Summer Wilderness Survival

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrive Kuusamo

   On arrival in Finland, we will transfer to Basecamp Oulanka, where we will have the chance to settle in to our new surroundings. After dinner, we will have the opportunity to enjoy wild swimming in the river, followed by our first sauna experience.

2. 2

   Day 2

   Wilderness skills & kayaking on Lake Juuma

   After breakfast, we will be straight out into our new environment learning new wilderness skills, including fire making and first aid. We will have the chance to prepare ourselves for our time in the wilderness and learn about what we will need to take with us. Our guide will also teach us navigation and orienteering techniques and how to follow tracks in the forest. After lunch, which will include freshly picked blueberries, we will learn how to navigate in our canoes and kayaks on Lake Juuma. After a short lesson we will spend the following two hours navigating to check points around the lake. After a long day we will prepare a traditional smoke sauna (savusauna). This skill was the only way to survive in the past up in the northern Taiga area. After dinner, we will experience a detoxing swim in the wild water - a truly mentally and physically refreshing experience.

3. 3

   Day 3

   Oulanka National Park - rafting & orienteering

   After a healthy breakfast of Finnish porridge and local berries we head out into the Oulanka National Park and the Kärpäskelhä - an old meadow along the River Kitka. After donning all the necessary rafting gear and receiving a safety briefing, we will move out to the Jyrävä waterfall for a rafting lesson. The Oulanka National Park is known for its rivers and canyons and we will spend the next two hours negotiating 7km of white water and deep canyons. The rest of the morning will be spent working on essential conservation work as the national park attempts to reinstate the Kärpäskelhä meadow back to how it was 60 years ago. We will then stop for a good lunch, which will be important to set us up for an afternoon in the wilderness of Oulanka. This is your chance to learn to navigate in this remote area. The only other inhabitants are elk and reindeer. After spending 18km of navigation practice in the wilderness, we will return and enjoy a natural sauna and hearty meal ....elk anyone?

4. 4

   Day 4

   Oulanka National Park - wood chopping, foraging & ropeways adventure!

   Today, we will have an easy morning organising our kit and recovering from the previous day’s adventure! There will also be the important team task of chopping wood for the sauna. This will all be done using traditional saws and axes. After that, part of the group will help with the maintenance work on the wildlife trail next to the lodge, while the rest of the group partakes in essential foraging. After lunch the adventure continues as we head to the ropeways over Sirkka creek. All the essential equipment is provided as is some nerve! After this it is a refreshing wild swim in the creek and then back to the sauna - this in Finland after all!

   Tonight it’s alfresco dining prepared by the fire!

5. 5

   Day 5

   Canoeing expedition on the River Oulanka

   After a morning walk to the Oulanka Visitor Centre and lunch, we canyon back to the Logging Lodge to pick up the canoes. The River Oulanka is great for canoeing with strong currents but no rapids. After a three hour paddle we leave the canoes at the beach to walk back to our base at the Logging Lodge. Dinner and, yes, you guessed ... a sauna!

6. 6

   Day 6

   Canoeing expedition to Lake Paanajärvi

   After breakfast we continue paddling towards the Russian border which, because the River Oulanka is famous for meandering, it is easy to spot. The river opens up to Lake Paanajärvi and when we have reached the border zone we can enjoy our lunch gazing across into Russia! Here we have the opportunity to track wildlife, golden eagles and capercaillie. If we are lucky we might see the tracks of brown bear. This is where you can make a choice to spend a night under the stars and shelters, or head back to the Logging Lodge.

7. 7

   Day 7

   Return to camp & final day activities

   After spending a night in the wilderness (or not!) we will head back to the lodge. We will have the chance to freshen up and enjoy some activities close to the base camp.

8. 8

   Day 8

   Flight to UK

   Transfer to Kuusamo and fly to London.

Itineraries can change with the seasons, local conditions and your group's needs. Ask us and we'll tailor it.