Overview
A centre-based natural adventure, staying in two different places, has a focus on winter wildlife in Finland. The first couple of days are spent at a snow-enveloped lakeside hotel, just 3km from Kuhmo in the south-eastern corner of the Kainuu region, followed by a trip to the Bear Centre. The Centre, where you stay in luxury cabins, is a gateway to the Wild Taiga region, the vast subarctic forests of the north, where you have guided tours to go tracking and observing wolverines, elk and much more. Although you have included and optional winter activities, this is an independent holiday, with plenty of time to enjoy this idyllic winter landscape, Finnish saunas and non-guided winter walking trails. Breakfast and a three-course dinner are included each day.
- Cross-country ski school
- Kuhmo
- Snowshoeing
- Bear Centre
- Wildlife watching
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kuhmo
After a transfer from Kajaani Airport to Hotel Kalevala, spend the evening relaxing in the hotel’s indoor or outdoor hot tub or settle into the Finnish way of life by taking a sauna. If you’re feeling more adventurous, grab one of the hotel’s sledges and head to one of the two nearby tobogganing areas.
- Accommodation: Hotel Kalevala
- Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Snowshoeing to wolverine hut
After breakfast it’s time for a guided snowshoe tour to a wolverine hut. Follow the tracks of wolverine, elk and hare accompanied by a professional wilderness guide. When you get to the private wilderness hut, you have plenty of time to, hopefully, observe an array of wildlife of this taiga forest, before returning to the hotel. The evening offers a chance to relax in the sauna or use the indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, followed by dinner.
- Accommodation: Hotel Kalevala
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 3: Nighttime wildlife watching
After breakfast, take a transfer to the Bear Centre where the next two nights are spent in luxury cabins. Here, in the depths of the taiga, you have a chance to observe wildlife such as wolves, wolverines, and birds. If you’re lucky, you might catch the famous Northern Lights.
- Accommodation: Bear Centre
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Wildlife watching
After a hearty breakfast, spend the day exploring the wilderness of the taiga on another tour with your expert wildlife guide.
- Accommodation: Bear Centre
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Day at leisure
Start the day with a transfer back to the hotel for a rest day. Relax in the sauna or book an optional guided activity. We recommend a husky safari, ice fishing or winter swimming in the Pajakkakoski Rapids. For more details, see below.
- Accommodation: Hotel Kalevala
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 6: Kuhmo
After breakfast take your time exploring the city of Kuhmo and its Karelian culture. Later on, we recommend a session with storyteller Giulia Santelli to learn more about Finish mythology and the significance of bears within it. Giulia is a translator and author of the Giulia in Finlandia blog.
- Accommodation: Hotel Kalevala
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Departure
Complimentary transfer to Kajaani Airport after breakfast.
- Meals included: breakfast
Additional activities
Additional activities are available to book each afternoon or evening at an extra fee and should be booked at least two weeks advance. These activities include:
- Taiga Northern Lights tour: Accompanied by a wilderness guide, walk through the forest to a perfect spot for observing the aurora borealis or northern lights.
- Rapid swimming: Layered up in specialist winter gear, brave the Pajakkakoski Rapids, which you begin by floating gently along the river before heading down the rapids one by one
- Cross country ski school or tour: guided ski school for beginners at the Kalevala Ski Centre or guided tour to the forests and on a frozen lake. Includes hot refreshments
- Husky safari: starts right from the hotel, take an exciting husky ride out through the snowy forests
- Snowshoe tour: guided tour along the taiga forest and on a frozen lake for beginners. Includes hot refreshments.
- Snowshoeing tour with photographer: set off on a leisurely snowshoeing tour through the taiga, accompanied by a professional photographer to capture the experience
- Fat bike tour: accompanied by an experienced guide, jump on a fat bike and adventure across the snow on two wheels
- Skin ski tour: skin skiing is like a combination of snowshoeing and skiing. With tuition from an experienced guide, try out this sport on a tour through the taiga
- Ice fishing: walk, ski or snowshoe across an ice-covered lake before drilling a hole in the ice to try your hand at ice fishing
- Peat sauna: a traditional therapeutic treatment, which is thought to improve metabolism and clear the skin
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is a hotel in Kuhmo and a luxury cabin in the Bear Centre complex on days three and four. Accommodations have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including location, warm hospitality, fine local food and commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms.
Meals
This tour is on a half-board basis, and breakfast and a three-course dinner are included each day. Lunches and snacks can be bought from the café or restaurant at the hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is graded easy and suitable for anyone able to participate in the activities listed in the itinerary (read more about difficulty grades).
Please be prepared for extremely cold temperatures in the region and ensure you dress appropriately. Activities on tis tour are mainly weather dependent, and so it may be necessary to offer activities in a different order than shown in the itinerary. Thermal clothing rental (suit, hat, gloves, boots, socks) can be organised, at an additional cost.
When to go
This trip is available from the early January until the end of March. You can start your trip on any date during the season.
Generally, temperatures are low, averaging between -5C and -10C from January to March, with lows as cold as -24C.
For more information see our blog, Best time to go to Finland.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Kajaani Airport.
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Finland without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with Kajaani railway station offering connections to many other Nordic countries and beyond. For more details, see the national rail operator VR. Transfers can be arranged from Kajaani railway station instead of the airport.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 2 nights wildlife watching
- Snowshoe tracking to wolverine hut (5-6h)
- Half board (three-course dinner at hotel, early dinners before wildlife watching night)
- Evening saunas with indoor and outdoor jacuzzis daily at hotel
- Transfers to and from the Bear Centre on days three and five
- Transfers to and from the airport
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- We regret that this tour is not open to solo travellers
- We regret that on this tour it is not possible to book single rooms
- Parking
- Upgraded rooms
- Additional activities
- Thermal clothing rental (suit, hat, gloves, boots, socks)
