Finland
Snowshoeing Adventure
7 nights from £1400 • €1625 • $1800
Activities
6 days guided adventures
Accommodation
7 nights cabin - shared rooms only
Level
Beginner friendly
Food
Simple and hearty
Difficulty
Group Size
Moderate
Transfers
12 new friends
Dates
December
January
March
December: Fly into Kajaani
January: Fly into Kuusamo
March: Fly into Rovaniemi
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Snowshoeing
Join us on this beginner friendly, women only snowshoeing expedition!
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Icebathing
Try ice-bathing in a frozen lake!
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Explore the Wilderness
Explore pristine coniferous forests and frozen lakes of eastern Finland
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Remote Off-Grid Cabin
Stay in wilderness cabins and log cabins!
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Outdoor Cooking
Cook and share delicious meals over an open fire
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Sauna
End each day with a traditional Finnish Sauna
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Northern Lights
An amazing chance to see the Northern Lights!
Join up with a small group of fellow Gutsy Girls and head off on a guided snowshoeing holiday, deep into the pristine Hossa National Park. We’ve partnered with local, expert wilderness guides to create a unique winter adventure, taking you into the peace and tranquility of the forest trails and over the ridges and frozen lakes of eastern Finland.
This trip is the perfect active escape. During the week-long retreat you will snowshoe, ice swim (if you dare!), devour fire-cooked meals, wind down in the sauna, share each other's company by the woodburning stove and bed down in traditional log cabins and wilderness huts.
After a short introductory session on snowshoeing equipment and technique, you will be equipped to access the incredible snow-covered landscape with your guide. No previous experience is necessary, but you will need to be fit and comfortable being out for 6 hours per day, adventuring over variable snowy terrain. There will be many short ups and downs to challenge and exhilarate!
We can’t wait to share the sport of snowshoeing and the remote Finnish wilderness with you.
Location
We’ll be heading to Hossa, Finland’s 40th National Park, which stretches over 11,000 hectares of pristine coniferous forest and sparkling lakes. Reindeer, elk, hares, wolves, wolverines and bears (safely in hibernation at this time of year!) roam freely through the birch, spruce and pine.
This beautiful area has been inhabited since the Stone Age - and some of Finland’s most important rock paintings can be found at Värikallio, dating back over 4,000 years. And with over 90kms of trails, it is the perfect location for a snowshoeing adventure with new friends.
Activities
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Snowshoeing
Do you like to hike? Snowshoeing is the winter extension, making remote snowy terrain accessible! Snowshoes are worn over footwear and their wide frame allows bodyweight to be distributed over a larger area. This stops you from sinking into the snow and helps to achieve ‘flotation’ - on top of the white stuff rather than thigh deep in it!
It’s a great sport for beginners because it doesn’t need the same level of technical skill and experience as skiing or snowboarding, yet gets you out into the wide open, snowy backcountry. It’s great exercise too because it works your whole body, improves balance, proprioception and muscle condition and is fast to learn.
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Icebathing and Sauna
Snowshoeing is a great winter activity, it requires no previous experience or technical skills, it's simply hiking! Snowshoes are worn over hiking boots and their wide frame spreads your weight across the snow surface preventing you from sinking in to deep snow. It's a great way to access snow covered terrains and explore during winter.
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Wilderness Cabin Expedition
Hike deep into the Finnish wilderness for an unforgettable two-night stay in an off-grid cabin. With no electricity, we’ll light the evenings with candles and keep warm by the crackling wood stove. Enjoy the rustic charm of a wood-fired sauna, and for the ultimate adventure, take an invigorating ice bath in the frozen lake just outside your door.
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Northern Lights
Snowshoeing is a great winter activity, it requires no previous experience or technical skills, it's simply hiking! Snowshoes are worn over hiking boots and their wide frame spreads your weight across the snow surface preventing you from sinking in to deep snow. It's a great way to access snow covered terrains and explore during winter.
Snowshoeing
Do you like to hike? Snowshoeing is the winter extension, making remote snowy terrain accessible! Snowshoes are worn over footwear and their wide frame allows bodyweight to be distributed over a larger area. This stops you from sinking into the snow and helps to achieve ‘flotation’ - on top of the white stuff rather than thigh deep in it!
It’s a great sport for beginners because it doesn’t need the same level of technical skill and experience as skiing or snowboarding, yet gets you out into the wide open, snowy backcountry. It’s great exercise too because it works your whole body, improves balance, proprioception and muscle condition and is fast to learn.
Ice Bathing and Saunas
In Finland, where there are more saunas than people, the sauna is a vital part of the culture and a truly immersive experience. On this expedition, you’ll have the chance to relax in a traditional wood-fired sauna, soaking in the warmth after an active day in the wilderness. For the adventurous, take the plunge into the Finnish tradition of ice bathing by dipping into a hole in the frozen lake—it’s an exhilarating way to refresh both body and mind!
Wilderness Expedition
Hike deep into the Finnish wilderness for an unforgettable two-night stay in an off-grid cabin. With no electricity, we’ll light the evenings with candles and keep warm by the crackling wood stove. Enjoy the rustic charm of a wood-fired sauna, and for the ultimate adventure, take an invigorating ice bath in the frozen lake just outside your door.
Northern Lights
With seven nights in Finland’s pristine wilderness, we’ll have plenty of chances to catch sight of the northern lights. Each evening, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for clear skies and scan the horizon for this mesmerising display. While we can’t guarantee a sighting, this remote location offers the ideal conditions to witness the auroras dancing across the sky in all their breathtaking beauty.
Fitness and Experience Level
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This trip is rated as Moderate.
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During this adventure, we will snowshoe between 6 km and 11 km per day and be out for around 5 - 6 hours, with plenty of time allowed to enjoy regular snack stops, time to take in the peace and the scenery and a good, long leisurely lunch. The terrain itself is quite variable with many short up and downhills but there are no long climbs. The landscape is simply breath-taking, winding through forests, along ridges and over the frozen lakes.
At the end of January, the snow is normally 60–70cm deep and soft - which means our average speed can be anything from 1 - 2 km per hour. If the track is harder, we will be able to walk faster and will have the option to add extra kilometres to the day’s route.
The difficulty of the tour is rated between easy and moderate, depending on the snow conditions. No previous experience of snowshoeing is needed but good physical condition is required to maximise enjoyment. If you do physical activity that gets your heart rate up 2-3 times a week and you enjoy hiking, you’ll have a great time on snow shoes!
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For 7 nights, you’ll be staying in the heart of the National Park.
5 Nights in Basecamp CabinWe’ll stay in a simple yet spacious cabin located on the edge of a frozen lake. The cabin includes a shared lounge area with a cosy wood-burning stove and features a private sauna with additional shower facilities.
Room Setup:
Twin room shared with one other person
Shared bathrooms among guests
Private rooms are not available
2 Nights in Wilderness Cabin
During our 2-night expedition, we’ll stay in smaller, rustic wilderness cabins that provide a truly back-to-nature experience. These cabins have no electricity, are heated by wood stoves, and include a traditional wood-fired sauna for an authentic experience.
Room Setup:
Bunk rooms accommodating up to 4 people
Toilets located in a separate building
No showers available; washing can be done in the sauna using water fetched directly from the well.
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Each day, we’ll enjoy a delicious and nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a focus on Finnish products.
Breakfast: Served at the cabin around 8am, featuring a variety of options like bread, cheese, ham, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, coffee, and tea.
Lunch: Prepared over an open fire along the route around midday, including hot soup, sandwiches, and coffee or tea with chocolate and biscuits.
Dinner: A hearty buffet with typical Finnish dishes, served between 7-8pm. A main course (meat/fish, potatoes/rice), fresh salad or warm vegetables, and dessert.
Dietary requirements can be accommodated with prior notice!
Itinerary
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Day 1
Your adventure begins with your arrival at the airport!
We’ll connect you up with all those on the trip, so you’ll likely have someone to travel with. Transfer is provided to our base camp in Hossa where we will stay in a traditional cabin.
The cabins we use as our base camp cabins are situated in an isolated spot in the heart of the National Park. They are traditional, but well-equipped log cabins, with shared indoor toilets and showers as well as a kitchen, dining room and central heating. There is a sauna and a site for an open fire. There is also the alluring possibility of ice-swimming close at hand…
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Day 2
After breakfast, we will get the chance to see the incredible 4,000 year old rock paintings. We will first take a short car transfer and then snowshoe to Colour Rock. A picnic lunch will be served near the prehistoric site and around an open fire - hot soup and sandwiches and coffee brewed in a big pot. In the afternoon we will return to the cabin to spend one more night, gathering strength to go out into more remote wilderness terrain the following day.
Snowshoeing 7 km, 6 hours
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Day 3
This day will start with a hearty breakfast, an introduction to the week’s programme and a brief preparatory session on snowshoeing technique. Once equipped and raring to go, it will be time to set off for the first day trip to see the Lounatkoski rapids. We’ll enjoy a picnic around an open fire next to the rapids and then snowshoe back to the our cabin, across Jatkonvaara-hill.
In the evening, relax and unwind in the lakeside sauna. Those who want can again try ice-swimming – breathe slowly out and dip yourself into the hole in the ice!
Snowshoeing 7 km, 6 hours.
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Day 4
After breakfast this morning we will say goodbye to traditional cabin and journey to the wilderness cabins, where we will spend the next two nights.
The route goes along the top of a ridge between two frozen lakes and through the beautiful snow covered pine, spruce and birch forests. Look out for reindeer! Eventually you will reach the cabins where we will stay the night.
The wilderness cabins are situated on the shore of a lake. There is a sauna in the cabin, but there are no showers or electricity and toilets are in a shared outhouse. Heating is by cosy log burning stove.
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Day 5
After breakfast you will snowshoe along the ridges and over the lakes. The surrounding forests are home to many animals like elks, wolves, lynxes and hares but you will need a very sharp eye to see them! Bears also inhabit the area but in winter they are safely tucked away in hibernation. Halfway along our route, we will enjoy a picnic lunch around an open fire by some rapids.
We’ll be in the wilderness again this evening with no showers or electricity, but again, a cosy wood burning stove will provide the heating. There are outhouse toilets.
Snowshoeing 8 km, 6,5 hours
Note: 28 Jan - 4 February trip, you will stay in the same wilderness cabin for nights 5&6.
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Day 6
Today's route takes us back to our base camp cabin. We will snowshoe along high ridges, with amazing views, until we reach the Hossa Visitor Centre. We will have lunch here and there is a chance to visit a small shop for souvenirs. Back at the our first cabin, we will rest, have a sauna, maybe with ice-swimming for the brave, and enjoy a well-earned dinner.
Snowshoeing 5 km, 4 hours
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Day 7
Start the day with a hearty cabin breakfast and consider your options for the final day of the tour. You could opt to head out for an additional day of snowshoeing, or you could choose to stay close to the cabin and learn to build an igloo… or try ice fishing.
If you haven't yet tried a dip in the frozen lake, perhaps this will be the day?! After the obligatory evening sauna, we will enjoy our last night together over a Gutsy Girls farewell dinner.
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Fri 27 December - Fri 3 January - FULLY BOOKED
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Sun 5 January - Sun 12 January - FULLY BOOKED
Sun 19 January - Sun 26 January - FULLY BOOKED
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Sun 16 March - Sun 23 March
Dates
Price
December Shared Room: £1500 (approx. €1740 / $1930)
January Shared Room: £1400 (approx. €1625 / $1800)
March Shared Room: £1500 (approx. €1740 / $1930)
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Gutsy Girls is a UK-based adventure company welcoming women worldwide. Prices are in pounds (£) with estimates in euros (€) and US dollars ($). The final amount depends on your card provider’s conversion rate at payment time and may fluctuate.
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Secure your spot with a 30% deposit; the balance is due 45 days before the trip.
Included
6 days of guided snowshoeing
7 nights accommodation
4 nights in a twin-share equipped cabin2 nights in a rustic wilderness cabin with dorm-style lodging
Snowshoes, poles, snow boots, and mittens provided
Expert local guide and Gutsy Girls host
All meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Relax with traditional saunas and experience ice swimming
Luggage transfers between accommodations
Single airport transfer for the recommended flight times
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Flights
Drinks
Travel Insurance
Personal clothing
Check out our packing list here
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The cancellation will only be effective from the date that the cancellation is received in writing by email. Cancellation charges will be payable as follows:
• Cancellation fee of 100% is charged if cancelled 44 days or less before the trip
• Cancellation fee of 30% is charged if cancelled 45 days or more before the trip
Travel
The transfer times and airports are different for different dates.
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We recommend flying to Kajaani with Finnair from London Heathrow via Helsinki, as our airport transfers are timed to match these flights. Kajaani is about 3 hours from our base cabin.
Transfer details:
Arrival: Pick up from Kajaani airport at 7:30 pm.
Departure: Drop off at Kajaani airport at 10:00 am.
Recommended flights with Finnair:
Outbound:
AY1332: Depart LHR 10:20, Arrive HEL 15:15
AY415: Depart HEL 17:35, Arrive KAJ 18:55
Return:
AY414: Depart KAJ 11:55, Arrive HEL 13:15
AY1335: Depart HEL 14:00, Arrive LHR 15:15
Book your flights once your trip is confirmed.
General Info: You can reach Kajaani by any method, but ensure you're at the airport in time for our transfers. Consider spending a night in Helsinki before or after your trip. Norwegian and Ryanair also offer direct flights from the UK to Helsinki.
Note: We can only offer one transfer each way. Private transfers are costly due to the long distance.
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We recommend flying directly to Kuusamo with TUI from London Gatwick, Birmingham, or Manchester, as our airport transfers align with these flights. Kuusamo is about 1 hour from our base cabin.
Transfer details:
Arrival: Pick up from Kuusamo airport at 1:30 pm.
Departure: Drop off at Kuusamo airport at 10:45 am.
Recommended flights with TUI:
London Gatwick:
Outbound: Depart LGW 06:00, Arrive KAO 11:35
Return: Depart KAO 12:45, Arrive LGW 14:35
Birmingham:
Outbound: Depart BHX 06:50, Arrive KAO 12:10
Return: Depart KAO 13:20, Arrive BHX 14:45
Manchester:
Outbound: Depart MAN 07:35, Arrive KAO 13:00
Return: Depart KAO 14:10, Arrive MAN 15:35
Book these flights directly on the TUI website. We recommend booking as soon as your trip is confirmed, as alternative flight options are limited.
Alternatives: You could fly outbound with Finnair, spending a night in Helsinki before the trip begins. Our transfer time can usually accommodate a morning Finnair flight from Helsinki to Kuusamo. For the return, you might need to spend another night in Helsinki if flying back with Finnair.
General Info: You can reach Kuusamo by any method, but ensure you're at the airport in time for our transfers. Consider spending a night in Helsinki before or after your trip. Norwegian and Ryanair also offer direct flights from the UK to Helsinki.
Note: We can only offer one transfer each way. Private transfers are costly due to the long distance.
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There are no direct flights to Kuusamo in March. We recommend flying to Rovaniemi, which is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours from our base cabin.
Transfer details:
Arrival: Pick up from Rovaniemi airport at 12:30 pm.
Departure: Drop off at Rovaniemi airport at 9:45 am.
Recommended flights to Rovaniemi:
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 06:30, Arrive RVN 11:50
Return: FR9829 - Depart RVN 12:25, Arrive STN 13:55
Liverpool - Ryanair
Outbound: FR9984 - Depart LPL 05:45, Arrive RVN 11:50
Return: FR9985 - Depart RVN 11:35, Arrive LPL 13:00
Our transfer timings are aligned with these flights. No other direct flights to Rovaniemi are available on these dates.
General Info: You can reach Rovaniemi by any method, but ensure you're at the airport in time for our transfers. Consider spending a night in Helsinki before or after your trip. Finnair, Norwegian, and Ryanair fly direct to Helsinki from the UK, and Finnair and Norwegian offer flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.
Note: We can only offer one transfer each way. Private transfers are costly due to the long distance.
Packing List
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Snow shoes
Trekking poles
Snow boots (if required - free to rent)
Sleeping bag and mummy liner (2 nights in wilderness cabins)
Bath towel (if you want to have a separate hand towel, please bring your own)
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Snowshoeing kit:
Snow boots (you can hire these if you need - no need for investing in special footwear - let us know on booking)
Gaiters can be useful (optional)
20 - 30 litre backpack
Base layer thermal tops (a selection) (synthetic, wool or silk)
Long johns (thermal) (synthetic, wool or silk)
Fleece or wool jumper
A breathable, waterproof/water resistant and windproof shell jacket
Soft shell type trousers (windproof, water repellent, breathable) with space for thermal leggings/long johns underneath
A warm packable insulated / down jacket
A selection of warm socks of different thicknesses to help you get the best fit in your boots (wool is best)
Sunglasses (ski googles can be useful if the weather is bad but can fog up when you get hot!)
Warm hat
Ear muffs can be useful
Buff (you might want two - one for your neck, one as a headband), scarf or balaclava
Ski gloves (2 pairs, ideally, in case one gets wet - normal ski gloves will do - warm mittens are best if you are prone to getting cold)
Pair of big mittens to put over the other gloves when we stop
Glove liners and/or disposable hand warmers if you suffer from cold hands
Waterproof trousers (optional but recommended as an extra windproof layer)
Off the Snow:
Casual warm evening clothes
Night wear
Head torch & batteries
Toiletries
Swimwear and neoprene boots/gloves for the ice swimming and sauna if you wish (Finns will go nude!)
Travel towel (optional; bath towels are provided)
Sleeping bag liner (optional; these are provided if you don’t bring your own)
Pillowcase or camping pillow for the wilderness cabins
Sunscreen (high factor) and lip salve
Any prescription medication
Other medication (paracetamol/ibuprofen) is significantly more expensive in Finland so bring some if you need to
Compeed or moleskin for blisters, just in case!
Slippers / shoes (ideally with hard / waterproof soles) for the cabin
Earplugs and eye mask for sharing rooms in the cabins
30 - 40l soft sided overnight bag for packing for the wilderness cabins (optional; these are provided if you don’t bring your own)
Other Stuff:
Camera
Dry bags for inside your day pack to keep stuff dry
Waterproof case for your phone might be handy
Snacks - a selection!
Medium sized tupperware for carrying food out on the trails
Thermos so you can take hot drinks out on the trails
Water bottle (not a camelbak style bladder which will freeze)
Hand sanitiser
If you’re packing light, you could bring soap flakes/wash to hand wash thermals if required
Occasionally, luggage can be misplaced especially if you are connecting with another flight before landing in Kuusamo. We therefore recommend that you bring some clothes and shoes in your hand luggage so that you can participate in the first day even if your luggage doesn’t arrive with you!
Questions?
If you have any questions, check our FAQs or drop us a message below!