HEALTH HIKING IN KARNAINEN NATURE SPA

General information

Package type: half day
Season: January–December
For whom: groups (min. 5–max. 40 pers.)

Duration of the programme: 
3 hours hiking + 1 hour lunch

Type of transport:
individual transfer / tour bus

Notice: 
outdoor clothing and good hiking shoes recommended, as well as a swimming suit and a towel in the swimming season May – December.

Services included: 
campfire and coffee & snack break by open fire and nature guide services

Optional extra services: 

  • Lunch or dinner in Kisakallio Boat House by Lake Lohja.
  • Accommodation in Kisakallio Hotel or Luxus Villas.

INTRODUCTION

Karnaistenkorpi is the largest integrated recreation area in the Lohja region, covering approximately 200 ha. There are valleys, patches of marshland, quietly flowing forest streams and two beautiful forest ponds. Spending time in nature to keep fit is part of Finnish lifestyle today and the Kisakallio Sports Institute offers a wide variety of sports, activities, educational opportunities as well as excellent facilities for professional and amateur sports enthusiasts. Spending time in the Karnainen Nature Spa by hiking helps people to reduce blood pressure, reduce cortisol levels, boost the immune system by increasing the levels of natural killer cells, reduce stress level and improve creativity.

Visitors will be hosted by one the nature professionals from the Kisakallio Sports institute. Their passion is to live healthily, enjoy activities in the Finnish outdoors and teach guests how to experience the Finnish way of everyday life close to nature and hiking trails.

Karnainen Spa trail is less than 3 km but takes about 3 hours with breaks. The aim is not to rush, but to spend time listening to sounds, sitting or lying down, watching birds and butterflies, and walking silently. Calming down opens the senses and enables deeper perception. The guide will make a number of stops during the hike to let the group focus on particular aspects of nature experience.

Programme itinerary

  • Programme

    Programme

    09:00 Departure from Helsinki City or from Helsinki Airport.

    09:45 Arrival at Kisakallio Sports Institute. Welcome drink and traditional Finnish blueberry pie made from Karnainen blueberries.

    10:15 Forest walking experience with a guide

    • Introduction to the forest walk, the benefits of walking in the nature spa, turning off phones.
    • Start the slow-down phase, relax, enjoy the Karnaistenkorpi landscape.
    • Feel the nature – nature sounds, the smell of spindles, birds sounds or softness of the moss.
    • Walk as silently as possible. In the best case, one can see a glimpse of the fox or even a lynx.
    • Continue towards the sun and focus on motion, shadows, darkness and colours of the forest.
    • Focus on hearing the wind and also the sounds of birds. Enjoy the symphony of nature.
    • Feeling the water and open fire. Take a dip in the forest pond to experience the softness of the water. The atmosphere is crowned by warming by the campfire (swimming only for guests who are brave enough).
    • Enjoy the open fire and vistas and taste the tea made from local Karnainen leaves.
    • Continue hiking focusing on touching the senses. Feel the bark of the trees, the cones, the needles and the lichen.
    • Focus on olfactory sensing. Smell the forest, the ground, the plants, crush some leaves or cones of pine.
    • Karnainen rocks and boulders provide protection for animals, plants and if necessary, also for people. Touch the rock and feel the power and warmth of it.
    • Finns have been picking forest products for thousands of years. Before the adventure is finished, it is time to pick some berries or mushrooms (in season: May – October).