Benjamin Donner
Owner · guide · instructor · coach
ISKGA Advanced Guide, high-level sea kayak coach and wilderness leadership educator with long experience from Finland and international guiding and coaching.
Contact AavameriAbout Aavameri
Finland’s specialist sea kayaking house in the Archipelago Sea.
Aavameri is built around professional sea kayaking judgement, small groups, high-quality equipment, guide training and a deep relationship with the Finnish Archipelago Sea.
What and who
Aavameri is an award-winning sea kayaking experiences provider, recognised both nationally and internationally for creating the finest sustainable outdoor experiences in Finland and along the Baltic Sea coast. We offer everything from guided expeditions and sea kayaking courses to advanced coaching, always with expert guidance, carefully planned logistics and a strong sense for the extraordinary moments that make a journey unforgettable.
Aavameri arranges sustainable quality tours, courses and expedition support for everyone from beginners to advanced sea kayakers. The core idea is simple: guests should experience the Archipelago Sea with the best possible combination of safety, independence, route judgement, equipment and local knowledge.
For guided tours, this means small groups and routes selected by weather and ability. For self-guided expeditions, it means a real support structure: planning help, transport, waterproof maps, equipment and land support before and during the trip.
- Guided multi-day expeditions in the Archipelago National Park.
- Supported self-guided kayaking for skilled paddlers.
- Sea kayaking courses, safety training and guide-level coaching.
- Satava Kayak & SUP rental and guided tours close to Turku.
Professional judgement is the product: route, weather, group, islands, landings and safety.
Why it feels different
Thousands of islands demand more than a booking form.
The Archipelago Sea is an enormous, intricate sea landscape of islands, village routes, ferries, bird areas, sheltered channels, outer skerries and weather windows. A good kayaking day is not only about distance. It is about choosing the right water at the right time.
Aavameri’s strength is that these choices are made by people who know the area and the craft. That is why the same service can feel accessible for first-timers and still credible for experienced paddlers.
35,000islands in the Archipelago Sea
1998Aavameri / Open-Air Adventures founded
Small groupsmore judgement, more nature, no mass tourism
The people on the water
Meet the Aavameri guide team.
Aavameri’s guides combine sea kayaking skill, calm leadership and practical knowledge of the Finnish archipelago.
Tuomas Kauko
Guide
Sea kayak guide with expedition and guiding experience from Finland, Norway and Svalbard.
Iita Saarva
Guide
Known for making groups feel welcome, safe and enthusiastic about the sea, food and the islands.
Anna Bühler
Guide
A professional musician who found a second passion in sea kayaking and guiding visitors into the Finnish archipelago.
Peter Nylund
Guide · instructor
Sea kayaking, guiding and outdoor activities are central to Peter’s life on and around the water.
You
Skilled kayak guide
Contact us if you are an experienced guide who loves helping people enjoy nature responsibly.
Contact AavameriAsk Aavameri
Let’s choose the right water for you.
Tell us your dates, group, experience and wishes. We will suggest the right tour, course or self-guided expedition structure.
Business should leave the islands stronger.
Aavameri works in the Archipelago Sea for the sake of the archipelago itself: local work, local income and experiences that help guests understand why the islands matter.
That means small groups, careful routes, durable equipment, respect for landing places and a no-impact mindset. The goal is not to use the archipelago as a backdrop, but to support its nature, communities and long-term well-being.
Read more about responsible travel