taiga forests adventure

TRIP DOSSIER
TAIGA FORESTS ADVENTURE
Finland
• Take charge of a Husky
• Try the "Wilderness Olympics"
• Learn forest survival skills
• Experience bear watching
• Enjoy Finnish saunas on most nights
Guided Group Departures
Physical Grade: B – Moderate
Adventure Grade: B/C
Trip Code: AFFA
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Finland 2
Taiga Forests Adventure
Introduction
The location for this wilderness adventure couldn't be
better. Located just beneath the Arctic Circle and with
virtually 24hr daylight in the summer, this adds a certain
something to the mysterious atmosphere of the Kainnu
region. The Taiga is home to a variety of wild life
including Wolf, Lynx, Bear, Wolverine, Pine Marten, Elk
and Reindeer. Fascinating bird life can also be
discovered
too,
including
Goshawk,
Crossbill,
Capercaillie and Black Grouse. The essence of this
special adventure is all about having fun whilst exploring
and experiencing this vast and quite remote wilderness
area. Most nights we're based at a hotel with a Finnish
sauna to round off the day, but if you read on there's two
nights where we do something completely different!
We start our adventure with a spot of husky trekking.
Well, as there's no snow it's actually husky teams pulling
you along the forest trails. Whatever, the dogs don't care
as long as they can have something to pull.
Now for something completely different. By bike and
then by canoe we head for an island on one of the many
lakes. Here with the aid of our guide we must now try
and fend for ourselves for the night - forest survival if
you like. Collectively we'll need to erect tepees and we'd
better catch some fish too, collect berries etc so we don't
starve. We'll also learn how to light a fire without
matches to keep warm (and to cook our freshly caught
fish!). Where's Ray Mears when you need him? OK... as
a last resort we will bring along back up supplies and
tents, just in case. But, the general idea is to have a go
ourselves at living wild and surviving for the night. Jump
in the lake in the morning if you need a bath... or just go
for a refreshing swim anyway. We should be back at the
hotel after canoeing and biking our way back by
lunchtime.
After a morning relaxing, we'll take advantage of the
24hr daylight (just like the bears do) and spend the night
in a purpose built bear hide.
For our final day, the morning is free to engage in some
locally available optional activities on land or water. In
the afternoon it's time for the Finnish Wilderness
Olympics. What are these you say? Basically some fun,
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including wilderness skills trials, traditional Finnish
games and a Finland quiz. Naturally, we spend our last
night in Finland in the sauna!
The Holiday
Overland Travel
The travel (although relatively minimal) is an essential
element of the holiday and cannot be opted out of.
Husky Trekking
A morning is spent walking with a Husky dog on forest
trails. For the walk you’ll have a special waist harness
and the Husky (quite used to this), will walk in front of
you. As Husky’s pull by nature, you can expect to be
pulled along too on the walk. If you don’t like dogs/forest
walks, then you can opt out and wait for the group at the
Husky farm until they return.
Island Survival
For an overnight the group bike and canoe to an island
on a lake and practice the “art of forest survival”. Your
guide is a wilderness survival expert (it’s second nature
to the people of this region of Finland), but you are
expected to “muck in”, as that’s the fun/point. Of course
we take back up supplies just in case, however we use
these as a last resort. Sleeping bags and camping mats
are provided. Opting out of this activity would mean
arranging additional accommodation (at extra cost) at
the hotel in Kalevala and waiting there (almost two days)
for the group to return.
Wilderness Olympics
Here’s a chance to practice and learn various wilderness
skills. This afternoon activity can be opted out of.
Overnight Bear-Watching
The group spend one night in a purpose-built wildlife
hide in a remote, isolated location. As it’s virtually 24hrs
daylight, the bears are very much active during the
night-time (as is other wildlife too!). The “self-contained
dormitory” hide will have bunk beds (so you can have a
sleep when nothing is happening and be woken up
if/when a bear or other predator appears), an earth toilet
and food/beverages are brought to the hide too. A
wildlife guide will be with the group, and bait will have
been pre-scattered around the hide to attract bears and
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Taiga Forests Adventure
other predators. As with all wildlife watching, nothing is
ever guaranteed, however the chances of seeing wild
bears here are high. Once in the hide it is not
possible/safe to leave the hide at all until the group is
collected the following morning and transferred back to
the Hotel Kalevala. Opting out of this activity would
mean an extra night at the Hotel Kalevala at additional
cost and awaiting the groups return.
Day 1. Depart UK, arrive Kajaani
Depart the UK on a flight (via Helsinki) that arrives
Kajaani Airport today. Rendezvous at Kajaani Airport. A
single timed group transfer is provided from Kajaani
Airport for the 90 minute journey to our group hotel in the
wild Kuhmo region. See How to join and depart this trip
section later in this dossier.
Accommodation & meals: Hotel, Kalevala
Important Note
Please note that if you choose to opt out of any
planned activities, certain services (e.g. lunch at the
activity location) will be forfeited by default and you
may need to make meal arrangements etc locally at
additional cost and you will be solely responsible for
your own welfare and safety. The guide will always
accompany the group and not remain with you if you
opt out. Please ensure you let your guide know well
in advance if you do not wish to partake in certain
planned activities and ensure you are aware what
additional costs you are likely to incur. No cost
reductions are made for any included activities that
you choose to opt out of.
A full explanation of both the physical and
adventure grading can be found in our brochure or
online at www.adventureworldwide.co.uk. You
should ensure you are both physically prepared and
capable of undertaking the physical activities within
this trip as well as prepared for the adventurous
nature of this trip. It is essential that you have travel
insurance that covers you for all activities involved
in this holiday, whether they be activities included in
the holiday or available locally as an option.
Itinerary
The itinerary below provides a guide as to our intended
itinerary, though of course the adventurous nature of our
trips means that things and can change and the itinerary
and inclusions can vary from day to day.
Accommodation and meals are shown at the end of
each day indicated by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and
D=Dinner.
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Day 2. Husky Trekking
Time to meet your new best friend, a delightful, friendly
Husky. During winter time Husky’s just love pulling
sleds, but during summer (when it’s too warm for a
Husky to be over-active) they get a bit bored, so trekking
with a Husky along a forest trail in this wild Taiga area is
good for you and the dog too! We visit a Husky farm and
here learn more about these working dogs and life on a
Husky farm. Everyone gets their very own Husky
(temporarily…sorry), as well as a special waist harness
and leash and then we’re off to walk for around 3 hours
before returning to our hotel late afternoon. Sauna time!
Accommodation & meals: Hotel, Kalevala (BLD)
Day 3. Island Survival
To reach our overnight island we fist cycle along quiet,
undulating roads through the forest for around 12km to a
forest lake (there are literally 1000’s of these in Finland).
We now swap bikes for Canadian canoes and paddle for
around 8km to then “maroon” ourselves. This is very
much a “hands-on” exercise (with instruction/assistance
from your wilderness guide) for the group to work
together and ensure we have all the essentials we need
to survive the night…..water, food, shelter, warmth. This
may involve fishing, foraging, gathering firewood,
cooking etc. We’ll bring along a Lappish Tepee (which
you erect) as well as sleeping bags and camping mats,
and (just in case) some food…only to be used as a last
resort/supplement, otherwise that’s cheating.
Accommodation & meals: Camp, an island (BLD)
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Taiga Forests Adventure
Day 4. Return from Island Survival
Day 7. Depart Kajaani, arrive UK
We mustn’t forget breakfast, so we’ll need to prepare
that. As for a wash….there’s the lake! We then break
camp and make preparations to leave our island home,
and we must respect the wilderness and ensure we
leave no trace of our visit on the island. We return first
by canoe and then by bike to our hotel.
A single timed group transfer is provided from the group
hotel for the 90 minute journey back to Kajaani Airport.
Depart Kajaani and arrive back in the UK today via
Helsinki. See How to join and depart this trip section
later in this dossier.
Meals: (B)
Accommodation & meals: Hotel, Kalevala (BLD)
Day 5. Over-night Bear Watching
The morning is free for a lie-in or you can engage in
various optional activities. From the hotel you can rent
bikes, rowing boats, canoes or kickboards. There’s also
the option of a visit to the Petola Visitor Centre, where
you can learn about Finlands large predators. Later in
the afternoon we transfer to a remote wildlife hide,
where we can hope to actually see some of Finlands
large predators. Bears are the most likely, but
sometimes wolf, wolverine, eagles and the elusive lynx
are seen. Once in our hide we must remain inside until
the morning. It is also of the utmost importance to keep
any noise to a minimum, so as not to alert any wildlife of
our presence. The bears sometimes come very, very
close to the hide, and even if you can’t see one from the
hide, be assured they are out there and hungry! We’ll
have bunk beds, an earth toilet as well as food and
beverages to keep us going and with our wildlife guide
we can learn “in the flesh” about the wildlife of the Taiga.
There are special camera “holes” for photographic
purposes. Anytime you feel like a sleep during the night
(even though it’s never really dark), by all means do so.
As and when any wildlife approaches the wildlife guide
will let you know.
Practical Information
Accommodation &
Wilderness (BLD)
Flight Inclusive
meals:
Wildlife
Hide,
Forest
Day 6. Finnish Wilderness Olympics
In the morning our transport will return for us and take us
back to our hotel and the morning is free to relax, sleep
(depending on how much you slept last night!), or enjopy
some optional activities. In the afternoon we’ll have a bit
of fun with the “Finnish Wilderness Olympics”. The
games will include wilderness skills, traditional Finnish
games and a Finland quiz. Tonight of course is sauna
time!
How to join and depart this trip
The joining point for this trip is Kajaani Airport on day 1
of the trip itinerary. Please ensure you arrive at the
joining point in time for the single timed group transfer to
our group hotel in the Kuhmo region. This transfer will be
timed to coincide with the arrival of the Finnair flight from
Helsinki.
The departure point for this trip is Kajaani Airport on day
7. A single timed group transfer is provided from our
group hotel in the Kuhmo region to Kajaani Airport. This
transfer is timed to coincide with check – in for the
Finnair flight to Helsinki.
Please note that as all flight times are subject to change,
the timings of the single timed group airport transfers will
be changed to suit any changes to the flight schedule of
Finnair flights to/from airports mentioned above
accordingly. Schedule changes to domestic flights in
Finland are common place. Contact us for the most up to
date schedules.
You can book this trip as a 'Flight Inclusive' package.
Booking your International flights through Adventure
Worldwide guarantees you peace of mind and provides
100% financial protection under our CAA ATOL licence.
What's more, if you book your flights with us as well as
your ground arrangements, we will manage these flight
arrangements both before and during your trip. As an
ATOL Licence holder, we are able to secure and arrange
competitively-priced airfares with most major airlines
from the UK (as displayed on our website), as well as the
option of regional departures too.
Accommodation & meals: Hotel, Kalevala (BLD)
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Taiga Forests Adventure
Land Only
If you would prefer to arrange your own international
travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package,
where the price does not include international flights (i.e.
you will need to make your own arrangements to get to
and from the specified joining and departing points).
Please note that if you are booking your own flights
there are certain risks you should be aware of. Many
airline tickets purchased directly are non-refundable and
often do not provide you with any financial protection
(unlike booking your flights with ourselves where you
would be 100% protected under our CAA ATOL licence).
For this reason we strongly advise that you check the
rules of any flight booking you make, and check the
limitations under any insurance policy you may have in
relation to cancellation or date changes. We cannot be
held liable for any losses incurred or consequences of
any flight bookings or related travel arrangements you
have made yourself, such as if your international flights
were delayed or cancelled and you could not join or
depart your holiday on time.
If you do decide to book Land Only, we strongly advise
that you do not book international flights or make other
travel arrangements (especially if there are financial
penalties for cancellation or change) until your chosen
holiday is guaranteed to run. Please also ensure when
making your own international travel arrangements that
they enable you to join and depart this trip in accordance
with the criteria specified in the How to join and depart
this trip section of this dossier.
Altitude
The altitudes on this trip are very modest and you should
not anticipate any problems.
Baggage
Please make sure that your main luggage and hand
luggage is clearly marked with your name, inside as well
as outside, in case the labels get detached. We request
you limit your luggage to 15kg. Please ensure that all
luggage is packed in either a soft holdall style kitbag, or
a large, unframed rucksack. SUITCASES SHOULD NOT
BE USED. Please contact us if you are unsure about the
suitability of your luggage.
Vaccinations & health
It is very important that you plan well in advance and
contact a specialist health clinic or doctor for the most up
to date advice on vaccinations and health precautions.
We recommend Nomad Travel Health Clinic:
www.nomadtravel.co.uk. Another useful travel health
online resource is www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk.
It is also advisable to visit your doctor and dentist for a
check up before travelling.
Accommodation
Accommodation is for nights spent in hotels is on a twin
share basis unless you have requested a single room at
additional cost. One nights is spent on a more
communal basis in a Lappish Tepee (sleeping bags and
camping mats provided). Washing/toilet facilities this
night are wild and rudimentary. One night is spent in a
self-contained bear hide with dorm style bunk beds.
Bedding is provided and there is an earth toilet. For the
tepee and bear hide nights private accommodation is not
available and the single supplement does not apply to
these nights.
Food
Breakfasts usually include bread, porridge, muesli,
yoghurt, cheese and cold meats as well as lashings of
hot tea and coffee. Lunches are usually a hot soup and
picnic food. Dinners are hearty and usually consist of
meat or fish, with vegetables and potatoes, salad, lots of
bread and dessert. Vegetarian options are limited in
Finland, and also due to the sometimes wild nature of
this trip. Other special dietary requirements cannot be
catered for.
Climate
It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather
conditions you will encounter during the course of your
holiday. However, we do schedule our holidays to
coincide with what should be the most suitable weather
periods. Seasonal variations and localised weather
conditions, as well as unseasonal weather means you
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should always be prepared for inclement weather
including rain and storms. As a general rule daytime
temperatures will be higher than night time and
increases/decreases in altitude during the course of a
trip usually means temperature variations. As a general
rule temperatures decrease by 1ºC for every 200 metre
increase in altitude. You may be able to find climate
statistics for this country at www.worldweather.org
First Aid
You should always carry your own small, personal first
aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general
anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (bandaids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET),
rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment
(e.g. Imodium).
Currency
The unit of currency for Finland is the Euro. Please
refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates. You should
either take your travel cash with you (in Euros) or
obtain it from an ATM whilst in transit at Helsinki
Airport. You will have no access to exchange
facilities/banks, although you will also have no
opportunity to spend money except for the nights
spent in Hotels. The hotel may be able to change cash
for you.
Language
Finnish is the official language of Finland. English is
widely spoken. It would be helpful to learn a few basic
words of Finnish for politeness during your stay in
Finland (yes, no, please, thank you etc).
Tipping
Tipping is not mandatory but is much appreciated.
Please remember that any tips should be a way for
individuals to thank staff for good service.
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Maps
We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London
WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you
have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your
responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical and
personal accident risks for the part of the world you
intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover
should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and
helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out
cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are nonrefundable.
You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip
travel insurance through Adventure Worldwide. Please
call us on 0845 304 8679 or e-mail us at:
[email protected] for a quotation.
Visas & Passports
You can obtain the latest visa information, as well as
book your visa either by contacting your reservation
consultant, or by following the link below to our
designated visa service:
http://www.adventureworldwide.co.uk/information/visa.html
Please note that visa/entry requirements and prices
change regularly. Please allow plenty of time for your
visa application to be processed. We also recommend
you visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website
for up to date information on the country/countries you
are visiting, embassy contact details and other useful
advice.
Staff on your trip
Throughout the trip the group will be accompanied by an
English-speaking local guide as well as a driver (when
travelling by mini-bus).
Clothing & Equipment
Please check our website for the most up to date
information regarding packing for your trip. The
information we provide is our suggested guide to help
you with your packing based upon our many years of
travelling. Using your own judgment for packing is of
course important, especially with regard to casual
clothing etc but please do not hesitate to contact us if
you have any questions about packing for your trip.
Extensions & Excursions
Please contact us for tailor-made extensions.
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