What is included in the booking?

Forest skis and a guide plus non-alcoholic refreshments are included; towels and swimsuits are not included.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age for participants is 15 years old.

Yes—guides adapt pace and route to suit beginners while offering options for more experienced skiers.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellation is possible up to 24 hours before the start; cancellations within 24 hours incur the full charge.

Is ice swimming safe?

Guides manage a prepared swim hole and supervise entry and exit; follow their instructions, limit immersion time, and warm up immediately after.

Ski-Hike to a Smoke Sauna and Arctic Ice Swim at Pikku-Syöte

Q: Where do we meet for the activity?

Please meet at Hotel Pikku-Syöte Reception, Syötekeskuksentie 126, 93280 Syöte FINLAND, 15 minutes before the start time.

At the top of Pikku-Syöte fjell, a short ski-hike unspools beneath a high Arctic sky. This guided Ski Hike to Smoke Sauna & Ice Swimming starts and ends at Hotel Pikku-Syöte Reception, Syötekeskuksentie 126, 93280 Syöte FINLAND, and mixes gentle downhill skiing with a classic Finnish wellness rite: the savusauna followed by a dip in a frozen lake. Located in Syöte in Finland's Pohjois-Pohjanmaa region, the trail drops through old spruce and birch forest, across wind-carved fell ridges and down to a shore of clear ice. Key features include the smoke sauna — an unvented, wood-fired timber room thick with fragrant resinous smoke — and the frozen swim hole cut into the lake ice. The landscape is dominated by low, rounded fells, glacially scoured bedrock and carpets of lichen and dwarf shrubs that wear winter’s crust. This four-hour outing is designed for a broad range of skiers. Guides fit forest skis and set a pace that adapts to beginners while offering enough variety for experienced skiers who want short steeper runs and quiet glade turns. The experience foregrounds tactile contrasts: the high, dry cold on the approach, the hot, oily steam of the smoke sauna, then the immediate sting of icy water for those who choose to plunge. Non-alcoholic refreshments are provided; bring a towel and swimsuit. Why book this with a local operator? The route uses small, maintained trails descending from the Pikku-Syöte fell into lakeside lowlands that only locals know well. Staff manage the sauna fire and the ice-swim entry safely, and the group's size is kept intimate (max 8) so transitions between skis, sauna and swim remain efficient and comfortable. The activity minimum age is 15, and cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours prior. Safety notes are practical: dress in layers, dry off completely between sauna and swim, and follow the guide’s instructions for ice entry. The combination of skiing and smoke sauna is a cultural highlight of northern Finland: the smoke sauna is an old Finnish ritual prized for cleansing and relaxation. If you want a compact, sensory Arctic day that pairs motion with ritual, this trip delivers: high-contrast winter scenery, old-growth spruce corridors, and a locally stewarded sauna and swim that honor Finnish winter traditions. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to check in at the reception; guides ask you to meet at Hotel Pikku-Syöte Reception. The package supplies forest skis and knowledgeable guide; non-alcoholic refreshments are provided. You should bring towel and swimsuit (these are not included) plus warm spare clothing for post-swim. The small group size makes this social, calm outing, and guides tailor the route to the group's skill so beginners can participate safely while adventurous skiers can push the pace.

About Pikku-Syöte Hotel & Ski Resort

Pikku-Syöte Hotel & Ski Resort is a mountain hotel and winter activity hub located in Syöte, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa. The property operates as a hotel and ski resort offering a range of guided outdoor experiences, spa treatments, culinary events, and cultural tours. Guests can choose from guided snowshoe hikes, night snowshoe excursions, downhill skiing and snowboarding lessons at Skiresort Pikku-Syöte, and multi-day ski hikes to wilderness huts.

On-site offerings include a peat and drum spa therapy, traditional smoke sauna experiences with optional ice swimming, and hut-based dining events featuring local reindeer and salmon. The resort also collaborates with local partners for experiences such as visits to a reindeer farm, SEES Scent Lab fragrance workshops, and curated tasting events under the Taste of KOTVA program.

Pikku-Syöte supports authentic Finnish winter traditions by providing guided activities led by local experts, accommodation at a mountain hotel, and access to ski slopes at Skiresort Pikku-Syöte. Overnight options range from standard hotel stays to two-day ski hikes culminating in stays at remote wilderness huts with sauna and shared fire dinners.

The property is known for facilitating nature-based adventures in Arctic conditions and for offering immersive cultural encounters with local food and reindeer-herding traditions. Featured on The Adventure Collective, Pikku-Syöte Hotel & Ski Resort appeals to travelers seeking active winter experiences, authentic Finnish sauna rituals, and curated small-group activities in northern Finland. Bookings cover guided experiences, spa treatments, hut dining events, and overnight stays at the hotel or in remote wilderness huts for immersive winter travel and culture.