Walks Finland TSSA Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure Trip Dossier

TRIP DOSSIER
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
FINLAND
• Wilderness sauna every night
• Chance to see the Northern Lights
• Easy and fun snowshoe trekking near the Arctic Circle
• No previous experience needed
Guided Group Departures
Walking Grade: B – Moderate
Trip Code: TSSA
For dates and prices visit
www.walksworldwide.com
www.walksworldwide.co.uk
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
2
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
Introduction
The location for this wilderness snowshoe adventure
couldn’t be better. Just beneath the Arctic Circle and a
snowball throw away from the Russian border, the
forests and lakes of the Taiga in Finland are one of
Europe’s last great wilderness areas. The Taiga is
home to a variety of wild life including Wolf, Lynx, Bear
(in hibernation in winter), Wolverine, Pine Marten, Elk
and Reindeer. Fascinating winter bird life can also be
discovered too, including Goshawk, Crossbill,
Capercaillie and Black Grouse. During the course of
this winter adventure we’ll certainly be looking out for
footprints of these elusive and seldom seen creatures.
Don’t worry if you’ve never used snowshoes before, as
it’s very easy to pick up, no special boots are needed
and if you haven’t got your own snowshoes then we
can easily arrange for these to be rented locally for you.
The essence of this special adventure is all about
having fun whilst exploring on foot this vast and quite
remote wilderness area.
Daily walking distances are very modest as you walk
through tall, dense forests, undulating low and broad
ridges and across frozen lakes in the company of an
expert, local guide. The chances are that you’ll meet
more Reindeer than people whilst walking! Along the
way, you’ll stop off for picnic lunches at specially
created log shelters where an open fire can be quickly
be prepared to brew some hot, fresh coffee…..bliss!
Enjoy spending time in tranquil, isolated cosy log cabins
with atmospheric wood fired stoves and saunas to keep
out the winter chill. This is a great true adventure
holiday for anyone who has never been snowshoeing
before, as well as for those that would like to discover
wild Europe in winter. And, who knows, maybe on one
or more nights when you step outside your cabin after a
tasty dinner and hot sauna you’ll see more than just the
stars of the winter sky. Perhaps the magnificence of the
“Northern Lights”, the Aurora Borealis will reveal itself in
all its glory. Where but in the winter wilderness and the
sound of silence could such a spectacle be more
special?
statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We
regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account
changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local
transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of
holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other
factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen
circumstances and other matters entirely out of our
control etc can also lead to enforced changes during
the course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee
that any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the
anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will
be made available on our website. We will also send
you the most up to date trip dossier with your “Final
Joining Instructions” approx. 2 weeks before departure
and you should carefully check this for any changes
that may affect your plans. Before booking you should
read our “Types of Trip” and “Essential and Useful
information” sections on www.walksworldwide.com
including our ‘Important Warning’. Please note that on
this trip you may join up with clients from other tour
operators.
Your holiday
Walking conditions
You will of course be walking over snow covered
ground and frozen lakes. However, the terrain is not
difficult, rather flat and undulating with no steep hills
Daily walking distances are very modest by normal
walking standards (6-8km per day) although in snow
the time it takes to cover the distances is increased.
However, as daylight hours at this time of year are also
diminished (around 6 - 7 hours per day) in practice
you’ll be snowshoeing for approx. 3 hours in the
morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. During the
walking day you will only need to carry your usual
daypack.
A full explanation of the trip grading can be found online
at www.walksworldwide.com. You should ensure you
are comfortable walking at this level of grading and are
physically prepared for the trip.
Important Note
Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day
itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as
www.walksworldwide.com
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
3
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 Rendezvous at Kuusamo then
transfer to the Hossa region
Rendezvous at Kuusamo Airport (via Helsinki). A single
timed group transfer will be provided from Kuusamo
Airport to the group accommodation in the Hossa
region (See How to join and depart this trip later in this
trip dossier). Tonight you can enjoy your first Finnish
dinner and sauna! Log Cabin
Day 2 Snowshoe into the Taiga forests
After a hearty Finnish breakfast your guide will give
everyone who needs it an introductory session into
snowshoeing techniques. In practice it takes only a little
time to hone your skills, so there really is no need to try
and prepare in advance by wandering around your local
park with a couple of tennis racquets strapped to your
feet. Your first wilderness snowshoe walk takes you on
an exploration into the Taiga forests to the edge of the
border zone. Initially heading through a narrow gorge
and then across a couple of small lakes, to then follow
the border zone south and to return to last night’s cabin.
Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km
Log Cabin (breakfast)
Day 3 Snowshoe to log cabin via “Colour
Rock” and a Kota
Although the Taiga is both remote and mostly forest
wilderness, there have been people living in this region
for thousands of years, surviving as hunters. An
example of this can be found as you first snowshoe to
“Colour Rock” where you will discover rock paintings
dating back over 4,000 years. En route a halt will be
made at a Kota (a Lappish tepee) for a picnic lunch.
You’ll be amazed at just how quickly your guide can get
a good fire going and a pot of nice hot coffee brewed.
Moving on you now head right into the middle of a
forest to tonight’s isolated log cabin. Here you can relax
in the sauna and enjoy the warming glow of a wood
burning stove and enjoy another tasty Finnish supper.
Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 6 km
Log Cabin (breakfast & dinner)
www.walksworldwide.com
Day 4 See reindeer en-route to Lake IsoValkeinen
Today in particular one eye should be on the lookout for
Reindeer, and where there are Reindeer, often there
are predators like the Wolf too. Thankfully (due to illegal
hunting) the Wolf has a healthy fear of man, so
although it is virtually impossible to encounter these
magnificent animals in the wild, you may just come
across paw prints in the snow, which may tell the story
of what the Wolf pack was up too. The route follows a
shallow ridge through beautiful snow covered pine,
spruce and birch between two lakes (now frozen solid
of course). Eventually you reach the northern shore of
Lake Iso-Valkeinen, to tonight’s log cabin.
Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km
Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 5 Trek through the Taiga forests to
reach final log cabin
Fuelled up after a filling Finnish breakfast, you then
head across small ridges and frozen lakes, once more
through the Taiga forests. The bears that inhabit this
area are now in deep sleep, but there is always the
possibility of coming across the huge Elk, or finding
footprints in the snow from the elusive and now very
rare Lynx. Stopping for lunch at a wooden shelter, the
routine of getting a fire going and making a pot of coffee
will now be familiar. In the afternoon you reach the log
cabins to spend your final night in the Taiga winter
wilderness.
Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 8 km
Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 6 Visitor Centre and Reindeer Farm
We snowshoe out of the forests over several ridges to
first reach the Hossa Visitor Centre. Here you can study
the small exhibition about the nature and history of the
area you’ve just travelled through and perhaps
understand it better by relating to your own recent
experiences in the wilds of the Taiga. After checking in
to our cabin, there’ll be a visit this evening to the Hossa
Reindeer Farm. Here you’ll get to meet and learn more
about these semi-wild animals and their importance to
life here by the Arctic Circle. A delicious farewell dinner
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
4
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
will be celebrated here at the Hossa Reindeer farm,
where of course Reindeer will be on the menu! Tonight
we stay in either Jatkonsalmi or Tolosenvirta cabins.
Walking/Snowshoe Duration: 6 hours / 7 km
Log Cabin (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Day 7 Depart
After breakfast there will be a single timed group airport
transfer from Hossa to Kuusamo Airport for your return
flight to the UK via Helsinki.
(breakfast)
Practical Information
How to join and depart this trip
The joining point for this trip is Kuusamo Airport arrivals
hall on day 1 of the Trip Itinerary above. This transfer is
included because your first night in the Hossa region is
90km from Kuusamo. If your flight times do not coincide
with this, our consultants can arrange a transfer for you
on request – please contact us for prices.
The departure point for this trip is Kuusamo Airport on
day 7 of the trip. A single group timed transfer from
Hossa will be provided. If your flight times do not
coincide with this, our consultants can arrange a
departure transfer for you on request - please contact
us for prices.
Flight Inclusive
We recommend that you book this trip as a 'Flight
Inclusive' package. Booking your international flights
through Walks 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 well as the
option of regional departures too.
Land Only
If you would prefer to arrange your own international
travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package,
www.walksworldwide.com
where the price does not include international flights.
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 Trip Dossier.
Local transport
All transfers are by private vehicles.
Accommodation
On days 1, 2, 3 and 6 the group will stay in either
Tolosenvirta or Jatkonsalmi cabins. Rooms here are
small dorms style and vary from 2-4 beds per room.
There are shared shower and toilet facilities.
On days 4 and 5 accommodation is in very remote and
isolated log cabins in the Taiga wilderness, the essence
and highlight of this winter wonderland adventure. By
the very nature of their location these cabins afford
simple, comfortable, warm and very atmospheric, cosy,
accommodation in larger dormitories.
These have wood stove heating, no electricity (oil
burning lamp lighting), simple washing facilities (no
showers) and outside toilet.
In all the log cabins, accommodation will be allocated
dependent upon the group size and gender split.
Single and Private Rooms cannot be guaranteed in
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
5
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
advance on this trip. Sleeping bags will be provided for
the nights spent in these log cabins. All the
accommodation used throughout (including the remote
log cabins) has saunas!
Food
Of course food (even more so during the winter
months) is important for a wilderness adventure such
as this and all meals are included in the Land Only trip
price. Breakfasts will include bread, porridge, muesli,
yoghurt, cheese and cold meats as well as hot tea and
coffee. For lunch you can enjoy hot soup and
sandwiches as well as sausages and coffee cooked on
an open fire. Dinners are hearty and usually consist of
meat or fish, with vegetables and potatoes, salad, lots
of bread and dessert. If you wish to have snacks during
the course of the snowshoeing day (e.g. chocolate,
energy bars etc) you should bring these along and carry
them with you from home, as there aren’t any shops in
the Taiga forests. Vegetarian meals are also possible
but they must be ordered in advance and options will be
limited!
Climate
It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather
conditions you will encounter during the course of your
holiday. As this Snowshoe Adventure is scheduled for
February, there is more daylight than the earlier winter
months (around 9 hrs per day from 0800hrs to
1730hrs). It will of course be cold and temperatures will
remain below freezing. Daytime temperatures may be
between -5°C and -20°C and outside temperatures may
fall to -30°C at night. Snowfall can occur at any time
and some days may be cloudy and others sunny and
clear. During the day the active nature of snowshoeing
creates sufficient body heat to remain warm, along with
the correct use of adequate winter clothing and external
protection. When stopping for lunch, the body begins to
cool down and thus an extra warm jacket (see clothing
and equipment) to put on whilst resting is advisable and
of course when stopping for lunch an open fire is
quickly lit to create extra warmth. Although night time is
very cold, as the log cabins have wood fired stoves and
saunas, nights spent here will be cosy and warm.
Baggage
Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked
with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the
labels get detached. We request you limit your luggage
to one piece of main baggage, and recommend you to
pack your clothes in plastic bags to ensure they remain
dry. As your main baggage will be transported by
vehicle a normal suitcase can be used for your main
baggage.
Vaccinations & health
We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist
for a checkup before travelling. Your doctor will also
have access to the most up to date information on
vaccinations and medical precautions for the country
you are about to visit. No vaccinations are necessary
for Finland and health problems in the area we visit are
quite rare.
www.walksworldwide.com
A
useful
travel
health
www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
online
resource
is
Please make sure that you obtain an EHIC form
either online www.dh.gov.uk or from your local post
office – you will need to produce this if you have to
see a doctor.
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).
Security
Whilst the vast majority of travellers never experience
anything untoward it is worth taking precautions
particularly in urban areas. You should take sensible
precautions in crowded areas such as street markets
and airports, where pick-pocketing is common, and
keep clear of any street disturbances. Don’t wear
jewellery, or leave your bags unattended, keep large
amounts of money, cameras and mobile phones out of
sight when walking in town centres, and avoid walking
in city centres after dark. Keep copies of important
documents, including passports, in a separate place to
the documents themselves, together with details of
credit cards. Leave copies at home with a friend
too. Safeguard valuables, important documents and
cash and deposit them in cabin safes, where
practicable.
Currency
The Finnish currency is the Euro (€). 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 whilst on
trek, although you will also have little opportunity to
spend money.
Please refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates.
Language
Whilst your guide and many of the people you might
meet will speak excellent English it’s always a good
idea to bring along a Finnish phrasebook and try and
learn a few greetings and common courtesies. The
locals will certainly appreciate any effort you make to
speak the language and is all part of the fun.
Tipping
There is no compulsory tipping on any of our treks.
However tipping your guide is usual and any amount is
at your discretion. Please remember that all tips should
be a way for individuals to thank staff for good service.
Maps
We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London
WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.
Travel Insurance
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015
FINLAND
6
Wild Taiga Snowshoe Adventure
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 Walks Worldwide. Please call
us on 01962 737 565 for a quotation.
Passports & Visas
British passport holders (and other EU passport holders)
do not require a visa for entry into Finland. Please
ensure that your passport has at least 6 months validity
remaining from the date of your return.
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.walksworldwide.com/information/visa.html
Staff on your trip
You will be accompanied by an experienced Englishspeaking guide throughout. Your main baggage will be
transferred to each of your overnight halts by private
vehicle.
Budgeting for your trip
Please refer to the detailed itinerary for information on
what is included in this trip. You will need to budget for
meals and drinks not included in the holiday, any
optional sightseeing, souvenirs and items of a personal
nature such as laundry.
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.
Snowshoes and snowshoe poles if required can be
rented for €40 (payable locally).
www.walksworldwide.com
01962 737 565
Date of issue: 23 Jan 2015