.... but steadily spring is coming closer. Yet we have a lot of snow and also ice on the lake, still every day the green spots get bigger and after a short return of cold days, we look forward to 2-digit-temperatures again later during this week. Most of the kennels are already shoveled free from snow and ice and it gets drier every day. Since the last news, we have dewormed all dogs and as you see on the picture, they just love it! Tosca is like a small barrel and we expect her babies within the next 24 hours. Mulan is even more barrel-like, although her whelping-day is still a week away.
On the webpage by now we have published all tours, dates and conditions for next winter season. Unfortunately we had to increase our rates for coming winter season. The sharply increased rates for energy, fuel and heating plus the general inflation made it indispensable. Also the fact, that Kuuopo - instead of the so far, nearer located Joensuu - will now be our main airport, forced us to do this step. We regret it a lot, but guarantee for the used service and comfort as well as unforgettable winter experiences. As wished by many, we have the "Winterweek Plus" with only 1 cabin-overnight again in the program. Also the Go-West-Tour, tested during last winter, is now part of the program for coming winter. And also some weeks with tours to Ruunaa are back in our offer again, those also as wished by you. Check it out!
We were able to welcome 142 week guests back here in this first winter “after C”. Compared to the last "normal" winter 18/19 with 265 week guests, of course, a small number. But we are happy and grateful that last season we had a real guest business here again and that we and the dogs were well challenged. We didn't expect a 100% restart after the long pandemic period and that's why we don't complain. It will still take some time to come to terms with the Corona period, and so we look already forward to the coming winter season. The main.guides during last winter were Gabriel and Moritz with 10 tours each and Simone with 14. But the real athletes were our dogs:
The AZ with a starting population of 71 dogs (2 of which no longer run at all: Pepsi and Polaris) covered a total of 85,446 km last winter. The NZ started with 59 dogs (of which 2 also stopped running completely: Siri and Nico) covered 77,208 km. The top runner from all over Eräkeskus and thus winner of the crystal ball this year is Talvi with a great 2351 km on her counter, followed by Nonii (2313km) and Strike (2285km). Talvi is also one of our pregnant females and will give birth later in May. But where there is joy, there is also sadness: 4 beloved four-legged friends left us over the course of the winter: Nico, Siri, Tapio and Fluffy: you will all remain in our memories forever!
And now we simply wait for summer and then we go paddling!