Shrooming in Saimaa
Finland 4 home.days 3 packagedetails.nights Aug-2021/Oct-2021
EUR940
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Highlights
- Catch on the mushroom madness and indulge in a uniquely experiential gourmet gastronomy-mushroom foraging-wellness trail in the Finnish nature, which produce a staggering two billion kilograms of mushrooms annually - an absolute haven for mushroom pickers with a diverse variety ranging from Chanterelles, Funnel chanterelles, Boletes, Brittle gills, Milkcaps, and exotic beauties such as black trumpet and false morels.
- Experience being a Finn and set off for foraging trips with expert naturalists, identifying and foraging for mushrooms and wild herbs.
- Stay in the Lake Saimaa amidst Punkaharju nature reserve, one of the extraordinary beautiful Lakeland travel destinations in Finland.
- Accommodation in the regal 'The Czarina's villa' of Hotel Punkaharju, run by the Finnish TV personality, international model and acclaimed mushroom queen Saimi Hoyer, built from the former Punkaharju State Hotel- the oldest in Finland, renovated in a way to pay homage to the original hotel's decades-long history.
- Celebrate the exquisite Nature-to-Table local cuisine with fine-dining three-course and five-course dinners at Hotel Punkaharju restaurant, one of the four brand ambassadors of the Saimaa Gastronomy, awarded as the best Food tourism product 2019.
- Experience the classic Lakeland activity of sauna and soaking in a hot tub by the colossal Lake Saimaa.
Who is this for?
This slow travel holiday is meant for travelers interested in the concept of wild food and sustainable living as well as who would like to learn in-depth about mushroom and berry foraging. The program can be curated for a diverse range of travelers and made to fit smaller groups as well.
Tags
#Mushroompicking #Saimaaregionofgastronomy #HotelPunkaharju #Saimaa #Slowtravel #Wildherb #Sauna #Experientialdinner #Finedining #Boutique #Lakeland #Finland
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Three nights accommodation in the main building or in Villa Keisarinna of Hotel Punkaharju.
Three breakfasts.
Two lunches including a picnic lunch.
One coffee and snack break
One afternoon tea.
Two three-course dinners
One five-course dinner
One guided mushroom trip
One guided mushroom and wild herb trip.
Two sauna sessions with the use of hot tub.
One body and wind wellness session with the hotel guide.
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International & Domestic flight tickets.
Schengen visa
Travel insurance
Anything not mentioned explicitly in Inclusions
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Extended day trips to Savonlina and guided entrance in Olavinlinna castle can be arranged on request.
Cleaning and drying of mushroom you have picked for souvenir (20€/person)
Kayaking or Canoeing or Fat biking activities in Punkaharju region.
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Accommodation: Czarina's villa
Hotel Punkaharju & Saimaa Region of Gastronomy
- Check-in to the charming Hotel Punkaharju, into its villa known as the Czarina’s villa, set amidst the wilderness. Hotel Punkaharju, a distinguished member of the Saimaa Region of Gastronomy, renovated from Punkaharju Valtionhotelli is the oldest state hotel in Finland built during Russian rule in Finland, owned by the famous model and Finnish TV personality Saimi Hoyer, the renowned wild mushroom expert.
- Get comfortable in your room after the long journey, and relax in the calming atmosphere of the place.
- Enjoy a fantastic start to the itinerary with a three-course meal highlighting seasonal flavors at the hotel restaurant with Saimi Hoyer. Inspired by the rich local culinary traditions, the menus of Restaurant Punkaharju is built on Farm- and Nature-to-Plate themes. During the dinner, Saimi will regale you with the interesting history of Hotel Punkaharju and the surrounding nature and, of course, her passion: mushroom hunting.
Three-course dinner
Accommodation: Czarina's villa
Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at the beautiful glass veranda in the hotel’s
restaurant. After breakfast you will be attending a half-day mushrooming trip to the
Punkaharju forests. Our experienced guides will guide you through the calming
woods to the best mushrooming spots. Together you will learn about mushrooms:
how to recognize them, where to find them and how to prepare them for food.
Coffee and tea with a small snack will be enjoyed during the trip in the woods.
After a morning in the woods, a late lunch will be served at the restaurant. Make sure
to find some time for sauna, which awaits you by the beach ready to warm you up in
the relaxing heat. Dip in the pure waters of lake Saimaa to refresh yourself or enjoy a
moment in the hot tub by the sauna terrace. Just take in the pure nature around you.
The evening will be topped by a three-course dinner menu at the restaurant.
Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Three-course dinner
Accommodation: Czarina's villa
More Mushrooms and Wild Herbs, Picnic, and a Five-Course Menu
- After the hearty breakfast, leave for another exciting trip expanding your knowledge about edible mushrooms and another natural treasure - wild herbs. You would learn to identify and forage several wild herbs.
- You will enjoy a picnic lunch by the fire.
- On return to the hotel, a delicious afternoon tea awaits you followed by the relaxing sauna ritual and the divine hot tub experience
- End the last night of your trip with a fantastic five-course dinner at the hotel’s restaurant enjoying the late evening light.
Breakfast, Picnic lunch, Afternoon tea, Five-course dinner
Accommodation:
Departure
- Enjoy the delicious breakfast once more before leaving the beautiful Punkaharju region.
Breakfast
packagedetails.knowbefore
- The prices quoted are on B2C basis, for direct sale to the customers.
- Mushroom season is at its best in the end of the summer and in the autumn (late August to beginning of October).
- Spring mushroom time is short and at its best during the last three weeks of May.
- Kindly not that we cannot guarantee the abundance of mushroom as the availability varies from year to year. In a bad mushroom year, sometimes there may not be enough to take home with.
- We retain the rights to change the itinerary.