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Introduction
'Everyman's right' is an age-old concept that gives everyone the right to roam freely no matter who owns the land. However this does not give you the right to infringe on other people's privacy or to damage the enviroment.
Sauna - smoke and steam but no sex.
The Finns prescribe a sauna to cure all ills. They are quite strict about the nonsexual character of saunas and this should be respected. the ideal temperture of a sauna is about 90 degrees celsius, you can use the vasta (bunch of leafy birch twigs) to lightly strike yourself to improve the circulation. When you are sufficiently warmed you can then jump in the the lake or sea or in winter lower yourself into a ice hole.
Climate
Summer in Scandinavia is warm, bright and exhilarating and the air is fresh, clean, pure and invigorating. The snow normally arrives in the south in late November and in Lapland in October and lasts to late April in Lapland. Although most of Scandinavia is frozen from December to April and tempertures are commonly below -10 degrees celsius both day and night, it does not feel that cold due to low humidity.
The Northen Lights
As dusk deepens, the winter sky can be lit up by mesmerising streamers of coloured lights and vibrant blazing arcs as the cleestrial sphere cracks with electricity. This is the Aurora Borealis. It is usually possible to see it every few nights between December and April when the atmosphere is crystal clear and the nights are cold.
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The Border Inn
The Northeast - Russian Frontier
You fly into Kussamo and will be met and transferred to a comfortable log cabin/lodge in a remote part of the Kuussamo region 1 mile from the Russian frontier. It is in pristine wilderness, just a few miles south of the Artic Circle. Your hosts Philip and Mira will be delighted to welcome you to their home and introduce you to their Siberian and Alskan huskies, all of which they know by name! Philip races his dogs and they are all extremely fit and in excellent health. The dogs are trained from the start of September and love to run, all of which ensures you a fantastic holiday. This is a remote part of Finland with only 18,000 inhabitants, of which half live in the city. Bear, wolf, lynx and wolverine are all found along the Russian border and are more prolific in this region as many are crossing over from Russia. The border zone is a hunting free area where all the wild animals can retreat to safety. Elk, reindeer and an assortment of wild birds will almost certaintly be sighted as we sled along the border. There is a maximum of 6 people on the dog sled safaris and the lodge only sleeps 11. If you are looking for somewhere well off the beaten track with very few tourists where you will experience very good personal service - then this is your winter retreat. |
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Dog Sled Safari
Russian/Finnish Border
With just the panting of the huskies and the swishing of the sled blending into the almost total silence, makes this an unfrogettable experience.
A husky safari combines a unique mixture of experiences: the peace and tranquility of cruising across miles of pristine wilderness, the fun and falls and shared moments with the dogs, the guides and other members of the safari.
For many people, a dog-team is a perfect means to travel through the wilderness and the co-operation within the dog team and between the team and the musher is a pleasure to be a part of. As the days progress and the teamwork develops, the rythm and harmony bewtween musher and dog-team becomes clearly evident. Everyone is a musher, driving their own team of huskies through some pf the world's most beautiful and remote wildernesses. The safari takes you along the Russian - Finnish border travelling betwween 30 and 40km each day and the only other people you are likely to see are the border guards. During the safari we will be accomadated in wilderness huts of varying standards. On arrival we may need to light the fire in the hut and the sanua and, with an ice screw, we may have to make an ice hold in the lake to get water. You need to work as a team not only with the dogs but with each other, cooking your own meals and helping with the dogs.
On the first day you will meet the dogs, learn how to harness them and look after them and you will make a 20-30km safari from the lodge before embarking on a 3/4 day safari (2 or 3 nights in a wilderness hut). On the safari we will cover between 35 and 40 km each day. This is normally a 4 day safari but if the weather of trail conditions are againsit us we may return to the lodge after the third day. Your last day is an options day, where you can try snow-shoeing or cross country skiing or you may prefer to go on a snowmobile journey (100 euro per snow scooter)
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Combined Dog Sled / Snowmobile Safari
Russian/Finnish Border
Snowmobiles are the modern means of traveling acriss the frozen lakes and through the forests. These machines can travel at over 80km per hour and are fantastic fun. Our combined dog sled / snowmobile safaris offer you the best of travel, both ancient and modern, across the Artic tundra. After a training day with the dogs, learning to harness and look after them, you will set off on a two day safari in the frontier region satying in a wilderness cabin overnight. Snow mobiles are an exciting if somewhat noisy way way to explore the region. Before embarking on the 2 day snowmobile safari you will have a training day to enable you to learn to handle the powerfull machines proficeintly. On safari you will travel over 100km each day staying in a wilderness cabin overnight with a sanua and some great traditional fare. This combination is great fun - something you will remember for a life time.
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