10 Days / 9 Nights - from £1,150 pp Enjoy an active winter holdiay in Finland, featuring
cross country skiing with
English speaking guide, crackling fires, steaming saunas and breathtaking winter landscape. Top off a week of nature and skiing in
trendy Helsinki. Cross the idyllic countryside of North Karelia on skis and enjoy the fresh snow, white forests and frozen lakes. February and March are the best times for skiing along the eastern border. The sun shines brightly, the snow glistens, and the frozen lakes and hills covered with a thick coat of late-winter snow. In the evenings take a
sauna and cool off in the snow.
The daily skiing from guesthouse to guesthouse covers 20 – 30 km. Remember to take with you something warm and something windproof for skiing. A ski cap or hat, a shawl, o small rucksack, a thick winter coat for cold days, swimming suit, something casual to wear after sauna (e.g. jogging suit), sweater for cold days, warm winter shoes and slippers.
2008 Departures: February: 15, 22*, 29 and March: 7, 14
*Skiing only for women
Package price per person £ 1,150 per person (based on availability and sharing a double room). Single supplement: £ 185 p.p.
Package includes:
- Return flights from London to Helsinki on Finnair
- Return train tickets from Helsinki to Kuopio
- Airport transfers in Helsinki
- Transfers in Kuopio
- 2 nights accommodation in 4 star hotel in Helsinki
- 7 nights accommodation in guesthouses in North Karelia
- Breakfast at the hotel in Helsinki
- Full board throughout the skiing tour in North Karelia
- (breakfast, box lunch, coffee and warm juice, dinner)
- Sauna every evening
- Luggage transport from guesthouse to guesthouse
- English speaking guide for the duration of the skiing tour
- Skis
- All taxes
ITINERARY Day 1 – Arrive Helsinki and transfer to your hotel. Evening at leisure.
Day 2 – After breakfast you have the whole morning to enjoy Helsinki before taking the afternoon
train to Kuopio. The four hour journey travels through snowy winter scenery and the closer to Kuopio you get the more snow you will see. After arrival in Kuopio train station our representative driver will welcome you and take you to guesthouse
Puukarin Pysäkki, 160 km from Kuopio. When you finally reach your guesthouse, dinner and a relaxing sauna awaits you.
Day 3 – After breakfast familiarise yourself with your skis, take a waxing course, sauna, and a short course of practical Finnish. In the afternoon you will have a chance to practice skiing around nearby
Paajalanvaara.
Day 4 – Today you will start your skiing tour. Passing over lakes and hills, the overall journey for the day will be about 31 km. At the end of the day you will arrive at guesthouse
Laitalan lomat for an overnight stay and dinner.
Day 5 – After breakfast, continue the tour by skiing over fields and through the forests until you reach your next stop,
guesthouse Pihlajapuu. Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse. Today’s journey will cover about 27 km.
Day 6 - You can have a day-out at guesthouse Pihlajapuu or take a short skiing tour to Nälkömäki (12 km). In the evening try a traditional smoke sauna and enjoy glow-fried salmon for dinner. Overnight at the guesthouse.
Day 7 – After breakfast, it is time to continue your tour, back your bags and ski to the next guesthouse
Männikkölänpirtti. The journey for today is approximately 20-25 km. Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse Männikkölänpirtti.
Day 8 – Today you will get a chance to visit the
Karelian Village Bomba. In Bomba you can familiarise yourself with
Karelian music, food,
architecture and
folklore. You will also have a chance to buy souvenirs and handicrafts. Return to the guesthouse Männikkölänpirtti and enjoy an evening of typical Karelian dinner and sauna.
Day 9 – Time to say goodbye to
North Karelia and transfer to Kuopio train station for your trip back to
Helsinki. In Helsinki transfer to your 4 star hotel, evening at leisure.
Day 10 – Departure. Check out from your hotel and transfer to the Helsinki airport for your flight back to London.