Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The unexpected moments can be the best.Lunch stop on the little bear trail proved a treat.We had some leftover porridge bread from lunch and stood with our hands open as we heard some bird calls above us.Our guide said they were SIberian jays and a curious bird.They swooped down and took the food from our outstretched hands again and again,an unscripted moment and quite wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cheery,unflappable,knowledgable and full of stories.He was willing to flex and work with our questions and concerns.Unfortunatly he was unable to supply a view of the aurora borealis as parting the clouds was not covered in his Wilderness training so we did not see the skies light up!

Advice for Potential Travellers

My one piece of advice would be to budget well you may have more free time then you expect. I had expected to be outdoors for lunch as we were snowshoeing but that was not the case always and as a result the afternoons were free.There is lots to do from the reindeer farm visit to huskies to cross country sking but come expecting to pay extra and budget accordingly.

Suggestions

If you have the time and money I really recommend the full day with the huskies!To mush across 30 km with these dogs was fun so long as you used the break!

Most Inspirational Moment

My wife nearly stepping on a huge male capercaillie sheltering in the deep snow - flew off with loud wing beats - not sure who was more startled!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent; wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm and gentle encouragement

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you like the big outdoors, want a change from the standard ski-type winter holiday, why not try this.

Suggestions

Would be interested in a visit at other times of the year; such an idyllic place.

Most Inspirational Moment

I think there were at least two particularly memorable ones, though every day was inspirational: The two that for me stand out the most were: in the middle of the night when one of the gang was yelling and shouting outside the huts - the Aurora Borealis was performing - absolutely wonderful; the other was looking down at a fierce fierce waterfall covered by a shelf of ice......and meeting some lovely people who enjoyed the outdoors and the sense of adventure....not to mention the introduction to hot chocolate laced with mint liqueur (bottle purchased at Helsinki on return trip and still being enjoyed!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

In a word, fantastic. Most of the leading was undertaken by Tessa, who was so very knowledgeable about the wildlife, tracking, and leading us through some dramatic scenery. Always cheerful, friendly and encouraging she was great to be with.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it! You'll not regret it....and make sure you pack a spare battery/batteries for your camera plus charger

Suggestions

Only to say a huge thank you to everyone for making this such a fabulous break. I'm now looking at this coming winter's options....

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was special but if I had to choose I would go for the visit to Riisitunturi National Park. We were blessed with blue skies and sunshine. It was like arriving in Narnia!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bjorn was a great leader, friendly and sociable around the Group and very knowledgeable and passionate about Finland and its traditions. All the staff at Base Camp Oulanka were extremely helpful and friendly. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it and have a wonderful experience

Most Inspirational Moment

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.

Thoughts on 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.

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.

Suggestions

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.

Most Inspirational Moment

Scenery was really fantastic but the enthusiasm of our leader was probably the most inspiring aspect of the trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

she was really good.  Friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, cheery and chatty.

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.

Suggestions

Elk stew was delicious.

Most Inspirational Moment

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.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Meiju was a wonderful leader; friendly, knowledgeable and always with a smile on her face.

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.

Suggestions

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.

Most Inspirational Moment

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.

Thoughts on Group Leader

excellent, enthusiastic and very skilled in sharing his enjoyment of the landscape, wildlife and park.

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.

Suggestions

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!

Most Inspirational Moment

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. 

Thoughts on 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.

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. 

Suggestions

Just had one of the best weeks holidays of my life - give it a try and enjoy 

Most Inspirational Moment

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.

Thoughts on 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.

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.

Suggestions

Budget for the optional activities - they’re well worth it. Have a great time.