Saijan Lomakartano / Saija Lodge - Taivalkoski

Christian -

It was a fantastic experience. We have been at Saija for one week over New Year's eve and participated the husky week including an intro session with the dogs, one day trip and one overnight trip to a nice wilderness cabin. The week was super cold with -30 degrees, but the included equipment kept us warm. Marie was an exceptional guide she was inclusive and welcoming, while teaching us how to handle the Huskys. We also liked most of the traditional finnish food and in general the service. We had a wooden chalet, which was great and had a private sauna. The only thing to be improved could be the bed, as it's a bit small. However overall it was a outstanding experience.

Anna-Maria H

I really enjoyed my stay at Saija lodge. The accommodation is lovely and the service great. My week was full of “once in a lifetime” experiences and postcard moments. During every tour you have 2 or 3 guides accompanying you, cooking delicious meals over the fireplace and ensuring your safety and well-being. There were lots of solo travellers and I immediately found companions. The food is simple and delicious. You can drive the husky sled on your own which is very exceptional and the snow mobile tour is a total adrenaline boost and super funny! The reindeer farm is owned by a local family and a super traditional and lovely experience. This vacation was the best winter experience I ever had!

Marc Frankenhauser

Great place. Service is awesome and the guides are so great. They will do everything to make your stay and experience perfect.
Food is also really good ?
Lot's of great activities... snowmobile, Husky sledge,....

Jonathan

This trip was the most relaxing and enjoyable vacation my wife and I ever had, and Saija Lodge gave us everything we needed and more. The apartments with a sauna and much space were really comfortable. The only thing I would suggest is to think about a solution to connect the two single beds so that they don't move apart.

The food was great and authentic, and even when we arrived too late one evening for dinner we got full trays of a delicious meal.

The location is beautiful, in March it's still around -5°C during the day but it doesn't feel that way. The surrounding areas welcome you to just wander around, and at night the chance of aurora keeps you awake and excited. Also the commodities like the smoke sauna or the big kota are a treat.

We loved our stay at Saija Lodge and will gladly recommend it.

Manou Kemna

I loved my stay in Saija! The apartments are cozy and fully equipped. The location next to the lake is great for a day of paddling or a midnight swim. The team is so nice and helpful and the guides can tell you everything about the nature. Make sure you go on an excursion with them to get the most out of your stay!

Laura H

What a wonderful week at Saija lodge enjoying the peace and beauty of this winter wonderland. The atmosphere is incredible and the team are so welcoming. I travelled on my own but the whole place has a real family atmosphere and the restaurant was a great place to get to know other guests or have your own space if you prefer. I was there to enjoy 'Husky Week' and had the most wonderful time with the dogs. Heading out on the sledge with a team of dogs is a truly wonderful experience and our guide Ossi made it really fun. Thank you to all at Saija.|I was the only Brit but as all of the instructions are given in English it was just right and great to meet lots of others from across Europe. | If you are looking for somewhere to enjoy the full winder experience (Huskys, snow shoes, snowmobiles, igloo etc etc) in a place that is authentically Finnish treasuring traditions you will love it here. Hope to return in future.

vivienne h

I must firstly say that all the staff here were great. ||The facilities for guests are absolutely fabulous. What the staff call a room is actually a small apartment with lounge, kitchenette, bedroom and shower room with private sauna. All beautifully clean if a bit too hot!!! ||All diets are catered for by the kitchen and as a vegan I really appreciated this. Everyone enjoyed their food and were very complementary.||The location is also beautiful so if you want a great winter location for snow activities this is one that is hard to beat.||However the dogs do not do so well. The kennels are under staffed and while those that work with the dogs really seem to care for them, there are simply not enough staff to keep the kennels and cages clean. I saw many frozen yellow dishes (draw your own conclusion as to why they might be yellow), and waste matter was not removed frequently enough. The wire forming the dogs cage had been damaged in many cases and not replaced, and there was no wire roof so the dogs could climb up and hang dangerously over the top opening themselves up to possible injury from the wire. Some of the dogs were very thin, and while I was told the food was perfectly adequate it did not seem so to me. I know huskies prefer to be outside, but the kennels inside the cages should be on legs and insulated against sometimes very extreme conditions.||All the time I am keeping in my mind that these are working dogs and not pets but I would not keep my dog in these conditions and after all at the end of the day working or pet, a dog is a dog.||There are no EU or Finish legal standards for husky farms to attain to and this farm is similar to two others I have seen but that does not mean it is acceptable.||I find it really hard to rate this lodge as I see two extremes so I will give it poor as for humans everything is fabulous but I don't think this is the case for the dogs.and they can not speak out. Because of this reason I would not return.

Davide C

Me and my partner have been here five days.||It was one of our best experience of all our travels! ||The rooms of the Lodge are very comfortable and having the chance to have a sauna in your room is fabulous. The food (home cooking) was very good, and the staff and support exceptional! ||The hiking/canoeing trips into the wild were absolutely extraordinary, our guide was young and very funny and showed us a lot of tips on moving around swamps and on the local flora.||The dogs are really really cute! There was a new born puppy and three little cubs so funny! and fluffy 🙂 ||We were unlucky for the moose watching, but the staff organized a bear watching trip near the Russian board, that turned out to be an incredible face-to-face experience with two huge bears!||We experienced the smoke sauna and we also gone for a swim in the lake after it! You have to do it!!!||Should you ever go to Finland, Saija is the right place were you must go!