Qualified National Park Guides
The network of qualified park guides created by the Village-to-Village project, and what Metsahallitus asks of companies working inside the park.
Park guides and partners in nature tourism.
- Freedom to roam, forage and rod-fish across the Finnish countryside
- Over 40 national parks with marked trails and free wilderness cabins
- Pick berries and mushrooms freely, but never damage trees or wildlife
- Hunting and non-angling fishing require a permit
- Leave no trace: take your rubbish, stay on paths, leave only footprints
Guiding in National Park
A network of qualified national park guides was one of the target outcomes of the 2013 EU-funded National Park Village to Village project. Interested entrepreneurs from around the park committed time and money and, in return, took part in training courses held through the year in locations around the park. The subjects ranged widely.
- Nature and geology: the park's flora, fauna and birdlife, the genesis of the fells, geology and geomorphology, the geology of Ylläs, the special features of the volcano park and air quality study
- Culture and history: prehistoric places of residence around Pallasjärvi, the Sami as a people, forestry around the park, the Jerisjärvi cultural revolution, and the history of deer hunting and of Äköslompolo
- Tourism and safety: meteorological and other data collection, park rules and regulations, mountain safety, sustainable tourism, nature-bound tourism, and the tourism cooperation and development forum under the sustainable tourism INTERREG project with Särkijärvi
A final exam confirmed what candidates had absorbed, successful participants became official National Park guides, and the companies involved gained knowledge about sustainable nature tourism. Both Anna and Pasi completed the programme and are qualified National Park guides.
A film covers the park, its guiding services and the 'Lapland Classic', a guided, fully catered 97km hiking event through the park from Yllas to Rauhala or Hetta to Yllas, with bags transported between overnight camps over 6 days at the end of August.
Ready when you are
Real wilderness, 200+ huskies, eighteen winters in.