Canoeing

What the people of Finland find to their liking is blue, glistening water, forests in the background, and azure skies. One can hear the roar of the rapids in the distance, and there is interest in experiencing their eddies and whirls. Given this, one can feel nature at its most genuine, and gain strength and rejuvenation by immersing oneself in it. In the Kiiminkijoki River region, the peaceful natural surroundings of the wilderness, water systems, nature attractions and good services ensure lots of potential for leisure pursuits as well as magnificent environs for the outdoor enthusiast.

In addition to water trekking, you can also go hiking, fishing, berry-picking or hunting while enjoying the closeness of nature. The Kiiminkijoki River offers all this to you. It comprises some 170 km to journey, with about 70 areas of rapids in several different classes of difficulty. The central current of the Kiiminkijoki River flows in the summertime at 35 m3 per second and, during the flood period, even as much as 600 m3 per second! The drop from the peaks above the Kiiminkijoki River down to the sea totals about 150 metres!

Canoeing safaris on the river are arranged on special order; in addition to this sort of organized activity, it is also quite possible to rent the canoeing equipment alone. Setting out in a canoe is easy from several different sites on both the upper course of the river and its estuary.

The Kiiminkijoki River offers a splendid and easily accessible network for canoeing. Those interested in nature and the countryside encounter wilderness scenery, peace and serenity, verdant farming landscapes and an abundance of river-based natural surround-ings. On the Kiiminikijoki River, it is possible to do canoeing treks lasting several days: the rest-stop facilities (lean-tos and Lapp tepees) are found at distances about 10 km from each other, allowing for both eating and lodging. As desired, the canoeist can also make use of rental cottages or other accommodation possibilities (see section on commercial operators). Day-treks are well-suited for beginners: businesses in the area provide such packages.

The conditions vary during the year, depending on the season and the current concerned. Generally speaking, June to July provides the novice with a minimal stream flow, making the rapids easy to traverse. With some of the rapids, it may be necessary to float a canoe across. For experienced canoeists, the period after the ice melts right up to mid-July offers the most. In this connection, some of the rapids are in the III class, e.g., Koitelinkoski and Kalliuskoski.

Routes

Favourite canoeing routes:

- Lake Kivarinjไrvi - Kurimonkoski Rapids 21 km
- Perjakankosket Rapids - Ylivuotto 24 km
- Isohuoseus - Jokikonkoski 32 km
- Koitelinkoski Rapids - Haukipudas 33 km
- Lake Pirttijไrvi - Pirttijoki River - Tilanjoki River - Kurimonkoski Rapids 43 km

Canoes and safaris

The following commercial operators rent out canoes and arrange canoeing safaris on the Kiiminkijoki River: