Geopark partners & services

Salpausselkä Geopark collaborates with various partners, including tourism companies, local guides, and small-scale producers. Geopark partners are committed to the principles of sustainable tourism and promoting sustainable development in their operations.

Salpausselkä Geopark Guides

The Salpausselkä Geopark area is full of fascinating stories. The guides are local experts who specialize in the history and diversity of the water-shaped landscape, as well as the Geopark concept. With their guidance, you’ll explore the unique, glacier-formed landscapes of Salpausselkä and learn to recognize natural features you might otherwise overlook.

Tours led by Geopark guides provide a deeper insight into the geology and history of the area. Conquering Aurinkovuori hill and discovering the magnificent Pirunkirkko—these are just some of the themes covered in Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark guided tours.

Salpausselkä Geopark guides at your service

Guide Maaria Alén

My areas of expertise include the creative industries (art, architecture, design, crafts), the environment and education. My guiding style is relaxed, entertaining and storytelling. It’s also about learning new things. See you on guided tours!

Guiding language: finnish, english
Guiding area: Lahti, Päijät-Häme and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

Phone number
+358 40 719 2848

E-mail
maaria@travellamo.fi

Guide Inga Blomqvist

Welcome to the bus, walking and cycling tour! I am Inga Blomqvist, an accredited multilingual guide for the Lahti region and also an environmental guide.
I tell great stories about relevant topics from a different perspective. Having lived abroad for 40 years and worked in the field of environmental protection, among other things, I see the Lahti region with new and professional eyes. I admire the experience of Lahti as European Capital of the Environment 2021 and I share it with locals and visitors. I plan and implement bus, walking and cycling tours, make tours for individual orders, also for companies, in different languages, live and online. I do tours on my own and in collaboration with colleagues, then it is possible to make use of even more versatile skills. I also work as an interpreter.

Guiding languages: Finnish, English, Russian.
Guiding area: the Lahti region.

Phone number
+358 (0)41 3153 124

E-mail
inga.guide@gmail.com

Guide Raija Hänninen

My speciality is Sysmä! Extensive knowledge of the municipal organisation as well as the municipal community. 27 years of experience in developing municipal organisations for the benefit of the tourism industry. Authorised guide and tour leader of the Finnish Guides Association.

Guiding languages: finnish, english
Guidance area: Sysmä

Phone number
+358 (0)44 236 2042

E-mail
matkailujaretkipalvelu@gmail.com

Guide Tuija Kauppi

I guide in the Heinola area as a local guide and as a Salpausselkä Geopark guide both in the urban area and in nature sites.

Guiding languages: finnish and english

Phone number
+358 44 288 2628

E-mail
tuija.kauppi@phnet.fi

Nature Guide Saija Klemola

I am a nature guide and a Salpausselkä Geopark guide.
I guide in Päijät-Häme region and its surrounding areas on land and water, on hikes, bikes, snowshoes or even motorbikes.

I’m happy to share information about the destination and even more happy to let nature speak for itself!
More than 30 years in these parts has taught me to appreciate the incredible beauty of our local nature.

From spring to autumn, excursions offer the opportunity to discover the local harvest.
I strive to be accessible and sustainable.

Guiding languages: finnish, english

Phone number
+358 404176142

E-mail
haija@phnet.fi

Guide Nina Lehtovirta

I organise storytelling walks and experiential nature walks in the local nature.
Guiding languages: Finnish, English
Guiding area: Padasjoki, Asikkala, Lahti, Heinola, Sysmä and Hartola

Phone number
+358 (0)40 487 0622

E-mail
ninaj.lehtovirta@gmail.com

Guide Annukka Linninen

Guided tours to nature sites, special expertise on Salpauselkä Geopark sites and nature reserves.

Guiding languages: finnish, english
Guiding area: nature sites of Päijät-Häme

Trained nature guide, especially familiar with the Salpauselkä Geopark sites, natural resources and nature reserves in the area. Guided tours throughout Päijät-Häme region.

Phone number
+358 (0)40 760 7240

E-mail
info@bestlakenature.com

Guide Päivi Oksanen

Let’s explore together the use and recycling of wood: architecture, industry, nature and jewellery. I am an authorised guide in the Lahti region. In the Salpausselkä Geopark area, you can explore the traces left by the Ice Age, which are still clearly visible today. The trails lead you through the varied terrain and urban nature of the Salpausselkä.

Guiding languages: finnish, english
Guiding areas: Lahti region, Helsinki

Phone number
+358 50 3757 334

E-mail
paivi.oksanen@gmail.com

Guide Heidi Painilainen

Welcome to hear stories from the Ice Age to the present day! My heart is especially close to the nature and waterways of Asikkala.

Guiding area: Asikkala, Heinola, Padasjoki, Sysmä, Hartola
Guiding languages: finnish and english.

I am an authorised Asikkala guide and originally also from Asikkala. I guide both groups and individual tourists at all the most popular destinations in Asikkala, such as Vääksy Kanava, Pulkkilanharju or Urajärvi Manor.

Traces of the last ice age are one of my favourite subjects. Take a trip to the Aurinkovuori hill, the second Salpausselkä, the Pulkkilanharju nature trail in Päijänne National Park, or even the entire Asikkala Ice Age Trail!

In addition to Pulkkilanharju, I am also happy to guide you to other Päijänne National Park sites, such as the island of Kelvenne. I have been boating and sailing on the Päijänne practically all my life. I can take groups of less than 6 people to explore the lake in my own boat.

Contact me and we can plan a memorable trip to the shores of Lake Päijänne in Asikkala!

Phone number
+358 (0)440 288 644

E-mail
heidi.painilainen(at)asikkala-oppaat.fi

Guide Jana Parpala

Specific expertise: Lahti, Greencity and the circular economy. Guide abroad, European Slavic countries.

Guiding languages: Finnish, Slovak, English
Guiding areas: Lahti, Vierumäki, European Slavic countries

Phone number
+358 40 861 4062

E-mail
jana.parpala(at)gmail.com

Guide Heidi Rask

In Asikkala, I offer nature and cultural tours, including themed role-guided tours as ‘Miss Norrlin’! At Urajärvi Manor, I provide basic tours, ghost tours, and garden tours.

With a background as a biology and geography teacher, I specialize in guiding visitors through natural sites, both for bus tours and individual travelers.

Guiding areas: Asikkala, Padasjoki, Sysmä, Heinola, and Hartola
Guiding languages: Finnish and English

Phone number
+358 (0)41 504 1941

E-mail
heidi.rask(at)asikkala-oppaat.fi

Guide Ina Ruokolainen

Ina is a communications professional specializing in everyday life, education, culture, nature, local travel, food, and mushroom picking. The company offers Salpausselkä Geopark tours, training sessions, nature and mushroom excursions, as well as food-themed recreational days in collaboration with nature and tourism entrepreneurs in the Päijät-Häme region.

Phone number
+358 (0) 400 355 243

E-mail
ina@vuosikerta.fi

Towards sustainable tourism

Promoting sustainable tourism is one of the key tasks of the UNESCO Geopark Network members, and the Salpausselkä Geopark partners are committed to working in a sustainable way.

A Sustainable Tourism Development Plan for the Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark area was developed in 2023, which extends to 2030. The plan is a common tool for all stakeholders to implement international and national principles and objectives in our region.

Our sustainable tourism principles:

Working together
Protecting the natural and cultural heritage of our territory
We protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of our region
Strengthening the well-being and vitality of our region
We are environmentally friendly