Wildfoods & Wellbeing
Peaceful Retreat in Finnish Countryside
Independent tour with private guided experiences
Photo: Visit Finland/Harri Tarvainen
Dates
On request between
August-September 2024
Duration
4 days/3nights
Suitable
Price
For travellers longing for a peaceful retreat reconnecting with the abundance of nature
From AUD 1360 per person
In John Muir's words:
‘Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike’.
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This is one of those places - a beautiful boutique guesthouse in the countryside located between two national parks with majestic forests and calming waters of serene lakes. Finland at its best is what you find here!
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With a focus on organic and minimalistic design, the rooms here are calming spaces meant to inspire relaxation, meditation, and the true luxury of self care. Enjoy delicious, healthy meals from the finest wild and locally sourced organic ingredients - cuisine that is seasonal and combines the best of the Nordic and Mediterranean flavours.
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Come along to detox from everyday busyness and reconnect with nature on private outings with an experienced wilderness guide. Enjoy locally grown mostly organic food and indulge every night in the cherished Finnish sauna tradition cleansing your body and mind. Outside the organised activities, you have nothing to do except to be present enough to enjoy the peaceful surrounds.
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For a longer stay in the beautiful Finnish Lakeland district, you can combine this experience with our Lake Time package.
Tour Highlights
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Cosy accommodation in a beautiful country guesthouse serving mostly organic food
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Sound journey experience to deepen your presence
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Private guided foraging and meal preparing experience
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Private guided kayaking experience with lunch prepared outdoors
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Private Finnish sauna session every night
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Enter serenity
Upon arrival you are welcomed by your host with a refreshing drink. After check-in you will take part in a relaxing Sound Journey that will help you leave the busyness of your life and mind behind allowing you to deepen your presence and to enjoy this restoring getaway.
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Enjoy a communal dinner at the main dining room with the other guests before heading to the near-by sauna for your first Finnish sauna experience. Sit on the wooden benches, pour water on the stones and relax in the gentle steam. Cool down outside with a drink before heading back in. Repeat as many times as you wish - sauna is soothing for your body, mind and soul.
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Afterwards fall a sleep in your cosy bedroom while listening to nature's comforting night sounds.
Day 2: Experience nature's abundance
After a leisurely breakfast your guide will take you on a private foraging experience. Connect with the abundance of nature while learning about local wild foods and the plants and animals that call the surrounding forests home. Depending on the season you will gather ingredients from the guesthouse garden, surrounding meadows and forests and prepare a meal together with your guide on an open fire. Depending on the season you might be preparing wild food salads or pancakes, smoothies and/or sweet or savoury pies.(duration about 3 hours).
Later on relax in the garden with a book. Alternatively take a walk along a forest path to a near-by lake where you can enjoy a refreshing dip or just sit on the grass relaxing and listening to the gentle sound of the lapping waves. 'Blue therapy' - or spending time in a natural environment featuring a body of water - has been proven to have many benefits for our health and well-being.
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If you are feeling a bit more energetic you could book another guided activity - ask us for options!
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After a communal dinner, it's time to relax in the sauna before retreating to your comfortable room for the night.
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Day 3: Kayaking tour in a national park
Enjoy breakfast before embarking on another private outing with your local wilderness guide. Your expert guide will provide you with a basic introduction to paddling, gear and essential techniques, making sure even beginner paddlers feel comfortable on this tour. You will be paddling on sheltered waters amongst a labyrinth of islands on Lake Saimaa.
Kolovesi National Park - with old-growth forests over a hundred years old - is a paddler's paradise, where rocky cliffs rise above the narrow lake channels. Ancient rock paintings give insights into how Finland's early settlers lived in harmony with nature thousands of years ago With luck you might also encounter a curious Saimaa ringed seal. This is one of the best places to spot these unique endangered lake seals.
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The rock paintings in the surroundings of Kolovesi have been dated according to the surface level of Lake Saimaa. The paintings may have been done while standing on the ice or in a boat and this would date the rock paintings back to the comb ceramic period or early Metal Ages. All of the rock paintings are located in the vicinity of key junctions in the waterways. The location of the paintings has most certainly been significant; perhaps the painters wanted to inform passers-by about hunting areas, boundaries and rights of ownership. Most likely only a fraction of the rock paintings have been preserved to this day. Many have disappeared over the millennia, and many are surely yet to be found.
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During the tour you will stop on one of the islands for lunch prepared by your guide. Duration of the tour 3-5 hours.
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Enjoy a relaxing sauna after your paddling tour before joining the others for a communal dinner. Fall asleep in your comfy bed while dreaming about the life in the ancient times along these lake shores.
Day 4: Time to say 'good bye'
After breakfast it's time to return to the hustle & bustle of life outside this little haven on earth.
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Prices
Tour price
From AUD 1360 per person when 2 adults sharing a room (shared bathroom)​
From AUD 1620 per person in single occupancy (shared bathroom)
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Supplement for accommodation in a room with private ensuite (subject to availability)
From AUD 165 total for 3 nights
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What's included
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3 nights' accommodation
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Full board (from dinner on arrival day until breakfast on departure day)
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Sound Journey relaxation (abt 1 hour)
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Private foraging experience with a guide (abt 3 hrs)
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Private kayaking experience with a guide (abt 3-5 hrs)
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Welcome drink
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3 x Private sauna session (60 minutes each)
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A donation on your behalf for protection of the endangered Saimaa Ringed Seal - read more >
Booking Conditions
​SAFETY & TRAVEL INSURANCE
All outdoor activities carry an element of risk and we strongly advice you to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance to cover all activities in this package. You warrant that the information you provide regarding your health & fitness is accurate and there are no other medical issues (both physical/mental) that may impact your ability to participate in these activities.
WEATHER
If the organisers do not deem one of the activities safe, they reserve the right to change the order of the activities or the content of the program if necessary due to the weather. In extreme conditions they might have to reschedule or cancel.
ALTERATIONS BY ORGANISER
Sometimes the organiser has to make changes, usually because of circumstances out of their control. If this happens, they reserve the right at any time to substitute accommodation or activities. If this means extra cost to you, we’ll let you know.
​ACCEPTANCE OF RISK
You acknowledge that travel involves personal risks which may be greater than those present in your everyday life. This could be as a result of the adventurous nature of your trip or the visiting of destinations which present geographical risks and dangers.
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Our full terms & conditions (link).
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What's not included
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Meals other than described
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Alcoholic beverages during meals unless mentioned
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Tips or any other items of personal nature
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Flights
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Travel Insurance - strongly recommended
Please note
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You can opt for a room with a private ensuite (subject to availability)
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Private transfers from/to the nearest railway or bus station can be pre-arranged - please ask for a quote
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A stay here during other times of the year is also available - get in touch for a quote
Weather
Please note that weather conditions vary from year to year and it is advisable to check the weather conditions before your arrival. You can check the weather on weather service sites such as http://www.yr.no/ or http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi.
Daylight
Check daylight hours for this region via this link.
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Ask us about
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Creating a tailor-made pre and/or post tours
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Adding extra activities to your travel package
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Arrangements for special celebrations or milestones during this tour
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Creating a longer holiday in the lake district by combining this package with our Lake Time experience
Payment & cancellations
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20% deposit is required within 7 days after your participation is confirmed
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Balance due 65 days prior to travel
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Cancellations:
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More than 66 days prior to departure - loss of deposit
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From 65 to 31 days prior to departure – loss of 50% of total cost
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Less than 30 days prior to departure - loss of 100% of total cost
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Please arrange a comprehensive travel insurance which covers activities and any cancellation costs, should you not be able to travel
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Our full terms & conditions can be found here (link)