SWEDISH WILDERNESS FAMILY ADVENTURE HOLIDAY

Transcription

1 HOLIDAY Bushcraft family holiday in Lapland, the last wilderness in Europe Centre-based in wooden chalets north of the Arctic Circle in wild Sweden Go canoeing and fishing on this summer Swedish family holiday in Lapland Get involved with the care of the working husky dogs Learn about the Sami people and enjoy a night wild camp on the shores of the lake HOLIDAY CODE FSF Sweden, Family, Multi-Activity, 8 Days 1 night wild camp, 6 nights lodge, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners, max group size: 14, multi-activity

2 PAGE 2 VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE Introduction Above the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, lies Lapland, one of Europe s last great wildernesses and the perfect base for this active, yet very peaceful family holiday. A genuine hands on bushcraft adventure away from the crowds, you and your family will have the opportunity to experience true outdoor life and learn new skills in a magical and natural setting. Centre-based at a Scandinavian wooden lodge, which is off grid, next to a private lake in a wilderness setting, around 1 hr drive from Kiruna, accessible only by 4WD, this is a real get away from it all' experience. Every day we ll set off on a mini adventure and explore the area while foraging for berries, building camp fires, toasting marshmallows, taking a boat trip, and wild camping in this amazing wilderness before hiking up to a local highpoint, Avvakko (700m). The first meeting of the week will be with some furry friends, the huskies who live at the lodge, before heading out to the lake for some canoeing and swimming. A day of foraging follows where you will learn how to fish with proper nets before smoking the fish in preparation for a tasty dinner. A highlight of the holiday is meeting the Sami people and learning about their way of life. Evenings will be spent enjoying tasty BBQs by the lake or playing games. If you are looking for an exciting family adventure week in a unique setting in a beautiful and tranquil part of the world, then this is the perfect holiday. Is this holiday for you? Suitable for children from 6yrs old This summer holiday family adventure in Sweden is centre-based at a lodge that is remote and accessed only by a small dirt track. The lodge is built in traditional wooden chalet style and electricity is supplied by a generator which is switched off at night. Accommodation is in family rooms in a variety of arrangements, some with bunk beds. Husky dogs are resident at the property and time is taken to look after them and take them out for walks if conditions are correct (under 20 degrees C), so you and your children should enjoy the company of animals. The huskies are surprisingly quiet, and only bark during feeding times and another couple of times a day to check the pack or when a reindeer comes near their kennels. You get very fond of the dogs. There is a lake at the front of the lodge where everyone can enjoy canoeing and swimming and of course lifejackets are provided for all activities on the lake. Please note that all participants should be confident swimmers. There is one night of wild camping on the lake shore, all equipment including sleeping bags is provided. Please note that the order of activities during the week may change depending on the weather conditions and the group. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Arrive Kiruna Airport, single timed transfer to accommodation at Moskojarvi. KE Land only package services begin with a single timed transfer from Kiruna Airport to our wilderness lodge to the south. After approximately one hours drive we leave the main road and we trundle along the dirt track next to the lake through the forest to the lodge for the week. This special journey makes it a magical start to the holiday and we can feel truly away from everything here. Once we have arrived at the lodge we settle in and have a short walk

3 PAGE 3 around the property to say hello to the huskies and see the lake. A home-cooked dinner is served around the main table before we head to our beds. Please note that the order of activities during the week may change depending on the weather conditions and the group. LODGE MEALS D Day 2: Meet the huskies, explore the lake, have a paddle in a canoe and relax. After a hearty breakfast we start our day of exploration around the local forest, small lakes, low undulating hills and lodge. This is a great opportunity for the group to get to know each other, and we start with helping out feeding the husky dogs. In the summer months the dogs are walked if the temperatures are cool enough, and of course need feeding every day which happens at 8am each morning. It is too hot for them to run and train, this starts in September and builds up over the autumn until the sledding season beings in December. There are many different routes which we can walk the dogs, from 1 hour to half day outings. This morning we will take a shorter circular route with some of the dogs (they take turns) through the surrounding pine and birch forests. The atmosphere here in the forest in Swedish Lapland is very special. During our walk we learn about the dogs and their way of life and the training pattern during the year. We return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we have some time free and can have a swim in the lake in front of the lodge, maybe have a paddle in the canoes or heat up in the sauna before jumping in the lake from the jetty. Before dinner we venture out onto the lake with our fishing nets and put them in strategic places overnight. There are trout, perch and pike in the lakes and rivers in the area. We then enjoy our dinner in the cosy and warm lodge after a day in the fresh air. LODGE MEALS BLD Day 3: Fishing, foraging and walking with the huskies. After having fed the dogs, and our hearty breakfast we go and find our fishing nets to see if we have made a catch during the night. If we are lucky we will return with the fish in our buckets. We can then learn how to gut the fish and put them in the smoke house; in the evening we will retrieve them from the smoke house and enjoy our freshly prepared Swedish fish. In the afternoon we can enjoy a walk with the huskies. Our hosts will be able to tell us about the berries that grown in the area; Lapland is famous for cloudberries. These little red berries, have only a short, 3-week season when they are ripe for picking and the local people get extremely excited at this time of year. If we are lucky enough we can come back to the lodge with a box full in which case we may be able to make some cloudberry jam later in the week, or just have them with our dessert. There are also other edible foods in the forest, such as the lingonberry, bleaberry and some species of mushroom (please only pick mushrooms under supervision of the hosts). Back at the lodge there is time to play on the boat on the lake, having a refreshing dip, a sauna or just have some free time to relax in this extremely peaceful environment. After dinner, possibly including some of the foods that we have found in the forest today, there is still day light for some further outside time or playing some of the board games which are at the lodge. LODGE MEALS BLD Day 4: Learn about the Sami people, reindeer and their way of life, optional visit to the Icehotel. We leave the property today to explore learn about the local Sami people. Our drive is past pretty lakes, islands, forest and hills to Jukkasjarvi, east of Kiruna. The indigenous Sami people have lived and worked on this land for many centuries herding their reindeer, and it is known for its exceptional beauty and biodiversity. We learn about

4 PAGE 4 the reindeer migration and meet the reindeer herd that live here. We might be able to have a go at lasso throwing, practicing over the reindeer antlers. There will be a demonstration in the goahte tent (a traditional tipi) and our lunch will be the classic Sami signature dish 'suovas' which is lightly salted and cold-smoked reindeer, cooked over the open fire in tent, served with gahkko (flatbread). In the afternoon we have the option to visit the Icehotel which is nearby. This is payable locally. The Icehotel is now 365 days a year with it's insulated cover. A spectacular place with bedrooms, sculpture and a bar all craved from ice. We return to our cosy lodge later for dinner. LODGE MEALS BLD Day 5: Into the Wilderness with our tents. We spend some time first thing getting our equipment together and packing our overnight bags for our adventure for the next couple of days. Packing our tents, sleeping bags, pots and pans, food and overnight belongings into the motor boat it's all aboard for our journey across one of the larger lakes to a pretty peninsula. The journey takes around 45mins, but can depend on the weather conditions and the group. We can set up camp and maybe go foraging for some berries for later or collect some firewood for our camp fire, and set about cooking our dinner. There is the opportunity to do some fishing and swimming. After some food and quality time sitting around the camp fire we get tucked up into our sleeping bags and listen to the silence of this beautiful and pristine world. WILD CAMP MEALS BLD Day 6: Explore the wilderness: fishing, swimming and walking. Waking up beside the lake in this still environment is magical. We can have a pre-breakfast swim to work up an appetite and then spend the morning exploring, tracking wildlife, fishing and practising newly-acquired Sami skills. Everyone will get involved to help prepare lunch over the fire and there will more time to play before packing our equipment up and load it into the boat when it comes to collect us. Returning to our base, there will be time to enjoy a hot shower before dinner and our warm beds. LODGE MEALS BLD Day 7: Walk to the high point at Avvakko (700m). Today we head off with the huskies for a good walk. Our goal is the area's highest point of Avvakko at 700m. Depending on the group and the weather we can adjust the walk to our needs. The lodge is at around 400m, so it is only a 300m ascent - which should not be a problem even for those with little legs. We will take our lunch with us and stop at a suitable place. The views of the surrounding area are beautiful and this walk really gives us a great impression of where we have been for the past week. Our walking time is around 3-4hrs in total but the day is longer with stops and time to chat. We pass lakes, walk through forest and onto the tundra. The treeline is at around 600m, so above this we get super views. The trails are small animal tracks or paths worn by the hosts from the lodge. It is a fitting end to our week here in the Lapland wilderness. After a great day out, we return to our lodge for a final home cooked meal or BBQ. LODGE ASCENT 300M MEALS BLD DESCENT 300M TIME 3-4 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 8: Departure day. Return to Kiruna Airport.

5 PAGE 5 We say a final goodbye to our new friends, the husky dogs, and after breakfast we transfer back to Kiruna Airport to meet the flight home. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included Single timed transfers from/to Kiruna Airport on days 1 & 8 Accommodation as described Family friendly hosts All meals All activities as described All camping equipment for the wild camp (including sleeping bags) What's Not Included Travel insurance Airport transfers (other than the single group transfer in each direction) Any additional/optional activities or excursions Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc Meal Plan All meals are included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8. Food The meals are all home cooked and are a mix of Central European and Lappish cuisine including reindeer and elk, and locally sourced fish. The Swedish are keen on campfires and BBQs, so we may enjoy our dinner outside with the 24hr sunlight (although in Jul&Aug there is some darkness between 10pm and 2am). The dishes are seasoned with herbs found in the area. In the evenings we also have a sweet dessert possibly with berries we picked in the day. Lunch is usually a hearty soup. Coffee, teas, water and juice are always available. Special dietary requirements can be catered for if informed of prior to departure. Alcoholic beverages (wines and beer) are also available and work on a tab system. Joining Arrangements & Transfers A single transfer from Kiruna Airport to the lodge is provided in the early afternoon of Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary. This transfer is timed to meet passengers arriving on the Norwegian Airlines flight from London Gatwick Airport via Stockholm. On the last day of the Land Only itinerary, there will be a single transfer back to Kiruna Airport timed to meet the check in for the mid afternoon return Norwegian Airlines flight to London via Stockholm. If your flight schedules do not fit with these singled timed airport transfers we can provide private transfers at an additional cost. The transfer takes approximately 1 hour. If your flight schedules do not fit with these singled timed airport transfers we can provide private transfers at an additional cost.

6 PAGE 6 Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation. Accommodation The lodge has 5 rooms with 14 beds. There are two 4-bed rooms with bunk beds, two 2-bed rooms with a double bed and a second room with one bunk bed. There are two bathrooms which are shared and a further separate toilet. The large lounge with a fireplace and a cosy gallery area with many books, is ideal for reading and relaxing. You can relax in the wood-fired sauna and then jump in the lake to freshen up! We are 'off-grid' here and all of our electricity comes from the generator. This is switched off in the early evening, which is never an issue as it is 24hour daylight in the early summer months! In the rooms there are battery operated lamps. From experience we find that family adventures work best at a base like this allowing the children freedom to run around and play in safety whilst the adults can observe and chat, or get involved. We have 1 night wild camping. All equipment including sleeping bags and sleeping bag liners are provided. There are a variety of tents available including 2, 3 and 4-man enabling families to share accordingly. The dogs live next to the property and are part of the experience. During the week everyone becomes very fond of them and have their favourites. There are between husky dogs. About 30 mins before feeding time these guys do make a lot of noise, as you can imagine. A couple of other times a day they also have a minute session of checking that the pack is complete - by barking/howling at each other. And of course if a reindeer or other wildlife come near their quarters they let everyone know. However outside of these session they do not bark or howl. Understandably the noise can be a worry, but it honestly is not a problem (OK you need to like dogs!), and you become accustomed very quickly to these very friendly dogs. Group Leader & Support Staff Your hosts at the accommodation will be your guides for the week. They show you how to fish, build camp and guide the walks etc. Spending Money Approximately 200 per family (2 adults & 2 children) should be plenty for miscellaneous expenses, tips, drinks, snacks, souvenirs etc. This does not take into account a large amount of alcoholic beverages. A glass of wine is SEK 35 or beer SEK40 at the lodge is on a honesty tally system. You should bring your money in cash, there is an ATM at Kiruna Airport, but none others very locally to the accommodation. Guidance On Tipping Tipping is the accepted way of saying thank you for good service. It is important to remember that tipping is voluntary and should be dependent on good service. We estimate around 10 per family member. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged.

7 PAGE 7 Baggage Allowance For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate In Stockholm in the summer (June August) the average temperature is 17 C and in Kiruna 13 C. However if the weather is good with no wind, temperatures can reach at their peak 30 C. The weather can be changeable. If there is rain it is not usually for long. In the summer months especially end of June/early July we have almost 24hrs of

8 PAGE 8 daylight a magical experience. In end July and August there are a few hours of darkness, or semi-darkness between 10pm and 2am. It is even possible to see the Northern Lights here at the end of August. Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Flight Inclusive Notes The FLIGHT INCLUSIVE dates and prices are based on UK flights from London Gatwick to Kiruna with Norwegian Airlines. Outbound flights depart from Gatwick in the morning, arriving in Kiruna in the early afternoon. Return flights will depart Kiruna in the early afternoon, arriving into Gatwick in the early evening of the same day. Regional departures and/or alternative carriers are available on request. Please be aware that there are often only a limited number of seats available at the advertised price. To avoid paying flight supplements, we recommend that you book as early as possible, especially during peak times. If we are unable to secure seats at the price shown, or you have requested regional departures, we will contact you with an alternative quote. Please note that you may be asked to pay for your flights in advance of your final holiday balance. Note that if you book a package including flights with KE you will benefit from full financial protection. Land Only Notes The LAND ONLY dates and prices are for the itinerary joining in Kiruna. For clients making their own flight arrangements, Kiruna Airport is the most convenient for transfers to the group hotel. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you

9 PAGE 9 contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such

10 PAGE 10 as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

11 PAGE 11 Equipment List Please try to keep the weight of your baggage to a minimum. See the baggage allowance section for further details. YOU SHOULD BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: Walking shoes or trainers Sandals (teva style) for splashing in the lake with and the sauna Wellington boots (mainly for the children)* Lightweight walking trousers / shorts / skirts T-shirts and/or casual shirts Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt with collar (for sun protection) Thin baselayer top and trousers (for warmth) Socks & Underwear Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Lightweight waterproof jacket Fleece or warm jumper Fleece jacket / lightweight down jacket or Primaloft Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Daypack litres (depending on how much of the kids' stuff you want to carry) Selection of dry bags (to take your overnight gear on the boat) Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Insect repellent Water bottles (approx 1 litre per person) Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Swimwear Swim towel Headtorch and batteries (the generator is switched of early evening, although in summer there is 24hr day light) Basic First Aid Kit. Including: antiseptic cream, sting relief antihistamine cream, diarrhoea treatment, painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, and re-hydration salts. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL: Slippers for inside the lodge Mosquito head net (if you are prone to bites and a fun thing to have when camping!) Pen-knife (note: always pack sharp objects in hold baggage) Camera Eye mask (if you feel that 24hr daylight will stop you sleeping!) Wetsuit or shorty wetsuit for children who are keen to swim in the lakes NOTE: All camping equipment including sleeping bags, liner and mats are provided for your 1 night camping. * There are some wellington boots at the property, but not in all sizes, and very limited/no children's sizes.

12 PAGE 12 Please note: This document was downloaded on 11 Apr 2018, and the trip is subject to change.