SUMMER TRIP FINLAND 🐻🍯- Bear watching, canoeing and other wild nature`s hidden gems!

Day 1: Welcome to Helsinki, the capital of Finland! It’s wonderful to have our group together to kick off this Finnish adventure! Even though we won’t be exploring Helsinki as a group, arriving a bit earlier gives you the perfect chance to discover the city’s unique Nordic charm at your own pace. I recommend spending at least one night here in Helsinki before the start of our trip. Consider strolling through the vibrant Market Square, visiting the iconic Helsinki Cathedral, or taking a short ferry ride to the historic UNESCO heritage site Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. I will meet you at Helsinki Train Station on day 1 at lunch time (exact time and place will be announced closer to the trip) and together we take the train to our first sightseeing stop: Hämeenlinna. 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Airport transfer and overnight stay in Helsinki

Day 1: Our first stop will be in Hämeenlinna, where we pay a visit to the stunning medieval Häme Castle. Häme Castle is one of Finland’s best-preserved medieval fortresses, offering fascinating history and beautiful views from its towers. From there we continue by train to Tampere. Tampere is Finland’s vibrant inland city known for its red-brick factories turned cultural hubs, lively market halls, and known to be the "sauna capital" with over 200 saunas spread around the city. Our first dinner together we enjoy in the lively atmosphere of Tampere’s bustling center before settling in for the night. 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅ Train ticket Helsinki - Hämeenlinna ✅ Train ticket Hämeenlinna - Tampere ✅ Entry ticket to Häme Castle 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Meals and personal expenses

Day 2: After breakfast, we’ll have some time for sightseeing and exploring Tampere. I would recommend a stop at the Moomin museum, if you have ever watched the animated Moomin movies or read the books. Or you can visit the market and enjoy the red-bricked factory facades of Tampere, which make the perfect background for your photos! 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅ 1 night in Tampere 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Meals and personal expenses ❌Local tram / bus tickets

Day 2: Around lunch time, we pack our bags into the car and drive west to Kauhaneva-Pohjankangas and Lauhanvuori National Parks, both true hidden gems in southern Finland. This parks are famous for its vast bogs, rare birdlife, and peaceful walking trails. The Lauhanvuori National Park and Kauhaneva-Pohjankangas National Park lie right next to each other and are connected by the vast swamps and fairy-tale forests. Once we reach our accommodation and have settled in, we will make a typical Finnish barbecue and enjoy the wilderness and nature. Evening is free to read a book, embrace the serenity of nature or wander around, all of which are typical Nordic outdoor activities ;-). Day 3: Today, we spend a full day exploring the wonders of these two national parks and hopefully spotting some unique animals. It also means that today we will get up early and get going. The overall hiking distance is estimated at roughly 10-15 km, but there will be plenty of breaks for lunch and photos. 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅ 1 night in or close to Lauhanvuori & Kauhaneva-Pohjankangas National Parks ✅ Car transfer ✅ Hiking full day in the NP (10-15 km) 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Meals and personal expenses ❌Fuel for the car (will be shared among the trip mates)

Day 3: In the afternoon, we will pack our bags and drive to our next en-route overnight accommodation - with the goal to reach the eastern border of Finland tomorrow. We have around 4-5 hours on the road today. In our accommodation we can settle in and enjoy a relaxed evening after a long day hiking and driving. 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅ 1 night en-route to Kuhmo (we will not necessarily stay in Kuopio, I had to select something on the website to build a route) ✅ Car transfer 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Meals and personal expenses

Day 4: After another beautiful morning, we continue our journey through picturesque green forests and along small villages towards Kuhmo, a small settlement located only about an hour drive away from the Russian border. Kuhmo is surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests and there will be enough time to enjoy it all during our three-night stay here. Today night is a highlight of our trip: an overnight bear watching adventure. In the late evening and after a short briefing, we’ll hike / drive to a wildlife hide deep in the forest. From here, we’ll have the chance to stay overnight and observe wild brown bears in their natural habitat. With luck, we’ll see mothers with cubs or other wildlife like foxes, wolverines and owls. Spending the night in the hide is a unique experience, with the forest coming alive around us. Sleeping arrangements are simply, but a sleeping bag will be provided. P.S: This is a wildlife adventure and seeing a bear is not guaranteed. With regular sightings of 90-99% of the time according to organizers chances to see wildlife are still very high in this area. But again, if we are not lucky during our first night, for an additional fee, we can have another night in the hide and try to spot bears. :-) Day 5: After returning from the bear watching experience in the morning, we’ll have time to take a shower and rest. In the afternoon we join a guided hike to search for bear tracks and learn more about local wildlife and bears in particular. And in case we haven´t spotted bears last night, this is another chance to have an encounter. Dinner will be a chance to try local specialties like smoked fish or reindeer. Day 6: Sleep-in today! We take at easy and relaxed this morning and everyone can have breakfast on their own and take their time - it`s holiday after all. You will have free time to explore the surroundings on a walk or read a book, if you happen to wake up early. Around lunch time, we meet by the car and drive to a location, where the river rapids and lakes are best for a beautiful canoeing experience. The rapids are thrilling, but the tour requires no previous experience in a canoe, so we all can enjoy the stunning scenery as we paddle through the wilderness. We will be back to our accommodation at around dinner time and can make some barbecue or try some local cuisine. 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅ Train transfer to Oulu and drive to Kuhmo ✅ 2 nights in or close to Kuhmo ✅ Bear Watching (overnight stay in the observation hide) ✅ Finnish Sauna (2 hours) ✅ Canoe Tour (2-3 hours) 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Meals and personal expenses

Day 7: After breakfast, our journey takes us to Oulu (driving time around 4-5 hours), where we’ll experience the magic of Finnish summer and can enjoy some beach time and explore Oulu. Here, the sun doesn’t set during the summer season and there is still day light for around 20 hours, making it perfect for another full day of exploration and relaxation. Upon arrival in Oulu, we leave our luggage in the car and make our way for lunch in a typical Finnish-style restaurant. The whole afternoon is free to sun bathe on the beach and visit a museum of your interest. I will have some suggestions at hand for you! In the evening at around 20:00 / 8 p.m. we board the night train to Helsinki - also known as the Polar Express in Finland. You can make yourself comfortable in your deluxe sleeper cabin for the overnight train journey and enjoy the ride which is truly a special experience (I can say from my own experience during that same journey in March 2025). 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ✅1 night on the overnight train in 2-berth luxe sleeper cabin per two trip mates with en-suite shower and toilet (arrival in Helsinki the morning hours sometime around 6:00/7:00 a.m.) ✅ Beach time in Oulu 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 ❌Arktikum Museum, meals & beverages

Day 8: It`s time to say farewell. The train will reach Helsinki Train Station in the morning around 6:00-7:00 a.m.. It means you have enough time to catch a flight back home in the afternoon or stay a little bit longer to explore the capital of Finland. I am sure this holiday will pass in no time and it soon be time to say farewell to our newly found travel buddies and friends. I really hope to meet you very soon on this Finnish adventure 👋🙂! 𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 / 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿 ❌Airport transfer and overnight stay in Helsinki