Aavameri

What and who is Aavameri?

Aavameri is the Sea Kayak Specialist at the Archipelago Sea, Finland

For skilled kayakers and beginners alike -- there is no better way to experience the fantastic Finnish Archipelago Sea with its thousands of islands than by sea kayak.

Aavameri arranges sustainable quality tours and classes for everyone from beginners to advanced sea kayakers. We always ensure that you get the best possible arrangements, instruction and equipment available, in small groups or individually. For the more experienced kayaker, quality sea kayak and equipment rental along with transportation, planning help, maps and expedition support is also provided.

For us at Aavameri, sustainablitiy and responsible acitivities are a key factor in everything we do. Read more about our sustainability program here.

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Our Approach

Aavameri  Open-Air Adventures / seakayaking.fi was founded in 1998 in order to offer wilderness and sea kayak education and activities in Finland and internationally. From the very beginning, our main goal has been to offer sustainable activities of the highest quality with a strong focus on both the customer's and the nature's well-being.

We are based in Turku by the coast of the Finnish Archipelago Sea, but we also arrange activities in the whole of Finland, the Nordic countries and Europe. We do not have a fixed base for our service, but instead take care of transportation and always chose the best spots for delivering activities in the Archipelago Sea area.

Aavameri is a partner of the Leave No Trace program for outdoor ethics and environmental protection and a Sustainable Travel Finland, Laatutonni Quality 1000 and Pan Parks certified partner for the Archipelago National Park and heritage area.

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Archipelago Sea, Finland

Our main playground and extraordinary haven is the Finnish Archipelago Sea, the largest archipelago in the world with its over 25.000, often tightly clustered, islands. We have been arranging sea kayaking tours in the world's greatest sea kayaking destinasions around the globe for over 15 years, but still our own Archipelago Sea is the most special area for us, and extraordinary area which we love to take our customers to.

The size of this area is over 8000 square kilometers, of which 2000 square kilometers is land. A massive amount of these islands are uninhabited, a fact which together with the Everyman's rights giving visitors the right to camp on and visit almost every island, makes this area a very unique place for wilderness enthusiasts.

We work in a close cooperation with the islanders living in the Archipelago Sea, and on our tours, you will get an insight in the archipelago culture and lifestyle.

More about the Archipelago Sea.

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2.000 nights under bare sky

Owner, main guide and coach for Aavameri is Benjamin Donner. Ben has worked in sea kayaking and wilderness leadership coaching for over 20 years. He is among others working as a certified Sea Kayak Guide Coach and Assessor, as a International Sea Kayak Guide Association ISKGA Advanced Guide, Nordic Instructor License Instructor Coach / Assessor, BCU 5 Star Sea Kayak Leader and Wilderness First Responder and Firsr Responder instructor. In the Finnish National Sea Kayak certification systems, Ben is licensed to coach and certify introductory kayaking, guides, instructors and assessors. He has coached around the word, giving sea kayak courses and guiding expeditions in among others Finland, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, Italy, Estonia and Greece.

Aavameri also employs other professional guides and instructors for our specialized courses and tours, and always ensures that we have high quality staff with a lot of experience offering you the best there is to give. For guides and instructiors working as the Aavameri team, see below.

Meet Aavameri's dedicated team

Benjamin Donner
Ben much enjoys coaching on all levels as much as taking families out to enjoy our beautiful area. He is an ISKGA Advanced Sea Kayak Guide, BCU 5* Sea Leader and is certified as an instructor and kayak leader on the highest national and international levels.
Benjamin DonnerGuide / Instructor / Ownerbenjamin@aavameri.fi
Peter Nylund
Sea Kayaking and guiding our visitors into the activity is one of Peter's biggest passions. He is also a keen fat bike and mountain bike rider and has the last years taken up sailing as one more way to get out on the sea.
Peter NylundGuide and Instructor
Gabriel Viau
Our newest guide, Gabriel, has worked for Aavameri since May 2023, and lives in Finland since five years back, now working with reindeers during wintertime and kayaking during summertime. He is a wilderness guide and technically skilled kayaker, originally from Canada.
Gabriel ViauGuide
Anna Bühler
Originally from Denmark and Germany, Anna came to Finland as a professional concert musician. Soon she found her real passion kayaking though, and often helps Aavameri with guiding tours.
Anna BühlerGuide
Laura Lövgren
Laura, kayak guide, photograph and SUP-guide, takes people out on our shorter Turku based day and evening tours.
Laura LövgrenGuide
Maarit Suomi
Apart from sailing the oceans of the world, Maarit also loves kayaking and guiding new kayakers to the activity.
Maarit SuomiGuide

Enquiries

Interested in what we offer or full of questions? Please contact us here and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

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Partners and Awards

International Sea Kayak Guide Alliance ***** Training Center
Aavameri is a International Sea Kayak Guide Alliance ***** Training Center
International Sea Kayak Guide Alliance ***** Training Center
Official Partner of the Archipelago National Park, Finland
International Sea Kayak Guide Alliance ***** Training Center
Awarded as the Baltic Sea Region's "Most sustainable tourism services provider and 2nd Price as Most Sustainable Product or Service by Baltic Sea Tourism Forum
Aavameri is a Sustainable Travel Finland -labelled company
Aavameri is a Sustainable Travel Finland -labelled company
About Aavameri

Aavameri SeaKayaking.fi is a sustainable, high quality sea kayaking activities provider in the Archipelago Sea, south Finland. [Read more...]

Contact Us

Contact form
Archipeago Sea, Turku, Finland
+358 44 980 77 88
info(at)aavameri.fi