Suomi kayak tour (Finland)
"Respond to every call that excites your spirit."
Rumi
EIGHT DAYS IN A KAYAK THROUGH THE FINNISH WILDERNESS
We would like to invite you to a very special midsummer journey to the north, where Europe becomes wild and lonely.
When we were on our scout paddling tour in Finland in the summer of 2019, we knew that we really wanted to share this place with you.
Tervetuloa Suomeen! Welcome to Finland!
Our journey takes us to the beautiful Saimaa lake system. It is part of the Finnish Lake District, which covers an area of 4,300 square kilometers with around 13,700 islands in the south-east of the country.
Our tour begins in Oravi, a small canal village nestled between two national parks.
These national parks offer us a paradisiacal space to explore the Finnish wilderness from the water.
Content and services at a glance
8 day kayak tour
single kayaks with life jacket, paddle, spray deck , Waterproof stuff sacks
Paddle and safety training (kayak school)
group camp gear
Fishing equipment and accessories
Midsummer ritual/solstice bonfire
Orientation & navigation in a complex lake landscape
tracking , ornithology, meteorology
Time to be, slow down, write, read, recharge your batteries and just let your soul dangle
route
We will be camping and kayaking for a week .
On the first day in Oravi we have time to get acquainted with our boats and our gear and to pack up.
In a quiet spot we practice paddling and steering techniques and do safety and possibly capsizing training. When everything is stowed away and we are ready, it starts the next day. We will stay overnight on dreamlike deserted islands , where we will find simple bivouac sites with fire pits, firewood and composting toilets. We take our drinking water directly from the lakes and try to supplement our meals with freshly caught fish (pike, zander, perch...). We left some leeway in the design of the tour in order to be able to adapt to the group, wind and weather.
We chose the time around midsummer very consciously.
The sun rarely sets this far north, merely bathing the night in a diffuse, silvery twilight . These are bright days when Finns celebrate life intensely with midsummer celebrations.
We would also like to use this special time to consciously experience the time around the longest day and the shortest night of the year with you through a small ritual and a solstice fire.
KOLOVESI & LINNANSAARI NAtional Park
The Kolovesi and Linnansaari National Parks stretch out in front of us .
A paddler's paradise, where wild rocky cliffs and forested islands rise above the elongated lake channels that are part of the vast labyrinthine Saimaa lake system . This vast lake area is an important drinking water reservoir and the fourth largest freshwater lake in Europe.
The landscape looks like a patchwork quilt of blue and green.
Since access is almost only possible by boat and the national parks are under special protection, a breathtaking natural landscape has been preserved here.
We will pass 5000 year old rock paintings that give insight into the times of our nomadic ancestors and show us how the early settlers of Finland thousands of years ago lived in harmony with nature.
With a bit of luck we'll see ospreys, black-throated divers, whooper swans, elks, etc. or a curious Saimaa ringed seal, which only lives in this area.
actually for whom?
To you! ...if you fancy Finland, kayaking, Wilderness, adventure, Water, Animals, mosquitoes ;) Wind, sun and rain, great community, campfire, camping, Fishing, drift , Silence, Dive down, ...and listen.
You don't have to be a kayak freak or paddling pro, and this tour is in principle Also suitable for beginners , but it is an advantage to have some prior knowledge of a single kayak. Since we are quite "far out" and there are sometimes relatively high waves on the lakes with stronger winds, a certain basic level of fitness and, under certain circumstances, some stamina are required. The narrow storage space of the kayaks also invites you to sacrifice comfort and pack in a more minimalist way (similar to trekking tours). We are happy if you feel like something new have and are flexible.
Sea/Touring Kayaks
Unlike canoes (canoes), sea/touring kayaks are more appropriate on such large, open areas of water as we will find in Kolovesi and Linnansaari. The clear advantages of these sleek boats are seaworthiness and less wind sensitivity as well as higher speed . Kayaks are driven with double paddles.
Sea/touring kayaks are derived from Inuit (Eskimo) hunting boats, which they developed and used as a fast and agile means of transport in the wild and harsh environment of the Arctic.
We use single kayaks so that everyone can move independently and freely. Two-person kayaks are also possible on special request.
Further information
MEETING:
18 - 26 JUNE 2022
(probably fully booked, if you are interested please contact us via the contact form )
VENUE:
Kolovesi and Linnansaari National Park, Saimaa,
Finland
INVESTMENT:
€740 basic price
+ €150 additional costs (for kayaks + equipment)
+ your meals, arrival & departure
(Before money fails, get in touch with us and let's try to find a solution together.)
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:
min. 4, max. 8
MANAGEMENT:
Jens Schwarzenbolz & Bettina Wagner
ACCOMMODATION:
Etch on bivouac sites , in your own tent or tarp
CATERING:
Self-catering in groups of 2 (further information will follow when you register).
REQUIREMENTS:
-Don't be afraid of the water
-Female swimmer
-Good health, mobility and athletic condition are beneficial.
-Surefootedness in the field
- Minimum age: 18 years
-since boat loading is limited and a kayak is quite narrow, there is a limit to the ratio and weight of body, luggage and boat. Talk to us if you are unsure about the self-assessment.
WEATHER:
Our tour will take place regardless of the weather as long as safety is guaranteed.
Deviations from the advertised program are possible.
PASSPORT AND VISA:
Entry into Finland is possible for EU citizens with a valid identity card or passport.
