The maybe most well known long-hiking trail in Scandinavia is situated in the south-eastern corner of Finnish Lapland. In the Oulanka national park, which reaches the Russian national park Paanajärvi in the east. Already in 1897 the Finns remarked the special beauty of this area, but not earlier than 1956 the borders of the actual national park Oulanka were fixed in the law. Remarkable for this national park is the river Oulankajoki, which we follow often during our tour. The nature of this national park is exceptional because of its wide flora-variety in the river valleys. Unique rock formations and canyons were built by the erosion. This national park attracts many professional photographers during the year ... and of course also a lot of visitor! We hike along the 60 most beautiful kilometres of this trail…
Requirements
- team spirit/cooperation
Dates (Sunday – Sunday)
22.06. - 29.06.2008
06.07. - 13.07.2008
Included services
- luggage transfer
- all the transfers from/to Kuusamo airport
- overnights in hotels, simple cabins with sauna, 1 x tent
- full board during the tour
- experienced English speaking wilderness guide
- tents, cooking-equipment
Not included services
- alcoholic drinks
Group size
minimum 4, maximum 12 persons
Price
€ 1’185 from/to airport Kuusamo
Program
1st day: Transfer from the airport Kuusamo to the Hotel. Dinner and Overnight
2nd day: Start to the trek. Road Kuusamo-Salla – Oulanka Campground;
The trail leads through dry forests and a very good hiking trail to Ristikallio,
a very impressive rock on the top of a lake. Further on to the beautiful rapids
of Taivalköngäs, where we enjoy lunch. Across the first hanging
bridge the track leads us further along the river Oulankajoki until we reach
the campground of Oulanka. Dinner, Sauna and overnight in cabins. Distance
about 17 km, duration about 5 - 6 hours.
3rd day: Oulanka Campground - Nurminsaari; After the breakfast we start our
day with a visit in the nature centre of Oulanka, where we find a lot of interesting
information about the backgrounds and history of the Oulanka Nationalpark.
After one more kilometre hiking we already reach the famous canyon of Kiutaköngäs.
A very special place, where the water is falling on a distance of 600 m about
14 m – made by the ice age. Tracks of first settlements of Kuusamo are
found here as well. Still all along the Oulankajoki we hike on a very comfortable
trail further on to the wilderness cottage Ansakämppa. From there, we
will be picked up by boat, cross the river and are brought to our next overnight
place. Sauna, Dinner and Overnight in a lodge. Distance 8 km, duration 3 hours.
4th day: Nurminsaari - Juuma; After crossing the Oulanka River again by boat
we continue our trail along the very beautiful and quiet part of the river
Oulankajoki with its sand- and gravel beaches. After some kilometres we leave
this main river of the park and cross the rolling hills until we reach Kulmakkajärvi
and the cottage Jussinkämppä. From this beautiful corner we continue
our tour still across hills and swamps until we reach the shore of Kitkajoki.
We hike the little bit more demanding part along this best whitewater river
in Finland. With a little luck we meet also River Rafting boats coming down
the stream. Somewhere on a cosy corner we enjoy lunch on the shore. After
a quite steep but short uphill we reach the crossing into the “small
bear trail” before we reach the famous rapids of “Myllykoski”.
From there we reach within a very short time our next stageend, Oulanka Basecamp.
Sauna, dinner, overnight. Distance about 26 km, duration 8 hours.
5th day: Small bear trail; After the breakfast we start to our day hike along
the small bear trail. The first 4 km we hike back on the same route like we
came the day before… further across hanging bridges to a great half
island in the river Kitkajoki and up to the top of the south shore…
from there we hike with many stops for pictures further until we reach Siilastupa.
A cottage straight opposite of the famous falls Jyrävä, where we
enjoy our lunch. This is probably the most photographed waterfall in Finland.
After a very short but steep climb back up to the top, the scenic hike follows
still the Kitkajoki, passing Aallokkokoski, the longest white water part of
the river. Our daytour ends again in “Myllykoski”, the old mill.
Dinner, Sauna and Overnight in Oulanka Basecamp. Distance about 12 km, duration
about 4 hours.
6th day: Juuma - Kumpuvaara; Further along the “big bear trail”
in the direction of south… Here we leave for a while the National Park,
we get an impression about Finnish farmland. After a short side trip to the
rocks of Joenniskan we reach Kumpuvaara, our next overnight place. Here we
experience a very typical Finnish tentsauna! Dinner in the kota restaurant,
overnight in tents. Distance approx. 12 km, Duration approx. 4 hours.
7th day: Kumpuvaara – Valtavaara – Ruka; This last stage leads
us again back to the National Park. A climb up the “mountain”
Valtavaara allows us many great views back to our trail and further in the
direction of our finish – Ruka. After a last downhill we finally reach
it – Ruka, a famous skiing resort, where we will have the chance to
buy some souvenirs in several shops. Dinner, Sauna and overnight back in the
Hotel. Distance 10 km, Duration. 3 – 4 hours.
8th day: After the breakfast transfer back to the airport Kuusamo.
