The traditional Lapland trip of the Guild of the Cross will be organized in the week preceding Easter from Friday, March 22nd to Saturday, March 30th, 2024. This year, the destination is the winter sport hub of Levi in Finnish Lapland. Welcome to sign up for the best trip of the year! The registration is open until March 1st, but take advantage of the Early Bird discount by registering soon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Prefer Finnish? There is a Finnish version of this page as well.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please read the information package below before clicking the \"Submit\" button on the form. Additional questions about skiing and the program will be addressed closer to the trip. While waiting, feel free to ask the organizers anything. So, at this stage, please fill out the form to the best of your knowledge, but changes can still be made (please inform the organizers of any changes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why join the Lapland trip?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Winter activities can certainly be considered the main reason to come on the Lapland trip. However, based on previous years' experiences, the time spent together with guild members has been the most memorable aspect of the journey. So, you can expect an excellent combination of getting to know each other, shared profound moments with the Christian message of Easter, board games, sauna sessions, crazy antics, and so on. Not to mention the wide range of winter sports and activities offered by Lapland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If school assignments are piling up, no worries \u2013 you can also stay at the cottage for a day to tackle any urgent deadlines. This year, conveniently, there is a holiday at Aalto during Easter, so during the trip, you'll only miss 3 school days, and after returning, you'll still have an additional 4 days of holiday!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schedule and transportation to Lapland:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The journey will begin by bus from Otaniemi on Friday evening March 22nd around 9 PM, with the exact departure time to be confirmed later. Our overnight journey will likely follow the route Otaniemi \u2013 Tampere \u2013 Jyv\u00e4skyl\u00e4 \u2013 Oulu \u2013 Rovaniemi \u2013 Levi, and we should arrive on Saturday around noon. During the bus trip, there will be several short breaks and at least one longer brunch\/lunch break. The return journey from Lapland starts on Saturday morning March 30th, and we will be back in Otaniemi in the evening. So, we will spend a total of 7 days in Lapland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is also possible to join the trip along the way or arrange for pick-up in Levi or Kittil\u00e4 Airport for those arriving independently. Please inform us of any special arrangements you are aware of in the registration form or as soon as they arise. In such cases, we will also discuss the cost of the trip separately with you so that you don't pay unnecessarily for bus rides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Destination and activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi offers ski slopes, snowshoeing trails, and hundreds of kilometers of cross-country skiing tracks with charming trail cafes \u2013 a winter sports enthusiast's paradise. We will receive group discounts at the ski resort, and transportation will be provided daily from the accommodation. Many of Levi's services are within walking distance. We are also considering a day trip, for example to Yll\u00e4s ski resort for downhill skiing, enjoying the nature around Aakenus fell in the national park, or to greet huskies and reindeer on a farm, if there is enough interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n