Ice, Snow and Saunas in Arctic Finland

Excellent trip, highly recommend. Our guides, Jeppe and Susana, have been great.

My trip to Arctic Finland was an absolute winter dream come true. Susanna and Juan Pablo were fantastic guides—engaging, fun, and full of energy. Their enthusiasm made the entire experience even more memorable. They really knew how to balance adventure with enjoyment and safety, making sure everyone was involved and having the time of their lives.

The ice climbing was, without a doubt, the highlight. There’s something magical about scaling frozen waterfalls in the middle of a snowy forest. The rush you get from conquering those icy cliffs was a unique experience. Plus, the guides ensured we felt safe and confident every step of the way, making it exciting but also accessible for all levels.

Besides some nice snowshoe walks - A truly unforgettable part of the trip was the dip into the magical ICE hole—a classic Finnish experience ?! After all the adrenaline from the ice climbing, plunging into the freezing water was both invigorating and surreal and whilst some group members could sit there for what felt like hours I could hardly make it for 10secs but I tried :) . There’s something incredibly refreshing about that sharp contrast between the icy water and the warmth of the sauna waiting for you afterwards. likely the perfect way to truly embrace the Finnish winter.

I highly recommend extending your stay if you can. There’s so much more to do in the area—from cross-country skiing, downhill slopes, fat biking, Sami style wilderness skiing (which to my opinion is much more fun than snowshoeing!) and cozying up in a cabin by the fire waiting for the auroras to come. You’ll want to take the time to fully experience this winter wonderland.

Susanna, JP and the amazing and unique group of people we were on this trip made this it unforgettable, and if you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, and a bit of Finnish magic, this is definitely the trip to take!

Our trip to Finland was nothing short of spectacular! From start to finish, we were immersed in the stunning winter landscapes and thrilling outdoor activities. The snow shoe trek through pristine, snow covered forests was truly magical. Then the unforgettable experience that pushed us out of our comfort zones in the best way possible. The scenery was breathtaking and the sense of accomplishment was amazing. The hospitality, was wonderful, Tomas and Suzanna were super guides, with endless energy and support. Working hard for long days, their enthusiasm was contagious. A massive thank you to them. For anyone looking to go on this trip, it is full on and quite a challenge, but there is plenty of time and no pressure. I managed the ice climbing, with no prior training or experience in any climbing. I didn’t prepare in anyway for the trip, and was worrying before hand that I wouldn’t be strong enough. So don’t worry. . it will be great.

What a magical trip . . Super awesome guides Thomas, Susannah and Giuseppe Great food Great company Excellent instruction with the ice climbing The only thing I’d say that could be better is the beds. . very narrow and very soft mattresses. . but I know they are typical of Finland

Absolutely fantastic, Susanna and Juan Pablo were amazing, very knowledgeable and fun. Really well organised trip with a lot of great things to try and met some great people I would 100% recommend this trip

Really brilliant trip, you see and do so much in such a short time. I would highly recommend, we had such a great group and I’d give a special shoutout to our amazing guides Thomas and Susanna.

First Lapland is amazing and well worth the trip. The guides were great at guiding however not so great at managing and handling the customer experience aspect of the trip. The lodge is very basic, showers need more privacy, having an onsite sauna was great. Last but not least I’d change the moderate rating to demanding. The activities are not for the faint of the heart.

This was our second trip with MBA, after hiking in Jordan in 2023.

Equally impressed this time around. Incredible guides, well organised and lucky to have another great group.

Finland didn’t disappoint either, beautiful place with plenty of activities.

Will 100% be booking another trip with MBA soon.

I had the most incredible few days, with the most gorgeous bunch or people, of hiking, ice climbing, and trying out a Finnish sauna for the first time! Inessa and Yeppa (Juan) are delightful balls of energy and never stopped looking after us! They made the trip so much fun and went above and beyond their call of duties. The lodge was stunning and the food super tasty. Would highly recommend for solo travellers like me or indeed couples. Thank you! :)

The activities and natural environment were incredible and well worth it. You need a good level of fitness and stamina for such long and intense days, potentially in extreme cold; I’m not sure I’d rate this trip as “moderate”. The lodge was lovely and cosy (subject to the comment below) and the food and some of the guides were excellent.

However, other guides were patronising and disorganised at times, including starting an activity 40 minutes late with no explanation or apology. The open, unisex showering facilities at the lodge - with no cubicles or curtains for privacy, and the sauna in the same large room - were not made clear when booking and were unacceptable.

Belter of a trip. Amazing guides, beautiful cosy lodge, delicious food, perfect itinerary. The walking and climbing was as expected, but a real bonus was learning so much about Finnish culture and outdoors life, as well as survival and how to keep warms at -25 skills!! Hard recommend, you won't regret it and will be bussing afterwards.

Expertly organised trip with breathtaking scenery and unique activities. Lots of experiences packed into three days. Inessa and Jeppe are inspiring, professional instructors with considerable patience and enthusiasm, generously sharing their expertise and knowledge throughout the trip. Highly recommend.

What an amazing 3 days - it felt like a week of adventure and exploration. From the moment we left the airport everything was taken care of, with an easy bus ride, pick up by the wonderful Tina, and being shown around the stunning, brand new lodge before the first night. Every meal was incredible; hearty, filling and delicious, with amazing vegan options each time. The team made the trip unforgettable, with endless energy, enthusiasm, and expertise. They adapted the trip when needed due to snow conditions, providing a fantastic alternative of fat biking. The gear provided was high quality, with extra layers available when needed. The ice climbing tuition was clear and easy to follow, and everyone made huge leaps in ability by the second day, all thanks to Tiina, Max, Jeppe and Inessa. A truly memorable experience. Shout out to Niika.

Our recent trip to Finland was incredible. From the moment we arrived, we were amazed by the stunning scenery of Phya! I loved our fat biking adventure but the highlight of the trip was the ice climbing day. And it was topped off my an authentic Finnish sauna experience, followed by a plunge into the lake water. Tiina, Max, and Jeppe were incredible guides. Their knowledge of the region, their passion for the outdoors, and their dedication to ensuring our safety and enjoyment made this trip truly unforgettable. We highly recommend this trip!!

Tiina, Max and Jeppe was amazing, helpful and made every moment of the trip unforgettable. I enjoyed everything and the organization of the program was perfect. I really wish to be maybe one more extra day. But if you want to experience the real wild North, then this is the right choice. And trust me the team there will make you want to go back for sure 💯💯✅

Great team and experience, thanks to Tina, Thomas and co, snowshoeing through the national park was great and the ice climbing was definitely a unique experience! Loved the Finnish sauna and sauna in the cabin.

What an amazing location!

Ice Climing was brill…you HAVE to try it, and the great thing is, anyone can! :)

Snowshoeing was good for seeing some of the sights.

Thomas, Tiina and Katarina were great guides, very knowledgeable.

Cabins that we stayed in were of a good standard.

Food that was provided was very good…we got to try reindeer and Moose, but don’t let that put you off, there are alternatives.

The Ice Snow and Saunas experience is incredible, there's a great mix of hiking in the snow, ice climbing, meeting new people, physical activities but also relaxation and being in nature.

The ice climb is great as it is challenging but caters to all level and the team and our guides went above and beyond throughout to make us feel looked after and safe - they did an incredible job.

The class is also a real mix of people so it's great to be in a group where you can meet people and the environment was always really friendly and positive.

Accommodation is an alpine cabin which has it's own Sauna so great to relax in at the end of the day after the activities

The location is also based at Pyhä ski resort so you can partake in other activities outside of the itinerary if you stay for longer like skiing, snowbiking.

Would highly recommend!

Such an amazing time with great people! We were completely looked after from start to finish and the staff were amazing. The ice climbing was a challenge but an incredible experience. We saw lots of nature and felt like we had a very authentic Lapland experience.

A well organised tour in a beautiful country. This trip had a great mix of activities and kept us busy from start to finish. The ice climbing was a challenge but such an amazing experience that I would love to do all over again! The meals provided were brilliant, dietry requirements were catered for well and I loved the experience of having lunch by the fire while surrounded by snow. Thomas was a great guide who ensured that everyone in the group was comfortable, he kept us well informed and shared his knowledge of Finland and the nature/wildlife which we were experiencing. Thankyou also to Juanpi for his knowledge and experience on the day of our ice climb and to Mikael for his organisation and communication before the trip. Ending the trip with the sauna and ice dip was an amazing experience and well needed after a few days of full on activities. I would 100% recommend this trip and would go back and do it all again if I could!

We weren’t lucky enough to see the Northern Lights but had an amazing time anyway. Thomas and Jepi were great guides! The snowshoeing was beautiful. The ice climbing was a blast and felt very safe having the guides belay us. We all did better than we thought we could with their help! The sauna and cold dip were fun way to end the trip.

Honestly so much fun! An adventure we will never forget! Sadly didn’t see any northern lights but the rest of the trip more than made up for it. The ice swim was a definite highlight, as well as the hikes through national parks seeing wild reindeer and conquering the frozen waterfall!! The guides are fantastic - go above and beyond to make sure you’re comfortable! Will take the time

Absolutely stunning scenery. Did not get a chance to see the northern lights but the ice climbing, snow shoeing and hiking were absolutely ace! Big shout out to Inessa, Thomas and the gang behind the scenes for making it such a fantastic trip, the hosting was top notch and they made sure we got as much out of the experience as possible.

This trip was incredibly well organised and run. The scenery and activities were fantastic and the guides really made sure everyone was comfortable at all stages. The food was really good and made sure any dietry requirements were catered for. Thank you to Inessa, Thomas and Laura for such a wonderful experience, I will definitely be booking with MBA again!

Lapland was stunning, beautiful location, an amazing place to hike and learn to ice climb for the first time! The guides were very knowledgeable and professional, I felt safe throughout the trip. Everything I needed was included, such as all the climbing equipment, big meals every day, and even hot drinks when out and about!

It was a fully packed short break with a good mix of challenge and relaxation, although mostly challenge! But that's what I signed up for.

As someone who is generally fairly fit but have no ice climbing experience, I found it a great introduction to the sport and I managed to get in lots of good climbs. The hiking through the winter scenery was also really nice.

The food and accomodation was very good and better than what I expected. This is a more expensive trip than some others, but you get what you pay for.

I didn’t know what to expect, but this far exceeded any expectation I had! The accommodations were much nicer than expected, our guides were awesome and I loved the diversity of different food options and locations we tried!

I’d absolutely use MBA again!

Only complaint is that there isn’t a ton of communication prior to the adventure of where you’re staying and how to get there. We were able to figure it out but sharing a location, logistics of your “Ticket for the bus” would make it much easier, but absolutely worth booking and all things one could ask before hand (which I totally recommend you do!)

Incredible trip. Amazing place, people, activities alongside awesome guides. Highly recommend this brilliant weekend.

Such a great trip. The guides were exceptional, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. They looked after us, made sure we were prepared, were patient with us on the activities, taught us about the landscape and made the trip unforgettable. The location is lovely, the views are beautiful and the experience of being this far north and experiencing artic conditions fantastic. The accommodation in Pyha was excellent and the area has so much scope for activities. It’s a short trip but you do so much it feels longer, they are big days and a packed itinerary but great food, friendly guides and a lovely place to stay let you fit so much in.

Every element of this trip was superb - it’s a great mini adventure in fairly extreme conditions (about -20C at one point!) and surrounded by the snow-clad beauty of Lapland winter. It was all coordinated perfectly by the guides, who are the best I have experienced on these sort of trips. They kept the atmosphere relaxed despite a packed schedule, were very personable, knowledgeable, reassuring, with no egos etc etc. Huge thanks to Inessa and Antonin, Jeppé and Tina (apologies if the latter two aren’t spelt correctly!)