FAQs
Finland Hut to Hut Ski Expedition - Lapland
Travel Information
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This adventure takes place in Lemmenjoki National Park, which at 2,850 square kilometres, is Finland's largest, most northerly national park and one of the largest in Europe.
The nearest airport and city is Ivalo.
You can fly with Finnair from London Heathrow to Ivalo via Helsinki in one day. You could also choose to spend a night or two in Helsinki before or after your trip.
You’re welcome to book any flights that work with the transfer times.
Transfers run on a fixed schedule and can’t be delayed, even if your flight is listed. You’re responsible for arriving on time.
We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers delays, cancellations, and missed connections.
Not sure if your flight fits? Just get in touch — we’re happy to help.
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A group transfer is included on both the arrival and departure days. This is a shared transfer, running at fixed times to and from a designated location (usually an airport or train station).
There is one transfer each way, and your flight must match the timing. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to make your own arrangements.
Pickup Point: Ivalo Airport at 18:55
Drop-off Point: Ivalo Airport at 11:15
30 March - 6 April 2026
Pickup Point: Ivalo Airport at 18:55
Drop-off Point: Ivalo Airport at 07:30
The group transfer is included in your trip package. There is no discount if you choose not to use it.
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Missed transfers are rare, but we want to be upfront so you can plan with confidence.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you’ll need to arrange your own transport to meet the group. We’ll support you as best we can — your host will be your main contact on the day and can help coordinate locally. You can also contact our bookings team, available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm UK time, though replies may be delayed outside of these hours.
Even if you booked a flight from our Suggested Flights, group transfers run on schedule and cannot wait for late arrivals.
In some locations, arranging a private transfer is straightforward — but in more remote areas, it can be limited and expensive. That’s why comprehensive travel insurance is essential, not only for delays and cancellations, but also in case you need to cancel your trip before departure.
Make sure your insurance covers travel delays and missed connections — it could save you a significant amount if things don’t go to plan.
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You should buy comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book your trip — not just before you travel. This ensures you’re covered in case you need to cancel before departure, as well as for any unexpected issues while you’re away.
Your policy should include cover for:
Travel delays and missed connections
Trip cancellation
Medical emergencies and evacuation
Baggage and equipment loss
All activities included in your itinerary
Travel insurance is a requirement for joining any Gutsy Girls trip, and it’s your responsibility to check that your policy includes the kind of adventure you've signed up for — especially outdoor or sporting activities.
Booking your insurance early gives you peace of mind and protects your trip from the very start.
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We will connect you with others on the trip via WhatsApp, so you may be able to arrange to travel together.
Activities
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You don’t need prior ski or cross-country experience, though it certainly helps. What matters more is good balance, comfort with gliding, and a solid level of fitness and determination. This isn’t a gentle introduction. It’s a demanding and rewarding way to experience winter in the wild, where you'll pull your own pulka (sled) and cover ground in often challenging conditions.
You’ll receive tuition on your first day, with a chance to get used to your skis and fit your equipment properly, before heading out on your expedition.
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Given its physical demands and the environment involved, we rate this trip as challenging. While you don't need any expedition or ski experience to join, a high fitness level and a positive mindset are essential.
This trip would be ideal for those who’ve completed hut-to-hut or hiking treks, bikepacked, packrafted or taken part in any trip where you’re away from home comforts for consecutive days.
What to expect:Duration: Prepare for extended days in the Arctic, with daily outings lasting up to 6-7 hours, including around 5 hours dedicated to skiing.
Distance: Expect to ski between 10 km-17 km daily. Note, skiing these distances is more challenging than hiking equivalent distances.
Intensity: While no prior skiing experience is required, backcountry skiing is more than just sliding on snow. As we navigate diverse terrains, having good stamina is essential for the journey.
Towing and Carrying: With sledges for our gear and backpacks to carry, the weight adds an extra challenge, comparable to carrying a loaded backpack.
Sub Zero Living: Over 5 nights, anticipate rustic living with no running water or electricity, relying on log burning stoves for warmth.
Communal Living: Embrace the camaraderie! There are no private quarters; you'll bunk with fellow Gutsy Girls.
Consecutive Activity: Five continuous days of skiing in such conditions can be taxing. Gear up for intense, rewarding adventure days.
Mindset: A proactive and positive approach will enhance the experience. When challenges arise, dig deep and lean on the group spirit.
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We believe cross-country skiing is a fantastic sport for beginners with no previous skiing experience, but it may not be the sport for everyone.
If you're not quite sure this is your level, we recommend building up to it. Try our Lapland Expedition,Backcountry Wilderness Adventure, or start developing your cross-country ski skills on our Norway Cross Country Ski trips first. This one’s best saved for when you're ready, not thrown into at the deep end.
The movement & terrain:
Cross country skiing is a gliding and sliding motion. If you do not like the sensation of sliding or are nervous about falling, this winter sport might not be for you.
Cross country skiing does have downhill sections; they aren’t super steep, and you will learn how to go down them and control your speed. If you do not like the sensation of going downhill, maybe from previous skiing experiences, then you may not enjoy cross country skiing.
You need to be prepared to fall over a bit while learning! Usually, the soft snow makes these falls relatively painless.
Fitness:
Cross country skiing is a physically demanding sport at times! It does get described as ‘running or hiking with skis on’. As far as cardio fitness goes, this is true - it can be hard work! We do recommend you have a good base fitness level to get the most out of the experience.
If you do physical activity that gets your heart rate up a minimum of 3 times a week for at least 60 minutes, you’ll have a great time on skis!
Also remember that you need to pull a pulka that can weigh up to 20-25kg, so regular weight training or even pulling a tire across a park or field will help you prepare.
Activities such as pilates, yoga and dance can also be useful to build up balance and coordination, other skills that make mastering cross country skiing easier.
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On this adventure we’ll be backcountry style cross country skiing / nordic ski touring. We’ll be going off track and making our own tracks in the snow. It can be compared to hiking with skis on, you’ll get a little bit of glide and help from the skis, particularly on the downhills!
It's similar to snowshoeing, but you'll have the benefit of following the tracks of the person in front and have a little bit more glide.
If you have cross country skied before, the motion is similar, but you won't gain as much momentum and glide as you would in the tracks.
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Most people find learning to cross country ski much easier than alpine skiing. If you are active in daily life and have a high fitness level, then you'll make great progress over the snow in no time!
Cross country skiing does have downhill sections; they aren’t super steep, and you will learn how to go down them and control your speed. If you do not like the sensation of going downhill though, maybe from previous skiing experiences, then you may not enjoy cross country skiing.
You do need to be prepared to fall over a bit while you’re learning! Usually the soft snow makes these falls fairly painless.
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We will be out skiing for 5-7 hours each day, including breaks.
We will cover 7-15km on skis daily.
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This style of skiing is slightly different from our other Norway Cross Country Ski and Yoga trips. On those trips we ski on pressed tracks, which make for a faster and more technical, sporty type of skiing.
In comparison, most of our skiing on this trip will be off the tracks and more in the wilderness. The skis will be wider and more stable. Our speed will also be slower, as we will be breaking trails and on some days, pulling a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. The skis have built-in “skins”, which give them a good grip when going uphill and you can make good progress, but it can be slow going and strenuous.
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Working on your cardiovascular fitness will help you with endurance and stamina. Walking at a good pace (where you feel slightly out of breath) is really useful, or of course, running or cycling or performing other higher intensity exercise.
Improving your strength, core stability and balance really helps with cross country skiing too. Good balance is essential for weight transfer from one ski to the next. We will be balancing on one ski as it glides – so if standing on one leg is a challenge then practising will help! You could stand on one leg every time you clean your teeth!
Activities and sports that challenge balance can also help to develop it, such as Pilates, yoga and dancing.
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Yes!
This is a self sufficient expedition, you will be carrying everything you need with you..
Each day, you will pack the pulkas (sleds)with all the items you do not need to access during the day. Anything you do need should be in your backpack. This includes your insulated jacket for breaks, lunch thermos (provided), drinking thermos, sunscreen and goggles/sunglasses.
In general, two people share one pulka and one daypack with each taking turns in pulling the pulka or carrying the daypack, so the daypack should have room for two people’s gear. A lightweight daypack with a volume of 35l-60l works well.
Packing & Equipment
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Please see our blog about cross country ski clothing here.
In a nutshell, when we are cross country skiing we are very active and generating heat while out in the cold. While moving we get hot (and sweaty!) but then when we stop in the cold, we cool down quickly. The mistake people often make is overdressing, getting too hot and sweaty whilst moving and then cooling off quickly and then feeling cold and damp at every stop. In addition, when we’re skiing with a group we may stop more frequently or for longer than you would if you were alone. Cross country skiing does NOT require the same sort of clothing as downhill skiing because the warm, padded clothing for downhill skiing takes into account long stretches sitting still on chairlifts at the mercy of the weather - not needed whilst cross country skiing!
We recommend a variety of wool or synthetic base layers, topped by a lightweight, windproof, breathable waterproof hiking jacket (shell) with a hood, with a warm, insulated jacket in a backpack to put on at rest stops. On your legs, we recommend windproof, water repellent, breathable soft shell type fitted trousers or leggings.
We recommend avoiding cotton clothing as it gets wet and cold and doesn't dry fast.
Other vital items are warm socks, sunglasses, sunscreen, waterproof and insulated gloves, a buff and hat.
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Yes!
The trip price includes the hire of touring skis, ski boots, poles, winter sleeping bags, sledges.
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Yes! You can find it here.
We advise packing your essentials such as your skiing clothes and spares in your hand luggage in case your bags are lost in transit (especially if you have a flight connection).
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Yes!
This is a self sufficient expedition, you will be carrying everything you need with you in a sledge and a backpack.
Each day, you will pack the pulkas (sleds) such that you do not need to access them during the day and all your daily items should be in a backpack. This includes your insulated jacket for breaks, lunch thermos (provided), drinking thermos, sunscreen and goggles/sunglasses. In general, two people share one pulka and one daypack with each taking turns in pulling the pulka or carrying the daypack, so the daypack should have room for two people’s gear. A lightweight daypack with a volume of 35l-60l works well.
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The tour price includes full board but you may want some cash for drinks or snacks. Shopping possibilities are limited.
ATMs are not available during the tour.
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Any luggage you don’t need on the expedition can be left in the first accommodation until you return.
Accomodation & Food
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Our basecamp hut on the first and last night is basic hotel level accommodation with electricity, toilets, showers and even a sauna.
Other than this, when we're out on tour, we’ll be staying in a different wilderness hut or traditional cabin each night - these are fairly basic. The evenings are spent by warming the huts with wood burners and melting snow for drinking water for the next day. The toilet is in an outhouse.
In addition, tents are carried for safety by the group, and you can try sleeping in them if you wish!
On one day we will have the chance to build a quinzee (a snow shelter) where you can sleep the night if you dare!
All accommodation will be in shared rooms, private rooms are not available.
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All your meals are provided.
On the first and last nights, there is a restaurant in the lodge, where the first and last dinners are served, as well as the second and last day breakfasts.
The rest of the meals will be dehydrated expedition meals.
Please bring your own snacks (energy / muesli bars, nuts, raisins etc) if you might need these during the week.
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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We can cater for most dietary requirements and we will request information prior to your arrival.
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We will provide sleeping bags.
Hairdryers and towels are not provided!
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No - you could bring some soap flakes / travel wash to wash your base layers if you think this will be necessary - but it may be hard to get them dry overnight.
Other
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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 -30°C or even above zero. 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!).
The weather can be cloudy or sunny and we can also see wind and snowfalls.
The ten day weather forecast can be found here.
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This tour is certainly suitable for Northern Lights spotting! We will be in the far northern wilderness where artificial light pollution will not interfere, so if the Northern Lights do appear it will be easy to observe them from any of our accommodation spots.
However, just like the weather, the Northern Lights are completely unpredictable and their appearance can never be forecast with certainty, so we can never guarantee this!
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There is no upper age limit for our adventures - the Gutsy Girls community is filled with fun and friendly women from 18-70+. We just ask that you are up for the challenge, prepared enough and ready to dig in and get on with it.
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Definitely join alone, the vast majority of guests come along to our events and retreats solo.
Our aim is to connect you with like-minded new friends! We are a very friendly bunch, come as you are, we can’t wait to meet you!
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides on our day events and trips, 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 amount of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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Our hosts are volunteers who are passionate about our mission and want to help more women get outdoors. They're not professionals in the sports or from the countries the trips are based in. Instead, they are there for you. Our guides on the other hand are employed by our local partners in-country and are there to teach you epic activities, lead your sessions and answer all your questions.
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Tipping is not compulsory on our adventures, but if you've had a great trip and brilliant service, a tip for your guide or host is always appreciated. We recommend giving €20-€30, or whatever you can or feel is the right amount.