Bushcraft & Survival Skills Camp

Welcome to our bushcraft and survival skills day excursion in northern Lapland! This immersive experience offers participants a chance to learn essential wilderness skills while exploring the wilderness. Our day begins in Ivalo, where we gather before embarking on a twelve kilometer drive to our wilderness camp location.

Our expert guides will provide hands-on instruction on setting up the perfect campsite on our arrival. You will learn how to choose a suitable location, pitch a tent, and set up a tarp for shelter. Next, we’ll delve into firemaking techniques, exploring the different types of wood, how to cut and prepare it, use of the resin, bark, tinder iron, flintstone, and tinder fungus to ignite and maintain a fire. Safety and environmental responsibility will be emphasized throughout the session.

Our excursion continues with navigation training, covering the use of maps and compasses as well as natural navigation methods. Participants will learn to interpret signs in nature, such as anthills, tree branches, and stars, to determine direction. We’ll also demonstrate how to use mirrors in rescue situations for signaling purposes. Our expert guides will then teach basic knot-tying skills for various situations, including setting up tarps, tents, fishing rods, and mastering the versatile prusik knot.

Finally, we’ll venture into the world of fishing, where you’ll learn how to catch, handle, and prepare fish using different cooking methods over an open fire. Throughout the day, our knowledgeable instructors will ensure you gain practical, hands-on experience that will equip you with valuable skills for any outdoor adventure.

Our guides are very experienced outdoor people with official wilderness guide degrees. You’ll be safe in their professional hands!

Please note

• We’re spending the whole day outside. Weather might be cold, so please wear warm clothes and bring extra clothing also. In case you need, we can lend you a warm winter overall and boots.
• There’s no indoor toilet at the Wilderness Camp, but we do have a traditional Finnish outside toilet
• There’s a campfire and a heated tent at the Wilderness camp, and these may be used for warming up when necessary
• The participants will use sharp objects such as axes, knives and ice drills. We will also work closely with fire. Please be extra careful with these activities. If the participants are physically or mentally restricted, please let us know in advance, so we can assess necessary extra safety measures.

Schedule and directions:

We start at 10:00 from Eräsoppi / Xwander shop (address Ivalontie 12). Please be at the shop latest at 9:45, so we have time for necessary preparations.

The total duration of the trip is around 6h. We return to the shop between 14 and 15:00.

We have a pick up service for Inari, Nellim, Saariselkä and Kiilopää areas. Contact us ahead to book a transfer.

Please note

• This activity is run every Thursday in June-August
• The trip is executed with a minimum of 2 participants.

If you have any questions about the day or it’s activities you can contact us by email or phone:

info@xwander.fi

+358 10 200 7633