Finland Winter Expedition Gay Adventure Tour - Gay Finland, Helsinki & Northern Lights

Finland Winter Expedition
Gay Adventure Tour

Saunas, snow and the Northern Lights await on this gay Finland tour

Helsinki, Saariselkä, Husky Safari, Northern Lights, Bugøynes, Kirkenes, Rovaniemi, and more!

8 Days from/to Helsinki, Finland

March 29 – April 05, 2020

Saunas, snow and the Northern Lights await on this gay Finland tour. If you’ve never swam in the Arctic Ocean in the middle of winter, here’s your chance to scratch that off your list. Our first gay foray into Finland makes the most of the season: dog-sledding, king crab fishing, and exploring the LGBT culture of Helsinki. We even veer into Norway for a night, and will seek out the Northern Lights.

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Gay Finland adventure tour

• Cross-Country ski through snow covered forests

• Slumber under the stars at Aurora Cabin, a luxury glass-roofed cabin in the wintry woods

• Take the reigns on a Husky safari and learn to steer your own dog-sled

• Dine at not one, but TWO acclaimed Michelin-starred Nordic restaurants

• Ride snowmobile's into Finnish forests in search of Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights

• Find out if you're on the Naughty or Nice list at Santa Claus Village

• Ferry through Norway's epic fjords and learn about the region's most succulent crustacean: King crab

• Let off steam in a traditional Finnish sauna

• Take your first frosty steps into the Arctic Circle

• Enjoy our most unique walking tour to date entirely dedicated to famed homoerotic artist, Tom of Finland

Finland gay winter tour

Day 1 - Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki gay tour Hei siellä – welcome to Finland!

Our trip kicks off with a Group Meeting in the early afternoon. If you aren’t able to arrive in the morning, we recommend flying in a day early to settle in.

Today we’ll explore the capital city, including a visit to Temppeliaukion, the Lutheran church that’s impressively built into solid rock.

Our Welcome Dinner will be an exquisite three-course experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Day 2 - Helsinki / Saariselkä
Finland cross country skiing This morning we fly to Saariselkä.

A late afternoon buffet lunch awaits, followed by cross-country skiing at 4PM. Perfect for beginners, the experience includes a private coach for two hours.

Tonight’s traditional Lappish dinner features reindeer/elk as the main course.

Day 3 - Saariselkä
Finland Husky Safari Kick off the day with a Husky Safari! Alaskan Huskies are cheerful, strong dogs who love to pull the sled through snowy landscapes. Working with a partner, you’ll lead the dogs on a 5-kilometre/3-mile trek.

After the safari, enjoy a warm snack and hot tea before the afternoon heats up with a traditional Finnish Smoke Sauna, an Ice Swim, and a three-course dinner.

Later this evening we’ll buddy-up and hop on snowmobiles for a 3-hour excursion in search of the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights.

Day 4 - Saariselkä / Bugøynes / Kirkenes, Norway
Kirkenes Norway gay adventure Today we cross an international border into Norway and visit the town of Bugøynes.

We are, quite simply, on the upper edge of the world here. During a traditional fish soup lunch, local fishermen will share their tales.

This afternoon we’ll visit an Arctic Sauna, where you can enjoy a dip in the Arctic Ocean...or not.

Tonight we stay in Kirkenes, with dinner served at the hotel.

Day 5 - Kirkenes, Norway / Saariselkä, Finland
Kirkenes King Crab safari Today is devoted to a King Crab safari. We’ll board a boat and explore a gorgeous, grand fjord right on the Arctic Ocean. Our guide will help us spot birds, seals and even whales. They'll also fill us in on the delicious King Crab before pulling up live traps we can select our own crabs from.

Afterwards we’ll prepare said crustaceans for lunch before returning to Saariselkä for dinner.

Tonight we'll enjoy one of the tours most exciting experiences slumbering in unique glass-roofed cabin's in the wintry woods. If we're lucky, the Northern Lights will shimmer above us as we doze off.

Day 6 - Saariselkä / Rovaniemi, Lapland / Helsinki
Santa Claus Village Rovaniemi After checking out of our hotel, we’re off to Rovaniemi, the land of Christmas and the capital of Lapland.

After lunch we’ll visit Santa Claus’ Village, where you can cross the Arctic Circle and revel in the holiday spirit.

Tonight we have an evening flight to Helsinki where we’ll have a free evening and an optional dinner.

Day 7 - Helsinki
Rise and shine for the most homoerotic morning of any Out Adventure...ever! We have a three-hour tour devoted to artist Touko Valio Laaksonen, aka Tom of Finland. His work is famously tantilizing and defined by men sporting denim, leather, moustaches and bulging crotches.

Lunch will be served in a Russian-themed restaurant, before a special LGBT activity.

To end this journey in style, our Farewell Dinner will have us feasting at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Day 8 - Helsinki / Departure
There are no activities planned today, so you are free to explore the city and depart at your leisure.

Finland Gay Tour Map

• Arrival & departure transfers to/from the Out Adventures Joining/Finishing Point Hotels
• 7 nights accommodation
• All meals daily (full board)
• Transportation by private coach
• Expert local English-speaking Tour Leader and Host
• Hotel porterage
• Gratuities to guides and drivers

• International airfare and airfare between Helsinki and Ivalo
• Items of a personal nature
• Travel insurance is mandatory for all travellers.
• Visa fees

Finland gay adventure tour

How We Travel
Out Adventures is all about good times with likeminded guys. Whatever's on the itinerary - from fireside camping to five-star decadence - our goal is to make the experience magical. We're also committed to supporting the communities we visit by hiring local guides, staying at locally-owned accommodations when possible, and celebrating local cuisine. It all adds up to a great way to immerse yourself in the culture.

Finland Visa
If your passport is from the USA, Canada, or Europe you can stay up to 90 days without a visa. There may be exceptions, and all visas are the traveller's responsibility.

Culture Shock
Finland is one of the safest countries in the world to visit, and it comes with all the comforts of home. However, the Finns are famously reserved (unless they’re at the sauna), so don’t be taken aback by awkward silence.

Local LGBT Scene
Finland, like all of Scandinavia, is easy to visit as a gay traveller. Sexuality is virtually a non-issue, but Finland could be considered one of Scandinavia’s more conservative countries (and it’s still rather liberal).

Weather
We’ll be near the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter, so pack accordingly. It will easily be freezing, with temperatures dipping as low as -15C/5F.

Required Vaccinations
The WHO suggests immunization against Hepatitis A and B before visiting Finland. To determine if you should take preventative measures, talk to your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

Electricity
You will need an international travel plug/adapter for F-type sockets.

Connectivity
We’ll be venturing through some remote parts of the country, with cellular signals to match. Most of our accommodations will have, at the very least, Wi-Fi service. Feel free to tweet, post and pin.

Travel Insurance
For everybody's peace of mind, medical travel insurance is required on all Out Adventures tours. At a minimum, your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability, with a minimum medical coverage of US $50,000.

Meals
To keep things flexible, not all meals are included in the trip price. Although we typically dine together so that everybody can get a taste of everything, feel free to explore on your own...your guide will always have some restaurant recommendations.

Finland winter gay tour

Starting/ Finishing Point
Klaus K Hotel, Helsinki
Standard check-in time is after 3PM. We are unable to arrange early check-ins, however you may store your luggage if you want to get out and explore the area while you wait, or if you are arriving the morning the tour begins. If you want to guarantee an early check-in, you’ll need to reserve an extra night of accommodation.

Money
The local currency is the European Euro (EUR). Finland is also among the world’s first cashless societies, meaning credit cards and electronic payment methods are widely accepted. However we recommend you bring about $400 USD in case of an emergency, or if your credit/ATM cards are placed on hold.

Flying Solo
If you've never travelled on your own, it's an amazing way to get to know yourself while making new friends along the way. We can arrange for you to share a room with people in your age range at no charge, or you can pay a supplement for your own room. And if there's an odd number of solos, we'll rotate a single room on a random basis.

Itinerary Disclaimer
The itinerary is correct at time of publishing. If anything, it will only get better based on feedback from prior travellers and our own research. It's best to reference your final trip documents rather than our website in case there have been any changes that affect your departure.

Optional Activities
Every OUT Adventure offers optional excursions that are not included in price of this trip. Please see your daily itinerary in your final pre-trip packet to see what's available.

What to Bring
Most Out Adventures entail carrying your own luggage on occasion. And while you'll never schlep far, things can quickly get costlier than a celebrity breakup if you don't keep your baggage under 20kg/44lb thanks to costly surcharges on domestic flights. You should also bring something smaller for day trips to carry water, your camera, and any souvenirs you find along the way.

Groups Within Groups
We love when groups of friends join us on an OUT Adventure, whether you're celebrating a major milestone, or you just love to travel together. However, since we have travellers that will be flying solo, or as a couple, we would love your help ensuring everybody feels welcome and has an epic time.

Helsinki gay winter tour