FAQs
Finland
Snowshoeing Adventure
Travel
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Flights are not included in our packages.
Our recommended flights are different - both airports and timings - for our January and March trips.
January: TUI Airlines to Kuusamo
March: Ryanair or Easyjet to Rovaniemi
We have one timed transfer on arrival and departure - these vary by date.
Please make sure you are looking at the information relating to the dates you have booked!
Whilst we want to give you as much information as possible to make this a simple and stress-free process, you are responsible for your travel arrangements to Kusaamo (January) / Rovaniemi (March), where we will collect you and take you to the first night's accommodation.
We've put together some information for you, but please do the research for your own peace of mind too. Gutsy Girls are responsible for you once you reach us and not before.
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Transfer times & recommended flights for December 2024
Our recommended flights are to Kajaani with Finnair from London Heathrow, via Helsinki and our airport transfers are designed to meet these flights. Kajaani is approximately a 3 hour journey to our base cabin.
We will do one transfer on arrival and departure at the following times:
Arrival transfer: 7:30 pm pick up from Kajaani airport
Departure transfer: Drop off at Kajaani airport at 10:00 amOur recommended flights are indirect flights with Finnair from London Heathrow (LHR) to Kajaani (KAJ) via Helsinki (HEL) as follows:
Outbound:
Finnair AY1332
Depart LHR at 10:20
Arrive HEL at 15:15Connect in airport
Finnair AY415
Depart HEL at 17:35
Arrive KAJ at 18:55Return:
Finnair AY414
Depart KAJ at 11:55
Arrive HEL at 13:15Connect in airport
Finnair AY1335
Depart HEL at 14:00
Arrive LHR at 15:15We recommend booking your flights as soon as we have confirmed your trip is running.
General
You can get to Kajaani however you like, as long as you are at the airport in time to meet our transfers. You may want to spend a night exploring Helsinki at the beginning or end of your trip.
Other airlines which fly direct from the UK to Helsinki are Norwegian and Ryanair.
Please note we can only do one transfer on arrival and departure. Due to long distances, private transfers are expensive to arrange.
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Transfer times & recommended flights for January 2025
Our recommended flights are direct to Kuusamo with TUI from either London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester, and our airport transfers are designed to meet these flights. Kuusamo is approximately a 1 hour journey to our base cabin.
We will do one transfer on arrival and departure at the following times:
Arrival transfer: 1:30 pm pick up from Kuusamo airport
Departure transfer: Drop off at Kuusamo airport at 10:45 amOur recommended flights are charter flights with TUI from London Gatwick (LGW), Birmingham (BHX) or Manchester (MAN) to Kuusamo (KAO) as follows:
London
Outbound: TUI
Depart LGW at 06:00
Arrive KAO at 11:35Return: TUI
Depart KAO at 12:45
Arrive LGW at 14:35Birmingham
Outbound: TUI
Depart BHX at 06:50
Arrive KAO at 12:10Return: TUI
Depart KAO at 13:20
Arrive BHX at 14:45Manchester
Outbound: TUI
Depart MAN at 07:35
Arrive KAO at 13:00Return: TUI
Depart KAO at 14:10
Arrive MAN at 15:35You can book these directly on the TUI website. We recommend booking your flights as soon as we have confirmed your trip is running as there are not many alternative flight options!
Alternatives
You could also fly outbound with Finnair and spend a night in Helsinki on Saturday before the trip begins; the transfer time can usually accommodate a morning Finnair flight to Kuusamo from Helsinki. If you are flying back to the UK with Finnair, you may need to spend another night in Helsinki on the way home.
General
You can get to Kuusamo however you like, as long as you are at the airport in time to meet our transfers. You may want to spend a night exploring Helsinki at the beginning or end of your trip.
Other airlines which fly direct from the UK to Helsinki are Norwegian and Ryanair.
Please note we can only do one transfer on arrival and departure. Due to long distances, private transfers are expensive to arrange.
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March Trip
There are no direct flights to Kuusamo (the closest airport) in March.
Our recommended flights to Rovaniemi. Rovaniemi is approximately a 3.5 - 4 hour journey to our base cabin.
We can do one transfer on arrival and departure at the following times:
Arrival transfer: 13:00 pm pick up from Rovaniemi airport
Departure transfer: Drop off at Rovaniemi airport at 09:45 am
We have two recommended flights to Rovaniemi:
Ryanair from London Stansted
Easyjet from London Gatwick
London Gatwick - EasyJet
Outbound: EZY8847 - Depart LGW 06:25, Arrive RVN 11:55
Return: EZY8848 - Depart RVN 12:45, Arrive LGW 14:35
London Stansted - Ryanair
Outbound: FR9828 - Depart STN 07:25, Arrive RVN 12:30
Return: FR9829 - Depart RVN 13:50, Arrive STN 15:20
Our transfer timings are aligned with these flights. No other direct flights to Rovaniemi are available on these dates.
General
You can get to Rovaniemi however you like, as long as you are at the airport in time to meet our transfers. You may want to spend a night exploring Helsinki at the beginning or end of your trip.
Finnair, Norwegian and Ryanair fly direct to Helsinki from the UK.
Finnair and Norwegian fly from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.
Please note we can only do one transfer on arrival and departure. Due to long distances, private transfers are expensive to arrange.
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We will collect you from Kajaani airport at the arranged transfer time on the day of arrival.
You will then be driven to the first log cabin of your trip, on the shores of Lake Jatkonjarvi, in Hossa National Park. This will take about 3 hours.
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You will be transferred to the airport after breakfast. The journey will take about 3 hours.
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We will collect you from Kuusamo airport at the arranged transfer time on the day of arrival.
You will then be driven to the first log cabin of your trip, on the shores of Lake Jatkonjarvi, in Hossa National Park. This will take about an hour.
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You will be transferred to the airport after breakfast. The journey will take about an hour.
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We will collect you from Rovaniemi airport at the arranged transfer time on the day of arrival.
You will then be driven to the first log cabin of your trip, on the shores of Lake Jatkonjarvi, in Hossa National Park. This will take about 3.5 hours.
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You will be transferred to Rovaniemi airport after an early breakfast. The journey will take about 3.5 hours.
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Go for one of our January trips!
These dates work for direct TUI flights from London, Birmingham and Manchester.
Our recommended flights from Birmingham and Manchester are as below:
Birmingham
Sundays in Jan / Feb 2025
Outbound: TUI
Depart BHX at 06:30
Arrive KAO at 11:50
Sundays in Jan / Feb 2025
Return: TUI
Depart KAO at 13:00
Arrive BHX at 14:25
Manchester
Sundays in Jan / Feb 2025
Outbound: TUI
Depart MAN at 07:05
Arrive KAO at 12:30
Sundays in Jan / Feb 2025
Return: TUI
Depart KAO at 13:40
Arrive MAN at 15:05
Our New Year dates will also work if you fly to Helsinki and connect with the recommended flights from Helsinki to Kajaani. You might need to spend a night in Helsinki to make this work, depending on where you're flying from!
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Other flights to Kuusamo
There are indirect flights to Kuusamo with Finnair via Helsinki from Edinburgh, Manchester and London Heathrow. In order to fit in with our transfer times, you may need to fly the day before the trip begins and and the day after it ends.
If you arrive on an earlier flight, you will have to wait for the transfer at the airport (or in the town and make your way back to the airport by pick up time).
Other airlines which fly direct from the UK to Helsinki are Norwegian and Ryanair, if you wanted to spend time in Helsinki and travel to/from Kuusamo / Rovaniemi on a different day with Finnair.
Flight to Oulu & Bus to Kuusamo:
In some cases a flight from Helsinki to Oulu and a bus from Oulu to Kuusamo is a cheaper option as there are more daily flights to Oulu.
You will need to get from Oulu airport to the bus station in Oulu either by taxi for about €40 or by public bus lines 8 or 9 for about €6. Journey time approx 30 minutes.
For the bus from Oulu bus station to Kuusamo, check schedules at www.matkahuolto.fi. The bus takes about 3 hours. Prices from 28 €/one-way.
Train from Helsinki to Oulu and bus from Oulu to Kuusamo
It is possible to take a train from Helsinki airport railway station to Oulu (about 6 hours) and then a bus from Oulu to Kuusamo. Please see schedules and prices for trains at www.vr.fi.
For the bus from Oulu station to Kuusamo, check schedules at www.matkahuolto.fi. The bus takes about 3 hours. Prices from 28 €/one-way.
If you miss the scheduled group transfer on arrival and an extra transfer has to be arranged, the costs must be covered by you.
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We will connect you with others on the trip via WhatsApp, so you may be able to arrange to travel together.
Accommodation
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The accommodation on this trip is fairly simple, but absolutely in keeping with the wilderness that you'll be experiencing on your showshoe hikes each day! These huts are very traditionally Finnish, and we'll be experiencing Finnish traditions, culture and food first hand.
All trips except January 28 - February 4
On days 1–3 and 6 & 7 we will be at base camp, a traditional but well-equipped log cabin on the shore of Lake Jatkonjärvi.
The spacious cabin has 8 bedrooms with bunk beds, shared toilets and showers.
It also has a kitchen, dining room and central heating.
There is an electric sauna shared with a neighbouring cabin, a barbeque shelter and a site for an open fire.
There is the possibility of ice-swimming here!
On days 4 and 5 at the wilderness cabins the accommodation is more basic.
These log cabins have dormitory bunk beds (sleeping bags and liners provided)
You’ll be sleeping in the living space together, heated by a log burner.
These cabins have no showers or electricity.
The toilet is in a shared outhouse.
They do have saunas and wood stove heating!
Please note that the bathroom facilities are shared throughout the trip and that single rooms are not available.
January 28 - February 4 trip
The accommodation on this date is similar but slightly different to the other dates. There are two main differences:
A different base camp cabin
We stay at one wilderness cabin for 2 nights instead of moving between 2 different cabins
This date only has capacity for 8 guests (rather than 12) due to the smaller base camp cabin.
Days 1 – 4 and 7 we will be at a different base camp, a smaller traditional but well-equipped log cabin on the shore of Lake Lounaja:
You’ll be in a twin share room for these nights.
The cabin has 4 bedrooms each sleeping 2 people, shared toilets and showers.
It also has a kitchen, dining room and central heating.
There is an wood fired sauna and a site for an open fire.
There is the possibility of ice-swimming here!
Days 5 & 6 you'll be at a wilderness cabin, where the accommodation is more basic:
Dormitory bunk beds (sleeping bags and liners provided)
You’ll be sleeping in the living space together, heated by a log burner.
These cabins have no showers or electricity.
The toilet is in a shared outhouse.
They do have saunas and wood stove heating!
The bathroom facilities are shared throughout the trip and single rooms are not available.
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We will provide:
bath towels (if you want to have a separate hand towel, please bring your own)
bed linen
sleeping bags and mummy liners (for the 2 nights in wilderness cabins)
Hairdryers are not provided!
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No - you could bring some soap flakes / travel wash to wash your base layers if you think this will be necessary!
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The traditional Finnish sauna is available every evening during the tour except on arrival night. Finnish people traditionally go to the sauna in single sex groups without wearing swimming costumes. The sauna is considered to be a holy place where both body and soul are washed.
Modern saunas have separate bathrooms with showers. In saunas without running water (e.g. the wilderness cabins) you can wash yourself in the sauna – there is hot water, buckets and scoops available.
The sauna at basecamp is located on a lake and there’s a possibility for ice-swimming (dipping into the hole in the ice) here.
Food
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All your meals are provided.
Breakfast is served at the cabin (bread, cheese, ham, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, coffee, tea).
Lunch is served on an outdoor fireplace on the route and it consists of warm soup, sandwiches, (sausages) and coffee&tea with chocolate/biscuits.
Dinner is usually a buffet and includes typical Finnish dishes. The dinner consists of a main course (meat/fish, potatoes/rice), fresh salad/warm vegetables etc and dessert.
Finnish products are always our first choice. In winter all fruit is imported into Finland, so fruit may not be served very often, if at all.
Breakfast is usually around 8 am, lunch at 11–12 am and dinner at 7–8 pm.
Please bring your own snacks (energy / muesli bars, nuts, raisins etc) if you might need these during the week.
Tap water is drinkable in Finland. At the wilderness cabins where tap water is not available, water is brought in large cans (you can fill your own water bottle from these). Bottled water is not available.
Our guides will bring some beer and wine for purchase in the evenings if you so wish (€2 for a can of beer, €10 for a bottle of wine). This is payable in cash and although they will have some change, they won't be able to change large notes so bring some small denominations.
When you head out for the day you will be able to fill your thermos (on the packing list!) with hot berry juice, hot chocolate or tea. Coffee will be brewed during the lunch break and hot water for tea will be available then as well.
We can cater for most dietary requirements. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
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We can cater for most dietary requirements and we will request information prior to your arrival.
Activities
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Snowshoeing is essentially hiking over snow with the assistance of snowshoes, a device which you attach to your snow boots that features a wide frame to distribute the weight of the person over a larger area, to prevent the foot from sinking into the snow.
The frame is made of lightweight plastic or metal, deters snow accumulation and displaces your weight across the snow.
Snow shoeing is a great way to explore the snowy landscape. It is also a high energy activity and a full body workout– not only will you burn much more energy than the equivalent walking distance, but snowshoe exercise puts your entire body to work. And because your body will be relying on proprioception whilst you’re out in the snow, you can improve your balance and condition those muscles to work even harder.
No prior experience or training is required, which makes it a really inclusive activity.
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No previous experience of snowshoeing is needed but a moderate physical condition is required.
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On this tour the daily treks take around 5 to 6 hours (including stops) and our average speed is about one kilometre per hour. The depth of the snow is normally 60–70 cm and we will usually be walking in soft snow which makes the walking slow and strenuous. We always include a lunch break of about 1 to 1.5 hours.
The terrain is quite variable with many short up and downhills but there are no long climbs. The route goes through the forest, along ridges and over lakes.
This tour is of moderate difficulty, and can be quite strenuous, depending on the snow conditions. No previous experience of snowshoeing is needed but a moderate physical condition is required.
If you do physical activity that gets your heart rate up a minimum of 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes, you’ll have a great time on this trip!
We encourage you to be kind to yourself when deciding if this is the activity for you.
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You should be prepared for cold weather. Whilst you are snowshoeing, the body generates enough heat to keep your body warm but during the breaks you’ll get cold quickly. Therefore it is very important to have a warm, insulated coat to put on when you stop.
The best way to protect yourself from the cold is to wear a number of thin layers rather than a few thick ones. The outer garment should be a windproof shell, and you should take care to protect your feet, fingers and face.
We recommend a variety of wool or synthetic base layers, a mid layer if cold, topped by a lightweight, windproof, breathable waterproof hiking jacket (shell) with a hood, with a warm, insulated jacket in a backpack to put on at rest stops. On your legs, we recommend windproof, water repellent, breathable soft shell type fitted trousers or leggings, with a base layer underneath if needed.
We recommend avoiding cotton clothing as it gets wet and cold and doesn't dry fast.
Baselayers - a selection of synthetic, wool or silk baselayers.
Mid-layers – a fleece or wool jumper and trousers/leggings. Mid-layer clothing makes it possible to adjust thermal insulation according to the weather and rate of physical activity.
Outer layers – Windproof coat and trousers (these do not have to be waterproof or made of Gore-tex, water resistant is enough!)
Head – Windproof hat which protects the ears as well. Remember to protect your face too, especially if it’s windy. A buff, balaclava or a scarf are useful.
Hands – Windproof mittens protect your fingers better than gloves. For the breaks you can bring another pair of big insulated mittens to put on top.
Feet – Socks made of wool mixtures are the best choice. Cotton socks are not good for the cold weather!
Winter boots should have thick soles and have enough space for a couple of pairs of socks. (You can rent these if you need to).
Other vital items are sunglasses and sunscreen.
Please see our full packing list here.
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We provide snow boots and mittens!
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No! Your luggage is transported to the wilderness cabins for you. The space in these cabins is limited so we recommend leaving unneeded clothes and items at the basecamp. You could pack a smaller bag just with what you need for the cabins or if you are travelling with a partner/friend, you might take just one bag for the both of you. We will have some smaller bags to borrow if you need them.
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Yes! Ensure you bring a daypack with you that has plenty of space for layers that you need to peel off and put away. We recommend a backpack of about 20 litres.
It is a good idea to carry a warm, insulated jacket in your bag that you can put on at rest stops to stop you from getting cold, and a spare pair of gloves because wet gloves are the worst! Make sure there is some space in your bag before you begin as you are likely to need to put layers away as you warm up.
It is a really good idea to carry a couple of smaller, lightweight dry bags to keep the clothes in your backpack from getting wet.
Other
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We work very hard to ensure our trips are excellent value for money, and also that the flights to join us are not prohibitively expensive or inconvenient.
In January, our recommended flights are with TUI airlines from London Gatwick to Kuusamo (the closest airport to our base cabin). These are the most convenient flights.
Where there are no direct flights from the UK to Kuusamo (the closest airport to our base cabin) we choose the best and cheapest alternative airport.
The transfer from another Finnish airport can take up to 2.5 hours longer than from Kuusamo, and as transport is very expensive in Finland, this raises the cost of the trip.
However the alternative flights to alternative airports are likely to remain cheaper than the TUI flights in January, so the total cost of your trip should even out!
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The tour price includes full board but you may want some cash for drinks or snacks. Shopping possibilities are limited but there is a small souvenir shop at Hossa information centre which also accepts credit cards.
Our guides will bring some beer and wine for purchase in the evenings if you so wish (€2 for a can of beer, €12 for a bottle of wine). This is payable in cash and although they will have some change, they won't be able to change large notes so bring some small denominations.
The Finnish currency unit is the euro (EUR).
ATMs are not available during the tour.
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Of course we cannot predict the weather on any given week, but temperatures normally vary between -5 and -20 ° C, and we may sometimes have temperatures of more like -35°C. This sounds cold, however, for most of the winter in Finland it is a “dry” cold which tends to feel less cold than “damp” cold (which we have in the UK!).
The weather can be cloudy or sunny and we can also see wind and snowfalls.
The ten day weather forecast can be found here: www.foreca.com/Finland/Suomussalmi
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This tour is certainly suitable for Northern Lights spotting! We will be in the wilderness where artificial light pollution will not interfere, so if the Northern Lights do appear it will be easy to observe them from any of our cabins! However, just like the weather, the Northern Lights are completely unpredictable and their appearance can never be forecast with certainty, so we can never guarantee this!