The impacts of COVID-19 in Wild Taiga

9.6.2020

Finland is opening up one step at a time after declaring a nationwide state of emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak. Once international leisure travel to Finland becomes possible again, we warmly welcome you to Wild Taiga – our area is sparsely populated and here you can stay close to nature, away from large crowds. Most of the Wild Taiga companies are operating normally or with certain restrictions and special arrangements, paying extra attention to hygiene and safety. For up-to-date information and detailed guidance for visitors, please check the companies’ own channels.

Suomussalmi Tourist Office and Kuhmo Tourist Information are open as well, offering guidance for travellers.

Latest update: 10 May 2021

USEFUL LINKS / LATEST COVID-19 RELATED NEWS

Visit Finland – Practical Information for Travelers to Finland during Corona Pandemic

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

ACCOMMODATION AND RESTAURANTS

In the Wild Taiga area, there are plenty of holiday cottages and apartments to choose from, and they are accepting bookings normally.

The small hotels in the area are open, offering tranquil accommodation, some offer take away -breakfast and others buffet breakfast.

Other accommodation options include campsites and guesthouses, for example, and they are open as well.

Most of the restaurants and cafés in the Wild Taiga area are open normally. The number of customer seats is reduced to ensure the safety distance. Take away option is also available in most of the restaurants.

NATURE DESTINATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND GUIDED TOURS

Hossa National Park and the destinations of the Friendship Park, as well as other nature destinations in the Wild Taiga area offer countless possibilities to spend time in the middle of wilderness, away from the crowds. Nature is open to everyone. Please remember to follow the health guidelines as well as other instructions – updated information is available on www.nationalparks.fi.

The Petola Visitor Centre and the Hossa Visitor Centre are open.

Guided tours and activities are available for both winter and summer season, and they arranged in small groups. Rental equipment is available for self-guided outdoor activities. Hiking trails of the area can be found here.

On wildlife watching and photography tours, guests are able to stay in small hides accompanied only by their own family and friends. The wildlife companies are accepting bookings normally.

FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS

Summer events in 2021 will be organized with special arrangements:

• Kuhmo Chamber Music
• Sommelo Ethno Music Festival
• Kainuu Orienteering Week
• Kainuu Trail Hossa National Park

We are are continuously following the latest developments with the virus and the official guidelines.  For safety instructions and further information, please check  the events’ own channels.

SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

Sights and attractions in the Wild Taiga region:

• The Silent People’s Niittykahvila Café (opening on June 7th)
• Juminkeko, Kalevala information centre (open)
• Kuhmo Winter War Museum (open)
• Tuupala Home Museum (opening on May 17th)
• Kuhmo Arts Centre (open)
• Hossa Reindeer Park (closed until further notice)

HOW TO GET TO WILD TAIGA

DAT will start operating Helsinki-Kajaani flights in May 2021. The closest airports currently open are in Kuusamo, Kuopio and Oulu. Please be in touch with your ground handling supplier before booking flights to check which airport is closest for the pick-up.

You can reach Kajaani (100 km from Kuhmo and Suomussalmi), Paltamo (95 km from Suomussalmi) and Nurmes (80 km from Kuhmo) by train. Further information about train connections from VR .

Information about bus connections can be found on www.matkahuolto.fi.

Please contact your accommodation / safari company for further information on transportation services from the railway stations and airports to Kuhmo and Suomussalmi.

Car rental companies operating in Kajaani, Kuopio, Oulu and Kuusamo:

• Hertz
• Avis
• Budget
• Europcar

IN CASE OF ILLNESS

If your tra­vel in­su­ran­ce inc­lu­des me­di­cal in­su­ran­ce, plea­se con­tact the health pro­vi­der men­tio­ned in the po­li­cy first for ad­vi­ce. Ot­her­wi­se be in con­tact (first by pho­ne) with the lo­cal pub­lic health cen­ter or hos­pi­tal emer­gen­cy de­part­ment.

KAI­NUU (Ka­jaa­ni, Sot­ka­mo, Kuh­mo, Suo­mus­sal­mi, Ris­ti­jär­vi, Hy­ryn­sal­mi, Pal­ta­mo, Puo­lan­ka mu­ni­ci­pa­li­ties)

Emer­gen­cy ca­re in­for­ma­tion at Hos­pi­tal Dist­rict of Kai­nuu

Call al­ways first the toll-free Me­di­cal help­li­ne num­ber 116 117 be­fo­re you go to the emer­gen­cy cli­nic or local health centres. It ans­wers 24/7.

Kai­nuu Cent­ral Hos­pi­tal: Emer­gen­cy Cli­nic

Add­ress: Sot­ka­mon­tie 13, 87300 KAJAANI

Health Cent­re addresses in mu­ni­ci­pa­li­ties

• Kuh­mo Health Cent­re: Kirk­ko­tie 16, 88900 KUHMO
• Suomussalmi Health Centre: Väls­kä­rin­ku­ja 2, 89600 SUOMUSSALMI

Nationwide emergency number: 112

It is im­por­tant to re­mem­ber to call the emer­gen­cy num­ber on­ly in ge­nui­ne emer­gen­cy si­tua­tions. In an emer­gen­cy si­tua­tion, you will be trea­ted even if you do not ha­ve a mu­ni­ci­pa­li­ty of re­si­den­ce in Fin­land. The me­di­cal costs can be col­lec­ted from you af­ter­wards. The emer­gen­cy num­ber can be cal­led free of char­ge from any pho­ne. No area co­de is nee­ded. If you ha­ve a mo­bi­le pho­ne subsc­rip­tion that is ba­sed ab­road you can still call the emer­gen­cy num­ber wit­hout an area co­de.