Water splashes across our faces as someone beside me screams with excitement. The raft hurtles towards a boulder, swerves away at the last second, and shoots down the rapids.
Earlier that morning, on the shore of the Kitka River near the village of Käylä, close to the Arctic Circle, wilderness guides Tuomas Törmänen and Joonas Koskinen brief the group on the adventure ahead.
Experienced guides like Tuomas Törmänen (left) provide a quick introduction before we head onto the river.
Seven rapids await us today, all of them suitable for beginners. Safety comes first.
“Keep your hands and feet inside the raft at all times,” says Törmänen. “And paddle when I tell you.”
Life jackets on, helmets secured, boots tightened, and we are off.
First rapids, first screams
Kuusamo is famous for its snowy winters, but summer visitors can enjoy the midnight sun, when daylight stretches late into the night.
“Oh wow! This is better than a theme park ride,” shouts ten-year-old Luukas.
The first rapid, Käylänkoski, is behind us. Long and relatively gentle, it still feels exciting for someone more used to dry land. I have to admit that I spent much of it paddling with my eyes shut.
After the rush, the river calms. There is time to admire the scenery drifting past: pine forests, sandy banks and crystal-clear water with fish visible below the surface. Summer cottages peek through the trees along the shoreline.
Kuusamo lies just south of the Arctic Circle and is easy to reach by plane or bus.
Finland is filled with pristine lakes, rivers and rapids, and people are eager to enjoy them. Around Kuusamo, several tourism companies – including Basecamp Oulanka, our guides for the day – safely take visitors onto the water. There is plenty of space for everyone.¨
Luukas has travelled to Kuusamo with his family from southern Finland to spend the summer holiday with his grandparents. The family had talked about rafting for years, especially because their mother had tackled much larger rapids around Europe.
Now that the children are old enough, three generations are finally making the trip together.
“I’m really looking forward to the biggest rapids,” says 12-year-old Mai dreamily.
Spinning through the whitewater
Kuusamo offers rafting adventures for every skill level. On the easiest routes, no previous experience is required.
A goldeneye duck suddenly takes flight nearby as we approach Peurakoski, the next rapid.
First we paddle hard. Then Törmänen shouts, “Let go!”
Everyone pulls their paddles into the raft. The boat swings sideways into the rapid, bouncing wildly and spinning with the current. Water crashes over us as rafters scream and laugh at the same time.
Then everything settles again.
Arto Kajava (left) was born and raised in Kuusamo. His grandchildren Nooa and Mai love spending time in the northern wilderness.
Eleven-year-old Nooa pours water from his boot back into the river. His socks are soaked.
During the rafting season, Törmänen guides around 100 trips down these rivers. He knows the area’s rapids, ridges and peaks by heart.
Born and raised in Kuusamo, he once tried living in southern Finland for a few years before returning north.
“There’s a proper winter here,” he says. “I missed that. This is my place.”
Facing the toughest rapids
Did someone fall overboard? Not quite – one of the rafters simply got too warm and wanted to cool off.
Törmänen starts the raft’s motor to cross calmer stretches of the river. By now, navigating the rapids is beginning to feel almost routine.
Then comes Harjakoski – the wildest rapid of the day.
On the international scale of I to VI, it is classified as grade III: difficult. Steep drops, high waves and a rough ride lie ahead.
See what whitewater rafting is like in the heart of the wild Finnish wilderness.Video by Tuomas Törmänen
Everyone seems slightly nervous. Phones and cameras are sealed inside waterproof bags. People wedge their boots more firmly into the raft.
“Paddle!” Törmänen shouts above the roar of the water.
The raft surges forward as waves crash over us. My stomach drops as the boat plunges downward.
And then, suddenly, it is over. A huge sense of relief follows.
A perfect ending
Even late in the evening, the northern sky never fully darkens.
After the final rapid, many of us jump into the river for a swim. The water is around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) and feels wonderful against our skin.
Many travellers have already discovered Lapland’s exotic winter, but the northern summer remains a hidden treasure. There is gentle warmth, endless light, extraordinary nature and, above all, silence.
Mai hopes the family will return to the rapids again soon.
Arto Kajava helps his grandson Luukas back into the boat after he jumped into the water to cool off.
By the time we reach the village of Juuma, we have travelled 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) along the river.
“It was so much fun,” Luukas says with a grin.
“We’re definitely coming back next summer,” Mai adds.
On the shore, two reindeer lie lazily in the sun.
Kuusamo and the Kitka River
In the far north of Finland, summer still feels like a hidden world.
- Kuusamo is located in northeastern Finland, just south of the Arctic Circle.
- The region is known for forests, rivers, hiking trails and outdoor activities throughout the year.
- Whitewater rafting routes in the area range from beginner-friendly family trips to more challenging rapids.
- During midsummer, the midnight sun keeps northern Finland bright late into the night, with only a few hours of twilight in Kuusamo.
Text and photos by Emilia Kangasluoma, July 2026
