Women only cross country ski tour in Finland
Previous cross country ski experience required
Cover over 120km in 6 days with local, expert guides
On ski tracks adventure, freshly pressed tracks with our snowmobile!
Reach the remote wilderness of the wolf, wolverine, lynx and bear
Experience real peace and tranquility - with very few other skiers
Picnic around open fires
Try ice-swimming in a frozen lake!
End each day with a traditional Finnish sauna
See the Northern lights dancing in the night sky - if the conditions are right!
Bed down each night in a cosy, family-run guesthouse
What to Expect
One small group of Gutsy Girls will have an unforgettable winter adventure our our guided cross country ski tour in Finland.
You do need previous cross country ski experience to join this adventure, if you’re a beginner looking to learn, check out our beginner cross country ski weekend and week retreats in Norway.
During this 7 day adventure, we will be exploring the pristine wilderness of eastern Finland. Together, we will cover over 120km by ski over 6 days with our local expert guides.
Once we leave the maintained tracks of the Hossa national park, a track will be made by our snowmobile guide especially for our group each morning. Our track will take us into the peace and tranquility of the forest and over the ridges, frozen lakes and swamps of a protected wilderness reserve.
Each day we’ll stop for lunch in wilderness huts, cooked on an open fire. Come night we’ll be staying in cosy and comfortable guest houses, with saunas and an opportunity for ice swimming and hopefully we’ll spot the northern lights too!
PREVIOUS CROSS COUNTRY SKI EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
This trip will be the perfect active adventure for those who have already been bitten by the cross-country skiing bug. You must have previous cross country ski experience to join this one!
This adventure includes expert guiding but no formal technical tuition. You will need to be fit and comfortable skiing 17-23 km each day, and being out in the cold for up to 7 hours per day (including breaks), adventuring over the variable snowy terrain.
Although the terrain is fairly easy and there are no big hills, there will be some short but steep ups and downs to challenge and exhilarate our bodies and minds!
If you’ve been tempted by cross country ski expeditions but not keen on the idea of basic wilderness huts or camping, this is the expedition for you! We’ll be staying in comfortable guest houses, with luggage transfer.
We can’t wait to share this epic Finnish wilderness adventure with you and new friends.
Experience
• Minimum experience of 3 days cross-country skiing.
• Able to snow plough both in and out of the track - You don’t need to be perfect and falling is ok!
• Able to move effectively in and out of the tracks.
• Comfortable in managing speed during downhill skiing.
• Good level of fitness
Important to note: Previous alpine/downhill skiing is not enough to join this trip, you must join a beginner cross country ski trip to learn the technique.
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If you've been with us for the 4 or 7-night cross country ski retreats, think back to those experiences to see if this trip is right for you.
Movement & Technique: Did you feel you grasped the basics well? Did you start to shift your weight from one foot to the other?
Downhill & Speed Control: Were you comfortable picking up speed on descents?
Handling Slopes: Even if your snowplough stop wasn't perfect, were you willing to try steep downhills, knowing there's a risk of falling?
Distance Comfort: How did you feel about the longer distances, up to 20 km? Did those days feel good?
LOCATION
We’ll be heading first to Hossa, Finland’s 40th National Park, which stretches over 11,000 hectares of pristine coniferous forest and sparkling lakes. Reindeer, elk, hares, wolves, wolverines and bears (safely in hibernation at this time of year!) roam freely through the birch, spruce and pine. This beautiful area has been inhabited since the Stone Age and was a Sámi hunting ground. From Hossa, we will head out into more remote and pristine wilderness and from there we will create our own track.
Cross country skiing
During this adventure, we can expect to ski between 17km and 23km per day and be out for around 7 hours - with plenty of time allowed to enjoy regular snack stops, take in the silence and the scenery and a good, long leisurely lunch.
The terrain itself is quite variable with many ups and downs but there are no really big hill climbs. The landscape is simply breath-taking, winding through forests, along ridges and over the frozen lakes, swamps and mires of the protected reserve.
Although we may spot other skiers during the first day in Hossa national park, once we head further north it is likely that the only other tracks we will see will be those of the real locals - think arctic hare, fox, elk, wolf and wolverine.
Luggage transfer is provided. We’ll ski with just day backpacks for layers and snacks!
ACCOMMODATION
We will bed down each night in small, family-run guest houses. All are equipped with a sauna for that all important traditional evening ritual, plus on the first 2 nights you’ll have the chance to try out ice swimming in the frozen lake too!
These cabins are former frontier guard stations, now renovated into comfortable and warm accommodations. They are simple but cosy and the perfect place for us to unwind after a long day in the fresh air.
Only shared rooms are available on this trip.
FOOD
Each day we will be treated to a delicious and nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner. Finnish products are always our first choice.
We will fuel ourselves each morning with a good range of breakfast foods, including bread, cheese, ham, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, coffee and tea, served at our guesthouse. Lunch will be prepared by our snowmobile guide over an open fire along the route. Expect nourishing hot soup, sandwiches, sausages and a nice cup of coffee or tea with chocolate and biscuits!
When we arrive home to our guesthouse at the end of each day, dinner will usually be a buffet, and will include some typical, homemade style Finnish dishes. There will be a main course (meat/fish, potatoes/rice), a fresh salad or warm vegetables and a dessert. As a bonus, a snack and hot drink will be ready for us when we arrive at our accommodation each day, around 3pm.
Please make sure you let us know if you have any dietary requirements at the time of booking - we can cater for most if you let us know in advance!
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Will you see the northern lights? We can’t guarantee it but you’ll be in the right place, with little to no light pollution! We’ll be keeping everything crossed that mother nature delivers!
The Adventure
How will each day of this adventure play out? Here’s a little taster!
See it as a rough guide as we may make changes to suit the weather conditions, snow and trail conditions.
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Your adventure begins with your arrival at Kuusamo airport. A transfer bus is provided to our first accommodation (approx. 1 hour drive) inside Hossa national park. On arrival, we will relax amongst new friends and get a good night’s sleep in preparation for our wilderness adventures!
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We will start our first day with a hearty breakfast. Next, we’ll pick up our equipment and ski off along the well-maintained tracks of the Hossa national park, through pine heathlands and over stunning ridge lines. In the evening, we’ll relax and unwind in the steaming hot, traditional sauna. Those who want to can try ice-swimming – breathe out slowly and dip yourself into the hole in the ice!
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After breakfast, we will take a short car transfer (45 mins) north to our next guesthouse.
From here, we will begin a circular route through a nature reserve, set up to protect this special wilderness - especially the swamp areas with its many birds and insects.
We will ski over frozen mires, ponds and lakes, through ancient forests and spruce trees covered in beard lichen.
The terrain today is mainly flat with spectacular snow-blanketed views.
For lunch, we will cook and eat over an open fire at one of the remote wilderness huts operated by the Finnish Forest and Park Service. Back at our guesthouse we will hit the sauna, relax and eat dinner together.
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After breakfast this morning we will go on another day tour, taking a longer and more southerly route into the nature reserve this time, again over frozen lakes and through the beautiful snow covered pine, spruce and birch forests.
Look out for the tracks of the elusive wolf, lynx and wolverine who call this area home! Back at the guesthouse for our last night here, we will sauna, dine, relax and recuperate.
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After breakfast, we will say goodbye to our hosts and journey north through the reserve. We will pass through an area famous for its brown bear population, but don’t worry - they will be in hibernation at this time of year! Our guesthouse for the next two nights is one well known for its delicious local cuisine, and we will tuck in heartily - once the daily sauna ritual has been completed of course.
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Today's route is a circular one that will bring us back to the warm hospitality of our guesthouse. We will enjoy a hot soup and sandwich picnic around an open fire half way. Back at the cabin, we will rest, have our final sauna, another delicious dinner together served in the traditional log house.
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Today we’ll be heading back to our midweek guest house for one final day in the snow, exploring the quiet frozen lakes.
Tonight we’ll enjoy one final sauna evening and a pancake party as our farewell dinner!
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It will be an early start to get us back to Kuusamo airport for morning flights.
You could choose to extend your holiday with a day and night in Helsinki before heading home. When you book in, you’ll be able to join our trip Whatsapp group to discuss travelling together!
2024
PRICE £1400
DATES
Sun 17 March - Sun 24 March 2024 FULLY BOOKED
2025
PRICE £1485
DATES
Sun 2 - Sun 9 February 2025
WHAT'S INCLUDED
6 days of guided cross country skiing
7 nights accommodation in guest houses (shared rooms only)
Skis, poles and boot hire included
Expert local guide
Gutsy Girls leader to support you throughout the week
All meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Saunas at every cabin
Ice bathing on 2 evenings
Luggage transfers
Airport transfer from Kuusamo airport*
*single timed transfer, you must be at the airport for our designated pick up times.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Flights
Drinks
Travel Insurance
Personal clothing
Check out our packing list here
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Important: The transfer times and airports are different for February and March.
Transfer times & recommended flights for February 2025
Our recommended flights are direct to Kuusamo with TUI from either London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester, and our airport transfers are designed to meet these flights. Kuusamo is approximately a 1 hour journey to our base cabin.
We will do one transfer on arrival and departure at the following times:
Arrival transfer: 1:00 pm pick up from Kuusamo airport
Departure transfer: Drop off at Kuusamo airport at 10:45 am
Our recommended flights are charter flights with TUI from London Gatwick (LGW), Birmingham (BHX) or Manchester (MAN) to Kuusamo (KAO) as follows:
London
Outbound: TUI
LGW 06:00 ✈ KAO at 11:35
Return: TUI
KAO 12:45 ✈ LGW 14:35
Birmingham
Outbound: TUI
BHX 06:30 ✈ KAO 11:50
Return: TUI
KAO 13:00 ✈ BHX 14:25
Manchester
Outbound: TUI
MAN 07:05 ✈ KAO 12:30
Return: TUI
KAO 13:40 ✈MAN 15:05
You can book these directly on the TUI website. We recommend booking your flights as soon as we have confirmed your trip is running as there are not many alternative flight options!
ALTERNATIVES
You could also fly outbound with Finnair and spend a night in Helsinki on Saturday before the trip begins; the transfer time can usually accommodate a morning Finnair flight to Kuusamo from Helsinki. If you are flying back to the UK with Finnair, you may need to spend another night in Helsinki on the way home.
GENERAL
You can get to Kuusamo however you like, as long as you are at the airport in time to meet our transfers. You may want to spend a night exploring Helsinki at the beginning or end of your trip.
Other airlines which fly direct from the UK to Helsinki are Norwegian and Ryanair.
PLEASE NOTE WE CAN ONLY DO ONE TRANSFER ON ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE. DUE TO LONG DISTANCES, PRIVATE TRANSFERS ARE EXPENSIVE TO ARRANGE.
Transfer times & recommended flights for March 2024
There are no direct flights to Kuusamo (the closest airport) in March.
Our recommended flights are Easyjet flights direct from London Gatwick to Rovaniemi. Rovaniemi is approximately a 3.5 hour journey to our base cabin.
We can do one transfer on arrival and departure at the following times:
Arrival transfer: 12.30 pm pick up from Rovaniemi airport
Departure transfer: Drop off at Rovaniemi airport at 10.30 am
Our recommended flights to Rovaniemi are as follows
London
Outbound: EZY8847 Easyjet
LGW 06:25 ✈ RVN 11:50
Return EZY8848 Easyjet
RVN 12:30 ✈ LGW 14:15
Our airport transfer timings are designed to meet these flights.
There are no direct flights to Rovaniemi from non-London airports on these dates.
GENERAL
You can get to Rovaniemi however you like, as long as you are at the airport in time to meet our transfers. You may want to spend a night exploring Helsinki at the beginning or end of your trip.
Finnair, Norwegian and Ryanair fly direct to Helsinki from the UK.
Finnair and Norwegian fly from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.
Ryanair also fly direct from the UK to Rovaniemi.
Note:
We cannot arrange private transfers for arrivals outside of these times due to the high costs and remote locations.
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The accommodation on this trip is in small, family run guesthouses, and we'll be experiencing Finnish traditions, culture and food first hand.
The rooms are shared twin, triple and occasionally quadruple rooms with shared bathroom facilities. There are saunas available daily except for the night of arrival.
Please note that the bathroom facilities are shared throughout the trip and that single rooms are not available.
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All your meals are provided.
Breakfast is served at the accommodation (bread, cheese, ham, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, coffee, tea).
Lunch is served on an outdoor fireplace on the route and it consists of warm soup, sandwiches, (sausages) and coffee and tea with chocolate / biscuits.
Dinner is usually a buffet and includes typical Finnish dishes. The dinner consists of a main course (meat/fish, potatoes/rice), fresh salad/warm vegetables etc and dessert.
Finnish products are always our first choice. In winter all fruit is imported into Finland, so fruit may not be served very often, if at all.
Breakfast is usually around 8–9 am, lunch at 12–1 pm and dinner at 7–8 pm.
Please bring your own snacks (energy / muesli bars, nuts, raisins etc) if you might need these during the week.
Tap water is drinkable in Finland. At the wilderness cabins where tap water is not available, water is brought in large cans (you can fill your own water bottle from these). Bottled water is not available.
We can cater for most dietary requirements. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
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This trip does not include technical tuition. To join this tour, you must have spent several days on cross-country skis prior to joining. You must have good basic technique, be confident in moving efficiently in and out of tracks and be able to stop on downhills. You should be fit and have good balance.
Each day we will ski up to 7 hours including a lunch break (1 hour) and several shorter breaks. Daily distances are from 17 to 23 km.
The terrain is fairly easy and there are no big hills en route, however there are some ups and downs especially during the first day. You need to be confident at controlling your speed on the downhills, and fit enough to get up the uphills. The route goes through forests and crosses lakes and swamps in the eastern wilderness area.
You can ski daily stages at your own speed, with the fastest skiers following the track and the guide staying with the slower ones.
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This trip is rated as moderate to challenging. As a guide, If you currently take part in medium to high intensity cardio exercise (e.g. running or gym classes) for at least an hour at a time, a minimum of 4 times per week then this trip is right for you.
You will be skiing 17-24 km and active for up to 7 hours per day.
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Our experiences are created with solo female travellers in mind, connecting like-minded women through sports, nature and adventure. The Gutsy Girls community is filled with bold and badass women from 18-65 years old, we never ask your age, just that you are up for an adventure!
As a rough guide, most Gutsy Girls guests are 24-60 years old, with around 60% in their 30s-40s.
After a day snowshoeing in the wild, age becomes irrelevant, as we are all connected by our experiences.
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You will need personal travel insurance that covers you for cross country skiing - this is a requirement.
We highly recommend you buy your travel insurance as soon as you book your spot to cover yourself should you fall ill or injure yourself before your trip.
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The cancellation will only be effective from the date that the cancellation is received in writing by email. Cancellation charges will be payable as follows:
• Cancellation fee of 100% is charged if cancelled 44 days or less before the trip
• Cancellation fee of 30% is charged if cancelled 45 days or more before the trip
BOOKINGS TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By paying your deposit you agree to the terms and conditions of Gutsy Girls and our provider.
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides, however, we cannot always guarantee this, simply because there are fewer female instructors available!
Our first priority is to work with the most highly experienced and considerate instructors and guides, who are patient, friendly and as passionate as we are about building women’s confidence in the outdoors.
Simply due to the ratio of men to women in the outdoors industry, sometimes this means our guides and instructors are male.
We keep a close eye on the feedback our guides receive from our guests as we believe that overall this is more important than their gender. We sincerely hope that as more women are introduced to adventure sports and activities, the number of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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This trip has a maximum of 12 spots, early booking is advised!
As this is a new trip, photos have been used from previous adventures and the local area to illustrate the adventure!
FINLAND CROSS COUNTRY SKI PACKING LIST
The weather is likely to be cold and changeable. Of course we cannot predict the weather on any given week, but temperatures normally vary between -5 and -20 ° C, and we may sometimes have temperatures of more like -35°C. This sounds cold, however, for most of the winter in Finland it is a “dry” cold which tends to feel less cold than “damp” cold (which we have in the UK!). You do need enough clothes to stay warm and comfortable though! Please read our blog post for more information on what we recommend you wear whilst cross country skiing!
WE PROVIDE
Cross country skis
Ski boots
Ski poles
YOU WILL NEED
Cross country ski kit:
20 - 30 litre backpack
Base layers (a selection - you might want to wear more than one on a cold day)
Long johns
Fleece
A breathable, waterproof/water resistant and windproof shell jacket
Soft shell type fitted trousers or leggings (windproof, water repellent, breathable)
Gaiters can be useful (optional)
A warm packable insulated / down jacket
A selection of socks of different thicknesses to help you get the best fit in your hire boots (wool is best)
Sunglasses - ideally polarised (ski googles can be useful if the weather is bad but can fog up when you get hot!)
Warm hat or balaclava
Buff (you might want two - one for your neck, one as a headband)
Ski gloves (2 pairs, ideally, in case one gets wet - normal ski gloves will do - warm mittens are best if you are prone to getting cold)
Thinner gloves in case it is warm (you will get hot if you’re working hard!)
Glove liners and/or disposable hand warmers if you suffer from cold hands
Waterproof trousers (optional)
Off the skis:
Casual warm evening clothes
Night wear
Head torch & batteries
Toiletries
Swimwear and neoprene boots/gloves for the ice swimming and sauna if you wish (Finns will go nude!)
Travel towel (optional; bath towels are provided)
Sunscreen (high factor) and lip salve
Any prescription medication
Other medication (paracetamol/ibuprofen) is significantly more expensive in Finland so bring some if you need to
Compeed or moleskin for blisters, just in case!
Slippers / shoes for the evenings
Sturdy shoes / hiking boots / snow boots (or you can wear the warm cross country ski boots we provide so no need for investing in special footwear)
Earplugs and eye mask for sharing rooms in the cabins
Other Stuff:
Camera
Dry bags for inside your day pack to keep stuff dry
Waterproof case for your phone might be handy
Snacks
Medium sized tupperware for carrying food out on the trails
Thermos so you can take hot drinks out on the trails
Water bottle (not a camelbak style bladder which will freeze)
If you’re packing light, you could bring soap flakes/wash to hand wash thermals if required
Occasionally, luggage can be misplaced especially if you are connecting with another flight before landing in Kuusamo. We therefore recommend that you bring some clothes and shoes in your hand luggage so that you can participate in the first day even if your luggage doesn’t arrive with you!