Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!
Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!
Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.
Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.
Select a trip specific review:
I really enjoyed this week so much more than I thought. I had never done any winter sports or activities before, but the team at Basecamp were great at leading us through everything, from walking on snow, to staying warm, from cross country-skiing to ice wall climbing. The food was excellent – warming for the soul and very tasty. No meal was repeated and even my sweet tooth was catered for! The hot tub and sauna area were very clean and the rooms were just as described, with a floor that could dry all your gear overnight.
Building a quinzee and crawling inside it with my co-builders, realising I had not forgotten how to ski (after 26 years) and driving the huskies.
Martti was superb - very supportive and I always felt safe in his hands
Take warm woolly socks and I preferred my hat which covered my ears more effectively.
This is a truly stunning part of Finland, with a landscape of snow; snow on trees, snow on roofs, snow on lakes, snow on roads. The muffling effect of the snow makes the silence truly unique and special (for when we weren’t laughing and chatting as a group). The optional activities meant the trip was as laid back or as full on as you liked and the hot tub and sauna helped recouperate for the next day.
Stomping thigh deep through the pristine snow
Martti really knows and respects his 'office', the wilderness of the national park. He was considerate, easy to talk with and would try and fix problems if they arose. The whole team at Basecamp work hard to make the trip as enjoyable as possible.
Book it! Then buy some thermal underwear as that's not available on site. Even if it was, would you really want to wear second hand long johns?!
This is a fantastic holiday for those who enjoy the active outdoors and like to try something new. The range of activities included mean that you are bound to find something you like – if not all of them. A good balance of instructor time to free time meaning you can choose which activity you’d like to try more of. Warm, comfortable accommodation, great local food and plenty of it and great hosts. Beautiful setting. The whole holiday far exceeded our expectations. This was a full on week of activity that excelled in every way.
Although it was hard to pick only one, the two hour dog sledging trip with the huskies in Riisitunuri National Park was mine and my husband's highlight of the holiday. This was included as part of our holiday and there is the option to have a longer trip on one of the free days. The trip was exhilarating and magical and the snow covered scenery was from another planet. The dogs were obviously well cared for and were given affection by their owners when the dogs looked for it. There were truly many memorable moments that will stay with us forever and be spoken about often.
Martti was a fantastic group leader. His level of instruction was set at the right level and he has a broad base of knowledge. He always had a smile on his face and nothing was too much trouble. Undoubtedly he contributed to our enjoyment of the holiday in a significant way. The rest of the team were great and all knew what was going on and were able to give advice if Martti wasn't around.
The kit that is provided is excellent. I used all of it in the -28 temperatures, except I wore my own hat because it was slightly thicker - that said many others wore the hat provided and were warm enough. I also used my own baselayers and a Buff/snood for keeping my face warm - some used balaclavas. All of the kit dries easily in the rooms, thanks to the underfloor heating. You only really need to take casual wear for the evenings - the dining room is warm but can be variable so I'd recommend thin layers. Boardgames/cards are provided for evening entertainment. There are no TVs on basecamp and no music playing - for us a real bonus.
A really enjoyable week, full of adventures and learning new skills like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, wilderness skills such as fire lighting, first aid and building and sleeping in a snow hole (quinzee), and also riding on a snowmobile and dogsledding.
It is a great idea to provide a number of optional things to do, in addition to the basic itinerary, so that we could tailor the activities we wanted to take part in according to our wishes.
For me, the most awe inspiring moment was driving a team of huskies up through the snowy forest and reaching the highest point and seeing the sun glinting on the tree tops, it was magical.
We were absolutely delighted with our team leader, Martti. He is extremely knowledgeable and such a caring person who always had a smile on his face and was more than willing to go that extra mile to ensure that everybody in our group had a great holiday. When my wife fell and hurt herself he went out of his way to visit us in our accommodation, later the same day to ensure that she was OK. All the base camp team were friendly and a credit to their organisation.
No need to take too much with you as three layers of protective clothing was supplied together with three pairs of gloves/mittens, socks, belt, a beanie hat and a head torch. We stayed overnight in a hotel at Gatwick and used the Thomson day before check-in service, which closes at 2200 hrs. Glad we did as we found out that my wife and I were allocated separate seats, disappointingly, however, the Thomson team kindly changed our seats for us -something for Exodus to consider for the future as were unable to book in online due to the block booking.
A fantastic week.
Great team at the hotel made us feel very welcome. Maarti was a great guy and everyone was always smiling. Anika v helpful too.
Good food (thanks Teddy) and great mixture of activities. Lovely location about 100 metres walk down to the (frozen) lake. Cabins were always warm with heated floor in the bathroom meaning you could dry things out or warm things up. It was obviously pretty cold but the gear provided mostly kept you warm, except toes on the husky trips.
First snowshoe trip was great as was the first husky trip. Wilderness skills including igloo building was a fun day.
Maart was a great group leader. Unassuming, helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.
When they say all the clothing is provided, it really is. I took way too much cold-weather gear. You only really need to take a thermal layer. I'd take hand/feet warmers and a balaclava though.
A very busy and cold week but fantastic fun. Expect to we well fed, exhausted and probably bruised by the end of the week but equally thrilled with the beauty of basecamp and exhilarated with activities.
Getting to the top of the ice wall.
Teddy was fun and informative
The clothes provided mean you don't have to bring lots of winter gear. No cash needed for basecamp
An absolutely fabulous winter adventure spent in a log cabin in the most beautiful Finnish wilderness, with plentiful and delicious local food and a good variety of interesting winter activities, this is a trip not to be missed- if you love the outdoors and adventure, book now, you will not be disappointed!
I particularly loved New Years Eve dog sledging with the huskies, the sun was just coming up and shining onto the snowy trees, so beautiful and peaceful and I will never forget it! In fact I loved it so much that I then chose to do a full day with the huskies. You drive your own husky team and led by Lauri the lovely owner of the huskies we stopped half way for lunch and sat on reindeer skins by a fire in the middle of the wilderness and ate Elk casserole and Finnish pudding, both delicious, cooked by his lovely wife before heading off again. I also loved building the quinzee ( a hollowed out pile of snow) with the team and then sleeping in it all night in -15! I loved the snow shoeing through stunning snowy forests and by raging rivers and exploring the frozen lake on cross country skis with a sunset and a mist on the lake. Too many amazing memories to mention!
Bjorn (Teddy) was a brilliant leader, so friendly and welcoming right from the beginning and really shared in our enthusiasm for the activities and the great outdoors. He has a true passion for nature and the national park and really looked after us in every way. He was also very good at looking after everyone whatever their level of ability. Marty did the survival skills with us and was equally as lovely. All the staff at Basecamp are just so friendly and lovely and I cannot praise them highly enough.
My advice is to book this holiday! I have been on a lot of trips but this has for me surpassed them all. You get the opportunity to try lots of different activities and do more of those you enjoy. There is a fair bit of spare time when you can go off snow shoeing or cross country skiing and to use the sauna and outdoor hot tub (and roll in the snow Finnish style!) and its a good idea to take a book to read by the fire. It's a real chill out in the most wonderful scenery. You really don't need to take any winter clothes at all (apart from a base layer) as you get given them all and they are all clean and in good condition. Just take something warm to arrive and leave in and take casual evening wear with you. I really recommend you sleep all night in the quinzee, such a sense of achievement!
Base camp Oulanka is great, with a lovely atmosphere, delicious simple food and set in a most beautiful area. I was there at the end of December and it was minus 28 and only four hours daylight a day. The equipment they lend you is top notch and the advice you get from the team is excellent. The only problem I had was keeping my feet warm. Take thick wool socks (not polyester) and wear boots that are a bit too big. Henri was a fantastic guide and everyone who worked at the place were extremely friendly and helpful.
I loved snow shoeing through the woods on the Castle Rock walk. The husky drive (short one included in the trip) was also fantastic, but my feet were so cold I thought I was going to get frost bit.
Henry was a brilliant leader. Friendly, knowledgeable and proactive.
Take thick wool socks and borrow boots bigger than your usual size. Take a snood or balaclava - my eyelashes froze it was so cold. If I hadn't been able to cover my face, I would have been even colder. Take a kettle if you want hot drinks in your room. Take hand warmers for your gloves. The equipment they give you is top quality and you really do only need base layers - leggings / tops etc. The gloves they gave us were much better than the ski gloves I had taken. Unless you like standing around in the cold and being completely overcharged for the experience, I wouldn't bother with the reindeer farm visit. Unless you really want to see a reindeer close up. Or your children do. The walks are great (I loved the snow shoeing), the igloo building was really fun and the huskies fantastic. Snowmobiling also got very good feedback.
Exceeded my expectations – accommodation, food, staff, activities and facilities were all excellent.
Ice-climbing and dog-sledding were two activities I've never tried before - both were exhilarating and great fun. The outdoor elk-stew dinner on the last night is also a good memory. It was very atmospheric, and it was a lovely evening with people I'd only just met, yet already felt like good friends.
Henri was very knowledgeable and competent, and I always felt safe during the activities led by him. He approached all situations with humour and patience!
Remember your swimming costume - sitting in the outdoor hot-tub with a cold beer with snow falling around you is a great way to end an active day :-)
A very enjoyable week in a remote part of Finland, balancing guided activities with self-determined time. Being taught to snow-shoe on the first day allowed us to explore the area independently, including a day spent on the breathtaking Little Bear walk. The trails were marked clearly, and the occasional bit of challenging terrain intensified our appreciation of the location’s serenity. Also, the tracks left by Arctic hares are amusingly rude in shape.
Basecamp Oulanka provided a welcome contrast to the physical rigours of days spent outdoors, while upholding the ‘green’ principles that such an unspoilt place demands. The comforts of the lodge’s private accommodation – en-suite wet rooms, under-floor heating and external space in the form of balconies or patios – were equalled by the cosiness of the communal facilities.
Dog-sledding was, undoubtedly, a highlight. The choral howling of the Husky teams augured the delights to come: crisp, cold air; views of white expanses and distant hills; and, best of all, the responsiveness of these powerful, beautiful beasts, with their dense fur, icy eyes and impressive abilities to poo while in full flight. There’s also perverse enjoyment, not to mention satisfaction, to be had from building your own quinzee, and – if you must – sleeping in it. We didn’t bother with the latter, having sent our respective Tyler Durdens on vacation elsewhere; but construction was made easier by the ‘can-do’ attitude of Rebecca and Andrew, our partners in architectural crime. The wind whistling through our snow-sodden clothes seemed a little less harsh, thanks to both of you. The propulsive powers of the f-word proved remarkable on a steep incline. Indeed, as most of our remaining time was spent falling over or crashing into things, we swore the air into a deep, deep shade of blue. It matched the bruises.
A passionate ambassador for the outdoor life, Noora was also a knowledgeable and approachable leader who acted promptly on requests. Indeed, all of the staff were very friendly and helpful, and the chef had made an evident effort to accommodate our dietary needs.
It was a little cheeky of Exodus to describe the trip as an 8-day holiday, when two of the days consisted entirely of travelling to and from our destination. The lengthy transfer from Rovaniemi to the lodge was especially unwelcome at the end of a 15-hour journey, much of which was spent loitering around airports, waiting for flights. If sentenced to spend an age in Helsinki airport, break up the time, as we did, by taking a Finnair bus into the city centre – a journey of 30 minutes, at the most - and seeing the sights on foot. We found the food at Basecamp Oulanka to be suitably hearty fuel for an active(ish) break, but to other group members it seemed stodgy and over-fried. Stock up on extra fruit, perhaps, if travelling outside berry-picking time: the seasonal menu meant that it was noticeable by its relative absence. Finally, be prepared to NOT see the Aurora Borealis. We didn't. However, if you stare at a lightbulb and then rub you eyelids vigorously, you can achieve a pretty convincing approximation.