Travel magazine Ruka – Winter 2016

Travel magazine for Ruka and Kuusamo

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www.matkailulehtiruka.com

Magic of winter in Ruka and Kuusamo

2015-2016

Photo from Erä-Susi huskyfarm.

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Winter 2016

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The magic of winter in Ruka and Kuusamo

s winter arrives in Kuusamo and Ruka, it’s time to get ready for the holidays. Winter tourism in Ruka and Kuusamo represents the best for the whole of Finland. Along with the most popular skiing resort in Finland, the area offers possibilities for several winter activities.

The beautiful nature of Kuusamo calls to the independent traveller. Sign-posted routes and their services are very popular in the winter, too.

Apart from downhill-skiing and snowboarding there are endless possibilities to enjoy different winter activities in Ruka and nearby. There are many event organizers who will plan a nice, conveniently relaxed and wintery holiday for everyone if required.

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The cosy pedestrian village in Ruka is the heart ofwinter sports and the centre of tourism. The services are easily accessible for visitors on foot.

There is a car park with 320 places for cars under the pedestrian village. The heart of Ruka Village is a setting created by different restaurants and shops at street-level. The variety and quality of services in Ruka make it one of the most popular centres of tourism in Finland.

Not far from Ruka tourist centre is the centre of Kuusamo. In town you can find hotel accommodation as well as the Tropiikki spa nearby - ensuring some warmth in the depth of winter. Small special-

ized shops along with the big markets will meet the needs of the most demanding customer, and the surroundings of Kuusamo market place offer a nice environment for getting around town. Nature and winter activities are present even in the town centre. A network of cross country skiing tracks as well as snowmobile routes which come all the way into the centre of Kuusamo. You can reach Kuusamo conveniently by SkiBuss from Ruka. SkiBuss runs around not only on the fell but also between Ruka and Kuusamo. Journeys on the routes indicated in the time-table are free in the Ruka area.

Our National Parks

elcome to experience beautiful, cold and white winter in Northern wonderland called Oulanka National Park and Riisitunturi National Park. If you are searching for cold, snowy and real winter, you can definitely find it from the river valleys of Oulanka, where temperature can easily go down under -30 degrees. Oulanka is the National Park of flowing water and areas rapids are the thing you must see as they are, despiting the freezing air, flowing and steaming and forming amazing ice sculptures to the shores. You can go for a short hike to visit Kiutaköngäs Rapids during the wintertime or you can take a challenge and hike Pieni Karhunkierros Trail and admire the power of the rapids and beauty of flowing water at Niskakoski, Aallokkokoski, Myllykoski and Jyrävä Rapids.

The hilly landscape of Riisitunturi National Park

and the bare, treeless top of the Riisitunturi, which is over 400 meters above the sea level, are absolutely stunning in their white winter outfits. Choose skies or snowshoes and start seeking, you can find peace and silence while you are surrounded by pristine snow blanket. Remember to lift your eyes to the sky every now and then; you might see aurora borealis, magic on the night sky. Riisitunturi National Park is part of the large taiga forest zone and apart from the highest felltops, there are lots of candle-like spruces and during wintertime they are covered in hard, heavy snow called ‘tykky’. There are great amount of small lakes in the area and huge Kitkalake which you can see from the top of the Riisitunturi.

If you are in need of more information, do not hesitate to visit or take contact to Oulanka Visitors Centre (+358 206 39 6850 / oulanka@metsa.fi). Oulanka Visi-

tors Centre, the main information point in Oulanka National Park is located in the park’s centre and it is open also during the wintertime. You can find opening hours of Oulanka Visitors Centre, description of areas winter trails and learn more from Oulanka and Riisitunturi National Parks from www.nationalparks.fi/oulanka and www.nationalparks.fi/riisitunturi

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Santa Claus enjoys himself in Kuusamo The red-coated Christmas guy meets well-behaved children in Pohjolan Pirtti.

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anta Claus lives in Korvatunturi, wherein a secret gift shop elves produce gifts for wellbehaved children. No strangers are allowed to Korvatunturi so that Santa’s secrets will not be revealed, but fortunately, in northern Finland, there are many other places where he can be met.

While visiting Kuusamo, Santa stays in the atmospheric Pohjolan Pirtti, where guests are welcome to meet with the redcoated guy.

– You should, however, agree on the visit in advance, so that I will not happen to be ice fishing, Santa Claus reminds us.

At Christmas, Santa Claus performs the year’s longest commute around the world, but he also travels outside of Christmas. In November, Santa made a trip to Russia to the city of Samara on the Volga River and to Kazan located in its surrounding area in the Republic of Tatarstan.

People were astonished at the flight when they saw Santa Claus sitting on the plane, but

Santa, in turn, was astonished at the Samara airport when he was greeted by the press and television cameras. Santa Claus met hundreds of school children and crowds of the travel agency officers. He also visited the hospital and the orphanage. Santa Claus is fluent in Russian, so socializing with his Russian fans went well. In Kazan Santa Claus got a little shy when along the one and a half kilometer boulevard there were thousands of people cheering and waving.

In Kazan, Santa Claus met his counterpart, i.e., a character called Khys Babai. With Khys Babai was signed a cooperation agreement in which the aim is to promote tourism between Lapland and Tatarstan.

Santa Claus does not forget the Russian market potential, although tourism from thereabouts has recently decreased a little: – It will surely pick up again soon, Santa predicted.

In addition to Pohjolan Pirtti, Santa can be met in Kuusamo also in many events. Most re-

cently, he was involved in the Ruka Nordic Opening, where the weather turned a nasty trick to the audience of the competition.

– I have a fervent wish that the freezing and wind mesh of the ski jump hill would be improved, but no one can do anything about the weather, stated Santa. Not even Santa is a shaman, who could influence the weather.

During the summer season, Santa Claus spends his welldeserved vacation. He cuts firewood and does some fitness rowing because, in the winter, he will have to sit in the sleigh a lot.

– I like fishing in both winter and summer. In the autumn, I and Mrs. Clause pick mushrooms and berries, especially in Kuusamo, where they are very clean and delicious.

For centuries, stories in Pohjola Pohjolan Pirtti is located in Vuotunki village, about half an hour away by car from Ruka to the east. The first stories from Pohjola come from the 1680’s.

In the early 1900s, an inn was kept in a house. The new tourist season began in 2007 when the main building was renovated into an atmospheric place of accommodation.

Downstairs there is a restaurant and upstairs are cozy rooms. In Vuotungin Äijä there is a woodheated log sauna, in the Muori sauna or the Riihitontun saunas, one can enjoy the caress of the sauna bath, followed by a dip in the wood-heated hot tub to relax under the stars.

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oulanka National Park

The magic of the river landscape, the nostalgia of the Karhunkierros trail!

Oulanka Visitor Centre Tel. int. +358 206 39 6850 Email: oulanka@metsa.fi www.facebook.com/ oulangankansallispuisto www.outdoors.fi/oulankanp

May Christmas come...

You can find warm, tasty, comfortable presents for Santa’s bag for all of the family from factory outlets in Kuusamo.

Delicious new releases and all-time classics

You can never have too much of the taste of the good flavours of the north, says Markus Riipinen.

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or those who already have everything you can still find something at Riipinen. You can never have too much of the taste of the good flavours of the north. For your Christmas basket, Markus Riipinen recommends gift products from their own factories and especially the new grocery releases:

– A tube of paste made of reindeer – and for a drink, we offer you the new blackcurrant glogg.

Reindeer salami is a guaranteed all-time classic and also suitable for the gift basket. It keeps well all the way home.

Apart from buying presents, you can also get something for your own Christmas table from

Riipinen. Would it be worth getting a juicy and delicious boneless, hot, smoked reindeer roast to go with the ham – or replacing it?

– Besides groceries there is something for every occasion for presents both hard and soft, Markus promises.

– We have a large selection of different kinds of souvenirs, decorations and textiles. Knives and guksies [small portable cups carved out of a single piece of wood] are popular Christmas presents, too.

A grand stuffed bear watches over each Riipinen-shop. Don’t try to buy one of them for your mother-in-law’s Christmas gift because these bears are not for sale.

– You can still order one – we’ll deliver your very own bear next Christmas!

Don’t forget the Riipinen webshop where you can order some delicacies after Christmas as well. www.riipisen.fi

Soft and hard bundles

There are plenty of things other than just fishing equipment in the Kuusamon Uistin factory outlet.

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he Kuusamon Uistin factory shop is a treasury for those looking for presents.

Besides their own high-quality products, they offer all kinds of nice things for the whole family.

– Women often think that we only have fishing equipment in

our shop, but it’s worth coming and exploring the range as we have a lot of everything else, too, says store manager Annukka Nevala.

You can find many kinds of gifts, souvenirs and kitchen utensils in the shop. Felt and

woollen products warm both body and mind in the mid-winter polar night. Gorgeous, longhaired Icelandic sheep hides, felt slippers and lots of other comfy articles will cheer up the recipient.

– One lady once collected all sorts of little things in her basket and said at the counter that it was so lovely to buy these every kind of thing that a person needs!

The fishermen won’t be forgotten either while Christmasshopping. A suitable tip for a present would be anything from the vast variety of nearly a thousand of Kuusamon Uistin’s own fishing products.

– Professor, Räsänen, Kitkan Viisas and Vuosiuistin, which have risen to be all-time favourites of the original lures, are a safe choice for a gift, Annukka tips. www.kuusamonuistin.fi

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Polar bears, arctic foxes and dholes in their thick winter furs love the snow and frost. In the wildlife park you can see them and 50 other Arctic species up close in the middle of the wintry forest - and if you are lucky, enjoy the northern lights at the same time. Only 1.5 h drive from Ruka.

Cheeses from the local dairy in a hamper

A hamper from Paimenpoika is the perfect gift for the gourmand.

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he local producers’ best offers are collected in the delicacies package that is put into Santa’s bag in Paimenpoika-shop. In addition to a variety of cheeses, there is reindeer joint, cognac-syrup from Riipinen and mouth-watering sweets in this bundle.

– We have six different ver-

sions of this package in different price ranges, shop manager Aini Heiskanen says.

– If needed, these bundles will keep all the way home from the holidays in a cool bag. This is because the cheese stays good for at least 3 months and even the reindeer is good for about 2 months. This package is a nice

RANUA WILDLIFE PARK IS OPEN EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR 1 September–31 May, every day 10.00–16.00 1 June–31 August, every day 9.00–19.00 Rovaniementie 29, 97700 Ranua Tel: +358 40 5177 436 • Fax: +358 16 355 1034 www.ranuawildlife.com • ranuawildlife@ranua.fi

business gift: local food is always tasty!

Produce comes in a nice gift box on top of pretty shaved splints. You can also choose a nice-looking box with a window.

The customer base of Paimenpoika mainly consists of the milk producers of Kuusamo and 5 neighbouring municipalities. They buy feed, machinery, equipment, protective clothing and other things needed in milk production but Paimenpoika welcomes all other customers as well, local or tourist: – We have a vast variety of Kuusamon Juusto cheeses as well as many other nice and useful clothes and gifts, too. www.kuusamonosm.fi

Nice smelling herbs and the real flat barley bread, “rieska”

In Petäjälampi they sell products made of the wild herbs of the North.

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n the Petäjälampi local food shop there’s a tip for a present for someone who enjoys the northern nature.

– The local herbs have been used in Wild Food Kuusamo Lapland –products, says CEO Janne Haapakoski.

– We offer tea- and spice mixes but also unmixed herbs such as meadowsweet, nettle and lovage.

The Lapland Wild Food label in Kuusamo guarantees that the products are produced locally or the ingredients come from the real and clean northern nature.

The traditional thin barley and potato bread, rieska, is baked in the Petäjälampi bakery, as well as nice sweet and salty bits to go with a cup of coffee and sold in their own shop.

Their flat bread is eaten all over Finland – all the way down to Helsinki, and always fresh: – Our bread is baked here and it’s still warm when the customer takes it home.

You can find other, more exotic local delicacies for your kitchen, too. These include berry cereals, different flours, whole berry juices not to mention meat,fish, and milk products. One important product should not be forgotten either: – The original “comb-buns” of Kuusamo (kampanisu, a notvery-sweet bun shaped like a comb) are also sold fresh from the oven! www.petajalammenherkku.fi

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Lammintupa serves you along the trails

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trollers in Ruka have become very familiar with the Porhotarha (Reindeer Garden) and Café Lammintupa that have established themselves among the most popular places to visit in the fells. And although Lammintupa has been expanded for the current winter season and other renovations have been carried out, the basics are permanent and keep improving.

In Lammintupa can be found diverse offerings, many things to see and do for adults and children - whatever the vehicle is you arrive with at the site on.

Namely, you can easily reach

here by car, by snowmobile as well as on skis, and there are unfailing road signs especially for those arriving by the last-mentioned means.

– Such greetings keep coming on the ski trails when the iron griddle pancakes baked on the terrace smell for a kilometer with a suitable breeze, laughs the host of Lammintupa, the pancake master Jyri Heiskanen.

Besides the pancakes, the soup lunch served from Monday to Friday, with fresh and delicious home-made baked goods from start to finish, with others delicacies there is a lot more in Lammintupa. Free to all to

watch and admire, for example, is the fun life of the reindeer and sled dogs in their own pens, and there is a possibility surely for reindeer and husky rides.

– In Lastenmaa can be found tobogganing, a polar sled and a lot of other things to keep you busy, and on the closed track circling in the courtyard, children can drive a real, children’s size snowmobile, presents the hostess Mirjami Heiskanen.

“All this is run, in addition to the host couple, by the staff of 6-8 employees, she added.

– And quite brilliantly, the Heiskanens summed up in unison.

New ice skating rink in Kuusamo town centre

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ew ice skating rink opens for the holiday season in Kuusamo town centre.

– We wanted to create something new and exciting for tourists and local inhabitants for this holiday season in the Kuusamo town centre. The idea for open ice skating area in Kuusamo town centre came to mind when I visited New York earlier this year and visited the ice skating rink in the Rockefeller Center. I thought we must try this also in Kuusamo. I presented the idea to the Township of Kuusamo and the local etrepreneurs and both immediatly thought it was a good idea to try, says Elisa Kangasharju from Naturpolis, the centre for business development in Kuusamo. Suitable spot for the rink was found in the middle of the Kuusamo town centre.

– The skating rink is small, but it is cosy with christmas trees and wooden fence around it. Especially perfect for small children to try skating. It is built in cooperation with the township of Kuusamo, Naturpolis and the local entrepreneurs. We wanted to give the idea a try!, Kangasharju continues.

The ice skating rink is located in the Kuusamo town centre, along the main road Kitkantie, in the parking area of Kone Pajula

and Bjarmia. You can reach the place by car or the Ski bus. The schedule of the Ski bus is available at www.ruka.fi The ice skating rink can be used free of charge and everyone are welcome to use it. You can bring your own skates or you can borrow a pair for free from Sportti Kulma, the sports equipment store located on Kitkantie 18, near the skating area. The ice skating rink welcomes skaters of all ages around the clock, but skates can be borrowed during Sportti kulma’s opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat. 9am-2pm.

The opening ceremony for the rink is on 18th of December and it will be open until 9th of January. Weather conditions apply.

For more information, call Bjarmia/Kaisa Valkama-Kettunen +358 40 7249577.

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Everyone is responsible for safety on the slopes On the ski slopes, everyone is responsible for his or her safety. Common ground rules and compliance with them will ensure that everyone will enjoy more and feel safe.

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n the slopes of Ruka, for immediate slope safety, the Ski Patrol is responsible, whose task is not only to monitor and develop safety but also provide guidance and advice on the related matters and issues. In addition, the Ski Patrol performs preventive slope and safety measures and participates in first aid and rescue missions.

The Ski Patrol moves on skis or snowmobiles, and their colorful red and yellow accessories can be easily identified. In the event of an accident on the slope and emergency help is required on site, please report the accident to the ski-lift personnel or the information desk tel. 0400 101 600. The Ski Patrol and the first aid refer the injured, if necessary, for further treatment.

However, an immediate follow-up treatment is fortunately not always needed.

Often, however, it may happen that a crash, bumping, collision or any other accident occurring during the day, etc., initially it seems that fright was the only consequence, but later the pain increases to such intolerable levels that help is nec-

essary.

In such cases, help can be found for example in Bene Medical Center located in the Shopping Centre Kumpare, which in addition to another expertise is specialized in the care of slope injuries.

– It is probably quite common that in the case of the twisting of the knee and in the case of other such injuries, one can survive the day until the evening just on pure toughness and annoyance, and then during the night or the next morning one realizes that medical assistance is needed. In this case, rapid assistance is available 24 hours a day through our emergency phone, says Chairman of the Board of Bene Medical Center Jorma Kallio.

According to Kallio, the most common trauma injuries on slope occur specifically in the areas of the limbs. “Knee injuries, shoulder dislocations, and fractures of the tibia, shoulders and wrists belong to the most common of these. Then there are both minor and more severe contusions and various wounds and bruises, arising from the cuts of the ski edges, as well as from various collisions!” explains Kallio and relates the daily number of cases of

the doctors in Ruka to the number of the crowd present on the slopes.

– On the basis of lengthy experience, you could say that the proportion of the daily cases may be one per thousand people on the slope. And when there are thousands and thousands of skiers on the slope every day, on more busy days we take care of dozens of patients per day.

And if ever, when being on holiday, one would like to be as far away from the doctor as possible. According to Jorma Kallio, one could, however, have a strong impact on the situation, as general discretion, prudence and diligence can take one a long way in this sense.

Crashes and the resulting injuries are easy to avoid using the sound mind and observations; checking out the condition and the surface of the slope, and adapting the pace of downhill skiing according to the circumstances and one’s own skills.

And downhill skiing is always safest on the specifically maintained ski areas.

One should also keep in mind the ground rules of the slopes, e.g., in terms of stopping, that is, when there is a need to take a break, then one should stop at

the edge and not obstruct the skiing of others in the middle of the slope. This is very important especially when moving in a group, and in this way collisions and crashes are avoided especially with those coming from the uphill direction, Kallio advises.

In addition to the normal downhill skiing, very popular, especially among young people, are freestyle skiing and the relevant snowboarding. And, whenever on the slopes and parks, a variety of stunts and jumps, etc., are practiced, the increased risk of falls and the risk of injury is also present. However, you can spare yourself of the trip to the doctor in a very simple way, that is, by using the appropriate safety equipment.

– After all, even in regular downhill skiing, a helmet is starting to be quite a standard equipment, D Kallio explained And, when especially in the case of doing those tricks mentioned above, one uses back armor and wrist restraints, one is sure to be spared a lot of troubles.

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Safely on the ski slopes 1. EQUIPMENT Check functionality of the equipment and the adjustments of the straps. Use of a helmet is recommended.

2. BEHAVIOUR ON THE LIFT Fill in all the places on the lift and exit the lift only at designated areas.

3. SKI DOWNHILL ACCORDING TO YOUR ABILITIES Select the slope according to your skill level. Check out the special areas in advance.

4. DODGING Pass the other skiers moving on the slope at a sufficient distance. Always dodge the skiers coming from above and from behind.

5. STOPPING ON THE SLOPE Stop only at places where you are seen. For getting up always use the slope edge.

6. REGULATE YOUR SPEED Regulate your speed according to your skills. Pay attention to the local slope and snow conditions.

7. DO NOT SLEDGE ON THE SKI SLOPE Sledging is only allowed in designated areas.

8. SKI DOWNHILL ONLY AT YOUR OWN RISK Ski downhill on the slope always at your own risk.

9. WHEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, DO NOT COME TO THE SLOPE Using the slopes while under the influence of alcohol is prohibited.

10. HELP! Everybody’s duty is to assist in the event of an accident. Report any accidents immediately to the staff.

Source: The Finnish Ski Area Association

On the ski slopes, everyone is responsible for his or her own safety as well as for the safety of the others. Ski Patrol representatives are wearing their colorful attire, and also, give their contribution to the safety of Ruka slopes.

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First-aid for the bite of the snowmobile-bug: Sami Vihermaa from Ruka Adventures with a snowmobile.

Hire a snowmobile and head to the tracks

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hen a steady-going, or even a little more briskly dashing snowmobile, is seen on a route or frozen lake, anyone who’s come for a holiday to Kuusamo may experience the bite of a bug called snowmobilefly. The only functioning remedy for curing this bite may be found in a variety of snowmobile rental shops in the area. Sami Vihermaa from Ruka Adventures tells the readers of Matkailulehti Ruka more about this.

– When it comes to quite simple and safe equipment like this when used correctly, you don’t really need anything else for first–aid than a snowmobile and go, Vihermaa sums up, immediately adding that before you can actually drive on the route, there are some practical formalities to deal with.

Along with the legal issues (at least a T-class driver’s licence and a clear breathalyser test) these formalities include going through the hire agreement form and terms of hire.

After filling and signing the form the customer receives the full gear including an overall, shoes, gloves, wool socks and balaclava if he/she wants and needs it, plus a helmet, which is compulsory when riding a snowmobile.

– Of course you can wear your own clothes and gear, but

if you are worried, for example, about the smell of petrol, the hire price always includes driving gear. It doesn’t matter if you use hired clothes or your own, always make sure to wear enough layers underneath in the same way as, for example, when downhill skiing.

– When you’re driving a snowmobile you usually get enough exercise to keep you warm. But if you are a passenger, it’s best to consider that you can always take clothes off if you’re too warm, but if you’re cold it’s harder to add clothes while on the way, Vihermaa advises.

When the formalities are finally sorted and appropriate gear is donned, it’s time to move on to the snowmobile itself. The hirer is always provided with a route map and the phone number of the rental shop, a map to support orientation and a phone number for possible problems.

– The client is advised about which the nicest route options are considering the hire time as well as the possible places for breaks, and warnings e.g. about lakes that are not fully frozen.

The rules of snowmobile driving and other advice are gone through as well. The most important of these is probably that the traffic on the routes is righthanded, and some other rules

that are comparable to the usual traffic rules. After going through the controls of the snowmobile there is a short driving lesson.

When the hirer has been told where the registration slip of the snowmobile is found, it is time to wish a safe ride and enjoyable snowmobile experience.

– The snowmobiles are filled up full when rented and the customer fills them up when returning. This means that the petrol is not usually included in the hire price, Vihermaa points out.

When it comes to the route options, Vihermaa has three clear favourites that depend on the hire time.

– The Ympärysreitti of Ruka offers great scenery and a nice place for a break in Lammintupa, it is a good route for example for two hour hires. This track is also reconditioned almost every day so it’s in good condition practically always.

– For a 4 hour hire I would recommend the Ritakorpi-Suolavaara route that has equally breath-taking scenery and for a break you can visit Lammintupa along this route option, too. For a day-trip it’s worth heading to Kuntivaara for example. Isokenkäisten Klubi along this track offers help if you’re in need of a coffee or something more, such as lunch. Kuntivaara rises up

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Look ahead on a snowmobile The winter holiday weeks bring more people out onto the snowmobile tracks, too.

Whether you’re riding a hire or your own vehicle, Liikenneturva encourages everyone climbing onto one to prepare in consideration of one’s own abilities. Planning the route ahead, using a helmet and other appropriate gear, a sober head and taking the conditions into account will get you there safely.

The meaning of looking ahead is emphasized in snowmobiling as well. It is best not to cut down on time preparing for it.

– It is good to get to know the snowmobile and how to use it properly before the drive. You should take into account the existing conditions but also be aware that weather can change quickly. Especially if the area is not familiar, it is good to go through the

route on a map beforehand and check the latest tips from drivers who know the area, Liikenneturva contact manager Petri Niska from Rovaniemi advises.

As you leave, it is good to let your near ones know where you’re about to drive and when you should be back.

Let them know how to get in touch with you during the drive, too.

– When riding a snowmobile, it is crucial to know your own skills, how fit you are and drive according to what the terrain allows you to do.

If the situation is unclear or visibility is poor for example when it’s snowing, dropping the speed is the most reliable way to keep the snowmobile on track and you on top of it.

– Do not forget there’s other traffic on these routes as well. The tracks are often uneven and bumpy. This makes

it harder to observe your surroundings, because you have to concentrate on handling the vehicle. You should prepare for the possibility of meeting snowmobiles by also observing and adjusting your speed for unexpected situations, Niska clarifies. About ten people die every year in snowmobile accidents and more than 600 get hurt. Usually the fatal accident happens is drowning when driving on a frozen lake. On top of this, most of the fatalities were drunk when the accident occurred.

– The driver’s own choices are emphasized in snowmobile driving as in any other driving. The driver should make sure where they drive, whether the ice is strong enough and never drive when drunk. If you’ve had a drink, it’s best to enjoy the evening without the snowmobile.

If needed, the hire price of a snowmobile also includes driving-gear: overall and shoes, gloves, woollen socks, balaclava and a helmet.

all the way to 500 metres and the goahti at the top is a perfect place for frying sausages and observing the scenery as far as the eastern neighbour. There’s only a few kilometres from the top to abroad, or to our eastern neighbour Russia, and because the top has no trees, it’s easy to see kilometres ahead in every direction.

– Whether the hire time or drive was shorter or longer, returning the snowmobile is just as easy as getting it. Never forget to check the pockets of the overalls if you used the hired ones!

Vihermaa advises clearly from experience.

– I can’t say more than have a nice day and come again tomorrow!

As found before, a snowmobile is basically very simple and easy to control as a vehicle. What if it still seems to be hard to manage or one just does not trust his/her own driving skills enough, but would still like to try and drive?

– In this situation a good option is to book a short safari of 2-3 hours with a guide, Vihermaa says and continues that this kind of tour is suitable not only for first-timers but families as well.

– When you get into the secrets of driving with the guide’s help and advice, you can head for a further exploration of the routes and places on your own on by hiring the next day. If the snowmobile bug bites you really

hard, it is possible to hire one for several days or even a full week, Vihermaa tips. He says for more experienced drivers it can be a very inexpensive option compared to owning a snowmobile depending on circumstances.

– If you can only drive a snowmobile for once a year for that one week on your winter holidays, hiring a snowmobile is surely cheaper than owning one, considering all the insurance and other expenses. In addition, it is surely possible to find a suitable vehicle, for both quiet drives with the family along the routes as well as sportier and faster drives, in these rental shops in the Ruka area, Vihermaa points out.

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person

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Ask also snowmobile safaris and other activities Address: Rukanriutta 7

+358 8 8522 007 www.rukaadventures.fi