Cross Country Skiing in Eastern Finland (Finland)

Snowshoeing and "ski shoeing" days provide extra variety for the week

During the week you will be cross country skiing on four days. Daily distances are typically between 8-20km, with the option to vary the distance covered and level of challenge on most days.

Beginners can take advantage of two days of "ski school" at the start of the week, where your local guides will offer instruction and advice to improve your technique, balance and confidence, while guests with previous experience can begin clocking up the kilometres directly.

Cross country ski equipment (as well as snowshoes and ski shoes) are included. Photo: AKA.

More experienced skiers can choose to extend the minimum distances on some days with extra loops or tracks, while novices can choose shorter options.

You will ski each day with only a day pack, and along the way you will stop for packed lunch, hot drinks and berry juice around the fire - the forests are rich in wildlife and you may see tracks of hare or moose crossing your path.

The other two days feature alternative active excursions:

• Snowshoeing in Koli National Park: Koli is one of Finland's best-known areas for hiking in summertime and is also wonderful to explore in winter. Your local guide will take you on a guided snowshoe tour through the pristine natural landscapes of Koli, followed by a visit to the Ukko Nature Centre and Koli village.

A snowshoeing day in Koli gives you the chance to discover new landscapes. Photo: AKA.

• "Ski shoeing": Ski shoes, also called sliding snowshoes, are a cross between snowshoes and skis. Much wider and more stable than cross country skis, but able to glide like skis, ski shoes are a fun and flexible way to travel through the winter landscape, ideal for deep, soft snow. In the afternoon, you will explore the charming local town of Nurmes.

Have you tried "ski shoeing"? You'll love it! Photo: AKA.

Traditional Karelian hospitality and cuisine, with sauna each night, outdoor hot tub and a Karelian spa!

This experience is ideal for guests looking to learn cross country skiing or develop their technique, but who also appreciate the little luxuries at the end of a day's activity.

During the tour you will be based at a traditional Karelian guest house, giving you the chance to really explore the area and get to know your hosts and the local culture. Each night, you have the chance to relax with a traditional Finnish sauna (the Finns love their sauna!) and, for a brave, perhaps a roll in the snow or dip in the icy water afterwards!

Day 3 also offers the option for ice swimming at the lunch spot, Day 4 adds an outdoor bathing barrel experience as a magical and relaxing end to the day's activities, while on Day 6 you'll enjoy a traditional Karelian spa after skiing.

Locally sourced, home-made Karelian cuisine is a real feature of the tour. Photo: AKA.

Your hosts will serve typical Karelian cuisine, with a strong focus on locally produced and wild ingredients including fish and game, berries and foraged plants from the forest, before you retire to recharge your batteries for the coming day.

Arrival

For guests arriving by flight, there will be a transfer from Kuopio airport at 18.00 (meeting flights arriving 17.50 or earlier), from where it is 150km (approx. 1.5 hours) to your guest house accommodation for the night.

Guests arriving by train to Nurmes will be collected from train arriving 20.06 (transfer time approx. 30 mins). Check-in and dinner at the guesthouse and a chance to get to know the other participants in your group.

Following Days

Day 2: Cross country ski school/skiing on the guesthouse track

Beginners and those wishing to begin their tour gently can take advantage of the "cross country ski school", where your local guide will give instruction on technique and help you build confidence on the skis. For guests who already have experience, you can begin directly to explore the 15km track directly from the guesthouse.

Lunch is taken at the guesthouse and in the afternoon you have a chance to relax or do some self-guided skiing, before it's time to enjoy dinner and sauna, which will both be real features of the week.

Day 3: Cross country skiing at Valtimo

For beginners, this day continues the introduction with a chance to ski at your own pace and cover the distance you are comfortable with, while more experienced skiers can cover additional distance. You will be exploring the trails around Valtimo village, which offers easy terrain with trail loops from 2.8km up to 8km.

By the lake, there is a lovely wind-shelter which offers an ideal spot for lunch together by the open fire. Although there's no sauna here to warm up in before or after, there is the opportunity here to take a dip in the lake - will you brave it?

In the afternoon, you return to the guesthouse for sauna and dinner.

Day 4: Cross country skiing from the guesthouse with hot tub and a "taste of Lapland"

The guesthouse track is a 15km circuit which offers tranquil, beautiful forest scenery. Lunch is taken in the hut.

In addition to sauna, as an extra special arrangement today, you can also soak in the outdoor hot-tub bathing barrel. Dinner this evening is a "taste of Lapland", with a special focus on cuising from the north of Finland.

Day 5: Snowshoeing excursion to Koli National Park

Today you swap your skis for snowshoes, as you head to Koli National Park for a wonderful guided snowshoe shoe through its pristine wilderness. After snowshoeing, you visit the Ukko Nature Centre followed by lunch and an exploration of Koli village, before returning to the guesthouse for sauna and dinner.

Day 6: Cross country skiing to Haikola House with Karelian spa

Starting from Bomba village, a 10km track brings you to Haikalo house, along an easy-going, flat trail, where you can enjoy lunch together around the open fire. After lunch, you can choose to ski back to Bomba, or have a transfer back. At Bomba you enjoy a spa visit together before returning to the guesthouse for dinner.

Day 7: Ski shoeing and visit to Nurmes

In the morning, you have the chance to discover ski shoeing, or sliding snowshoes, a cross between skis and snowshoes and a fun way to explore the winter landscape. After lunch at the guesthouse, you visit the local town of Nurmes for some souvenir shopping as your week comes to an end.

Return to the guesthouse for your final sauna and farewell dinner.

Departure

Breakfast and transfer at 11.00 to Kuopio airport for flight departure 14.15.

Guests departing by train will be transferred to Nurmes (for train departing 15.40 - depending on arrangements, guests may be transferred to Nurmes earlier to spend time there before train departure).

Hire of cross country ski equipment, as well as hire snowshoes and ski shoes for those activity days, is included.

Included

Accommodation:

• Seven nights' accommodation in double/twin rooms in traditional guesthouse during the week. Rooms may be in the main house or in adjacent cabins. Single occupancy supplement applies for solo travellers. Guest houses have shared WC/shower facilities. Bedding and towels are provided.
• Wood-fired sauna is available each night. On Day 4, hot tub is also available, while Day 6 includes visiit to Karelian spa in Bomba.


Guesthouse accommodation and facilities. Photos: AKA

Meals:

All meals from dinner Day 1 to breakfast Day 8. There is a particular focus on local produce. Please let us know any dietary requirements on booking.

Equipment:

Skis, boots and poles. Please advise height, weight and shoe size in advance. Skis provided are normally from Karhu or Peltonen. If you wish to bring your own boots but use the skis and poles provided (this does not affect the price), please let us know what type of boots you have and whether you require Salomon SNS or Rottefella NNN fittings so that suitability can be confirmed. Guests bringing own skis should ensure that ski width does not exceed 45mm, which is the width of the prepared tracks.

Guide:

Experienced and knowledgeable local guide.

Transfers:

Group transfer from Kuopio airport or Nurmes train station at fixed times in connection with the start/end of the tour, and also local transfers for activities, as per itinerary. Please note that airport transfer for guests adding extra days or requiring transfer at other times is not included (see under "Optional extras").

Not Included

• Travel: We do not arrange flights or domestic travel, but are happy to advise on suitable connections and assist you with any aspect of planning your journey. See under "Getting There" for general travel information.
• Alcoholic drinks

Required

Health requirements/experience:

Tours are suitable for adults (min. age 18, or 16 when accompanied by adult) with general good level of fitness.

No previous experience of cross country skiing is required, though the tour is also suitable for guests with previous experience. You will be skiing around 8-20km per day with light pack. The skiing on this tour can be physically challenging at times.

What makes this "Easy-Medium"?

Accommodation is in comfortable guesthouse with sauna each night and you will need to ski only with a daypack during the day. Daily distances in many cases are also flexible, giving more experienced skiers the opporunity to cover extra distance if wished.

Trail/snow/weather conditions as well as the efficiency of your skiing technique can significantly affect the actual level of challenge.

NB: Perception of difficulty is very subjective. What is hard to one person may be easy for another and vice versa, depending on factors including level of fitness, age and previous experience. Weather conditions/temperatures can also dramatically affect the actual level of challenge encountered.

Equipment/clothes needed:

For information on any equipment and/or clothing included as standard for this experience, please see under "What's Included".

A detailed recommended packing list for personal items to bring will be sent with your booking documentation.

NB: We advise you not to buy equipment or clothes for your trip or to incur other non-refundable expenses such as flights until you have received confirmation of your booking from us in writing. Note of course that the most appropriate clothing to use as well as the level of challenge experienced during any outdoor activity may vary significantly depending on factors such as the time of year and the particular weather/temperature conditions during your trip.

Preparing for your trip:

For further reading, we also have a number of general information articles to get you ready for your trip, covering a wide variety of topics from what to do on a city break before/after your tour, advice on packing, eyewear for winter and considerations for female travellers.

Minimum number:

This experience requires total minimum 4 persons to be confirmed to run. You are of course welcome to book as a solo traveller.

Groups

Maximum 12 participants. Groups may be made up of participants from a number of countries - English is the language used for guiding.

Private groups can book this experience on other dates by arrangement. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Eco Info

Accommodation for this tour is small-scale and locally owned. The great majority of food served on the tour is home-made using locally sourced ingredients.

This provider has a written ecotourism policy.

"Loved the whole trip - both guesthouses were fantastic, the local food was excellent, the days out skiing were excellent - loved the fact that the hosts created their own ski tracks. Overall it was a brilliant trip." Anna, February 2024

"Combination of good food, great people and good accommodation." Niels, February 2023

"The trip to Eastern Finland was excellent in every way (though the skiing was, to say the least, challenging as the tracks were very icy). Minna was a brilliant leader and host. Nothing was too much trouble for her. I felt truly immersed in Karelian culture. The food and accommodation were great at all three places we stayed. I have fond memories of skiing a long way on Finland's fifth largest lake in the sunshine, past two big boats moored in the ice, to enjoy a feast of Karelian pies. The itinerary was varied and always interesting. We tried snowshoeing, and plunging in the ice hole in the lake at the smoke sauna." Ros.