TAIGA TIMES

Discover the magic of the taiga forest and the frozen sea

Join us to discover a unique facet of Finland's tranquil nature. A walk through this nature reserve shows why Finland is one of the best year-round outdoor destinations, and why Finns value their peace and quiet.

This day trip from Helsinki takes us to Porkkalanniemi, a picturesque peninsula in the middle of one of the world's largest archipelagos. Our tour begins on a nature trail with countless small paths made by deer, foxes, moose and much more!

Highlights:

- A magnificent nature reserve with diverse habitats

- Fantastic photo opportunities along the coast

- Easy, rewarding walking for all fitness levels

- A delicious lunch cooked over a hot fire

Wildlife, Frozen Lands, Campfires and Tranquility

Following the archipelago's frozen forest trails, we'll pass through knotty pines and tall spruces to the beautifully desolate and cold Baltic Sea. Your guide will light a fire in a nearby wilderness hut and prepare a hot lunch while you have time to freely explore the surroundings, take photos and find your own peace in nature.

We believe nature heals. Surrounded by natural wonders and wintry landscapes, this half-day archipelago excursion will rekindle your love of the great outdoors.

Explore a national park and a traditional Finnish lakeside sauna

Discover the relaxing and refreshing effects of the taiga forest on this day hike in Sipoonkorpi National Park. Enjoy a campfire barbecue in the national park and top it all off with a visit to a traditional Finnish smoke sauna.

Feel the soothing effect of the forest

During this experience, you'll discover the beauty of Sipoonkorpi National Park with a professional wilderness guide. The guide will lead you through forest trails, stopping along the way to learn more about Finnish wildlife and nature. Our trail leads us to a rocky vista overlooking a freshwater lake, where we'll have a barbecue around a campfire.

After a delicious lunch, we continue our walk to the smoke sauna (6 km in total). Time to relax, swim and enjoy a traditional Finnish smoke sauna.

Highlights:

- Discover the beauty of Finland in a national park

- Easy and rewarding hike with barbecue lunch

- Enjoy the sauna with the locals in a safe environment

- A truly local experience with food, sauna and swimming!

Warm up with tradition

As we sit in the sauna, heated to around 80-100 degrees Celsius, water is thrown over the rocks - this is called löyly. This sends a wave of heat throughout the sauna, which in turn brings relaxation!

Sit, sweat, swim, repeat!

After the sweat, comes the swim! We go outside to cool off and breathe in the fresh air. The sauna is located next to a freshwater lake, so diving into the lake is strongly encouraged and extremely refreshing! After our swim, we return to the sauna to warm up again. Each dip brings more pleasure, and we think three dips is the magic number.

If you're brave enough to join us in winter, we'll take the famous Arctic plunge into the icy water!

Explore Helsinki's best-kept secret: Liesjärvi National Park.

Exploring a national park is a must when visiting Finland! This full-day excursion to a national park is a relaxing hike and an exceptional natural experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life!

Not only will our professional nature guide introduce you to Finnish nature and culture, but he'll also prepare an impressive Finnish-style lakeside meal for you.

Each season offers new and curious opportunities to discover our environment. Spring with its bright blue skies and icy lakes, summer's juicy blueberries and verdant forests, and our favorite time of year, autumn! Wild mushrooms and earthy hues of yellow, orange and red envelop the forest.

Highlights:

- Discover untouched nature in a little-visited national park

- Discover local flora and fauna with a professional guide

- Test your senses and feel the benefits of nature

- a Finnish-style culinary experience in the forest

Explore the winding paths of an esker, identify wild foods and lose yourself in the natural wonders of the forest.

We sincerely believe in the saying "good food, good cheer". That's why we're committed to offering healthy dishes and a Finnish-style culinary experience in the heart of the forest. Our menu evolves with the seasons, always using fresh, quality ingredients. Each lunch will be prepared over a campfire and accompanied by coffee/tea and dessert.

Another important detail of this tour is our destination. We're the only Helsinki-based company operating in Liesjärvi National Park! It's a real hidden gem in southern Finland, and we're keen to share this extraordinary place with other nature lovers from all over the world.

BOOK NOW

If you'd like to book a private tour, please contact us here.

Journey of the day

Start of day:

Meet your guide in front of the Kiasma Museum and leave Helsinki at 9:00 am.

Address: Mannerheiminaukio 1H

Enjoy a scenic one-and-a-half-hour drive from Helsinki to the National Park, with a short toilet break

In the national park:

This magical tour begins with an overview of the national park map and an outline of the day's activities.

During the first 2 hours of hiking, you'll learn about berries, mushrooms, wildlife and much more!

There will be a one-hour lunch break, so you'll have time to explore nature freely while your guide prepares lunch.

After lunch, you'll continue walking for 1 hour or until you reach the starting point.

End of the day:

The guide will drop you off at the meeting point around 4 pm.

Please note that on some occasions, arrival times may vary slightly.

Finland is one of the best places in the world to gather wild foods

"As you stroll through the forests, your eye catches a glimpse of golden yellow at the foot of an old birch tree, a little treasure in an ocean of green: the chanterelle..."

This guided foraging tour from Helsinki immerses us in the forest and the magical world of mushrooms. Bright oranges, golden yellows and deep reds decorate the forest floor. We're in search of Finland's most delicious and prized edible mushrooms, chanterelles. They're also a personal favorite here at Taiga Times.

Highlights:

- Foraging with a professional guide in a national park

- Learn to identify specific edible mushrooms

- Help us prepare and cook your wild mushroom finds

- Enjoy a Finnish-style lunch and coffee by the campfire.

Wild foraging has a powerful effect on the way people perceive the natural world

From late summer to late autumn, Liesjärvi National Park is a forager's paradise. In addition to golden chanterelles, our group will be on the lookout for buns and trumpet mushrooms. These three prized forest mushrooms are excellent introductory choices to pique your interest in mushroom hunting.

But, as the name suggests, it's a hunt! We don't always find what we're looking for, and while most mushrooms are harmless, there are also many poisonous ones. But don't worry, because your guide will give you precise advice and point you in the direction of edible mushrooms, and will be on hand to explain any you find.

If we harvest enough to cook, we'll fry them on the campfire for lunch! Luckily for us, if there aren't any edible mushrooms, we'll still have plenty to rummage and chat about!