Forest Bathing Experiences 2024
Have a look at the sample trips, tell us your wishes and ask for a more detailed offer via the contact form!
SOWL Forest Bathing
- An Experience That Will Bring You To Life
Forget technology and to-do lists for a moment, and head to Nuuksio or Sipoonkorpi National Park, Porkkalanniemi Peninsula or even Helsinki's Central Park forest for a total escape! You can leave all your worries at the edge of the forest and dive unhurriedly into nature's fascinating world of sounds, smells, colours and shapes.
Step onto a mysteriously winding path that takes you into the midst of the hum of the massive spruces and pines. Pause to listen to the babbling brook and birdsong, breathe the fresh forest air deep into your lungs, melt onto the ancient bedrock and rest your eyes in the shimmering of the wilderness pond. Along the way, you'll enjoy breathing, sensory and nature connection activities to quiet the mind's chatter. Your mind and body settle into the same time and place. There will be room for new thoughts. Things fall into perspective. Joy returns. You reconnect with nature – and yourself.
Finally, we gather around the campfire to share our experiences and indulge our taste buds with traditional soot pot coffee or herbal tea and Finnish snacks. You will also receive aromatic oil on your skin to enjoy the therapeutic effects of the forest at home.
A Forest Bathing session is ideal as a wellness component for recreation, training, team and meeting days, as well as a birthday, party or bachelor/bachelorette party programme. The walk can also be made accessible.
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- Duration 2,5 h – 4 hours (adjustable, depending on destination)
- Route length 2–3 km
– Language: Finnish or English
- Availability: all year round (shorter in winter, "Arctic forest bathing")
- Level: medium. You can participate without any prior knowledge or skills, average physical condition is sufficient. The hike is not accessible by default and may include some climbs and rudimentary trails. We walk at a leisurely pace. Can also be organised as accessible.
- Max 12 people with one guide
- What is included: a certified forest therapy and wilderness guide, preparation instructions, guided activities, information about the well-being and health effects of nature, a sleeping mat and a raincoat, aromatherapeutic oil for the skin, a safety plan, first aid equipment, liability insurance. NOTE: does not include travel or accident insurance, so please take care of it yourself.
- Price from: 675 € + VAT 24%, includes 8 persons. Additional persons 75 € + VAT 24%.
- Additionally charged: traditional fireplace coffee or herbal tea, Karelian pies and spread, cinnamon roll, wild berry shot, 15 € / person + VAT 14%. Through a partner forest catering / lunch / dinner can be arranged, ask! Also vegan.
- The experience is for people over 18 years of age
- Weather: the walk will also be carried out in the rain, so make sure you dress appropriately. In the event of exceptionally challenging weather conditions, or other force majeure, excursion may be postponed or cancelled with a full refund.
- 1% of the proceeds will be donated to the Natural Heritage Foundation's Finnish Forest –campaign
Maritime
SOWL Forest Bathing
- Experience The Magic Of The Archipelago
Break away from the city and head to one of the most beautiful destinations on the coast of Southern Finland, the Porkkalanniemi Peninsula nature reserve!
Let the path take you through the rocky pine forests. Feel the fresh sea breeze on your skin, washing away your troubles. Surrender to the sound of birdsong, the lapping of waves and the humming of the wind. Rest your gaze on the distant horizon, the blue sky and the eternal motion of the waves. Take a deep breath and rest, free of worries, on the supporting and stable bedrock - and reconnect with nature and yourself.
Along the way, you'll enjoy breathing, sensory and awareness exercises to quiet the mind's chatter and turmoil. Your mind and body settle into the same time and place. There will be room for new thoughts. Things fall into perspective. Joy returns.
Finally, we gather around the campfire to share our experiences and indulge our taste buds with traditional soot pot coffee or herbal tea and Finnish snacks. You will also receive aromatic oil on your skin to enjoy the therapeutic effects of the forest at home.
A Forest Bathing session is ideal as a wellness component for recreation, training, team and meeting days, as well as a birthday, party or bachelor/bachelorette party programme. The walk can also be made accessible.
Other destinations include Kopparnäs and Linlo Island (Kirkkonummi) or the islands off Helsinki and Espoo (Harakka, Pihlajasaari, Pentala etc.)
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- Duration 3–4h (adjustable)
- Route length 2–3 km
- Language: English or Finnish
- Availability: April–October
- Level: intermediate. You can participate without any previous knowledge or skills, moderate physical condition is sufficient. The walk is not accessible by default and includes some climbs and rudimentary trails. We walk at a leisurely pace. Can also be organised as accessible.
- Max 12 people with one guide
- What is inncluded: a certified forest therapy and wilderness guide, preparation instructions, guided activities, information about the well-being effects of nature, sleeping pad and raincoat, aromatherapeutic oil on skin, safety plan, first aid equipment, liability insurance. NOTE. Does not include travel or accident insurance, so please take care of it yourself.
- Price from: 675 € + VAT 24%, includes 8 people. Additional persons 75 € + VAT 24%.
- Snacks for additional charge: traditional fireplace coffee or herbal tea, Karelian pies and spread, cinnamon roll, wild berry shot 15 € / person + VAT 14%. Possibility for forest catering/lunch/dinner through a partner, please ask!
- The tour is intended for people over 18 years of age
- Weather: the walk will also be carried out in the rain. In case of exceptionally challenging weather conditions, or other force majeure, the tour may be postponed or cancelled with a full refund.
- 1% of the proceeds will be donated to the Finnish Forest Campaign of the Natural Heritage Foundation.- You can also continue exploring Porkkalanniemi independently. There are signposted routes, information boards, dry toilets and cooking shelters. More information about the area here.
Forest Bathing Taster 1h - Relieve Stress and Enjoy Nature In a New Way!
Are you new to forest bathing or pressed for time? Try forest bathing in a shorter taster session that lowers stress hormone levels, heart rate and blood pressure within just 15 minutes! In this mini-session, we'll walk slowly for 0.5–1km and do some nurturing and restorative sensory awareness and nature connection activities.
Step into the soothing shade of conifers, listen to the sounds of the forest, soak up all the shades of green. Take a deep breath of fresh air and let your burdens fall at the feet of the great forest. Immerse yourself in the sounds, smells, colours and shapes of nature with all your senses, and reconnect with nature and yourself.
Finally, we will share our experience and enjoy some herbal tea or wild berry smoothie. You will also receive an aromatic oil on your skin, so you can continue to enjoy the therapeutic effects of the forest scents at home.
Can also be carried out in a nearby park, e.g. close to an office or a hotel. Accessible on request.
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- Duration: 1h + transitions
- Route length 0,5–1 km
- Availability: all year round
- Level: easy. You can participate without any previous knowledge or skills, moderate physical condition is sufficient. The walk is not accessible by default and may include rudimentary trails. We walk at a leisurely pace. Can also be organised accessible.
- Max 15 people
- Language: English or Finnish
- What is included: a certified forest therapy and wilderness guide, preparation instructions, guided activities, information on the wellbeing effects of nature, herbal tea or wild berry shot, aromatherapy oil for the skin, safety plan, first aid equipment, liability insurance. NOTE: does not include travel or accident insurance, so please make sure you have one.
- Price from: 335 € + VAT 24%, includes 8 persons. Additional persons €40 + VAT 24%.
- The excursion is for people over 18 years of age
- Weather: the walk will also be carried out in the rain, so make sure you are dressed appropriately. In the event of exceptionally challenging weather conditions, or other force majeure, excursion may be postponed or cancelled with a full refund.
- 1% of the proceeds will be donated to the Natural Heritage Foundation's Finnish Forest campaign
Dive Deeper – A Talk On Nature-based Health and Well-being
Offer your employees or community the opportunity to learn about the importance of nature connectedness to overall health, stress management and life satisfaction. The briefing will explain the researched physical and psychological effects of nature on humans, and ways to put these effects into practice as part of your own wellbeing toolkit, just like nutrition, sleep, exercise and good relationships.
A participatory presentation. Can be done as a stand-alone or as a preparatory part before a forest bathing day.
Presentation length 45 or 60 min
On-site in the capital region or online
From 350 € + VAT 24%
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INDIVIDUALS
Tours are booked at https://slotti.fi/booking/sowl/#/ and paid for at the time of booking.
Tours booked on other websites are subject to their cancellation policy (e.g. Tripadvisor).
You can cancel your reservation through the booking system free of charge up to 24 hours before the excursion, and your payment will be refunded as soon as possible. Alternatively, the reservation can be transferred to another event.
If cancellation is made less than 24 hours before the tour, no refund will be given.
If the client falls ill less than 24 hours before the start of the tour, the reservation can be postponed to another date.
No refund will be given for an uncancelled reservation.
GROUPS / PRIVATE TOURS
Cancellation 60 days or more before the event, no cancellation fee
Cancellation 59–30 days before the event, 25% cancellation fee
Cancellation 29–14 days before the event, 50% cancellation fee
Cancellation 13–0 days before the event, 75% cancellation fee
An event may be postponed once, free of charge, up to 6 months from the date of the original event, if the request is made at least 30 days before. If the request for rescheduling is made less than 30 days before the event, this will be considered a new booking. The original event will be considered cancelled and the cancellation fee will be charged accordingly (see above). The client is obliged to indicate the exact date of the rescheduled event when notifying about the rescheduling.
Please notify us of any changes as early as possible, thank you.
Additional persons up to 12 can be added up to 48 hours before the event (later additions will not be accommodated due to catering).If the number of participants is reduced from the original, the same cancellation fee formula will apply as for cancellations for the whole group. However, the customer will always be invoiced the minimum charge of group reservations.
No refunds will be given for no-shows. Force majeure situations involving the whole group (such as transportation strike) will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and refunds are possible.
If the event takes longer than planned due to the client, the extra hours will be charged (95 EUR/h + VAT 24%).
The invoice will be sent after the event with the billing details provided by the client, including e-invoice. Payment term is 14 days. Any claims must be made within 7 days after the event. A reminder fee of 5 EUR will be charged for each reminder invoice.Points to note:
Weather warning. Rain is not an obstacle to the excursion and is not a valid reason for cancellation by the customer. If SOWL has to cancel an excursion due to exceptionally bad weather conditions or other force majeure, the booking can be rescheduled, or alternatively the client will receive a full refund. SOWL may cancel, suspend or change the location of the event at any time due to extreme weather conditions, security reasons or other force majeure.
Any last-minute changes or cancellations will be notified to the telephone number provided by the customer or contact person. We therefore ask the client to be available before the trip.
The age limit is 18 years.
Forest bathing can be a powerful experience for some. Participation is not recommended if you are going through an acute crisis or if you suffer from serious mental health problems.
The organiser has a professional indemnity insurance. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accident insurance.
"Kaisu is a guide who is boldly dedicated to forest bathing. Her professionalism and calm demeanour create an atmosphere of safety."
- Tarmo, 42, Riihimäki
To take part in Forest Bathing you don't need to
be a "nature person"
have experience in hiking or trekking
be in good shape
have survival skills
identify plants, mushrooms and birds
own any special equipment
be a "hippie"
practise yoga or meditation
be particularly stressed or tired
but you CAN BE any of this – and more, whatever you are!