Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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I normally go somewhere warm in February, but thought I would try something different this year. Reading the reviews convinced me to try this trip, and it was a very good decision.
Most Inspirational Moment
Walking in snowshoes on a forest trail and stopping to light a fire to toast marshmallows.
Dog sledding from the husky farm.
Driving a snowmobile for the first time.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both Tuomas and Elina were both very friendly and good teachers of the outdoor skills. Tuomas in particular was a great advocate of saunas.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Invest in some pairs of good merino blend socks and a hat. Everything else is provided, but your own base layer is a good idea to ensure a good fit.
Day time temperatures during our week in February varied from -20C to +1C, so a selection of layers was key. The sunshine and lack of wind meant -20C was not a problem.
The rooms have underfloor heating, so we were advised to lay everything out at night to dry and air clothes.
A brilliant “taster” holiday with so many different activities on offer and all in beautiful deep snow. Every day offered a new experience, either as part of the programme or as an option: snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, husky-sledding, visiting a reindeer farm, building a quinzee, downhill skiing and snowmobiling.
During the afternoon downtime there was the option to do more snow-shoeing, cross- country skiing, tobogganing outside or just read with a cup of tea or glass of wine or relax in the hot tub and sauna.
The food was delicious and plentiful. Soft drinks were always available as part of the package and wine, beer and other drinks were available to buy along with chocolate and snacks. You will notice how frequently berries appear: in desserts, soft drinks, liqueurs and chocolate bars in shops.
Most Inspirational Moment
Every day was fun and novel but the husky-sledding was very special. The dogs we saw at their farm were so well cared for with plenty of inside and outside space. They were so gentle too, loving a stroke and a fuss after their 10km run. Their excitement was off the scale once they were harnessed and ready to run; they LOVE it!
The reindeer visit was lovely too: a short 300m plod as opposed to a 10km sprint but we were able to feed the year-old animals and stroke them if we were quick!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elina was our main group leader and she was fabulous! Her English is excellent and she has a wicked sense of humour. She inspired confidence with the new outdoor activities we tried and is an expert shoveller for quinzee building. We learnt so much about northern Finnish culture and history from her in her "guide hour" and she was always available to help with anything.
Tuomas was the other guide whose love of nature and the wilderness were inspiring. His English is also superb and we loved looking at tracks in the snow to guess which animal had left them or learning about the precious lichen hanging from branches among other things.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Much has been mentioned in previous reviews which are vey helpful.
The group of 18 travellers on this tour was such a special bunch of people. We all got on so well and laughed a lot. Although most people were aged over 50, there were also people in their 30s and 40s who didn't seem to mind being with us more "mature" folk!
There's decent wifi in the dining room and bedrooms and a wood-burning stove in the dining room to keep you cosy at all times.
It turns out that 2 sets of fleece base layers are provided - along wot all outer wear - and it was recommended that we wear those next to our skin. I preferred to wear my own base layers next to my skin with a fleece layer on top. Woollen socks are the best for your feet and you can wear them for more than one day. The weather was mild for our week: hovering around 0 degrees so we were not cold at all but the huskies and reindeer were boiling!
We didn't get to see the Northern Lights as it was cloudy every day so it's probably best not to set your heart on seeing them.
I have back problems but was able to do all of the activities. I didn't go snowmobiling but people said it was very bumpy. Don't forget to take your driving licence if you want to do that activity.
Absolutely amazing week, stunning scenery, great group and fantastic guide!
Most Inspirational Moment
So many fantastic moments! I think the day that stands out most was having fun making and sleeping in a quinzee, as it's such a once in a lifetime experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elina was absolutely amazing, really friendly, helpful and always checking that everyone was warm and happy. She also ran a guide hour on several days where she talked about Finnish seasons, culture and history, which were really interesting.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The kit provided was brilliant and we had easy access to more kit if needed so beyond a thermal base layer you genuinely don't need to bring many clothes at all.
This whole week felt like being in a fairytale! The scenery was absolutely breathtaking – the snowshoe hikes and cross-country skiing routes took us through the forests of Oulanka National Park with beautiful snow-covered trees, picturesque spots along the Oulanka river/rapids like a frozen waterfall, and vast frozen lakes covered in snow! We were lucky to be there during a week with very clear skies which meant lots of pink, purple and orange colours which made it feel extra magical. Because of the clear skies, we were also able to see the Northern lights on most evenings! All the activities, such as husky sledding and snowmobiling were extremely fun and took us through even more beautiful places.
We were there during the coldest week of the season (most days were between -30 and -35 degrees C) but we did not feel the cold at all (and I am someone who always suffers the cold back in the UK) because the clothes provided by Basecamp were extremely warm! I even felt too hot at some points! The accommodation was lovely, cozy and warm – there was underfloor heating which warmed up the whole room and made drying clothes very easy. There is a sauna and hot tub available for the whole group to use each afternoon/early evening which was a perfect way to wind down every evening after a day full of activities. The food was also delicious!!!! We ate very well during the whole trip and we could eat as much as we wanted which was great! All of the staff at basecamp were very friendly and helpful!
Most Inspirational Moment
It is hard to choose just one as they were all inspirational for different reasons! Husky sledding took us through the most beautiful scenery and was a real pinch-me moment, the snowshoeing/skiing was amazing as it took us through all the snow-covered trees and very beautiful viewpoints overlooking the Oulanka river, and the snowmobiling was so fun!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our very friendly guide Elina was amazing - she had a real passion for the wilderness and nature which was very inspiring. She was very knowledgeable about the area and was very keen to share her knowledge with us. We learned a lot from her and enjoyed spending time with her. She was always smiling and you could see how much she enjoyed taking us through the wilderness and teaching us!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring moisturiser!!! The climate is extremely dry and you need very strong moisturisers to keep your skin hydrated to prevent it from cracking! I suggest buying Finnish creams/lotions at Helsinki airport (there is a shop there that sells creams) as they are much better as they are designed for this climate. The ones I brought from the UK were just not good enough to cope with how dry the climate was.
You also don't need to bring many clothes at all apart from a tight-fitting base layer and maybe 1 or 2 jumpers for the evening. You are able to exchange the basecamp clothes at any time if they get too wet/dirty or if you want to change the size so you don't need to worry about that. They also have thicker layers for if the weather gets extremely cold like it did on our trip so you don't need to worry about bringing thick jackets and trousers.
I recently embarked on the Finnish Wilderness Week with Exodus, and it was an experience of a lifetime! Basecamp Oulanka is a charming retreat surrounded by forests and Juuma Lake. The week was filled with many winter activities, including snowshoeing in the snow-covered forests, cross-country skiing by the lake, and an unforgettable dogsledding adventure, despite being new to winter sports the guides were incredibly helpful and patient with us. The accommodation at Basecamp Oulanka was superb, offering warm rooms, and the provision of all necessary Arctic equipment made the adventure comfortable and enjoyable.
A fantastic week in Finland with a great group lead by a super leader.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many inspirational moments but the mushing was probably the most inspirational.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Martti was fantastic. Very knowledgeable. Very patient. Looked after everyone’s needs.
Advice for Potential Travellers
In previous reviews a lot has been said about the gear provided. It is perfectly adequate but you may wish to bring some of your own stuff e.g. a good down jacket, some snow shoes for getting around the base camp and maybe a ski jacket and trousers if you are intending to spend a day (downhill)skiing in Ruka.
Based at Oulanka Base Camp within Oulanka National Park we were able to participate in a number of Finnish wilderness activities from Snow shoe hikes, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, driving a skidoo on a snowmobile safari and building a Quinzee(igloo) and being amazed on two evenings watching the spectacular northern lights. Our lodge was very comfortable and warm with a balcony offering fantastic views of snow covered spruce trees and the frozen Juuma lake. The food in the restaurant was delicious and plentiful all sourced locally and prepared by a chef.
Most Inspirational Moment
For me, the most inspirational moment of the trip was the 5km snow shoe hike in the Rissintunturi National Park. Trekking through the spruce forest and seeing the strange formations formed by the snow build up was out of this world and offered me a magical snow walking experience. A close second was the visit to the Husky farm and stroking the friendly dogs and doing the dog sledding on a 10km mushing adventure.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Anton was our group leader. His skills were exceptional and he was very knowledgeable about anything nature wise. He also spoke good English, was very patient and had a brilliant sense of humour. Martii and the rest of base camp staff were always accommodating and friendly.
I had high expectations for this holiday but it was even more amazing than I could’ve imagined! Every day was packed with new experiences and challenges, all overseen by expert guides who were a joy to spend our week with. Base camp is warm and welcoming with great food and hot drinks and blazing fire on tap.
Most Inspirational Moment
The stunning surrounds of the National Parks, knee deep in snow with a great group of fellow travellers.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was exceptional - a passionate advocate for the nature he helped us discover, gave expert tuition for the new skills we needed - all delivered with great humour and sense of fun.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don’t think twice about this trip - if you love nature, discovering the great outdoors, and want to feel safe learning new skills - it’s a must!
