Highlights:

• Fully guided five day canoeing adventure 

• 52 km (32.3 miles) of canoeing & 16 km (9.9 miles) of hiking

• All meals and ground transportation included

• All canoeing & camping gear included, accommodation in tents

Programme

DAY 1: Arrival in Finland and preparations

You will be picked up from Rovaniemi airport (RVN) according to your flight arrival time in the afternoon or evening. After a drive you will arrive at Adventure Apes Lodge where your guide team will welcome you with a homemade dinner and a tour briefing.

Together with your guides you will review the route plan and get familiar with all the personal and common gear, ensuring you have everything you need to stay warm, dry and happy during your adventure and know how to use any equipment that may be new to you.

Later you will get an introduction to Finnish sauna culture and you will have a chance to kick off your adventure by relaxing in a traditional wood heated sauna.

• Meals included: Dinner

• Total driving time: 2 hours

• Paddling distance: none 

• Difficulty level of the route: -

• Accommodation: at Adventure Apes Lodge in bunk beds 

DAY 2: First day of your paddling adventure 

After a big healthy breakfast it is time to start your gear preparations. Your guide will provide you with all the necessary equipment and show you how to use it. You will learn how to set up your tent and how to use your gas operated cooker, for example. 

Next you will go through your food plan and pack your food in daily food bags making your daily life at your adventure easy and organized. When everything is packed you will enjoy your lunch at the Lodge and go through your safety plan together with your guide.

Next you will get transferred to your canoeing starting point. You will change into your swimming costume and show your guides that you know how to swim. After a while your guides will show you how to rescue yourself from a capsized canoe and you will practice this important skill together. 

Next you will pack your canoe together with your guide. When you have finished your preparations, it is time to take a group picture and kick off your canoeing adventure! Along the way, you will learn (or polish) basic canoeing skills such as how to paddle forward, backwards and sideways.

You will arrive at your camp in the late afternoon and set your tent in the wild. Soon it is time to start cooking dinner by a lean-to shelter under the supervision of your guides. All the camp shores will be done together as a team and this is your chance to make new friends by the evening campfire. 

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Total driving time: 30 mins 

• Paddling distance: 10 km (6.2 miles) 

• Difficulty level of the route: 1/5 -3/5  depending on weather conditions 

• Accommodation: in tents (2 people sharing). Eco toilet available. 

DAY 3:Paddling towards West

After a well slept night it is time to start cooking breakfast together as a team. Soon it is time to take your camp down and pack your canoe with the leave no trace policy. 

You will paddle on a big open water until noon when you will arrive at a beautiful sandy beach to have a longer lunch break. You will continue paddling in the afternoon and after a while you will arrive at your next camp, another sandy beach. 

When you have pitched your tent it is time to start preparing your dinner again. After your meal you will have a chance to do some stretching together with your guide and if you want to you may even go swimming under the midnight sun. 

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Total driving time: none

• Paddling distance: 16 km (9.9 miles) 

• Difficulty level of the route: 1/5 -3/5  depending on weather conditions 

• Accommodation: in tents (2 people sharing). Eco toilet available.

DAY 4:Challenge yourself with paddling 

This morning you will wake up early as today is the longest day of canoeing. Luckily you are getting faster as you have improved your paddling skills after practicing earlier this week. Again you will stop on a sandy beach to enjoy your camp lunch.

You will arrive at another camp in the late afternoon and cook your dinner around an open fire again. In the evening it is time to play some team building games.  

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Total driving time: none

• Paddling distance:  20 km (12.4 miles)

• Difficulty level of the route: 1/5 -3/5  depending on weather conditions 

• Accommodation:  in tents (2 people sharing). Eco toilet available. 

DAY 5: Day hike around the lake by foot

You will cook your breakfast together as a team at the camping place. Today we will not  pack our canoes but instead will wear trainers and pack our day bag for a 16 kilometer hike on foot. You will cross a lake by a rowing boat and cook lunch using gas cookers. After lunch you will have a chance to go swimming on a sandy beach. If you are lucky you might even spot some reindeer! 

In the evening you will return to your camp and cook your dinner along an open fire and give supportive feedback to your teammates. 

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Total driving time: none

• Hiking distance: 16 km (9.9 miles)

• Difficulty level of the route: 1/5 -3/5  

• Accommodation: in tents (2 people sharing). Eco toilet available.

DAY 6:Charity work, Summer Olympics and Sauna

Today we will return to our starting point, unpack our canoes and do some gear maintenance. Soon it is time to contribute to the local community and do some maintenance work for the hiking area. We will do some wood work and move the firewood where it is needed. 

In the afternoon it is time to boost your team building skills with some educational team building tasks and Summer Olympics. Prepare for lots of laughs! 

After all the hard work it is time to go swimming and relax in a sauna by the lake. 

After your arrival at Adventure Apes Lodge in the late afternoon you will have a farewell dinner together with your new friends. 

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Total driving time: 30 mins 

• Paddling distance:  6 km (3.7 miles) depending on weather conditions 

• Difficulty level of the route: 1/5 -3/5  depending on weather conditions 

• Accommodation: at Adventure Apes Lodge in bunk beds 

DAY 7:Time to say goodbye and airport transfer 

We like to say a great adventure never ends, it merely changes form to become part of who you are. On day seven your canoeing adventure in the Finnish Lapland will transform into some of your best memories as you will be transported to Rovaniemi airport (RVN)  to catch your return flight in the morning. 

• Meals included: Breakfast 

• Total driving time: 2 hours

• Paddling distance: none 

Details 

Tour dates: To be agreed 

Price: 12-14 students: 1399 € per student 

Adults: 2 adults travel for a discounted price

Taxes: According to marginal taxation system 

Availability:  1 June to 30 August

Ask for availability 

Saturday - Friday: 01-07 June 2024

Saturday - Friday: 08-14 June 2024

Saturday - Friday: 15-21 June 2024

Saturday - Friday: 22-28 June 2024

Saturday - Friday: 29 June - 5 July 2024

Duration: 7 days, 6 nights 

Group size: 12-14 students, 2 adults 

Activity level: Moderate

Suitability: This adventure is best suited for people in good physical condition and who will be comfortable with six to ten hours of physical activity per day. Previous experience in canoeing and camping required.

Minimum Age: This tour is planned for adults or teenagers minimum 16 years old of age. Smaller children need to be accompanied by their guardian. 

Gear needed: Rental of all special paddling and camping equipment included. Recommended personal gear list will be provided. 

Transportation: Airport transfers and local transfers according to the tour program are included. Flights are not included. 

Language: English, Finnish (Other languages available on request)

Route planning: Your guide team is responsible for route planning but you will participate in navigating 

Booking: Pre-booking is required, please contact us for availability

Payment terms: Negotiable 

Professional guide team available 24/7

All our guides are certified paddling instructors with experience in similar and more demanding conditions. They are also trained and certified in first aid and hygiene.

Safety

This tour takes place in easy conditions in a freshwater lake but in case it is windy the waves can get as big as in a sea and the conditions may get rough quickly. 

Your swimming ability will be tested at the beginning and you need to show your guide that you know how to save yourself from a capsized canoe. They will show you how to do it and give you all the support you will need. Please take your swimsuit or some extra clothing with you for this purpose. You are requested to wear a safety vest at all times while on water. It also includes a whistle for emergencies. 

Weather 

The summer weather in the area can vary a lot day by day. Typical temperature is around 10-25 degrees Celsius but the weather can be also colder or warmer. The days are long and in June there is almost 22 hours of daily sunlight. Later in the season the days get shorter and at the end of August the sun rises around 6 am and the sunset is around 9 pm meaning there is daylight for about 15 hours every day. 

Accommodation

Accommodation for nights 1 & 6  takes place at Adventure Apes Lodge in the countryside of Kuusamo. Once a public primary school, the guesthouse has been newly renovated to provide clean and cozy, standard-level accommodations. The dorm-style rooms have bunk beds with a maximum occupancy of six people per room with private bathrooms. Bed linen, towels and access to the traditional wood-heated sauna are included. See video and pictures here: www.adventureapes.fi/lodge

Accommodation for nights 2-5  takes place in high quality Vaude tents shared by two people. High quality sleeping bags and sleeping mattresses are included.  You will have plenty of space in the main entrance for your dry sacks and gear. Eco toilet available. 

Food & drinks 

When you are staying at Adventure Apes Lodge you will eat at the dining room. While camping you will take care of your own cooking with the gas cookers provided by Adventure Apes. In case there is no forest fire warning you can also make a fire and cook on open fire. In case of forest fire warning, fire making is strictly forbidden. We ask you to point out that whenever cooking you need to have the fire blanket and water bottle available at all times. Cooking inside the tent is not allowed. 

All food is included as outlined in the programme. The menu typically consists of typical Finnish foods which are sourced as locally as possible. The food is plentiful, generally local in style, and will give you lots of energy. There will be some variation at the camp lunches offered on hikes. Some trekking meals have been dried earlier by your guides, sometimes it is commercially sold adventure food and sometimes it is fresh. 

Specific dietary requirements can be accommodated. Please note we require special dietary requirements 45 days before the start of the tour.

The participants will take care of their own snacks (such as fruits, nuts & raisins, chocolate, energy bars & drinks etc.)

Drinking water: Finland has the cleanest drinking water in the world and tap water is safe to drink. We do not sell bottled water for sustainability reasons. The water of the lake you are paddling in is clean and safe to drink and you will use it as your drinking water. We recommend you boil it before drinking though. Sports drinks recommended in case your stomach is used to them. 

Flights

Flights are the responsibility of the buyer. Please check with the airline directly to ensure arrival and departure times. The organizers cannot be responsible for changes to the schedule because of flights, however, we will work with you whenever possible to adjust the programme to provide the best possible experience. This program includes transfer from Rovaniemi (RVN) airport to Adventure Apes Lodge on arrival day and transfer from Adventure Apes Lodge to Rovaniemi (RVN) airport on departure day. Only one airport transfer per group is possible. Please discuss your flight schedule with your guide before making any bookings. 

Arctic conditions and gear

All the special gear (like canoe, paddle, safety vest, dry bags, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mattress, outdoor cooking gear etc.) will be provided; however, adventurers will be expected to come prepared for a variety of weather conditions. You will receive a recommended personal gear list well in advance. 

Packing of your gear 

Please note that the amount of gear is limited as you will be transporting everything in your canoe. Your guide will help you to pack all your gear in the morning of day 2. It is important that everything is packed as compact as possible in waterproof dry sacks. In canoes we will use bigger and harder dry sacks (75 liters each) but in a kayak you can fit only softer and smaller dry sacks 5-12 liters of each being ideal. 

Please do not take any unnecessary valuables with you as you do not need them on this tour. Your extra luggage as well as small valuables (passport, keys, money etc.) will be stored in a secure room at Adventure Apes Lodge. Your guide will give your luggage to you when you return to Adventure Apes Lodge.

Wildlife

The animals are afraid of people and you have to sit silent  in order to hear several different birds singing. If you are lucky you might even see an otter or a reindeer swimming across the lake. This area is typical for reindeer to sunbathe and there are also many birds nesting in the area. 

Insects 

The amount of insects varies every year. In most cases the insects do not bother you while you are moving on waters but they might be annoying while you are in the camp in the woods. The windier your camp is, the less insects there are. Luckily,  the mosquitoes, blackflies and deer flies are just annoying, but not poisonous. In any case you should have some insect repellent with you. If you want to you can purchase a mosquito hat from Adventure Apes Lodge. 

What’s in the price?

Adventure Apes’ commitment to fair pay and supporting the local economy: 

Adventure Apes is a responsible travel provider. We are committed to supporting both travelers and our local economy in a way that respects the best interest of all parties. This means our tours may not always come in at the lowest price, but you can rest assured the money goes where it should go: to the local guides, bakers, fishermen and women and other small producers and local partners that make you feel part of the community. Our price includes: 

Tour includes:

• Airport transfers as described in the program and all local travel indicated in the adventure program. Only one airport transfer per group is possible. 

• Route & meal planning 

• Basic level of accommodation as indicated above

• Meals and activities as shown in the program 

• Rental of all activity based special gear 

• Group safety gear: full safety plan with risk analysis, first aid bag, space blanket, whistle etc. 

• Liability insurance of Adventure Apes

Tour does not include:

• Flights or transportation before or after the start of the tour

• Single supplement 

• Personal outdoor clothing/apparel (a complete recommended gear list will be provided before the tour)

• Optional add-ons 

• Meals and drinks other than those listed, and alcoholic drinks

• Snacks which every participant will take care of themselves

• Travel insurance 

Other details

Please note that modifications to the route, program or activities are possible due to weather and/or safety reasons. We follow the leave no trace policy and require all participants to follow our example.

Nice to know 

• Small souvenir and snack shop at the first and last night’s of accommodation 

• Laundry service available at extra cost

Organizers

This tour is provided by Adventure Apes. We are a partnering company with Parks & Wildlife Finland and pay a fee to support the funding of the facilities of the lake we are canoeing in.