We know...
Kuusamo is situated in the province of Oulu, 800km North of Helsinki. The area is known for its natural beauty and is characterised by fells, forests, lakes and rivers all draped in snow. From the top of the fells the white wilderness stretches as far as the eye can see (in some cases this is into Russia!).
Kuusamo is a firm favourite with families and we think we’ve designed a real gem of a holiday here. A Father Christmas holiday with real integrity, some delightful activities designed for young children and an intimate family Father Christmas experience. This holiday is sure to provide wonderful memories for children and parents alike.
You know...
"We found it a very personalised experience. The lady who met us at the airport, took the time to learn our children’s names, there was only one other family with us (which meant we had a nice small and friendly group and all the guides took the time to learn and remember our first names). Small things, but it means a lot. Especially, as we are so used to going on package holidays and being treated as a piece of meat!
Fantastic holiday, can't wait to go again. Many thanks.
Mick Hughes - 20 Feb 2011.
Suitable for
Anybody aged 4 years and over.
Day 1: Flights, arrivals and introduction
You will be greeted on arrival at Kuusamo Airport and transferred directly to your accommodation in Kuusamo where dinner will be waiting. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep because the excitement really begins in the morning.
Day 2: A wonderful day in the snow
After breakfast your guide will take you to meet some of Lapland’s most interesting residents - huskies and reindeer. The huskies will be waiting and barking in eager anticipation of meeting you but they’ll soon calm down once they are leading you on a short sled ride.
Next are the reindeer, the most magical of Christmas creatures and a vital cog in Santa’s annual odyssey. Snuggled up warmly under blankets, you will emulate our hero in red by taking a reindeer-pulled sleigh ride. Both the reindeer and husky rides are short but the idea is that you can do the activities as many or as few times as you wish.
Lunch will be enjoyed in a restaurant and a surprise guest may even drop in, who knows? Back at the hotel you will have time to relax and play in the pool. Your guide will come and get you in the evening for a spot of snow sculpting so each family can get creative before you head off on a very important mission.
The little forest animals need some Christmas dinner so you will travel in snowmobile-pulled sledges into the forest and deliver some seeds and nuts for the birds and some carrots for the bunny rabbits.
Day 3: Snowshoe search for Father Christmas
After breakfast your guide will take you out for some fun and games in the snow with toboggans, kick sledges and snowshoes.
Your guide thinks that Father Christmas may have passed this way recently so you head off on your snowshoes to see if he’s around. You find his hat and his campfire but the guide explains that as he is so busy getting ready to deliver the presents that he must have already gone. He has of course left you some cookies and juice to enjoy round the fire along with an invitation to meet him tomorrow and have lunch.
Day 4: A meeting with Father Christmas
This morning is free for your own activities and some family time before the main event.
You’ll be taken to Santa’s beautiful lakeside house where Mr and Mrs Claus are waiting to welcome you to their home. There will be sledging for everybody young and old and stories by the fire. You’ll help Mrs Claus with some baking and you’ll make greetings cards for friends at home which Santa will sign.
Mrs Claus has made everyone a delicious lunch and Santa will teach everyone his favourite song before you head back to the hotel for dinner. Everyone should sleep very well tonight after so much excitement.
Day 5: Departure
Sadly it’s time to say goodbye to Finland but you’ll all leave with some wonderful memories to treasure forever and you can always come back again someday.
The common objective of North East Finland, including the Kuusamo and Ruka municipalities, is to develop from nationally well-known tourist resorts into an internationally attractive outdoor tourist region. Tourism is the most vital industry in the area and gives work to about 1000 people generating an annual total tourist income of over 104 million. Tourism has a positive impact both socially and economically on people living in these remote areas. Local authorities, tourism organizations and tourism providers all work together in various fields, continuously developing programmes which will ensure that tourism in the region is managed sensibly and impacts positively on local communities and the environment.
The philosophy in the region is to ensure that tourism providers use, to the greatest extent possible, local providers, be it for hotels, activities or employment and visitors are positively encouraged to try locally produced food and drink. Where activities such as snowmobiling may have a minor impact on the environment, such pastimes are carefully managed and are part of everyday life in these parts. Trails are clearly defined and managed with tourists only allowed to drive snowmobiles under the close supervision of fully qualified instructors. We adopt the same philosophy in this region, using locally or Finnish owned hotels and activity partners based in Ruka or Kuusamo hence ensuring that the local community benefits.