Kajaani Holidays

4* Hotel Kalevala – 6 nights – full board

Location: Kuhmo

Spend Christmas in Northern Finland and have a Yuletide you and your family will always talk about! A Christmas holiday in Finland is an experience you will never forget. Northern Finland is known as wild taiga and is dominated by evergreen forests and dazzlingly clear-watered lakes and its misty blue hills. Kainuu is one of Finland's best known regions for guaranteed snow fall throughout the winter season.

Hotel Kalevala offers an authentic Christmas feeling for the whole family – a landscape of snow, Finnish Christmas traditions, and superb Christmas cuisine. A winter wonder land - with Santa and his elves, cross-country skiing, dog-sledge and snowmobile safaris… The former Christmas traditions are still taken care of and appreciated in our Christmas programme; fresh baked cookies, a promenade in the forest to find a Christmas tree, singing Christmas songs…

Your holiday price includes: Scheduled flights with Finnair from London Heathrow via Helsinki, airport taxes, transfers and accommodation for 6 nights on full board basis,thermal clothing, activities and programme as shown.

Itinerary

• Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow via Helsinki at 07:30 and arrive to Kajaani at 14:05 local time. Santa’s elves are welcoming you at the airport for transfer to the hotel. Welcome drink and dinner at the hotel.
• Day 2: After breakfast and programme briefing the morning is free for snowbound activities such as tobogganing and kick-sledding. Enjoy light lunch before the search for Father Christmas starts. We’ll walk through the snowy road to meet Santa Claus and his elves at his office. Enjoy a walk along a forest trail in a beautiful and tranquil land of snow with unspoilt panoramas of pine trees. The trail is full of surprises and lit by ice candles and open fires… In Santa’s workshop elves are making and wrapping Christmas presents. You can make Christmas decorations and learn how to bake gingerbreads - and taste them too! Everyone’s faces will light up when we meet Father Christmas and hear his fabulous Christmas stories. Children will get a small present. In the evening it is time to listen to the most famous Christmas carols performed by the young local talents. Dinner in the hotel restaurant.
• Day 3: After breakfast we’ll make a magical journey across the snowy winter wonderland and bring in the Christmas tree and decorate it. We’ll bake Christmas pastries with Santa’s elves and enjoy a traditional Christmas rice porridge at the hotel. Who finds the almond hidden into the porridge will get a prize. You have a chance to enjoy Christmas sauna before the dinner. Santa visits children and adults alike in the Christmas evening with Rudolph the reindeer before we enjoy a traditional Finnish Christmas buffet (the more refined tastes of the young guests are catered for with a special kids menu). After hearty meal we enjoy children’s performances and relax by the fireplace.
• Day 4: After breakfast you have a chance to take part to Christmas church and listen to carols, departure at 10 o’clock. Christmas day is free for leisure for optional activities such as snowmobiling or husky safari. We also recommend hotel’s Wellness Centre; why not to try refreshing herb bubble bath or a cleansing peat sauna?
• Day 5: After breakfast traditional “Boxing Day” by the lake: enjoy a horse-sleigh ride or short husky dog ride, or even reindeer sledge. Hot juice will be served by an open fire. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon is free for relaxing, optional activities, cross-country skiing, tobogganing… Warm up in the sauna before dinner. Late in the evening we gather around the fireplace to listen to a story of Sampo. During this fascinating ritual, you’ll hear a stories of ancient folklore which bring a lot of happiness and richness to the people of Northland. The story is based on Finnish National Epic Kalevala and is told by a shaman.
• Day 6: Leisure time when you can try out your skills on tobogganing, take an optional excursion such as ice sculpting or ice skating or relax in hotel’s Wellness Centre. After the evening sauna we enjoy dinner with folklore program of the traditional Helka group. The group performs traditional Finnish dances and songs; you are more than welcome to join in!
• Day 7: After breakfast transfer to Kajaani airport and return flights to London Heathrow via Helsinki departing at 14:30 and arriving at 17:10.

Accommodation description

Hotel Kalevala is high-standard, peaceful hotel at the beautiful lake Lammasjärvi in Kuhmo, northern Finland. Cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, the kitchen which serves both traditional and international foods and unique program services guarantee a nice stay in Hotel Kalevala. The hotel also has a Wellness centre which has 2 Finnish saunas, peat and infrared sauna, herb bubble bath, Jacuzzi, acu massage bed, massage mattress and antistress-chairs with sound therapy headphones. The bravest guests can have a dip in the clear-watered lake Lammasjärvi after sauna.

Hotel facilities

• 44 standard rooms
• Gym, spa
• Bar & entertainment
• Restaurant

Room facilities

• Maximum occupancy of 4
• Ensuite bathroom
• TV with satellite channels
• Minibar, safe, telephone

Half board includes

• Buffet breakfast
• Dinner in the evenings
• Lunch

Kids facilities

A toboggan slope is located just outside the hotel as is the lake where ice skating is possible. Skates are available for hire at the hotel. Indoor activities with the Christmas host, such as making Christmas decorations.

In our opinion

‘...in the middle of nature by a lake - choice of activities and indoor facilities ensure a relaxing or active holiday…’

Useful information

• Currency: Euro
• Language: Finnish
• Visa: Not required for British/Irish passport holders
• Time difference: GMT +2

Single supplement: £136

Infants: Not available (adults & children sharing)

Please note

• Child price only applicable with 1 full-fare paying adult.
• The following extra charges will apply when booked by credit card: Visa/MasterCard - 3%.
• For any bookings made within 7 days of departure, there will be a Ticket on Departure charge of £10 per person levied by the tour operator.

Optional tours/activities

• Snowmobile safaris
• Husky safaris
• Horse & sleigh ride
• Snowshoeing
• Ice fishing
• Wellness treatments

Ticketing information: You will be contacted by the tour operator after making your booking.