Price                                   320 € / person

 

October 1^st - October 4^th 2009

 

Lieksa / Ilomantsi, North Carelia, Finland

 

International Outward Bound staff post symposium hike. The course will be held in English.

 

The objective of the hike is to learn the old way of life in the wilderness of easternmost part of modern EU. This will be done by living in the same conditions and using the same methods used by the hunters and the gatherers of the Taiga forests.

 

Participants of OBI staff symposium are most welcome to join the post symposium hike.

 

The hike will be carried out with adventure education methods. The objective is to connect skills learned during the hike to a personal frame of reference. Hence each participant is able to apply the group skills acquired during the course to everyday life.

Participants with different cultural backgrounds and experiences provide a good basis for learning from each other. Furthermore, in the Taiga classroom participants will need to step out of their comfort zones and focus on teamwork, dealing with their emotions and carrying out tasks at hand.

 

The group will meet in Nurmes, sharing a mutual goal: To work as a team and learn from each other and Mother Nature in the remote forests of North Carelia. After gearing up the group will be transported to the village of Kitsi (Lieksa) where the hiking journey begins. The first day will take us through ones fierce, now silent scenery of Winter War battle ground. We will spend the first night in an old timber loggers hut. From there the group will plan their own itinerary for the following days. The hike will anyhow go through the nationalpark of Patvinsuo, which is one of the biggest Taiga mires in the Europe. During the hike participants will be given chances to learn the old Finnish ways of wilderness basic survival. For the last evening we have a hut accommodation and sauna. Eventually the group will be transported back to the civilisation and split up to travel homeward bound.

  

Participants should be physically and medically fit for the course. Should you be uncertain over this, please be in contact.

 

Daily journeys are about 10 to 15 kilometres, preferably walked on paths (own map reading).

 

Accommodation will be in tarps, tents and huts.

 

Meals on the course will be collective and they will be purchased together in Nurmes. Partly we can use Mother Natures own gifts, etc. berries and fish. DO REMEMBER TO INFORM US ABOUT YOUR ALLERGIES!

 

 

The weather may wary a lot in October around the area we are using. It maybe sunny and bright, which gives warm days (up to +15 centigrade) and chilly nights (-5 C). It can also be rainy and windy, which keeps temperature closer to +5 centigrade. Mosquitoes and other insects are not likely to bother us anymore.

 

Personal clothing and boots

Personal toiletries and other personal items

Personal medication, if necessary

+ helpful to bring personal hiking equipment (rucksack etc…)

 

Tarps and tents

Sleeping bags and -pads

Maps

First aid and safety equipment

 

Participants will receive a specific list of equipments along with other more detailed information after signing up.

 

There are two instructors, both with firm experience and qualifications in adventure education and wilderness trekking in the local surroundings. The course will be held in English.