- Stunning wilderness setting
- Explore two national parks
- All winter equipment included
Nestled in the heart of the Finnish wilderness lies the beautiful Oulanka National Park, a vast expanse of snow-laden pine trees, frozen lakes and waterfalls.
There is no better way to explore this stunning setting than by strapping on a pair of snowshoes and heading out to break new trails.
Our home for the week is Basecamp Oulanka, a comfortable and welcoming wooden lodge complex ideally located to allow us to start and end most routes from the doorstep. In the company of our expert leader, we take varied day tours in the surrounding area, including the frozen lake of Jyravajarvi, and the Jyrava waterfall.
We will also visit the nearby Riisitunturi National Park where a hike through trees heavy set with snow culminates in a spectacular viewpoint. Each day ends back at the lodge where relaxation is not hard to come by, be it in the hot tub, sauna or by a roaring fire.
What makes this trip responsible?
At Basecamp Oulanka, sustainability is paramount. The very structure of the wooden buildings is testament to how Basecamp takes inspiration from the surrounding wilderness and the award that was won for outstanding accommodation in the VESTAS 2011 awards is proof of their dedication to quality. The heating system used throughout the complex relies totally on nature, using special wood pellets for fuel. Even the hot tub is run from an ingenious system that uses the excess heat generated from the sauna. When it comes to day to day life at Basecamp, a very important feature is that man-power is always used over motors to minimise the carbon emissions. All of the guides who work at Basecamp work all year round and are from the local area. Working close with the local community Basecamp is also extremely proud to promote the local traditions, from quinzee building and courses on the traditional Lappish drum to optional visits to local reindeer farms.
PAN Parks
Oulanka National Park is part of the PAN Parks network, a Europe-wide organisation, founded by WWF, that promotes tourism as a tool for wilderness and nature conservation.
For more details please see our Project page.
Countries visited: Finland
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Exodus images from SNOWSHOEING IN FINLAND
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Snowshoeing in Oulanka National Park (Photo by Erkki Ollila)
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