8 Wilderness Dinners in Helsinki Worth the Cold

1.Nuuksio National park hiking with campfire lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 189 reviews · 6 hours · from $141Our pick

Travel from central Helsinki to Nuuksio National Park for a guided 7.5 km hike through forest, rocky viewpoints, and lakeshore paths. Guides such as Nikolai, Patricia, and Szabi lead small groups of up to eight, sharing Finnish nature and culture before a campfire lunch with local snacks and homemade berry juice.

“This your was amazing, the guide Patricia was clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about the Forrest and this really shone through in the trip. The food was a nice way to try traditional Finnish foods and the views in the Forrest were stunning. If I’m ever in Finland again I’d come for the summer trip. Thank you Patricia!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.National Park Hike & Finnish Smoke Sauna Experience with Campfire Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 182 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $199Top rated

Leave central Helsinki with a guide such as Alex, Jeff, Helena, or Didi for a 6-kilometer forest walk near Kuusijärvi and Sipoonkorpi. Stop for a Finnish campfire lunch, then spend an hour in a wood-fired smoke sauna with optional lake dips. The group is limited to eight.

“What a great day! Beautiful walk through the forest, learning about foraging mushrooms and berries, birds, and plants. Beautiful setting and great guide Jeff. The lunch after the nature walk was fantastic. Then, we enjoyed the wooed fired saunas right by the lake where we cooled off in between our sauna sessions. Learned a lot and have a wonderful experience. Would highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Nuuksio National park hiking with campfire lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $139Best value

Walk about 7 kilometers through Nuuksio National Park with guides such as Nikolai, Szabi, or Patricia. Expect pine woods, rocky paths, lake views, a campfire lunch with Finnish snacks, homemade berry juice, nature stories, and professional photos. The small group is capped at eight people.

“We had a great time on this hike excursion. It was fun meeting others from around the world and sharing this experience with them. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend the day with.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Bike or E-Bike Tour, BBQ, Sauna, Parks, and Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 71 reviews · 5 hours · from $233

Ride simple bikes or request an e-bike, passing Huopalahti, Meilahti, Seurasaari, and Keskuspuisto with guides such as Luca or Robert. You’ll walk through an open-air museum, eat vegetarian Finnish BBQ, and finish with a traditional sauna. The pace is easy, but you must be comfortable riding a bike with pedal brakes.

“This tour does not feel like a touristy thing - it feels like a local friend is showing you around Helsinki and spending a fun afternoon with Sauna and Barbecue with you. Do not miss this tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Explore happiest Helsinki: Bike/Ebike: BBQ, Sauna, Forest, &Parks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $177

Spend 4 to 5 hours cycling Helsinki’s parks, forests, waterways, and Seurasaari Open Air Museum. Guides Robert and Luca tailor the pace, BBQ, bike choice, and sauna stop when possible. Expect moderate riding, a 1-kilometer cultural walk, Finnish food, and a local sauna experience.

“Be aware of the weather forecast and dress appropriately. It's worth it. Very easy to find with superb public transport links.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Archipelago RIB Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch and Sauna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $212

Meet Olli, Marko, or another Redrib guide at Café Marina Bay for a fast, scenic ride through Helsinki’s eastern archipelago. You’ll stop on a recreational island for a short nature walk, an outdoor snack lunch, free time, and the option of a public sauna or sea swim. Bring swimwear, a towel, and sturdy shoes.

“We had such a memorable day today! Olli was an AMAZING guide. He took my husband and out on the RIB boat, which felt a lot like riding a jet ski (without getting wet of course). From there we went to a small island where we got to take in the sights, spend time in a wood sauna, have a wonderful Finnish lunch of Salmon soup (prepared by Olli), and just enjoy the beautiful outdoor weather. My husband and I felt safe and in good capable hands all day. We will never forget this excursion and definitely recommend it to anyone coming to Helsinki.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Wildlife safari with campfire dinner from Helsinki

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews

Join an English-speaking nature guide for a five-hour wildlife trip from central Helsinki to Porkkala Peninsula. After a campfire with Finnish snacks and homemade berry juice, you will search for moose, roe deer, foxes, and white-tailed eagles from a small van, using provided binoculars. Wildlife sightings are likely but never guaranteed.

“The magic of those few hours spent in the magnificent, wild countryside, accompanied by our very friendly and knowledgeable guide who took great care of us from start to finish! We ate delicious Finnish specialities cooked over a fire by the sea, then after a short walk through the forest we set off in a van to see moose, and we saw more than a dozen! Thank you for this experience and for organizing everything so perfectly!”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Midnight Sun Kayaking Tour with Campfire

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 4 hours · from $152

Meet your English-speaking guide at Natura Viva’s Vuosaari Paddling Center for four relaxed hours on the water. You’ll use beginner-friendly kayaks, paddle among Eastern Helsinki’s islands, stop for snacks by a campfire, and possibly spot a seal. Guide Jiri led one memorable July tour.

Check availability →Read our full review