Snowshoe trekking with huskies and pulkas on the Beartrail

The Bear Trail is situated in the national park Oulanka near Kuusamo in Finnish Lapland. A national park founded in very early years, because of its special beauty and species variety. We hike along the shore of the Oulankajoki-river, with its steep sided ravines, river valleys and rocky canyons. Around us nothing but wilderness: deep snow-covered forests. We hike through those landscapes on our snowshoes, carrying only light backpacks. This is made possible by friendly huskies pulling our luggage in pulks (equipment sledges). We are connected to the sledges. Sometimes the huskies help us (pulling us), sometimes we have to help the huskies (pushing when we walk some steeper uphills). Marvellous landscapes, wilderness, being out in the middle of nowhere and cooperation with those amazing animals – an unforgettable experience!

Requirements
- Good physical condition (whole day on shoeshoes can be heavy!)
- Used to carrying a day backpack (max. 10 kg)
- Team spirit, cooperation
- Endurance, will to live in simple conditions ( wilderness cabins) 

Dates (Sunday to Sunday)
06.2. – 13.2.2011
27.2. – 6.3.2011
20.3. – 27.3.2011

Included services
- Collective-transfer from/to the airport Kuusamo
- 4 overnights in cabins with electricity and running water (as well sauna)
- 3 overnights in wilderness cottages with stoves
  but without electricity, running water or sauna
- Full board during the whole tour
- Experienced, English speaking guide
- 1 husky and 1 pulka min. per 2 persons 

Not included services
- Alcoholic drinks
- Snowshoes (possible to hire on request € € 50/week) 

Group size
min. 6 max. 10 persons 

Price
€€ 995/person from/to airport Kuusamo 

Overnights/catering
Our own personal equipment (clothes, own sleeping bag, mattress..) will be packed into bags provided by the tour operator. Those bags are put into pulks pulled by huskies. The upper weight limit of personal luggage is 7-8 kg/person. Additionally, we transport our food (common food, provided by the tour operatur) and the dog food with us during the whole trip in the pulks. In your backpack we carry everything we need during the day: Warm jacket for the breaks, lunch packages, thermos, camera etc. The wilderness cottages are simple, with no running water, no electricity and heated by a wood-heated oven - that's the adventurous and candlelight dinner part ;). The cabins of Juuma leirintä have electricity, running water, sauna.

Program
1^st day: Transfer from the airport to the wooden cabins of Juuman Leirintä. Sauna. Dinner and information about the coming week..

2^nd day: After breakfast we will start for exploring the Small Beartrail - the probably most hiked 12 km in Finland. A wonderful circular hike with a lot of sights and attractions such as the beautiful old mill Myllykoski, the rough canyon carved by the Kitkajoki river, roaring rapids and frozen lakes. We still hike without huskies, because of some difficult ups and downs. Distance about 13 km. After return to our cabins. Possibility to go to sauna. Dinner.Overnight.

3^rd day: Today we get to know our dogs, who will join us for the rest of the week. We learn, how to hook up the dogs to the pulks and how to walk with pulks. In the afternoon we will start to plan our week tour and pack our stuff. Sauna and dinner. Overnight in the cabins.

4^th day: After breakfast we are brought to the starting point of our hike, Puikkosuo close to the Northern part of the national park. We hike through beautiful fields , forest and swamps. Lunch we will enjoy on tour. At the end of this trip, we reach the rapids of the Oulanka river. Close to its shore there is the first wilderness cabin, we will spend the night in: Taivalköngäs, a beautiful and traditional cabin. Distance about 7 km.

5^th day: Today we have a longer hiking day following the Oulanka river south. After having walked 7,5 km we reach the visitor centre of the national park. Here, we have a long break and the possibility to go through the exhibition and watch some informative films about the nature of the national park. After continuing our walk, we soon reach the famous waterfalls of Kiutaköngäs. A perfect object for photographers. We continue through beautiful light forests along the Oulanka river with its natural bends until we reach our next cottage – Ansakämppä. A few meters down the ravine to the cottage demand some team spirit (helping each other). Distance about 17 km

6^th day: On today’s hike we leave the Oulanka river and hike southeast into the snowy forest. We hike through old moraine landscapes formed during the ice age many thousand years ago. At the end of this day’s trip we reach a huge frozen lake. Our cabin, Jussinkämppä is situated right on it’s shore. From here, we have a marvellous view over the lake – a perfect spot to admire a colourful sunset and hopefully polar lights, too! This is also the easternmost part of our trip: The Russian border is only 5 km away! Distance about 8 km.

7^th day: Today we walk back to Juuma, where we have spent the first days of our trip. We follow the winter route of the Bear trail through beautiful swamps with their small, strangely formed trees, pass lakes and walk through forests. Sauna, dinner, overnight in the cabins of Juuma leirintä. Distance about 10 km.

8^th day: After breakfast transfer to the airport

Depending on the snow conditions, the hiking route may vary a bit – but we will pass all the main attractions anyhow.

boreal tours ky -  PL 2 - 93400 taivalkoski - finland
phone +358 40 593 2 598  -  info@boreal-tours.com   -  imprint  - conditions