Lake Inari Summer Retreat
ARCTIC sky summer at lake inari
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to
basics
at minna’s
DURATION
6 days
group size 4-8
CALENDAR 2026
August 1-8
AUGUST 15-21
PRICE PER PERSON
Saturday-Friday 1950 €
INCLUDING >
✔ACCOMMODATION
In traditional wooden houses with shared accommodation (2–4 persons per room). Bathing the typical Nordic rural way in a wood-heated sauna. Toilets in well-maintained outdoor facilities.
✔MEALS
Nourishing breakfast, lunch, dinner, fresh drinking water daily
✔the activities mentioned
The basic swimming skills and moderate physical condition are necessary as we move in nature in many ways daily.
✔transportation
From Ivalo Airport or Ivalo town at a designated time to Lake Inari, followed by boat transportation to the homestead. Returning same route at designated time.
Have you been curious about experiencing Lapland in its green, golden, luminous season? Welcome to Lake Inari, where Minna lives during the snowless seasons — in her own privacy, embracing the simplicity of living close to nature, far from artificial structures and unnecessary noise. This coming August, we will host two small-group retreats there. These weeks are dedicated to nature connection, embodied practice, fun ways of exploring the arctic nature and the luxury of returning back to basics.
Lake Inari is a year-round paradise, stated CNN, nominating the area as one of the most beautiful places in Europe. August is still the season of continuous summer light. Nature is alive and generous: the forests offer wild berries, mushrooms and herbs & the waters are open. You may expect sauna, swimming, canoeing, foraging, creative workshops and soulful evenings by the fire!
during the week we will explore:
Nature connection practices
Foraging and learning from the land
Canoeing
Hiking in vast northern landscapes
Embodiment practices
Vocal activation
Creative workshops
Evenings by the bonfire
Sauna and swimming in pure waters
Balancing relaxation treatments such as ear acupuncture
Cooking with Minna
back to basics, what does that mean?
At Arctic Sky, we believe that it is healthy to occasionally go back to basics — returning to simple, fundamental ways of living instead of the complexity, speed, and constant stimulation of modern life. Life today is fast and full of artificial environments. When we remove the excess electrical gadgets and sensory stimulation, something shifts and we become more connected with ourselves. You are invited to remember what it means to live close to the land!
For us, the most meaningful luxury is simply returning to the essentials. Back to basics means:
Simplicity – fewer possessions, less consumption.
A slower pace – taking time instead of rushing.
Traditional activities – cooking from scratch, making things by hand, knitting, chopping wood…
Connection with nature - inside and outside ourselves
Human connection – sharing conversations, meals, and meaningful moments with others.
Less technology – stepping away from constant notifications and being present in the moment.
In this retreat we move and experience the nature using our own muscle power. When we use our bodies to carry the water or chop wood for heating the sauna, and cooking over fire, we can acknowledge the body in a whole different way than in a city-life. We forage goods by hands from the clean nature and prepare meals using them. In the retreat space doing things together creates connection and meaning.
Notice that there is always freedom to choose where and how much you want to participate!
The homestead & Way of Living
The retreat takes place in a traditional homestead by Lake Inari, surrounded by open skies, meadows and Arctic waters. While Arctic Sky in Saariselkä offers its own unique setting, the Lake Inari homestead invites you into a more traditional Nordic countryside experience, with well-maintained facilities.
Our wilderness paradise consists of several separate traditional wooden houses with shared accommodation (2–4 persons per room), offering comfort while preserving the authentic atmosphere of Arctic life.
At the heart of nordic wellbeing is naturally the traditional wood-heated sauna. Bathing in a sauna that has windows facing towards the lake you’ll see the landscape that many Finns carry in their heart and soul. This ritual of slowing down is grounding, sensory and meditative!
Did you know that even here, in the far North, Finland offers surprisingly good internet coverage in the wilderness areas! You may unplug by choice, not because you must.
Please notice that basic swimming skills and moderate physical condition are necessary, as we move in nature in many ways daily.
Food
Meals are nourishing and generous Finnish cuisine, a la Minna. We serve mixed, omnivorous food, using seasonal ingredients and foraged elements from the surrounding nature. Cooking over fire, preparing food together and sharing meals is one of the routes that bring us back to the basics.
Transportation
Guests are transported from Ivalo Airport or Ivalo town at a designated time to Lake Inari, followed by boat transportation to the homestead where the retreat takes place. Return transport to Ivalo Airport / Ivalo town at a designated time is included.
Price of the retreat: 1950€ per person includes three meals a day, transportations mentioned, accommodation during the retreat and all activities.
A Safe and Held Environment
The Arctic environment here is clean and safe. There are no ticks, no venomous snakes, no dangerous predators to worry about. Nature feels vast, but not threatening!
Equally important, the human space is held safely and professionally. Three experienced and heartful facilitators, Minna, Elina and Andrea, create a grounded and respectful atmosphere where you can simply be yourself and enjoy your time in this special place.
If you feel the call, we would love to hear from you!
Send a message to elina@kaivovirta.com or minna@arcticskylapland.com to sign up or request more information.
““Minna and Elina are outstanding hosts whose attention to detail goes above and beyond expectations.”
”Minna and Elina were kind, gracious and thoughtful hosts; Minna cooked delicious meals using many ingredients she has foraged.
I can’t recommend Arctic Sky too highly.”
”We very much enjoyed all the activities and the fantastic food. But most of all we loved spending time with you, having a laugh and joking around.”
”We loved all the excursions - hiking, canoeing, and yoga. What a joy to learn about the unique Lapland natural environment and spend time breathing the world’s cleanest air.”
”Many thanks for sharing your beautiful home and talents with us! Your hospitality and experiences exceeded my expectations and changed my life. Words cannot adequately express my emotions right now! I hope our paths will cross again.”
”Here I have touched the silence and been touched by it. Love and blessings.”
”This is way more than a place, it is a feeling and experience I will cherish forever.” ”
You will receive the full detailed program after booking.
YOUR HOSTS
You will be guided by three experienced nature lovers:
Minna is the owner of Arctic Sky, one of a kind berry picker-tree hugger, supercreative engineer and RYT500 yoga teacher, experienced wilderness guide, educated mushroom & wildherb specialist and a great cook.
Elina is the older sister of Minna and has co-hosted numerous retreats at Arctic Sky. She is a registered nurse and an educated therapist who has specialised in restorative methods that support wellbeing and health.
Andrea is a sister from another mother. She is an experienced retreat host and a professional multi-instrumentalist who creates embodied sound journeys that nurture deep well-being and self-awareness.
Please don`t hesitate to tell us your every single wish.
Join us at Lake Inari this summer! We will:
Wake up by the lake and breathe in the scents of nature, take a morning dip in wild arctic waters
Canoe on the clear and clean vast Lake Inari
Forage ingredients & learn how Minna prepares them
Cook together using the offers of nature
Experience the sauna rituals of traditional setting by lake
Sit by the fire, continuing a simple tradition that fascinated our ancestors
Do yoga and other embodiment practices
Learn fascinating things about Finnish nature and lifestyle
And so much more!