick is just about the least convenient airport to use when you don't live in the London area.
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  Anonymous
  Written on February 13, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  superb holiday.  Fantastic scenery, lots of well organised, enjoyable activities, good accomodation, great leader, loads of good food :-)What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Scenery was really fantastic but the enthusiasm of our leader was probably the most inspiring aspect of the trip.What did you think of your group leader?she was really good.  Friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, cheery and chatty.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Try everything on offer.  We tried snow mobiling, husky sledging, x country skiing and ice climbing and would recommend them all.Is there anything else you would like to add?Elk stew was delicious.
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  Anonymous
  Written on January 3, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  A fantastic trip, wonderful experiences, great food and great people.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?At least three inspirational moments: 1)  Seeing a fantastic show of Northern Lights night after night.2)  Spending a morning driving a husky sledge and then snowshoeing in the wonderful Riisitunturi National Park in the aftrenoon.3)  Driving a skidoo through the Finnish wilderness.What did you think of your group leader?Meiju was a wonderful leader; friendly, knowledgeable and always with a smile on her face.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Exodus provide all the cold weather gear you need, so you can pack light.   Make sure you do both the husky and skidoo "optionals".  They are both great.Is there anything else you would like to add?The place we stayed was fantastic; I loved the big communal dining room / bar that we shared with the other group.  Food was great and overall atmosphere really welcoming.  Overall a superb trip.
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  Anonymous
  Written on August 5, 2012

  5.0 - Excellent

  a wonderful trip exploring the snowy landscape of 2 of the national parks.  A very warm welcome from our lead Eki and all the team at the basecamp.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Gently walking through the amazing snowy landscapes, especially in Riisitunturi National Park.Learning how to snowshoe, with expert tuition from Eki, so we were all upright and confident going uphill and downhill in just a few hours.  Then snoeshoeing (or sliding) down the powdery slopes.What did you think of your group leader?excellent, enthusiastic and very skilled in sharing his enjoyment of the landscape, wildlife and park.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Equipment provided is good - just bring thermals, socks and extra hat.  A neck or buff is useful as it's easy to take off when you warm up.  It was cold when we were there, minus 30s, but the layers really do work.There is more information on the basecamp webpage and facebook - some good videos.Is there anything else you would like to add?This was a great introduction to snowshoeing and the lakes and rivers of the area.A great group and leader made this a fun trip.Very tasty food!
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  Anonymous
  Written on February 14, 2012

  5.0 - Excellent

  The holiday was fantastic. We saw the Northern Lights at the end of our first full day. Husky sledding was great fun, as was ice climbing. Riisitunturi National Park with its trees bent into strange shapes under the weight of snow was amazing. The accommodation was comfortable and the food was delicious. All the Basecamp staff were friendly and helpful. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Racing along being pulled by four huskies was exhilarating, as was getting to the top of the ice wall at Basecamp thanks to Henrik.  Quiet moments in the national park with no other sound than those of our snowshoes were pretty special too.What did you think of your group leader?Meiju was very knowledgeable about the plants and animals of the area and could identify all animal tracks (and poo!) we came across. She was responsive to the needs of the group and varied the itinerary to cope with the very cold conditions (-39C one night). She showed concern for the safety of the group without ever being overbearing. Meiju was an excellent leader who always had a smile on her face and time to chat to members of the group.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Look at the Basecamp Oulanka website www.basecampoulanka.fi  before you go – particularly the video of the equipment provided – if you have any concerns about what to take. As it was very cold the week we were there I found shakeable hand/foot warmers very useful. A pair of flip flops or crocs is also useful for going from the sauna to the hot tub as it is very cold on bare feet otherwise.Is there anything else you would like to add?Budget for the optional activities - they’re well worth it. Have a great time.
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  Anonymous
  Written on February 14, 2012

  4.0 - Good

  A wonderful trip which I loved from beginning to end. Amazing scenery in a beautiful country. I've finally discovered a winter activity I can really enjoy and if you like the great outdoors I can't recommend this trip enough.  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Dog sledging was a real joy and snow shoeing through Riisitunturi National Park was quite literally out of this world.  Spending the night sleeping out in an igloo was a real challenge but certainly worth the effort. What did you think of your group leader?Eki (Erkki Ollila) was a real gem.  His enthusiasm for his local area was contagious - he found something "new" around every corner.  A great guide who really brought the day's excursions to life for us.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Evenings are long in basecamp which as yet does not have a lounge area. Time is spent sitting on hard, wooden chairs - not very relaxing.  This was the only downside to this trip - don't let it put you off but be prepared.  Husky sledging trip is very expensive but I wouldn't have missed it. Is there anything else you would like to add?Just had one of the best weeks holidays of my life - give it a try and enjoy