Travel Finland

DAY 2  IMATRA-KOLI
(STUNNING FINNISH COUNTRYSIDE)
Drive through the beautiful Punkaharju esker ridge, an isthmus between two large lakes, and continue to Retretti Art Exhibition featuring classical and contemporary collections, housed partly in an underground cave.  After lunch in Punkaharju you head to Savonlinna to pay a visit to Olavinlinna Castle, the venue of the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival. In the afternoon you visit the eastern orthodox monastery of Valamo in Heinävesi and have a cup of tea brewed in the traditional style in a silver samovar, sweetened with raspberry jam and accompanied by old-Russian delicacies. Continue to Koli Hills, Finland’s best-known spot of natural beauty. From the highest hilltop there is a spectacular view over forests and lakes. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Koli in Lieksa.

DAY 3  KOLI
(KARELIAN HERITAGE)
Today’s excursion will acquaint you with Karelian culture and traditions. On a visit to a local farmhouse you will experience the friendly hospitality that the Karelians are famous for. See fine examples of wooden architecture and visit exhibitions of local arts and crafts, listen to music played on Kantele, the Finnish folk music instrument, and savour Karelian specialities.  Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4  KOLI-KUHMO
(ART & ADVENTURE)
On the way to Kuhmo you will stop in Vuonislahti to see the studio and the little log chapel of sculptress Eva Ryynänen, who had a unique talent for making sculptures out of wood. In the Ruunaa wilderness close to the Finnish-Russian border, you have a chance to shoot the rapids on a long wooden boat, steered by local fishermen.  After lunch by a crackling fire, tour proceeds to Kalevala village, which offers a fascinating look at the old traditions of the Karelian people as they were in the 19th century,  a period when the ancient poems of Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala, were collected.  Dinner and overnight at Hotel Kalevala in Kuhmo.

DAY 5  KUHMO-KUUSAMO
(IMPRESSIVE LANDSCAPES)
A guided tour of Kuhmo starts the day.  After the tour of the village, continue northwards. You see the North-Karelian landscape of hills, lakes, and lush green meadows change to steep cliffs, streams, and wild forests.  Lunch en route.  In Kuusamo, stop to admire a natural sight of astounding beauty, Julma Ölkky, the deepest canyon lake in the area. Dinner and overnight at Spa Hotel Kuusamon Tropiikki in Kuusamo.

DAY 6  KUUSAMO-ROVANIEMI
(SANTA CLAUS IS AT HOME)
After breakfast you set off for an excursion to Lake Kitka. Sitting in a rowing boat or standing on the shore, you can watch local fishermen seine-fishing.  If the catch is good, it will be prepared for lunch. On the way to Rovaniemi, you pay a visit to the coffee cup museum. See the key sights of Rovaniemi and visit Santa’s Workshop at the Arctic Circle, meeting the jolly old man in person, and taking part in a Lapp ceremony. Dinner and overnight at Quality Hotel Santa Claus in Rovaniemi.  

DAY 7  HELSINKI- ROVANIEMI-KITTILÄ
(ARCHITECTURE IN LAPLAND)
During the sightseeing tour you will see works designed by Finland’s most famous architect Alvar Aalto. Crossing the magic line of the Arctic Circle is a great experience for any visitor. To make it truly exotic, you take part in a Lapp initiation ceremony. You will also enjoy lunch at the Arctic Circle, in a Lapp tepee.  Continue northwards along the Ounasjoki River, and stop at the Art Museum of Reidar Särestöniemi, the most notable Lapp artist who found his motifs in Lapland’s nature. His former studio and home, a complex of log houses, represent traditional Lapp architecture. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Sirkantähti or similar in Kittilä.

DAY 8  KITTILÄ-ALTA
(SHOOTING THE RAPIDS)
Hearing the chant of the rapids you put on sunflower yellow rain gear, life vest, and rubber boots. Feel butterflies in your stomach as you set off from Harriniva on board a rubber raft on an exciting, yet comfortable and perfectly safe journey through seven rapids. A delicious, steaming soup is already waiting for you as you come ashore to nourish your body and soul by the crackling fire and rushing water. As you continue to the shores of the Arctic Ocean via Kautokeino, the largest Lapp Cultural Center in Norway, you notice the rolling hills of Finnish Lapland changing to Norwegian tundra. Dinner and overnight at the Rica Hotel or similar in Alta.

DAY 9  ALTA-HONNINGSVAG
(NORTH CAPE PANORAMA)
The Alta rock carvings are 5000-6000 years old. A visit to the Alta Museum is a unique opportunity to experience the ancient Lapp world depicted in rock carvings, reindeer roundups, bear hunting, boat building, and catching bottle-nosed dolphins. Lunch en route to Honningsvag.
After a short ferry ride we reach Honningsvag and the North Cape. Celebrate this occasion with sparkling wine and the gold of the Arctic Ocean - local caviar. Dinner and overnight at the Rica Hotel Bryggen or similar.

DAY 10  HONNINGSVAG-SAARISELKÄ
(PAST & PRESENT SAMI PEOPLE)
In earlier times Lapps, who actually prefer to be called Sami, used to be nomads. The way of life influenced their dwellings and the way of making their clothes. All this is exhibited in the open-air Sami museum in Inari. Lunch in Karasjok. While visiting a local reindeer farm you have an opportunity to visit a real Lapp home, listen to a chant in Sami-language with a strong rhythm, hear the owner of the farm telling about reindeer breeding, and to admire his Lapp costume. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Riekonlinna or similar.

DAY 11  SAARISELKA-ROVANIEMI-HELSINKI
(GOLD RUSH DAYS)
The last gold rush in Lapland took place at the beginning of the 1950's, when some two hundred men came to the Tankavaara region in North Lapland. The biggest nugget ever discovered weighed some 400 grams (14 oz). A serious effort is likely to be rewarded. So grab yourself a gold pan and start washing for gold. Good luck! Lunch in Luosto. Depart Rovaniemi on Finnair arriving back to Helsinki Airport in the evening. Your tour ends here.

Prices from:
$ 3290 per person double
$   760 single supplement

INCLUDES:
-10 nights at First Class Hotels
-Daily Breakfast, 11 Lunches, 10 Dinners
-Air Rovaniemi - Helsinki
-Transportation by Deluxe Touring Coach
-Sightseeing per itinerary
-Caviar and Sparkling Wine at North Cape
-Tour Escort
-Tax and Service Charges 

TOUR ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON OPERATIONAL NEEDS

PLEASE NOTE: This is a multilingual tour and is organized and operated by our Associate Office in Helsinki.
Pre and post tour hotel nights in Helsinki available.

THE NORTH CAPE 5 DAY TOUR

7 DAYS FINNISH EXPERIENCE TOUR

FTB 102805