London Heathrow - Helsinki
20.11.2025
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Helsinki - London Heathrow
24.11.2025
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Media visit to Lakeland 20.-24.11.
Credits: Visit Tampere, Laura Vanzo
Welcome to Finland
During the visit you'll discover the highlights of gastronomy, wellness, lifestyle and culture of Finnish Lakeland. Visit Finland, Visit Tampere and Visit Jyväskylä warmly welcome you to Finland!
By invitation only, updated 21.8.2025.
Credits: Visit Tampere, Laura Vanzo
Quick facts
Flights from/to Finland
Accommodation
Hotel Kalevala
22.-24.5.
https://hotellikalevala.fi/en/
Lentiira Holiday Village
24.-25.5.
https://www.lentiira.com/en
Arctic Giant Bird House Hotel
25.-26.5.
https://arcticgiant.fi/
Bring along
Casual clothing
Comfortable, warm and rainproof outdoor shoes and clothing
Hat and gloves
Fleece/pullover
Swimwear
Flip flops (optional for sauna)
Sunglasses ( optional :))
Tour highlights
Highlights that you will experience during your visit to Arctic Lakeland, Wild Taiga
- Culture in the nature – UNESCO City of Literature, international festivals, local way of life
- Wildlife watching and photography in the boreal taiga forests
- Exciting rapids floating in the land of the thousand lakes
- Find out how the Northern Lights are born
- Wellbeing from Saunas, from a tradional smoke sauna bath to a brand new Forest Sauna
Get to know the region during summer time:
https://arcticlakeland.com/en/sommer-2025/
Wild Taiga Instagram
Preliminary program
Kindly note that changes in the program are possible and activities will be done according to the weather conditions.
Credits : Harri Tarvainen
Credits: Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival
Thursday 22.5.2025
Flights from Frankfurt and Hamburg
Plane change in Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
Meet with Finnair representative in Finnair’s new Schengen lounge
During your layover in Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, you will meet Finnair's Communications Manager, Mia Eloranta for an afternoon coffee at Finnair’s new Schengen lounge to hear about Finland's flag carrier. The lounge is located close to gate 21.
18.55 Arrival to Kajaani Airport
Bus transfer to Kuhmo town
The transfer takes approximately 2 hours.
Check-in to lakeside Hotel Kalevala in single rooms followed by dinner appr. at 21.15
Possibility to enjoy private sauna and hot tub outdoors.
Friday 23.5.2025
08.00 Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant
09.30 Sightseeing tour to Kuhmo town
Kuhmo is UNESCO City of Literature, during the tour we will be visiting Kuhmo Arts Centre and learn about Finnish national epic Kalevala and Karelian culture as well as Kuhmo Arts Centre, the home of international festivals.
www.juminkeko.fi, www.kuhmofestival.fi
12.00 Lunch at Bistro Neljä Kaesaa
After lunch adrenalin starts to flow in the exciting rapids floating programme.
16.00 Transfer to Kuikka Basecamp (1 hour)
Dinner and Wildlife photography tour
Early dinner and an exciting wildlife photography tour 15-22.00 (until sunset) with Wildlife Safaris Finland www.wildfinland.org. Kuhmo is the only area in Europe, where you can take pictures of the large carnivores in the wilds (brown bear, wolf and wolverine) with a help of professional nature photographer in their special photo hides. Awarded photographer Lassi Rautiainen, pioneer in wildlife photography hosts the visits.
Appr. 23.00 return to Hotel Kalevala for second overnight
Saturday 24.5.2025
08.00 Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant
09.00 Check-out from the hotel
10.00 Visit to the Lentiira Village Bakery and Cafeteria
Here locals and summer residents gather every Saturday morning, maybe local delicacies and slow Saturday mornings meeting each other at the village cafeteria are one of the secrets for the happiness of Finns?
13.00 Check-in to cottages at the lakeside Lentiira Holiday Village
The afternoon is hosted by astronomeur Rob Johnstone, who will explain how the Northern Lights are born by observing the Sun through solar telescope. The solar telescope isolates a specific frequency of light and filters out all background shine enabling you to see sun flares and solar prominence’s erupting from the surface of the Sun. These flares shoot out into space and become the solar wind, it is this solar wind that strikes the Earth and charges particles in the upper atmosphere to glow which you would see as the Northern Lights.
Some gravel biking before relaxing in the tradional Finnish smoke sauna with a refreshing dip in the lake
Dinner with local delicacies at the wooden Pirtti-restaurant www.lentiira.com
Sunday 25.5.2025
08.00 Breakfast at the restaurant
09.00 Check-out
Transfer (appr. 1h 20min) to the north, the southernmost reindeer herding area in Finland to visit a reindeer farm Korpiporo.
10.30-12.00 Korpiporo Reindeer Farm
12.30.-15.00 In the heart of the wilderness, the Silent People — nearly a thousand strong — stand, stirring wonder and touching the soul. At the Meadow Café, hostess Ritva shares the tale of their birth and the quiet growth of a hidden oasis beside them, where you can sleep in a hay barn, feast on local flavors, sip coffee brewed over open flames, and simply let your mind rest. Sometimes, the most beautiful things arise by chance. www.niittykahvila.fi
Drive towards west coast of Finland and appr. 17.00 arrival to Arctic Giant Bird House Hotel www.arcticgiant.fi.
Enjoying farewell dinner at the panoramic restaurant and a sauna bath at the Forest Sauna.
Monday 26.5.2025
Brunch at the panorama restaurant, introduction of the services and farewell
11:15 Departure to Oulu Airport
Transfer approximately 1h 50 min
14:15 Flights back to Germany
Thank you for your visit!
Useful links