Nature Tours - Winter
Snowshoeing Holiday
Welcome to enjoy the silence and untouched nature in a peaceful Northern fell and forest area with snowshoes!
Snowshoeing in these bright white snow-covered surroundings might be a meditative experience when you find your rhythm to your walking. You can hear only the wind in your ears, snow crunching under your snowshoes, and sometimes snow falling from the trees.
Have you walked on snow during the blue moment? It is something that you can experience only in the most northern areas of the world. Here in Syöte we have this opportunity.
On this snowshoeing holiday, you will explore Finland in the region of Southern Lapland. The remote area is absolutely a perfect place to enjoy the peace of nature. Tracks will go in peaceful areas through the snow-white forests up to the hills, along the ridges, and over the frozen lakes.
During this trip, you can also take wonderful photos at one of the most well-known winter photographing areas in Finland! If you have seen beautiful winter landscape photos on the internet, many of the have been photographed here in South Lapland. You will have an opportunity to photograph landscapes, snow-covered trees and forests, frozen bogs and ponds, beautiful fell-top sceneries, and of course, if you are lucky, the magnificent Auroras - Northern lights!
The daily treks of approx. 4 to 6 hours will be walked partly in deep and thick snow. The terrain is variable, with many ups and downs.
We walk with a day pack, and every day after trekking, we will come back to our rooms. The accommodation is arranged in KIDE Hotel or our beautiful Taigalampi cabin, in twin or bunk bedrooms with modern facilities and a cosy atmosphere. Sauna is warm every day.
Breakfasts will be served in the restaurant/cabin, lunch soup and sandwiches on the daily walking trips, and dinners at the restaurant/cabin.
During the trip, we will give you examples of mindfulness-style practices and muscle stretching after the snowshoeing day.
A few days in this kind of strong and beautiful nature calms you down, your blood pressure and stress-level drop. This holiday gives you the opportunity to meet yourself surrounded by healing white, old forests, fells, and frozen lakes. Welcome, and enjoy!
Facts
Place: Syöte National Park, Riisitunturi National Park, Posio, Lapland
Availability: On request 1.1.–30.3.
Dates: 30.1.–6.2., 6.–13.2., 13.–20.2., 20.–27.2., 27.2.–6.3., 6.–13.3., 13.–20.3.2027
Guaranteed departures: 20.–27.2., 6.–13.3., 13.–20.3.2027
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Number of participants: Min 4, max 16 persons
Price: 1830 €/person in cabin, 2380 €/person in KIDE Hotel
Meals: Full board. Breakfast, lunch packages, and dinner are included in the price.
Accommodation: In a cabin, single/twin/bunk bedrooms or in KIDE Hotel in twin/double rooms.
Distance: Total minimum 40 km on varied terrain (Daily distances may vary depending on weather conditions and the capability of the group)
Price includes: Return transport from Oulu/Kuusamo/Rovaniemi Airport to Syöte National Park, activities due to the program, guidance, transport to the places of activities, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), accommodation, sauna
The price doesn’t include flights.
Equipment: Participants have their own winter hiking boots, windproof winter clothing, warm underwear, socks, and thermal layer according to the cold weather. Winter clothes can be rented from Hikes'n Trails. Please ask for the whole list of equipment for the tour.
Equipment included in the price: Snowshoes, sticks
By an additional cost: Winter clothing set 90 €/person/week. Winter clothing set includes winter jacket and trousers, mittens, hat, boots.
Extra nature guide for groups less than twelve persons costs 375 €/day.
Supplements: Aurora hunting by car 35 €/person, return transport from Kuusamo or Rovaniemi Airport 129 €/car, single room 250 €/person/week (when available).
Payment: Invoice, cash, credit card
Tour level: Intermediate. Participants are required to have good basic fitness.
Languages: Finnish, English
Insurance: We require participants to have their own insurance for outdoor activities in Finland in winter conditions.
Itinerary
-
Arrival to Oulu Airport or bus/railway station, where your guide is waiting for you. Approximately two hours transport to Syöte National Park. Meeting with the group and accommodation in twin rooms in a cosy log cabin or in the KIDE Hotel. Welcoming dinner, short briefing, equipment check, introduction of Syöte National Park, maps and a week program after dinner.
To have a nice and safe adventure we’ll have basic info how to manage in the arctic conditions in Finland: Effects of the cold weather, protecting from the cold, action in cold conditions, wind chill effect, clothing and safety instructions for the week. Discussion about a sustainable tourism and how we put it into practice during our trip. Hot sauna and sweet dreams surrounded by peaceful and quiet nature.
-
Tour begins from our log cabin after a complete Finnish breakfast.
Wonderful trail goes through the old spruce forests. Terrain is varied; route goes up and down in few square kilometers area. Snacks at the wooden shelter on the shore of a frozen lake Kellarilampi.
After a few ups and downs and nice open views on a frozen bog we continue to Riihitupa day hut and have a lovely picnic lunch by an open fire.
Snowshoeing trip at the wonderful big bog leads us back to our accommodation. Relaxing, warming up the sauna and dinner. (Day's distance approximately 8 km in 6 hours.)
-
After the breakfast transport to the gates of Syöte National Park.
Trail goes on wooded terrain. Teerivaara in Syöte national park gives us open views to lakes and forests below and around the hills. Behind snow covered candle trees we find a nice hut to enjoy some snacks.
After snacks we continue walking down through the snow covered old spruce forest to Annintupa wilderness hut. Setting up the fire, having a picnic lunch and after lunch a short snowshoeing back to the starting point.
Transport back to the cabin or hotel. Dinner, sauna and relaxation. (Hiking distance approximately 8 km in 7 hours including breaks)
-
Soon after a tasty breakfast we have a transport to North-East part of Syöte National Park. This part is one of the biggest untouched area in South Lapland. Today we can change snowshoes to wide and short skin-based skis, if the weather conditions are good!
We snowshoe in the primeval forest in Maaselkä eskers and head to a small frozen ponds, large ice covered bogs until we come to the highest point of the area, called Tunturivaara; Gorgeous landscape and very beautiful moment during our hiking holiday! We enjoy nice picnic lunch in the peaceful surroundings. After lunch we continue on the hills and come down from the side of the ridge.
Transport back to the accommodation, dinner, sauna and good night sleep. (Hiking distance approximately 10 km in 8 hours including breaks)
-
After a tasty breakfast a approximately 1,5 hour transport to Posio and the other National Park of our snowshoeing tour.
In Riisitunturi National Park our path goes up to the hills and on the large frozen lake views. Fresh winds blow and feeling might be very arctic! On the top of the hill you can see the idyllic snow-covered trees and great views.
After a visit on the top we walk down to the car and head to the cultural part of the day: Pentik House - the northernmost ceramics factory in Europe and a factory store. Possibility to see an exhibition about the Northern ceramics, buy some souvenirs and take a coffee break in the cafe.
Transport back to the accommodation, sauna, dinner and good night sleep. (Hiking distance approximately 8 km in 6 hours including breaks)
-
We start our day with a hearty breakfast and continue snowshoeing from the cabin on Naamankaharju ridge and on the lakes in Syöte.
Route goes on varied terrain, climbs up to the hills and comes down to the frozen bogs and lakes. You hear stories about the living in Syöte area on early days. We enjoy a picnic lunch on the shore of the frozen lake.
Hiking back to the cabin, sauna and dinner. (Hiking distance on circular route, approximately 6 km in 5 hours including breaks)
-
Last snowshoeng day. After a tasty breakfast approximately one hour transfer by car to Kaunislampi.
Kaunislampi means a Beautiful Pond in Finnish. It is a protected wilderness area located outside the boundaries of the National Park.
Kaunislampi Gorge Lake was born in a bedrock fracture. On the west side of Kaunislampi we can admire the ancient shore rock, which was formed when the continental glacier retreated more than 9,000 years ago. At that time, the sea swollen by the melting water of the ice covered the area of Kaunislampi, and only the tips of the fells reached the sea level.
We hike around the lake in an old forest, descend to the surface of the ice. On the south side of the lake is a wooden hut where we take a lunch break at the end of the trip. Short hiking back to the car, transport back to the accommodation and a fairwell dinner. (Hiking distance on circular route, approximately 8 km in 5 hours including breaks)
-
Departure day. After a tasty and nutritious breakfast transfer by car to Oulu Airport or bus/railway station.
We reserve all the rights to change the order of the activities or the content of the program if necessary due to the weather or other conditions.
Highlights of this trip
Beautiful sceneries
Snowy fells, great old untouched forests with candle trees, lonely paths and frozen rivers shows us the way in Syöte National Park.
Nature around you
Silence, fresh air, good food – this tour is an experience for all your senses.
Peace and quietness
Peaceful hiking in the quiet nature might be an exciting experience and in another hand most relaxing week in your life.
Great challenge
Cold weather might be a challenge but also a new experience for you! Enjoy the most freshest and cleanest air in the world