GUIDES
All our staff are certified wilderness guides with a long experience of the Ylläs region. We all have our own personal favourites when it comes to activities and routes, and those are the places we want to take our guests to. Everyone of us lives in the area all-year-round, meaning we strongly believe we know what to recommend for you.
Even if you weren’t joining a tour right now, you are most welcome to pop in and have a chat at our sales point in Jounin Kauppa, the supermarket in the centre of Äkäslompolo.
Jana Schett
The coldness-lover.
Originally coming from Austria, Jana found her home surrounded by the fells of the Finnish Lapland. Here she can roam peacefully and inspire her guests by taking them to the places she loves. Jana is quite a combination: certified wilderness guide, shaman, and integrative health coach. Still, her many interests share one deeper core – nature and deep harmonious connection with and to nature, to support balance in body, mind and spirit.
Don’t let her tranquil mindset mislead you, though. She is without question the toughest ice swimmer of the team! In addition, whenever she provides you with some wilderness tips or tricks, you’d better write them down. In other words, she knows things many of us didn’t ever even think of.
Saku Nummi
The one with the skis.
For the whole of his life, Saku has been a common sight at the fells of Ylläs, first as a regular visitor and later as a permanent resident. His greatest motivation to guide in Ylläs stems from his deep love for the area — his goal is to make every visitor here fall in love with it, too.
During the Winter season this certified wilderness guide is at his happiest when he gets to stand on skis of any kind. Occasionally it's also a lot of fun to spend a day ice fishing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling. When the Summer arrives, it's easiest to spot Saku on the trails, either mountain biking or running. Quite often he also finds himself kayaking or fishing on the Arctic waters.
As you can tell from the above, you'll most likely be guided by Saku on our human-powered tours. Beware of some low-quality jokes, they are usually guaranteed.
Esa Tuokko
The bike guy.
For years now Esa has lived in the Finnish Lapland. Originally this certified wilderness guide moved here tempted by the nature, peace and real winter, and now there is no moving back.
Ylläs is number one, which applies to Esa, too. He loves it when he can just step out of his home door and be immediately in the forest. Whenever he feels like he can just jump onto skis or bike right at the door and start enjoying. As a guide he’s driven by the opportunity to share this joy with the visitors.
According to Esa himself, he “gets too excited, too easily”. Yet, he says hanging out in the wilderness and slowing down are the pillars of his own wellbeing. This may sound like a contradiction but join one of his tours and you’ll be surprised — these two sides can be combined, with success!
Jussi Pusa
The allrounder.
Jussi has been boiled, fried and frozen in all possible conditions in the Arctic wilderness. He’s a passionate outdoor guy and guide, who always finds great things to do outdoors, no matter the season or weather.
He knows the terrain of not only Ylläs but also half of Lapland like only very few others. This combined with the joy and satisfaction he gains from guiding result in unforgettable tours and adventures!
When Jussi has a day off, he heads outdoors, of course. Sometimes a little day hike is not enough and he may end up hiking several months in a row, if just given the chance. Quite a guy.
Visiting Stars
The specialists.
Despite all the combined experience we have gained, there are sometimes activities or areas where we are not yet confident enough to guide you. In these cases we don’t hesitate to be in touch with our partners and friends who will guarantee you a top-notch experience thanks to their special expertise. Sometimes we also employ wilderness guide students to allow them to learn in a real environment. With their fresh thoughts it’s not only them that learn but we and you as our visitor as well. If you feel you'd love to belong to this team, don't hesitate to be in touch!
