Programme description

Experience a true sauna escape in the world of Finnish saunas. During the sauna adventure, there are five unique sauna experiences with different “löyly” (feeling of steam). In addition to feeling the gentle steam on your skin, you can enjoy the outstanding sauna menus in the sauna adventure, these vary daily. You can transfer from Guesthouse to Guesthouse by your own car, or you can enjoy a bike ride between the guesthouses.

For groups: 2-14 people
Availability:

Guided tours 2026:
6.-13.6.2026 | 29.8.-5.9.2026

During this sauna adventure, you will get to know:
– Finnish log sauna
– Traditional smoke sauna
– River bank sauna
– Traditional summer cottage sauna
And getting to know the delicious local and Karelian food culture!

Programme information

Detailed programme

Day 1. Arrival at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu.
The sauna trail begins with a greeting from hostess Minna.
– Tour information
– Dinner
– Overnight stay at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu

Day 2. Herbs, berries and wild vegetables workshop at Pihlajapuu
We learn how to cook, bake or preserve wild vegetables. Depending on the season we have herbs, blueberries, lingonberries, mushrooms, apples…
We prepare lunch together from the local groceries
– Evening sauna: Wood-heated traditional Finnish basic sauna at Guesthouse Pihlajapuu
– Dinner
– Overnight stay at Pihlajapuu

Day 3. Laitala River bank sauna
After delicious breakfast we bike to Guesthouse Laitalan Lomat (25 km). Guests may also drive between guesthouses with their own car if preferred.

Laitala sauna trail to the River bank sauna
The trip begins with a greeting from the hostess Henna at about 14:00. We go through the program together and hear stories about Laitala’s history and saunas.

For lunch, we enjoy “an experience lunch” that Henna has prepared for us. This includes handmade karjalanpiirakka and egg butter, leipäjuusto (Finnish squeaky cheese), salad, lingonberry jam, sea buckthorn jam, glazed egg halves, rice rolls, chanterelle-filled rye buttons, whipped cream with berries, coffee, tea, homemade cheesecake.

Later in the afternoon guests move to the forest for relaxation. We bring hammocks with us and enjoy taking forest baths. Our guests choose their own place for hanging the hammock and we relax by listening to the sounds of the forest and the singing birds. After relaxation, we collect ingredients for the sauna hair rinse and prepare our own rinse.

The sauna experience:
The sauna program begins with a tarry welcome snaps drink (non-alcoholic), which is enjoyed in the terrace of the Main House. Next, we move along the path across the field to the sauna. The sauna is on the banks of the Karhujoki River, it is a peaceful experience to take a swim off the pier. In the sauna, our hostess Henna tells us tricks and tips on how to heat the sauna properly for a magical experience. At the same time, we prepare the sauna ready together for the sauna session. After receiving a sauna spell from Henna, guests enter the smooth steams of the sauna. We wash ourselves in the sauna with local handmade natural soaps. Guests may choose their favourite soap to keep, perhaps it would be Hillan hurma or Pakurin mahti. These charming ecological Sola soaps are organic and natural soaps, the raw materials are collected from pure Finnish nature. While cooling off, we enjoy the delicacies of the sauna basket and refreshing drinks. There is a possibility to go swimming.

The sauna evening is highlighted by a hut dinner, which is enjoyed by the open fire in an atmospheric hut of Laitala.

Laitala sauna trail hut dinner menu
Laitala perunarieska (potato rieska), rye bread from a local bakery, butter
Organic cheese salad and root salad
Vegetable-potato dumplings by the campfire, meatballs made of local ranch meat.
Dessert includes nokipannukahvi (soot pot coffee), herbal tea, campfire crepes, whipped cream, berry jam
Homemade beer, berry juice, water.
-Overnight stay at Laitalan Lomat

Day 4. Sweet buns and cakes workshop at Laitalan Lomat
The hostess of Laitala, Henna bakes with you Finnish sweet buns called pulla, sweet, cardamom-flavored bread eaten with coffee or as dessert and cinnamon rolls (korvapuustit) – pulla made into a roll with cinnamon and sugar. Or we can make cheese cake with local berries.

– In the afternoon a canoeing tour on the river. with picnic lunch
– Evening sauna and dinner
– Overnight stay at Laitalan Lomat

Day 5. Nurmesniemi summer cottage sauna
After breakfast tour to the Traditional Karelian village Bomba.
Biking of 25 km to Nurmes. Picnic snack at the harbor of Nurmes (or lunch in the restaurant of Supikas in Porokylä, the new centre of Nurmes).

The Bomba House is the heart and main attraction of the Karelian village of Bomba, and its architecture reflects the region’s rich and diverse history. The building was opened in August 1978 and is a replica of the original house built by Jegor Bombin in 1855 in Suojärvi.

Where the original barn once stood in the old Bomba House, visitors can now enjoy the Bomba Restaurant, known for its grand halls and warm hospitality. Surrounding the Bomba House is a Karelian village, built to enhance the area’s tourism services and to give visitors an authentic experience of Karelian culture and tradition. Overnight at the Karelian village of Bomba in the log buildings.

Afternoon a lovely summer evening boat trip to Nurmesniemi sauna
The boat trip starts at about 5 pm from the Bomba harbor.

We’ll take the evening sauna at Nurmesniemi summer cottage sauna. There is a possibility to go swimming.
With sauna experience we’ll also enjoy sauna basket delicacies.
We’ll be back at about 9 pm.

Sauna basket of Nurmesniemi:
Various Karelian pies and egg butter. ​
Salads
Berry pie and biscuits
Berry juice
– Overnight at the Karelian village of Bomba

Day 6. Bomba village and city of Nurmes
Breakfast and morning swim in the lake Pielinen. Guided walk in the area of Bomba. Visit to the orthodox chapel of Bomba.
Biking tour via Nurmes to Guesthouse Pihlajapuu, 25 km.
– Lunch at the cafeteria Thure in the old railway station of Nurmes
– Shopping and sightseeing in Nurmes.
– Overnight at the guesthouse Pihlajapuu

Day 7. Karelian pasty workshop and smoke sauna
Sauna lunch delicacies:
Karelian pasties
Vegetable soup

Smoke sauna
The smoke sauna experience starts at about 4 pm: Before the sauna session, guests prepare different whisks for example of birch, juniper and aspen. The sauna experience includes OleHyvä ecological washing detergents, a sauna cap, bathrobes, towels, and sauna seat covers. You can paddle by canoe from guesthouse Pihlajapuu over the lake to Minna’s smokesauna (about 1 km distance from the guesthouse). If the weather is not good, you go to the smoke sauna by car, 6.5 km. There is a possibility to go swimming.

Pihlajapuu smoke sauna trail menu by the campfire at hut
Glow-fried salmon
Seasonal salad with salad dressing of the house
Potato salad with wild vegetable pesto
Sour cream dressing for salmon
Beverages of berries or foliage
Crêpes with berry jam
– Overnight stay at Pihlajapuu

Day 8. Time to say hei, hei! Good-bye!

The price includes: Full-service sauna trail from Guesthouse to Guesthouse: overnight stays in double/twin rooms, bed linen, full board (breakfast, lunch, sauna trail menu, dinner), guesthouses have rooms with shared bathroom and toilet. Services according to the programme include bikes, guidance, luggage transfers from one accommodation to the next, and group transfers from/to Kuopio airport.

Transfers & Arrival Details

Make your Finnish sauna adventure effortless from the very first moment.
We ensure a smooth and comfortable start and finish to your journey through Karelia’s authentic sauna culture.

Arrival by Plane: Your experience begins with a stress-free group transfer from Kuopio Airport (recommended flights arriving around 17:00) or from Siilinjärvi railway station (train arrival around 16:00).

On the final day, enjoy a comfortable group transfer back to Kuopio Airport (flights around 14:00) or Siilinjärvi railway station (trains around 13:00).
Departure from the guesthouse is at 11:00 AM.

Additional private transfers to/from Kuopio Airport or Siilinjärvi railway station are available at €400 per taxi.

Arrival by Train: We offer pick-up from Nurmes railway station at 14:00 or 20:00.
On departure day, trains from Nurmes leave at 6:35 (morning) and 15:40 (afternoon). Please check the current timetable with your tour operator.

Extend Your Journey in Helsinki
To make your travel even more relaxed, we can include an additional overnight stay in Helsinki either at the beginning or at the end of your tour — or both.
This option allows you to enjoy Finland’s vibrant capital at your own pace while ensuring smooth flight connections.

Read more