Far away from the tourist hustle and bustle, a small farm in eastern Finland invites you to discover the traditional and cultural side of this Arctic country. The farmland is covered with large stones, remnants of the melting ice of ages past. One of the horse riding adventures takes you to a rocky hill from where you can enjoy breathtaking views.North Karelia is a hidden, almost forgotten part of Finland, where you can hear the whisper of ancient wisdom in the endless hills, deep forests and clear lakes. Nurmes is a small town on the northern part of Lake Pielinen, the fourth largest lake in Finland. It is surrounded by three national parks and has a unique old town with colourful wooden houses. The wild nature, the Karelian cultural heritage, the authentic encounters with the locals and, of course, the Finnish horses will remain in your memory and in your heart. The farm is a certified organic farm. The horses live with their herds all year round in extensive forests and pastures.Finnish horses are well adapted to the extreme conditions and are free to choose when they want to stay in their shelter or outside. The farm breeds East Finnish cattle, a breed threatened with extinction. There is also an alpaca farm on the premises and you will come into contact with these curious animals during the tour.

Itinerary

Forest magic in North Karelia:
This programme is a trail ride with changing accommodation.

On the summer tours, you can experience the midnight sun and the eternal colours of dawn and dusk. There are lots of wild berries to pick, lakes to swim in and a diverse range of wildlife to discover.
On the autumn tours in September and October, you will experience the magnificent autumn colours of the forests. It is one of the most enchanting times to visit Finland. The weather is warm and mild, the mosquitoes have disappeared and night is slowly returning.

Day 1: Arrival at the guest house with dinner and sauna.

Day 2: After breakfast, you will drive to the organic farm and get to know the farm, the horses and the alpacas. After lunch, you will go on your first ride in the forest. Dinner and sauna at the guest house.

Day 3: After breakfast, you will go on a 4-5 hour ride to the traditional village of Saramo. Here you will spend the night in an old school building on a sheep farm.

Day 4: On this day trip, you will explore traditional forestry and agriculture. You will spend the night in accommodation with a sauna right by the lake. For dinner, you will enjoy a typical Finnish BBQ by the fire.

Day 5: Rest day for the horses. You will explore the surrounding forest, moors and rivers on foot with a guide. Massage and spa treatments with sauna available.

Day 6: On today's day ride, you will explore the typical water landscape of North Karelia on horseback and ride back to the sheep farm.

Day 7: You will continue riding through forests and meadows back to the organic farm. Dinner and sauna in the guest house.

Day 8: Breakfast and departure.

Winter magic:
This offer is a private programme and takes place in small groups with individual supervision.
Depending on the weather, the riding adventures last 1-2 hours per day.
You will also experience a horse-drawn sleigh ride, where you will learn the old Finnish way of harnessing working horses in winter.

Day 1: Arrival at the guest house with dinner and sauna.

Day 2: After breakfast, you will drive to the organic farm and get to know the farm and the horses. After lunch, you will go on your first ride in the forest. Dinner and sauna at the guest house.

Day 3: Breakfast on the farm, followed by an introduction to the alpacas. After lunch, you will go on another horse ride and explore the unspoilt nature. Dinner and sauna at the guest house.

Day 4: After breakfast, you will be given a guided tour of Nurmes, with the option of booking additional activities.

Day 5: After breakfast, you will go on a horse-drawn sleigh ride, where you will also learn the old Finnish way of harnessing working horses in winter. After lunch, you will go on another horseback ride in the countryside. Dinner and sauna at the guest house.

Day 6: After breakfast, you will take part in a morning horseback ride. After lunch, you will go on a snowshoe hike and warm up by a traditional Laavu campfire. Dinner and sauna at the guest house.

Day 7: Breakfast and departure.

Subject to change!

Accomodation
The accommodation is located in a traditional guest house with sauna. This is about 15 minutes away from the farm.
Transfer to the guest house and farm included. Here you will also get to know the traditional cuisine of Karelia, breakfast and dinner are served in this guest house.

The summer program is carried out as a trail ride. The accommodation is in various guest houses.

Saddle & Tack: English saddle and bridle

Experience: Confidence in all gaits.

Horses: Experience the serenity of the calm and patient Finnish horse. They are very friendly, loyal, modest and determined, with a mischievous twinkle in their eyes.