'Arktis' Icebreaker Boat Cruise and Ice Floating Excursion in Kemi from Oulu
Venture onto the Bothnian Bay and discover a wonderful and unique Arctic experience on an 'Arktis' icebreaker boat cruise and ice floating excursion from Oulu!
Practical information
Try a magical experience in the stunning Bothnian Bay and discover how Finland keeps their ports open even through the coldest of winters on this : 'Arktis' icebreaker cruise with ice floating in Kemi from Oulu! Enjoy:
- Convenient transportation between Oulu and Kemi
- Ice floating and even walking on ice
- An experience for adventurers of all ages
Course of events
You should plan to spend around 10 hours on this activity:
- Pick-up from Oulu
- 1.5-hour scenic drive to Kemi
- Arrival at the Kemi SnowCastle area
- Check in for the boat tour
- Shuttle ride to the harbour
- Board the 'Arktis' icebreaker boat
- 3-hour Icebreaker cruise around the Bothnian Bay
- Leave your valuables in the lockers in the boat
- Ice floating equipment distribution and preparation (the instructor will help you put the suit on)
- 5 to 7-minute Ice floating experience!
- Sail back to Kemi
- 1-hour of free time to visit Kemi
- Return to Oulu
- Drop-off at the original meeting point and end of the activity
Activity requirements
All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
The minimum height for the ice floating activity is 140 cm (4'6'').
If you want to go ice floating, it is highly recommended that you know how to swim, or at least be comfortable in the water. An instructor will be ready to help at all times, but they will not be supervising you personally all the time.
Ice floating requires a relatively good level of physical condition.
Special terms
Your instructor offers a free transportation service from the following locations and back for this experience. Please get in touch with them once your reservation is confirmed to set up a meeting point and time.
- 09:40 Oulu City Hall (Kirkkokatu 2, Oulu)
- 09:45 Scandic City (Saaristonkatu 4, Oulu)
- 10:00 Nallikari, turning point/bus stop at Aalto Hotel (Nallikarinranta 10, Oulu)
Please wait outside the meeting point for the Kemi Tourism bus to pick you up.
Please note that the ice floating portion of the experience will take place in groups and by turns. One group will go prepare with the equipment, step out onto the ice, ice float for 5 to 7 minutes, and while they're out, the next group will be preparing.
The cruise is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility.
Please note that the duration and itinerary of the activity depend on weather conditions. Due to unforeseen meteorological occurrences, your itinerary might be shorter or take a different path than usual for your safety.
Included
- Experienced and certified guide
- Roundtrip transportation from Oulu to Kemi (check special terms)
- 'Arktis' icebreaker boat cruise
- Insulated suit
- Ice floating
- Certificate of participation
Excluded
- Personal expenses
- Food and drinks
Do not forget to bring
- Warm winter clothing (Thermal layers, wind and waterproof outerwear)
- Snow boots or comfortable winter shoes
- Hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Sunglasses (spring tours)
- Water bottle
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About the activity
Discover what it's like to sail through a frozen sea and enjoy a couple of incredible adventures only available in this climate on an 'Arktis' icebreaker boat cruise and ice floating excursion in Kemi from Oulu! Recognised worldwide for its history of professional snow-building abilities since 1996, Kemi is bordered by the Bothnian Bay, the northernmost part of the Gulf of Bothnia that stands between Sweden and Finland. Due to the freezing conditions of the Nordic countries, which can drop to -30 degrees, the bay tends to freeze during the winter, and the icebreaker boats were Finland's solution to stay commercially viable during these difficult months.
On the day of your icebreaker boat cruise and ice floating excursion from Oulu, you will be picked up from one of 3 convenient locations around the city on a shuttle. From there, you will be driven to Kemi's SnowCastle area, and once you check in for the boat tour, you'll board a shuttle that will take you to the exclusive Veitsiluoto Port, only accessible to passengers with tickets to the icebreaker.
Next, the adventure truly starts! You'll board the Arktis, an icebreaker active for tourist functions since 2023, and sail off! You'll experience the unique pleasure of observing the broken pieces of ice behind the boat as you advance deeper into the Bothnian bay. You'll get to enjoy 3 hours of observing the stunning landscapes of the Bothnian Bay from the boat's heated lounges or outdoor decks. Midway through the experience, you'll make a stop, change into your insulated suit, and experience ice floating. You'll wade along the water with the broken ice behind the boat and enjoy the remote and frozen atmosphere of the sea. And if the sea is frozen enough, you might even get to walk on it.
Finally, you'll make your way back to Kemi where you'll get about one full free hour to explore the SnowCastle area. You can choose to buy tickets to the Snowcatsle or the gemstone exhibitions (not included) and once it's time, you'll be driven back to Oulu with incredible memories of this wonderful experience.
Keep in mind that, as mentioned above, temperatures in northern Finland can range from 5 to -30 degrees Celsius, so it is absolutely crucial to come prepared for the elements. Wool or thermal base layers, fleece middle layers, and wind and waterproof outerwear are recommended. You should also bring a thermal hat, gloves, a scarf, and anything else you might need (medication, snacks, etc.) to spend a safe and fun 10 hours on this Icebreaker boat cruise in Kemi from Oulu.
Don't miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the stunning Bothnian Bay on a unique boat. Book your 'Arktis' icebreaker boat cruise and ice floating excursion in Kemi from Oulu, today!