North Sweden: Active Summer Adventure
North Sweden: Active Summer Adventure
North Sweden: Active Summer Adventure
7 Days Starting and ending in Muonionalusta (Rajamaa)
Visiting: Sweden
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ASW
Group size:
4 - 16
Physical rating:
Moderate
Age range:
16-99
Trip Styles:
From:
$3598
$3300 (USD)
Operator discount: -$298
Tour Overview
Reinvigorate with a complete nature immersion in the pristine landscapes of Sápmi, an area known to most as Lapland. We trek and bike to explore the untamed wilderness, while also learning more about the indigenous Sámi people and the Big Four Scandinavian predators. Our trip culminates with a two-day forest expedition, where we stay in a traditional log cabin and get back to nature in the peaceful, untouched wilds of northern Sweden.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start At Rajamaa In Muonionalusta, North Sweden
Meals Included: dinner
This trip starts at Rajamaa, a complex of wooden chalets on a remote island in the Muonio river with views over both Sweden and Finland. At check in, we are welcomed by the friendly Malmström family, our hosts for the week, who have been running the accommodation for more than three decades. Depending on the group’s arrival time, the main briefing is usually held tonight or tomorrow morning.
After dinner at the restaurant, we have a presentation by Swedish photographer Staffan Widstrand (a former Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner). It’s the first in our series covering the Big Four Scandinavian predators: lynx, wolverines, wolves and bears. Tonight’s is about the lynx.
Day 2 : Morning Trek To Learn About Sámi Culture; Follow The River Downstream Back To Our Accommodation
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Starting the day with a hearty breakfast, we then embark on our first trek of the week, a 5mi (8km) journey north, tackling differing terrain but mostly through forest. Along the way, we meet Henrik Sevä, a forest Sámi, whose family has herded reindeer for generations. He teaches us about his culture, covering the old ways and modern times. We enjoy a packed lunch en route before following the river downstream back to our accommodation for the afternoon. Tonight, we have dinner in the restaurant and enjoy our second presentation, this time on the mysterious wolverine.
Day 3 : Cycle Around Lake Muodosjärvi; Spend The Night Trying To Spot Wildlife In A Hide
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, we hop on mountain bikes for a four-hour cycling adventure, covering around 9mi (15km) along roads and forest trails. We head out and make our first stop by the church in Muodoslompolo and then continue around Lake Muodosjärvi. We stop for lunch by the river Merasjoki and then return to Rajamaa. We have dinner at the restaurant before heading out by bus (30 minutes) to Metelivaara. We then have a 0.6mi (1km) walk to our forest hide. It has beds and a small window for everyone to sit and watch for wildlife. We set out food near the hide and hope to spot the forest residents, including sea eagles, foxes and, if we’re lucky, a bear.
Day 4 : Free Morning To Rest Before Heading Out With Huskies In The Forest
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, we head back to the lodge for breakfast and then you have time to rest after a night in the hide.
At noon, we meet a group of huskies in the forest for a three to four-hour walk in the picturesque landscape. You can walk with a husky tied to a belt-harness called a cani-rando. After a packed lunch along the way, we walk our four-legged friends back to the lodge. Tonight, we have dinner at the restaurant and enjoy our final presentation, this time on the king of the forest, bears.
Day 5 : Set Off On Our Two-Day Wilderness Expedition
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today we embark on our two-day wilderness expedition to a remote log cabin. Our journey starts by boat and then we disembark and start walking south (6mi/10km) before stopping for a fireside lunch to fuel us for the rest of the walk. We reach our forest lodge by late afternoon/evening and warm up with a wood fire, plus you can enjoy a traditional Swedish sauna. We prepare and enjoy a group dinner.
Day 6 : Trek Back To Rajamaa; Enjoy Our Final Dinner
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, we start our 6mi (10km) journey back to Rajamaa. We follow old forest paths before stopping for a lunch by a campfire. We continue our trek over the hilltops until we stop the river Muonio, our signal we have almost arrived back to our lodge. Tonight, we have our final dinner of the trip in the restaurant.
Day 7 : End At Rajamaa
Meals Included: breakfast
The trip ends this morning and we begin our return journey home with plenty of tales and memories to share with friends and family.
What's Included
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All breakfasts, six lunches and seven dinners
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All accommodation
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All transport and listed activities
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Tour leader throughout
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All specialist equipment (see packing list in Trip Notes)
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Group arrival and departure transfers available
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation (available on request - limited availability)
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Visas or vaccinations
Food
All meals are included; however, the dinner on Day 1 is only available subject to your flight arrival time (dinner is usually served at 7pm).
The food at Rajamaa is a mix of Swedish food and sometimes international dishes, all prepared on site. They only use regionally sourced meat and fish from the Arctic Sea.
Breakfast is continental style, with fruit, cereal, porridge, boiled eggs, cheese and cold meats. The lunches provided as part of the itinerary are eaten outside or at the lodge and are usually a sandwich (plus yoghurt and fruit) or a hearty soup. Dinner consists of a main course and dessert. Vegetarian options are also available.
Accommodation
Our base for the week is Rajamaa, a complex of wooden chalets run by the welcoming Malmstrom family since 1986. The accommodation is in Sweden on an island in the river Muonio, just across the border from Finland.
Rajamaa consists of a main building with a reception area, dining room and sauna. Accommodation comprises two-bedroom chalets with shared bathroom facilities and one-bedroom chalets with private facilities. All chalets are equipped with a shower/WC and a mini-kitchen. Complimentary wifi is available.
Twin and double rooms are usually allocated in the two-bedroom chalets. This means a maximum of four people (two couples or twin sharers) will stay in each chalet and share bathroom facilities. Twin sharers may share bathroom facilities with up to two members of the opposite sex, but bedrooms are always single sex.
Couples/pairs travelling together who do not wish to share bathroom facilities with others may be able to pay a supplement to secure a one-bedroom chalet. This is strictly based on availability and the make-up of the group. Single rooms are limited and subject to availability. These are offered for a supplement, payable upon booking. Single rooms may be allocated in the big chalets (shared facilities) or in a small chalet (private facilities), depending on availability.
One night during the trip is spent in a remote forest lodge where accommodation is dormitory style (maximum of four people per room). No single rooms are available at this accommodation and bathroom facilities come in the form of an outhouse with a longdrop.
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Saturday - Friday
Aug 10, 2024 - Aug 16, 2024Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.