I emailed Benjamin at Aavameri 2 weeks before arriving in Helsinki and informed him that I wanted to do a multi-day solo trip. Despite the short notice, he worked with my preferences and arranged everything for me. Kayak, paddles, dry-bags, tent, maps and itinerary, pick-up an drop-off from the train station. Everything went very smoothly and I had a great trip. Aavameri made everything easy and simple and let me ignore logistics and just enjoy the trip and the beauty of the Finnish Archipelago Sea. I had a fantastic experience and would definitely use Aavameri again.
*****
An awesome 3 day kayaking adventure with Anna, our guide. She went above and beyond to make our time memorable and adapting the program to suit our abilities and curiosity (energetic mum and 15 year old son). We discovered so much and slept and ate comfortably on the islands, great catering, that is Anna! I want to spread the word to everyone! Cannot praise high enough.
Thank you for a perfect expedition on the Finnish Archipelago Sea! Our professional sea kayak guide was friendly and a perfect host, the food was great, the kayaking unforgettable and the archipelago scenery, WOW! We discovered wild islands and met nice archipelago village people, saw eagles and seals and slept in comfortable tents with nothing but the sea and birds as neighbours. I will certainly come again!
We spent a lovely sunny evening kayaking from Ruissalo island. We were in a great group of people - we were mostly beginners and the 3-4 hour tour was paced accordingly. With Daniela as our guide we were able to explore areas around the islands which we would never have discovered by ourselves. The weather was perfect and the scenery was gorgeous in the evening sunlight. The instructions on where to meet were very clear and helpful. Daniela was a friendly, helpful and patient instructor and we had a great time - well worth the aching arms and shoulders the next day!!
Fantastic Evening Kayaking! If you´re ever in Turku, this is a must do experience. Benjamin was our guide for an evening kayak trip from Ruissalo Island. It´s a beautiful area, the waters are calm and peaceful. Benjamin is very knowledgeable about the entire area and a extraordinary instructor. We learned about the history of the islands and the area in general. I would definitely book another trip with Aavameri if I get back to Finland, especially a multi-day trip exploring the archipelago!
I can’t say enough good things about Aavameri. They arranged a two day solo kayak trip for me in the archipelago near Turku, and I couldn’t have asked for better service. Literally everything was taken care of, down to the smallest detail. My kayak was excellent, as were the tent, sleeping bag and all the other supplies. Even matches and toilet paper were taken care of, making sure that nothing would be forgotten. I got lots of maps and navigational aids, as well as detailed route suggestions. Benjamin took great care and interest in my safety, was punctual at drop off and pick-up, provided a wealth of information and is simply a wonderful, caring person. I had an amazing weekend.
Great service, great funny & skilled guide, good equipment and a beautiful area! We were picked up by the airport and taken by the shop to a nice beach for the starting our trip. Our three day trip was fantastic and our choice to sleep in the tents Ben offered was a good one, it was an amazing adventure to sleep in the forest by the sea! Service was excellent to the very end and I will sure come back for a longer expedition. This was the first time I have tried sea kayaking...and I am hooked!
Everything went very smoothly from a very beginning by requiring information until very end by delivering us to our hotel in Turku. Our guide was Johan. He was a very experienced guide, a good cook and an interesting person. Archipelago was wonderful. Our day out was adjusted according to our needs. Definitely recommend and looking forward to repeat it in the future, this time maybe for more days :)
My brother and I booked a five day/four night kayaking trip in the Archipelago Sea with guide Johan, and guide-in-training Gabriel. Johan and Gabriel were phenomenal guides and made the trip unforgettable. They were responsible and professional while still being friendly and fun. They're the type of guys you'd want to be friends with after the trip. Each day they planned a route that kept us sheltered from the wind, and they chose a doable mileage for us that was appropriately challenging and beautiful. We felt very safe with them. They put a lot of thought into where we'd be camping each night and picked some amazing spots. The meals they cooked were also some of the best camping meals I've ever had. Truly an amazing adventure we won't forget! 10/10, would 100% recommend!
Benjamin of Aavameri is a steward of the islands and a skilled guide and coach for both a novice like me and more experienced kayakers. We all went at our own pace but never fell out of the group. We enjoyed exploring the coastline, back channels of islands and open water. The water was warm, the low sun lovely and the sense of another world unforgettable.
This 3 day hidden gems of the archipelago kayak trip was one of the highlights of our girls trip to Finland. It was the three of us friends and another super fun couple from France. We were lucky enough to have Gabriel tour us around. He is the best long haired sea kayaking guide the the whole of Finland. The kayaking was challenging at times, but super chill and relaxed for most of the trip. The camping spots on the islands were beautiful. Thank you again for an awesome trip!
The guys at Aavameri really know their stuff! I felt very comfortable and safe doing a multi-day solo kayaking tour with the excellent support from Gabriel and Ben. The rental equipment is of high quality and in good condition. Before setting of to the trip, they gave helpful and concise instructions on safety and other aspects of solo kayaking. During the trip they were very quick with responding to any upcoming questions or difficulties with equipment usage or route planning - all in a very friendly, helpful and professional way. I enjoyed every minute of the experience and would absolutely like to go on a trip again with Aavameri!
