HIDDEN GEM OF A LOCAL PADDLE

No friend who visits in summer leaves without exploring this small but stunning stretch of water. Indeed, we like this beautiful and accessible paddle journey so much that we keep canoes located right on the river bank so that we can go with minimal hassle straight after work.

Rates

Canoes (based on 2-3 people per canoe): € 20 / person Kayaks: € 45 / person

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Price Includes

Canoe/kayak, paddles, buoyancy aids, a spraydeck if you wish for kayaks, a guide to accompany you to the put-in.

As mentioned, we keep 3 canoes 'in-situ' for this product whereas we primarily keep our kayaks downtown for lake rental. Hence, we hope that people opt to use the canoes over kayaks for this journey because it is the easiest and cheapest option.

However, for larger groups (7+ pax) or groups with handicapped participants who may, for instance, need to be guided in a double kayak, we can transport additional canoes or kayaks there if you contact us ahead of time.

Our base price for this product includes not only the equipment rental (boat, pfd and paddle) but also a guide who will test your basic paddling competence, provide you with a map and accompany you on the c.7 min walk from the Husky Homestead to the put-in.

The guide will help you to take your boats to the water's edge and explain where to put them securely after the paddle. You will ideally need to be strong enough to carry your canoes for c.30m from the river to the storage location where you can leave them padlocked in place, post tour. If, however, you believe that this is too physical for you, you can simply leave the boats safely on the shore and we will go back down to secure the equipment once you have handed your paddles, etc, in. The cost of this additional service is €5.

Your guide will explain the lay of the land to you and give you tips on where to paddle, once on the lake. There is a community firepit, for instance, just on the opposite side of the lake from the river mouth, which often makes a good target.

This an easy-going paddle through beautiful arctic scenery that is suitable for even beginner paddlers in calm weather. When it is windy, however, the lake can be quite choppy and with children in the boats and less experienced paddlers, you might struggle to make it to or from the far banks. In that case, you may prefer to stay on the river side of the lake and to spend time playing at the community's 'beach' which is very close to the river mouth.

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GUIDED PADDLE

Rates

Canoes (based on 2-3 people per canoe): € 60 / person Kayaks: € 75 / person

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Price Includes

A guide, the equipment, hot drinks and snacks around an open fireplace at our wilderness cabin on the far shore of lake Ounasjärvi

This fun but relaxing paddle, through stunning scenery, is a favourite after-work activity for our guides. You start right at our farm, where we kit you out with paddles and lifejackets and then walk with you to the put-in point on the Suonttajoki River, c. 7 mins from our base.

We keep two or three 2-3 person canoes at the put-in so that the river can be accessed easily, without much notice. If you prefer to paddle a kayak this is also possible, but these are not kept in situ, so there is a little more work involved pre- and post-tour for everyone, so please warn us ahead of time if this is your preference.

The Suonttajöji River is a calm meandering river down which you will glide gently through reeds and bullrushes until you reach Lake Ounasjärvi itself. By that time, you will no doubt feel confident enough to tackle its open waters and head across to its far shore where our guided tours stop for a quick picnic break at our wilderness cabin. This is a great place for picking berries and was even featured in the New York Times with photos of cloudberry collection, followed by jam making! If you feel up to it, it is possible to nip up the slopes behind the cabin for a great view of the whole lake area.

If it is really windy or you decide that the far shore seems too far away, we can opt to stay on the river-side of the lake and to paddle instead to the sand dunes of Vuolikka for our hot drinks. Either way, it will be a pleasurable and memorable outing.