Finnish Winter Activities

Reality Check

None of the included activities requires previous experience making this a great introduction to a variety of winter activities.

The itinerary is well paced also allowing free days to relax or try out one of the many optional activities available locally. This trip is Graded A/B or leisurely/moderate.

All active winter holidays involve some element of risk; from something as normal as slipping on icy pavements, to the possibility of injuries sustained as a result of the activities themselves. While we do all we can to minimize any dangers, participants must be prepared to accept some risk as part of the holiday. Please see activity details below and 'risk of injury' note in the back of the Winter Activities brochure or in the oline FAQs for this trip.

Cross-country skiing In the first few hours of a beginner's cross-country skiing course your instructor will choose the trails and terrain carefully, and will avoid steep slopes, however, even on the flat you should expect to fall over. Unlike downhill skiing, where falls can happen at speed, most cross-country falls happen at slow speeds or from an almost static position, and cause no injury. Although it is very rare, some falls do lead to injury, in the worst cases this may include broken bones. Overall cross-country skiing is a safe sport to take part in, when properly instructed.

Low level snowshoeing We have chosen to categorize this holiday as 'Low Level Snowshoeing', which is described as snowshoeing over flat or undulating terrain, where avalanche risk is non-existent and there are no big-drops and very steep terrain is rare. There is minimal risk of injury from falls on icy terrain.

Dogsledding While speeds rarely exceed 20 km per hour, injuries can occur if a sled tips over or leaves the trail. Participants should be prepared for this risk

Snowmobiling On flat or rolling terrain snowmobile accidents are rare, and our guides will follow prepared and signed trails for most of the time. As snowmobiles can reach high speeds, drivers must be responsible for safe driving, and must follow the instructions given by the guide to avoid injury and snowmobile damage. Note on Snowmobile Damage. You will be liable to pay for any damage to snowmobiles up to the excess on the insurance policy, which is currently approx EUR450 (equivalent to approx. GBP360 or USD580) per machine. Your tour leader will ask you to sign a form agreeing to the above. This means, that in the unlikely event that you damage a snowmobile in a major way, you will only be charged the excess and not the full cost of repair. Snowmobiles are easy to drive safely and damage is very rare if the drivers are alert and considerate. All drivers must be over 17 and have a valid (car) driving licence.