Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday | Exodus

husky ride through the Finnish wilderness

Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday Trip Notes

Ways to Travel: Family Group, Guided Group, Private Group Adventures
Destination: Finland
Programmes: Family
Activity Level:
3 out of 7 - Moderate
8 Days: Land Only
Ages: 9+
Trip Code: FVB
Carbon Footprint: 9kg CO2e

Trip Overview

Enjoy winter activities for all the family in a beautiful, wild landscape

For a winter trip with a difference, Oulanka is always a popular destination for families. On this fun-filled trip, the whole clan will enjoy a host of exciting activities and wholesome home-cooked food. We set out to explore the beautiful wilderness on snowshoes, cross-country skis, dogsled and reindeer sleigh. Better yet, our ecofriendly base is at the edge of Oulanka National Park in a truly spectacular setting with the very best conditions for seeing the Northern Lights, nature’s most spectacular light show.

At a Glance

Seven nights at Basecamp Oulanka
Five days of mixed activities
Group normally 6 to 18, plus leaders
All Arctic winter equipment and clothing provided

Highlights

Snowshoeing
Cross-country skiing
Dogsledding
Beautifully remote wilderness location
Chance to see the Northern Lights

Is This Trip for You?

This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

This is a mixed-activity week for families with a good selection of guided activities and free time for independent activities or relaxation. None of the activities require previous experience but the exposure to cold weather can be quite tiring. The free time provides the opportunity to tailor the trip to your preferences.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Adult min age: 9

Min group size: 6

Max group size: 18

Itinerary

Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday

Land Only

Start City: Oulanka
End City: Oulanka

Land Only Itinerary

Welcome to the wintery wilds of Finland. We typically have our welcome briefing during dinner, discussing the week ahead and getting an introduction to Basecamp Oulanka and the area we will soon explore.

Meals included: Dinner

After sorting out your equipment for a week in Arctic conditions, we explore Oulanka National Park with a gentle half-day snowshoe walk past frozen rapids and following the Kitkajoki River. The afternoon is free for further snowshoeing or enjoying a warm sauna or hot tub. Alternatively, you might wish to try kick sledging, a metal-frame sled you can use on your own or with your children and venture around Basecamp.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we head to a husky farm on the edge of the neighbouring Riisitunturi National Park. We start with tuition on how to ride and drive the sled and the importance of caring for the huskies correctly. We then continue into the woods where our dog teams eagerly await our arrival, ready to take us on our 6mi (10km) mushing adventure. With the adults driving and the children sitting in the sled, we appreciate the serenity of this snow-laden landscape.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Experience the Scandinavian-born sport of cross-country skiing. Heading down to the nearby Juuma Lake, we learn the basics of cross-country skiing from our instructor. There may be a few tumbles in the soft snow to start, but this is half the fun. After building confidence on the skis, we head onto the lake, gliding through the fresh powder. Keep hold of your skis because we have further opportunities to test out our skills in the afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, we visit a reindeer farm and museum where everyone can ride a reindeer-pulled sleigh. The visit finishes with hot drinks and reindeer sausages around an open fire. We spend the rest of the day at the popular ski resort of Ruka. Your guide will take care of transfers and can book activities for you. Group transfers are included only to the designated areas and are scheduled at specific times; it is advisable to check at reception before making your activities booking. Downhill skiing and snowmobile safaris are available.

Please note, the bookings for activities in Ruka need to be made by Tuesday due to operational reasons.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we can sleep in and start the day at a more relaxed pace. To kick off the afternoon, we see about making a fire and cooking our own pancakes for lunch.

The afternoon is spent in the children’s snow park, which is supervised by the Basecamp guides. Here children can learn how to build a snow fort followed by hot chocolate and doughnuts. Families can also have a go at making a snow sculpture, among other activities.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is left free to spend as you like. Options include unguided cross-country skiing and snowshoeing with all the Basecamp facilities at your disposal and many accessible roads to explore. Otherwise, enrol in one of the several optional activities available: downhill skiing at nearby Ruka (transport and skiing not included) or further dogsledding and snowmobile safaris. Alternatively, kick sledging can keep you entertained. We then have our farewell dinner at Basecamp.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The trip ends after breakfast. Say goodbye to Basecamp Oulanka, which may feel like a second home by now, before your return journey home.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation

Basecamp

Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday

Overlooking Lake Juuma and the national park after which it was named, Basecamp Oulanka is our welcoming home in the remote Finnish wilderness. The magical complex comprises a series of wooden structures: the twin rooms are split across two separate buildings, while a third building houses a restaurant and bar with a log fire, plus a sauna and outdoor hot tub.

Built in 1998 with sustainability in mind, the complex is heated using special wood pellets for fuel. It is also a member of The Long Run Foundation, which comes with a commitment to building a ‘sustainable future through a balance of conservation, community, culture and commerce’.

While we do our very best to ensure families are roomed close together, we can’t guarantee this. Most family trips occur during peak season and we sometimes have little control over where you are put. You need to come prepared for this. A family of four will be allocated a large room at the time of booking; please let your sales representative know at the time of booking if you want to upgrade to one double room and one twin room (subject to availability).

Worth knowing

Multiple Exodus trips run at Basecamp Oulanka concurrently and you might share the room with a member of a different group.
There are Exodus family groups at Basecamp during school holidays

Single supplement from USD 600

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, five lunches and seven evening meals are included.

The food at Basecamp is a delicious range of local produce prepared by the in-house chef. Starters consist of a salad buffet with three to four choices. The main courses consist of wild game such as elk, chicken and salmon. There is also vegetarian food. Dessert consists of lingonberries, blueberries and cloudberries, often picked by the chef. It is refreshing to know that what is viewed as superfoods in our supermarkets grows locally to Basecamp. These are served with a selection of quark curd, cream, ice cream, cakes and pancakes. Lunch normally consists of hot soup with elk, salmon or a vegetarian option.

Transport

A private minibus is used for all transfers.

Weather & Seasonality

Close to the Arctic Circle, temperatures during the season range from -30C to 5C (-22F to 41F). December will normally be the coldest time (usually below -20C/-4F), but the temperatures rise as the days lengthen and early April sees temperatures around -10C to 5C (14F to 41F). Recent years have seen massive fluctuations in the space of a few weeks with lows of -40C (-40F) and highs of 7C (45F) just a few days apart. If the thought of such temperatures scares you, then think again. When dressed in the Arctic clothing provided, with insulated boots, woolly hat and large mittens, -20C (-4F) can actually feel very pleasant. The Arctic cold is a dry cold, there is usually no wind, and remember we will keep you active.

Daylight hours: At extreme latitudes, the days shorten and lengthen much faster. So while in midwinter (December/January) the sun remains just below the horizon, by April there are more daylight hours than in the UK, and the midnight sun is only a matter of weeks away. Even in midwinter it is not dark, as the sun is just above the horizon and there is plenty of light reflected off the snow.

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis): Visible from September to late April on most clear nights at latitudes close to and above the Arctic Circle. They can be seen further south but will be less spectacular and less frequent. Solar activity is greater around the equinoxes (September and April), and at lower latitudes this can be the best time to see them. Inside the Arctic Circle, they tend to be just as good in any winter month, and on a seven-night trip you would be unlucky not to see the Northern Lights at all.

Joining Instructions

Key information

Start hotel: Basecamp Oulanka, Myllykoskentie 30, 93900 Kuusamo, Finland
Phone: +358 40 0509741
Recommended arrival time: Check-in is from 4pm. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
Airport: Kuusamo Airport (KAO)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 45 to 60 minutes’ drive from the airport. Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Catching your return flight

There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Oulanka
Location end: Oulanka

What To Take

Essential Equipment

Provided equipment

The following is issued on arrival and are yours throughout the week:

Full winter outfit including jacket and trousers (pants) – children are provided top-of-the-range Reima overalls. These are made from the same high-quality material as adult snowmobiling overalls
Two fleece jackets
Two fleece trousers (pants)
Winter hat
Mittens
Gloves
Boots
Socks
Thermos flask
Backpack
Headtorch (head lamp)

As you only need to bring casual clothes for the evening, quite often the total amount of your personal gear will be small enough to fit into the cabin overhead locker of the plane.

If you have a shoe size of 12 or over, contact us so we can be sure to arrange the right snowshoe or ski-boot size is available. A more insulated snowmobiling overall and helmet will be provided for the optional snowmobile excursion.

You need the following

Thermal underwear (top and bottom) – merino wool is particularly good. While some find that doubling up the two provided fleece layers is enough to be comfortably warm, your own thermal underwear allows further personal comfort

Additional equipment

Casual footwear for evenings and travelling
Normal daily clothes
Several pairs of thick socks
Tube scarf/buff
Swimming costume and flip flops (for sauna)

Sunglasses and sunscreen are advisable from the beginning of February. Earlier than this, sunglasses may be needed for those with a sensitivity to bright light due to the reflection of light off the snow.

Practical Information

Visa

Finland

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Finland. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Vaccinations and Health

Finland

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies (bat lyssavirus) and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

If you’re a UK citizen, please note that your UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) are still valid and offer the same cover as the Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC) in the EU. This gives you medical care at a reduced cost, and in some cases for free, in many European countries, but should not be considered a substitute for adequate insurance. Once your EHIC has expired, replace it with a GHIC.

Local Time

Finland's time zone: Europe/Helsinki (UTC +03:00)

Electricity

Finland's electricity: Plug types C (two round pins) and F (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz

Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday

Money

Finland's currency: Euro (EUR)

ATM Availability

ATMs are available in the town of Ruka (can be visited on the free day). There are no ATMs near our accommodation; however, Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Optional excursions

There are several extra excursions available; exact prices and details will be confirmed locally, but the following provides a guide. Some excursions are very popular, so we strongly suggest you prebook them with the staff at Basecamp at your earliest convenience. Please note these excursions require a minimum number of four participants. There will also be non-Exodus clients on some of these excursions.

Make your own Lappish drum: €75 per person
Downhill skiing: From €80 (equipment and ski pass)
Ice fishing: €75 per adult and €40 per child (four to 12 years old)
Full-day husky safari (for six-to-nine-hour trip; duration depends upon weather conditions). Includes a hot snack by an open fire:
- €315 per person for a single
- €280 per person if sharing a sledge
- €165 per child (four to 12 years’ old)
- Return taxi for group (maximum four people): €320 per group
- Return taxi for group (maximum five to eight people): €400 per group
Snowmobile safari (90-minute scenic safari around Ruka using ecofriendly four-stroke snowmobiles):
- €90 per person (two per machine)
- €130 (solo use)
- €50 per child when sitting in sled. The child price is valid only when sitting in sledge pulled by the guide.

Important note on snowmobiling: All drivers must be over 17; at least 4ft 6in (140cm) tall; and have a valid (car) driving licence which must be carried with you while driving. You will be liable to pay for any damage to snowmobiles up to the excess on the insurance policy, which is approximately €1,000 per machine. You will be asked to sign a form agreeing to the above. This means that, in the unlikely event you damage a snowmobile in a major way, you will only be charged the excess and not the full cost of repair. Snowmobiles are not for everyone and can be difficult to master; however, damage is very rare if the drivers are alert and considerate.

On Saturdays, if you wish to snowmobile or downhill ski, a return transfer to Ruka is €120.

Tipping

Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work with Exodus, however, most of our clients wish to give a tip to their guides in appreciation of their help and friendliness. This, of course, is in no way compulsory and depends on the service received. If you feel you would like to leave a tip, as a guide we would suggest a total of approximately €15 for the leader and €10 for the staff at Basecamp.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income used to upkeep and develop these important sites. On this trip we visit Oulanka National Park.
Our local partner owns land outside the national park borders and these are left untouched. Purchasing any Basecamp products/services contributes to the protection of these areas and allows for purchase of more lands.
We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
This trip stays at the wilderness Basecamp Oulanka, a lovely complex of wooden buildings. It is renowned for its environmental and sustainability practices having won several awards including the VESTAS award as an Outstanding Example of Accommodation and TripAdvisor Green Leaders Gold Award. All energy used is renewable and all waste and water is recycled. The heating system used throughout the complex relies totally on nature, using special wood pellets for fuel.
Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Important Information

Family trips

Our staff and leaders are there to ensure the trip runs as smoothly as possible. However, company policy states they cannot take care of children; it is your responsibility to look after your young ones throughout the trip. During free time or if you decide to opt out of part of the itinerary, you are responsible for your family and any arrangements that need to be made, though your leader will be happy to make recommendations.

Important Information

Your safe participation

When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call the Exodus office and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.

Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.

By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.

How to Book

Check availability: Go online to check availability, or contact us by phone or email.
Secure your place: You can provisionally hold a place on this trip, usually for between three and seven days.
Complete your booking and payment

When you’re ready to book, go to our website for online bookings, book over the phone or you can complete a booking form (available online or on request by calling us). We accept all major credit and debit cards, or you can pay be cheque.

After booking

You will receive your booking confirmation letter and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements.

Full joining instructions, including local emergency numbers and details of how to reach the start point, will be sent to you approximately two to three weeks prior to departure. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier, please contact our office or your travel agent.

Trip Note validity

These Trip Notes are valid from the “Current as” date on page one. They will occasionally be updated after booking and before departure; if there are any updates that significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary, customers will be written to separately. They will also receive a link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes with their Final Joining Instructions before travelling.

The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. Where differences exist between the Trip Notes and our current brochure or website, the Trip Notes supersede the brochure and website. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary. Occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons – climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.

Licensing

Exodus is fully licensed and bonded as a tour operator. We hold Air Traffic Organisers Licence (ATOL) number 2582, issued and bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We are also bonded to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and we are members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and ABTA – The Travel Association. This means you can book your Exodus holiday with confidence, as all money paid to us for your trip is fully protected.