Ruka Adventures
Ruka Adventures
4.5
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About
Ruka Adventures organizes activities all year around in Ruka-Kuusamo area. Our programs are suitable for families but also for groups of friends or for companies. Our activities includes snowmobilesafaris, husky- and reindeer drive, ice karting, ice fishing and snowshoe hiking during winter time. Summer programs are river rafting, ATV safaris, hiking, canoeing and fishing. Nature in Kuusamo is beautiful so you can spend unbelievable time here!
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4.5
95 reviews
Excellent
70
Very good
14
Average
5
Poor
2
Terrible
4
Dennis E
Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands162 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We did the night walk on snowshoes with Simon. It was a Northern Lights activity but beforehand it was pretty clear it was not the right night for the lights to be seen. Despite that the nightly hike through the Kontainnen area was really worth the trip. Simon learned us a lot about the animals that live there and how they survive in the winter. He took us off track and through the trees, which even in the dark looked awesome. After this we did the snowscooter tour with Jonas, also a great experience. We were the only two participating and already had some experience and Jonas really managed to tailor the experience to our capabilities. We had a blast. Both guides took security serious and Jonas even got off the scooter at some spots for some extra safety instructions. After the scootertour we could still book snowkarting, so we did that as well. Also a nice experience, although overtaking eachother on this track was somewhat more challenging than another track we tried in Ruka. Ruka Adventures is a great company that has everything well in order.
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paulina J
21 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Went to Lapland with my boyfriend with a sole aim to spend a whole week riding snowmobiles. We stayed in Kuusamo so Ruka resort was where we would experience our adventures.
Ruka Adventures had the most extensive and varied activities listed on their website so I decided to book two safaris with them. It was THE BEST time of our lives!!
Now my boyfriend has been riding bikes and motorbikes ever since he learned how to walk, but I haven't had any previous experience with any motor vehicles other than a standard car.
We booked an introduction scenery safari on our first day, and an eastern border safari on our last one.
Introduction and safety briefing was quick and to the point on Scenery Safari. Our guide was very friendly and bubbly We were shown how to operate gas and brake, how to turn and position the body. I believe they operate on assumption that if you know how to drive a car, you'll know how to carry yourself safely on a skidoo. Which is amazing, because I like to be treated like a grownup, not coddled like a 5 year old. There were few people besides me that had no previous experience with snowmobiles so I felt less stressed.
As soon as we set off,I was in my element. The roar of the engine, beautiful winter wonderland, gentle wind and snowfall made this first experience unforgettable. The group had a good pace and our guide was very thoughtful and made sure everyone is keeping up. We made couple of stops and the guide made a point of making sure everyone is ok and happy with experience. Scenery safari took us on a 1.5 hr ride around Ruka resort and was perfect lenght and difficulty for a first timer like me. My boyfriend, even though is experienced in motor sports, enjoyed this short trip to "get a feel" of his skidoo.
On our last day we attended Eastern Border safari, the longest safari provided by Ruka Adventures. It was an intense, all day tour to a beautiful viewing spot, overlooking Finnish- Russian border, followed by a hearty meal at the border restaurant.
Our guide was very straightforward, provided safety briefing and short instructions to few people. The group kept a decent pace and everyone was very friendly. Eastern Border safari lived up to its hype. It was a really long day, and definitely you need at least few rides before you attempt it. All the discomforts of the day were really worth it, as it was the highlight of our stay in Finland.
The guides on both tours spoke excellent English, and all staff was very pleasant to communicate with.
This is a great company with amazing staff, who made a scary experience, which was having a go first time on snowmobiles, very enjoyable and memorable. Thank you Ruka Adventures!
Ruka Adventures had the most extensive and varied activities listed on their website so I decided to book two safaris with them. It was THE BEST time of our lives!!
Now my boyfriend has been riding bikes and motorbikes ever since he learned how to walk, but I haven't had any previous experience with any motor vehicles other than a standard car.
We booked an introduction scenery safari on our first day, and an eastern border safari on our last one.
Introduction and safety briefing was quick and to the point on Scenery Safari. Our guide was very friendly and bubbly We were shown how to operate gas and brake, how to turn and position the body. I believe they operate on assumption that if you know how to drive a car, you'll know how to carry yourself safely on a skidoo. Which is amazing, because I like to be treated like a grownup, not coddled like a 5 year old. There were few people besides me that had no previous experience with snowmobiles so I felt less stressed.
As soon as we set off,I was in my element. The roar of the engine, beautiful winter wonderland, gentle wind and snowfall made this first experience unforgettable. The group had a good pace and our guide was very thoughtful and made sure everyone is keeping up. We made couple of stops and the guide made a point of making sure everyone is ok and happy with experience. Scenery safari took us on a 1.5 hr ride around Ruka resort and was perfect lenght and difficulty for a first timer like me. My boyfriend, even though is experienced in motor sports, enjoyed this short trip to "get a feel" of his skidoo.
On our last day we attended Eastern Border safari, the longest safari provided by Ruka Adventures. It was an intense, all day tour to a beautiful viewing spot, overlooking Finnish- Russian border, followed by a hearty meal at the border restaurant.
Our guide was very straightforward, provided safety briefing and short instructions to few people. The group kept a decent pace and everyone was very friendly. Eastern Border safari lived up to its hype. It was a really long day, and definitely you need at least few rides before you attempt it. All the discomforts of the day were really worth it, as it was the highlight of our stay in Finland.
The guides on both tours spoke excellent English, and all staff was very pleasant to communicate with.
This is a great company with amazing staff, who made a scary experience, which was having a go first time on snowmobiles, very enjoyable and memorable. Thank you Ruka Adventures!
Written 12 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holiday Annie
9 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
We went Go Carting with Ruka Adventures last week. We were picked up from the Scandic Hotel in a mini bus and were taken to the track which was about 10 minutes away.
We were kitted up and given thorough safety instructions, then off we went.
Omg, what fun!! It was fantastic and felt like we had ages practicing and then racing.
I can definitely recommend this activity, you will not be disappointed 😃😃
We were kitted up and given thorough safety instructions, then off we went.
Omg, what fun!! It was fantastic and felt like we had ages practicing and then racing.
I can definitely recommend this activity, you will not be disappointed 😃😃
Written 22 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
latham_10
Stafford, UK364 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
I did a snowshoe walk in Oulanka National park. We were picked up in a bus from a central hotel in Ruka. We had a quick stop to borrow boots and socks which I did and they were very warm. We were driven to the park and our guide gave us lots of info on the way and answered any questions. The group was about 10 people. We got our snowshoes on and we were away. It did not take long to get to the river with the hut and take some amazing calendar worthy photos. Really stunning. I don’t think we even really needed the shoes as others were walking without them but it was an experience and we needed the guide! It was quite strenuous but not impossible. We had a stop for some warm juice and a cake then back to the car park mostly the same way but with a slight change near then end. Bus came as we got there and a half hour trip back. Really enjoyed it and got some amazing photos.
Written 7 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lorraine N
1 contribution
Jan 2023 • Family
An outstanding beautiful experience made all the better with a excellent guide Nina.
The highlight of the holiday. Such a stunning landscape.
We went off route a little which made it more fun and stopped for hot chocolate and a snack.
Nina had bird food and we saw the bird swoop down and take seed out of one of the other peoples hand.
We tasted the fresh water from a hole dug by the river and all in all a very enjoyable few hours.
The highlight of the holiday. Such a stunning landscape.
We went off route a little which made it more fun and stopped for hot chocolate and a snack.
Nina had bird food and we saw the bird swoop down and take seed out of one of the other peoples hand.
We tasted the fresh water from a hole dug by the river and all in all a very enjoyable few hours.
Written 21 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samantha J
2 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
Evening skido activity.. no organisation what so ever! Gave overview of how to use the skido outside in the dark with no lights! Told people to go behind him if they had not driven one before as we will go at your pace! Went down extremely bumpy track to a frozen lake… stopped, came over and asked if everything was ok then said there have been complaints that we were going slow so we need to go faster. Apparently, drinks were offered too but we never got offered any! Told him I’m also here enjoying it so not really bothered about what others are saying as we are all on the tour together.. not blaming the other person but this should have been thought out better! Or just hire your own skido if you want to go faster! Went with another company in Finland doing tours and they had it set out better. Turns out one of the guys at the back had an accident in his. Skidoo’s are powerful so don’t make them make you go faster! Especially when you have to fork out 1000 euros if you crash it! Wouldn’t use this company again when I come back next year.
Written 7 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lopkjel
Amsterdam, The Netherlands10 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
Nice experience to have a ride with the Husky’s. However I feel it is over priced when you go with 2 adults and 2 kids in 1 sled.
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fastdan
West Midlands, UK6 contributions
Feb 2022 • Family
The pick up was on time and convenient for Ruka village, only 10 minutes away. All equipment was provided and seemed good quality. There was a very short briefing on arrival but no forms or insurance waivers to complete.
We were given 10 minutes of practice in the karts, which was timed to determine our start position in the following 8 lap race. In our group (adults, and children age 12-14), we were lapping between 32 and 37 seconds, with no prior experience. Therefore, even the slowest among us only had 15 minutes on track in total. Also, if you crashed in practice, it took a long time for the one marshall to get you out, and if you crashed in the race, that was it, race over. This meant you could potentially end up with even less than 15 minutes driving. This is a shame, because the driving itself was great fun.
We were given 10 minutes of practice in the karts, which was timed to determine our start position in the following 8 lap race. In our group (adults, and children age 12-14), we were lapping between 32 and 37 seconds, with no prior experience. Therefore, even the slowest among us only had 15 minutes on track in total. Also, if you crashed in practice, it took a long time for the one marshall to get you out, and if you crashed in the race, that was it, race over. This meant you could potentially end up with even less than 15 minutes driving. This is a shame, because the driving itself was great fun.
Written 26 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2000Rich
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK49 contributions
Jan 2022
Holidaying for a week in Finland. My girlfriend and I had a free afternoon in Ruka with the chance to do some optional excursions if we wanted. We chose to do ice karting.
Our tour guide did all the organising/booking for us. All we had to do was stand at a designated bus stop in Ruka at a given time and we got picked up by Ruka Adventures. We got taken to their base which was just a short 5-10 minute drive where we got kitted out with all the cold weather gear that we needed. We were then taxied to the ice track which again was just a short 5 minute drive up the road. Once there, we got our safety helmets and instruction on how to drive the karts and how the activity would be divided into practice laps, qualifying laps and race laps. We were then good to go.
My girlfriend was a little apprehensive about the whole experience but once she got behind the wheel, she transformed into a competitive, thrill seeking, ice karter! "Just call me Lewis", was her response when she finished the race.....although Lewis usually wins and she didn't! I did... but let's not make a big fuss about that. LOL.
Ice karting was great. Speeding around the track and trying not to spin out on corners was an adrenaline pumping experience. We had four people booked on our session and that made racing more challenging as more opportunity to practice overtaking manoeuvres. Everyone involved loved it, even the girlfriend who was initially a bit worried.
The lady (sorry can't remember your name- red curly hair from Romania ) who dealt with us at the ice track was very friendly and encouraged the racing spirit in us all.
We had a fab time but one small suggestion to help improve the experience. You have a computer and printer on site as you gave us all a print out of our lap times. Why not present everyone with some sort of certificate of the experience or maybe award a rosette to the race winner?
Our tour guide did all the organising/booking for us. All we had to do was stand at a designated bus stop in Ruka at a given time and we got picked up by Ruka Adventures. We got taken to their base which was just a short 5-10 minute drive where we got kitted out with all the cold weather gear that we needed. We were then taxied to the ice track which again was just a short 5 minute drive up the road. Once there, we got our safety helmets and instruction on how to drive the karts and how the activity would be divided into practice laps, qualifying laps and race laps. We were then good to go.
My girlfriend was a little apprehensive about the whole experience but once she got behind the wheel, she transformed into a competitive, thrill seeking, ice karter! "Just call me Lewis", was her response when she finished the race.....although Lewis usually wins and she didn't! I did... but let's not make a big fuss about that. LOL.
Ice karting was great. Speeding around the track and trying not to spin out on corners was an adrenaline pumping experience. We had four people booked on our session and that made racing more challenging as more opportunity to practice overtaking manoeuvres. Everyone involved loved it, even the girlfriend who was initially a bit worried.
The lady (sorry can't remember your name- red curly hair from Romania ) who dealt with us at the ice track was very friendly and encouraged the racing spirit in us all.
We had a fab time but one small suggestion to help improve the experience. You have a computer and printer on site as you gave us all a print out of our lap times. Why not present everyone with some sort of certificate of the experience or maybe award a rosette to the race winner?
Written 1 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charry
Leiderdorp, The Netherlands353 contributions
Jan 2022
We booked a couple of activities with Ruka Adventures, the main criterium for booking with them was because some of their planned activities fiited into our programme.
We did the husky 10 km ride, which was good fun. However, if you have your own transportation, it might be better to book directly with one of the husky organizations, which would give you more possibilities to choose from. We also did the ice karting, a fun activity to close the day..
Our last activity with Ruka Adventures was the scenery safari. Which is described as snow mobile safari for beginners, where the "route will take you to the most beautiful natural sights of Ruka-Kuusamo area. Midway we will take a break at a wilderness hut while enjoying the silence of the great outdoors. A picnic lunch will be served at the campsite. "
However, our experience was totally different. After an introduction of the controls on the snowmobiles we set off, After some time we stopped by the side of the track and we were offered a hot drink and a cookie. Then we drive a bit further, did a U turn and drove back again on the same route. So no lunch, no "enjoying the silence...:" , and as for the scenery....we only have pictures taken at the beginning of the tour at the safari house and at the coffee break. No stops were made in between. I did send an email to Ruka Adventures afterwards, but have received no reply.
We did the husky 10 km ride, which was good fun. However, if you have your own transportation, it might be better to book directly with one of the husky organizations, which would give you more possibilities to choose from. We also did the ice karting, a fun activity to close the day..
Our last activity with Ruka Adventures was the scenery safari. Which is described as snow mobile safari for beginners, where the "route will take you to the most beautiful natural sights of Ruka-Kuusamo area. Midway we will take a break at a wilderness hut while enjoying the silence of the great outdoors. A picnic lunch will be served at the campsite. "
However, our experience was totally different. After an introduction of the controls on the snowmobiles we set off, After some time we stopped by the side of the track and we were offered a hot drink and a cookie. Then we drive a bit further, did a U turn and drove back again on the same route. So no lunch, no "enjoying the silence...:" , and as for the scenery....we only have pictures taken at the beginning of the tour at the safari house and at the coffee break. No stops were made in between. I did send an email to Ruka Adventures afterwards, but have received no reply.
Written 29 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarcAldrich
Northwich, UK83 contributions
Is there a price list for all trips and do you accept AMEX please? Thanks
MarcAldrich
Northwich, UK83 contributions
Thanks very much! Have you been before?