Women Celebrate New Year's Eve
We explore the surrounding forests and lakes and learn about the Finnish national game. If there's enough snow, we'll learn to ski and try snowshoeing.
Warmth and coziness are also part of the experience: we sit around a crackling campfire or spend time in the sauna every day. The hostess cooks Finnish specialties, including one Lappish specialty, one Karelian specialty, and one evening, typical Finnish Christmas dishes.
Dates:
27.12.2026 - 3.1.2027, 4 bookings
Group size: 6 - 12 people
Price for a double room: €1,380/person
Single room supplement: €40/person/night
Included:
Double room, full board, snowshoes, ski equipment, sauna every day, one smoke sauna, program, Finnish German- and English-speaking tour guide. Transfers for day trips, group transfers from Kuopio Airport at 6:00 PM and back around 11:00 AM (flight at 2:00 PM) or from Nurmes Train Station.
Services not included:
Flight costs or individual arrival/departure, individual travel insurance. We recommend purchasing travel insurance.
Required fitness:
Team spirit, flexibility due to weather conditions
Extension:
€95/day/person, including full board
Program
(Program changes possible depending on weather)
Day 1
Arrival in Kuopio at the airport (around 6:00 PM) or in Nurmes at the train station. Transfer through the woods to the Pihlajapuu Guesthouse, where we enjoy our first dinner together and get to know the other participants better.
Day 2
After breakfast, if there is enough snow, we will try skiing for the first time in the area around our guesthouse and have plenty of time to get used to the snow and the surroundings. Alternatively, we can walk the 6 km local trail. In the afternoon, we'll play Kyykkä, the Karelian national game, on the farm. Sauna in the evening.
Day 3
Small outdoor activities depending on the weather. Sauna in the evening.
Day 4
Today we drive to the small town of Nurmes, about 25 km away. We can ski in Hyvärilä (3-14 km) or take a city tour on foot (6 km). After the ski tour/city tour, we go shopping in the small town of Nurmes.
Day 5
In the morning, you have the option of lazing around in Pihlajapuu for a few hours or taking a short hike. After coffee at midday, we'll hike across the lake to Minna's smoke sauna, where our mulled wine – glögi – is ready, as well as the sauna and ice hole. After a relaxing sauna session, we'll walk back to the guesthouse under a starry sky. We'll have traditional salmon for dinner, and we'll also indulge in Finnish New Year's magic and look into the future. Perhaps there will be northern lights as fireworks in the sky?
Day 6
A ski tour or hike to Aronsalmi, 12 km.
Day 7
A trip to Koli National Park with a snowshoe or hiking tour to the summit. Koli Mountain is the highest peak in southern Finland. The trees are mostly covered in thick snow – a true winter wonderland. From the summit, we have a magnificent view over the lake. A short tour with snowshoes or on foot, 3 km.
A total of 160 km by taxi.
In the evening, we eat many delicious Finnish Christmas dishes.
Day 8
Time to say goodbye. "Hei hei" is Finnish and means "goodbye and safe journey." Transfer to Kuopio Airport around 11 a.m.
Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for trips abroad. A comprehensive plan should cover the following: trip interruption, delay and cancellation, medical expenses, emergency medical transportation, and loss of and damage to luggage.
