WHAT'S INCLUDED:
ACCOMODATION
4 nights accommodation / B&B and camping.
GUIDES AND SUPPORT
Professional support vehicles, safety staff, medical and welfare.
ALL MEALS
All meals included as standard, at hotels and in camp
EQUIPMENT
All winter equipment provided, skis, snowshoes and fat bikes.
TRANSFERS
Transfers to and from Tromso Norway.
EXTRAS
High quality medal, rat rag and premium t-shirt for all participants.
SAFETY
Professional local and UK safety staff, bike mechanic, medics, drivers, snowmobile operators, route safety staff and Rat Race experts on hand throughout. Audited and accredited to BS8848 expedition safety standard.
TRANSFER POLICY
Flexible transfer policy up to 12 weeks before your departure date.
3 STAGES, 3 COUNTRIES, 3 WINTER SPORT DISCIPLINES A BRILLIANT ARCTIC ADVENTURE.
Our adventure unfolds in the deep freeze of the Scandinavian north, well above the Arctic circle. The focus of the trip is the 3 nations cairn – the spot where Norway, Sweden and Finland converge. Our route will visit this point and we will use 3 different disciplines on our course – 1 each per stage of travel.
£144.68
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*price per month, depending on departure date, click here for more info on pricing
15 - 19 MARCH / 2024
14 - 18 MARCH / 2025
EVENT DATES:
DISTANCE:
19 MILES (30 KM) ON BIKE + 13 MILES (21KM) ON SKI + 13 MILES (21 KM) ON FOOT
SLEEP STYLE:
B&B,
AND CAMPING
LOCATION:
NORWAY, FINLAND, AND SWEDEN
DURATION:
5 DAYS /
4 NIGHTS
DIFFICULTY RATING: CAN I DO THIS?
This adventure is for anyone with a with a moderate level of fitness.
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MORE INFORMATION:
Our adventure unfolds in the deep freeze of the Scandinavian north, well above the Arctic circle. The focus of the trip is the 3 nations cairn of Scandinavia – the spot where Norway, Sweden and Finland converge. Our route will visit this tripoint and we will use 3 different disciplines on our course – 1 each per stage of travel.
This trip benefits from significant use of inclusive in-country equipment (snow-shoes, skis, fatbikes) which means it is relatively accessible without the requirement for you to provide too much specialist kit. You will need warm winter clothing of course and you should expect serious arctic winter conditions. This is a real Arctic challenge with a seriously tangible objective: 3 countries, 3 adventure activities, 3 different stages.
DAY ONE: ARRIVE TROMSO, NORWAY AND TRANSFER TO KILPISJARVI, FINLAND
You will arrive into Tromso the night before to stay in this charming Arctic city at accommodation arranged by yourself, the meeting point is in the city at 0900. After our adventure, we will return to this incredible Norwegian city high up above the Arctic circle but for now, we will make our way to Kilpisjarvi across the border in Finland, where we will check kit, get a guided ski lesson and get to grips with your fat bike. We will also meet our guides and brief for the days ahead. It is a 3 hour drive, including an opportunity to stop to buy some food en route.
ACCOMMODATION: Twin Bedrooms, Kilpisjarvi.
MEALS: Dinner provided. You will be able to purchase some food if you wish on the drive across to Kilpisjarvi from Tromso.
DAY TWO: FAT BIKING. 3 COUNTRIES, 3 STAGES, 3 PURSUITS COMMENCES!
Leaving our base in Kilpisjarvi after a big breakfast you will jump on your fat bikes and head to the frozen lake. We will ride over a lot of snow, both firm and softer stuff. We will cover some 30km by bike and whilst this might not sound far, in deep snow and in temperatures down to – 20, it will be enough! The time of year affords us much daylight and, hopefully, brilliant views. We will be supported today by our snowmobile teams, with whom we will meet up on the trail and who will refresh us with drinks and snacks.
ACCOMMODATION: Back to the previous nights accommodation
MEALS: Breakfast is in the restaurant associated with the accommodation. Throughout the journey, we will provide hot and cold water from our pit stops, plus other snacks. Of course, you should also plan to bring some of your own preferred foods and snacks for the route, to ensure you have a top-up of calories available when you need it most! See below for the full spec on our ‘Pit Stops.’ Dinner is back at the restaurant.
DAY THREE: ONTO THE SKIS AND HEADING FOR CAMP
Another short drive out of the village and we’re heading out on back country skis for 21km to Lake Saanajärvi and our overnight wilderness camp. There are toilets here and classic polar expedition tunnel tents will be provided. We’ll get a camp fire going and relax telling stories and hopefully enjoying an unpolluted view of the northern lights.
ACCOMMODATION: Tents at the wilderness camp.
MEALS: Breakfast will be the usual buffet at the restaurant. The day will be punctuated with our Pit Stop service throughout the ski leg and you will carry some snacks and fluids in your day pack. See below for Pit Stop specification. Dinner will be freeze dried expedition meals with a main course and pudding provided, along side some tasty local treats.
DAY FOUR: SNOWSHOEING BACK TO KILPISJARVI
We set off today in snow shoes and set our sights on the summit of the mighty Saana, the mountain which dominates the skyline above the village of Kilpisjarvi. It’s 21km on the cards today to the 3 nations cairn for our glorious finishline, before an exhilarating snowmobile transfer back to Kilpisjarvi to celebrate a job well done.
ACCOMMODATION: Twin Bedrooms, Kilpisjarvi.
MEALS: Breakfast will be freeze dried expedition rations. The day will again be punctuated with our Pit Stop service and you will carry some snacks and fluids in your day pack. See below for Pit Stop specification. Dinner is back in the restaurant for one last time enjoyed with a few beers to toast your achievements in the Arctic Circle.
DAY FIVE: RETURN TO TROMSO
After a final breakfast in the restaurant, we will hit the road and head back to Tromso in the morning, aiming to arrive back around 12pm, where the itinerary will end and you are free to fly out or stay around a while in this beautiful city.
ACCOMMODATION: NA
MEALS: Breakfast provided
Our accommodation is split between the comfortable accommodation that we will utilise at Kilpisjarvi (3 nights) and a WILDERNESS CAMP at Lake Saanajarvi.
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is always offered on a double or twin room basis. The wilderness is in twin shared tunnel tents. If you are taking part on your own, you will be paired with another participant of the same sex in a twin room. If you have preferences for who you share with, you are able to specify that prior to departure.
All of our accommodation is of a good standard. The accommodation has all been tried and tested by us on our recce trips.
MEALS
BREAKFAST
Breakfast at the accommodation is a well stocked cooked buffet, with options for everyone. For the camp, we will provide freeze-dried breakfast pouches.
DINNER
At the accommodation is a good quality cooked buffet with all requested dietary needs catered for. On the camp night, we will issue and eat freeze-dried expedition ration-style meals. Tea, coffee and water will typically be available throughout all meals. You will carry your own flask for hot drinks.
PIT STOPS
During the challenge you will have access to our snowmobile Pit Stops twice a day, on the morning of each day you will be asked to make a sandwich with supplies provided, which you will carry with you. We will provide some snacks for you to carry but we would suggest you augment this with your own favourites, including a flask of hot drink, in a day bag also. This ensures you are always self-sufficient with food and fluids.
Pit stops will typically have a minimum of the following available, this is different to our normal offering due to the temperature, conditions and practicalities. In this environment we need you to always have enough food and fluid on you at all times:
Water – Ensure you leave with water bottles and bladders filled so you have enough to get you to the next Pit Stop.
Salty snacks – such as crisps, dried fruit and peanuts, pretzels
Sweets – including local speciality sweet treats ,chocolate etc
Our Pit Stops are there to help supplement any personal sports nutrition plan you may have – if you use gels and other such products – you should plan to bring these with you. If you have any special dietary requirements, then please also plan for this and pack your kit accordingly. Rat Race aim to offer Pit Stop snacks that are tasty and functional, catering to as broad a mix of needs and diets as possible. We have options available that are suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets and availability of this will depend on demand. Rat Race cannot guarantee that the food does not contain contamination from allergens such as nuts or gluten in its preparation or serving.
Please make sure you sanitise your hands prior to eating any food. Please, please, please take care with your trash and help us in our aim of leaving these incredible islands tidier than we find them. This is even more critical in this environment, with any lost trash instantly becoming a choking hazard for the marine life we are here to admire.
The date-range is set and the routes are tried and tested. However, our challenges unfold in some of the most spectacular places on Earth. Sometimes we do have to change plans on account of weather, injury or other unforeseen factors. If we do have to do so, you will be informed and usually, these unforeseen changes simply add to the flavour of proceedings and provide for a good story to tell at day’s end! That having been said, our route is likely to remain largely intact, regardless of any on-the-ground changes.
We are mindful that people will inevitably have varying distances to travel to get to Tromso. Our pickup is at 0900 on the 1st day of our itinerary, we would therefore recommend you arrive the night before our trip starts. Our pickup location is in the city centre and we will then have a 3 hour transfer to our remote accommodation. On return we expect to get you back to Tromso at midday, we therefore recommend you book outbound flights after 3pm if you are leaving that day. We will do a drop it in the city and at the airport.
We have designed this challenge so that you may travel at your own pace. See below for our notes on route-finding and guidance. There will also be some cut-offs, but in the true Rat Race tradition these will be generous and we will always look to help you to achive your goals in finishing this challenge, vs having to pull out. Of course, we will give you some early starts to allow the very best possible window for route completion. But, if you need us and if you need to abandon the route for whatever reason, we are there for you and can pick you up on our snowmobiles. The absolute key is that you enjoy this amazing journey through the Arctic North; at your own pace and within your own limits.
The entire route is guided and waymarked, there is not need for you to navigate with your own device.
We will use a mixture of safety staff on snowmobiles, pit stops and (where road-access is possible) support vehicles to support you at intervals by our mobile ‘pit stop’ team. So, if it does get too much, if you get injured, get too cold, need sustenance, motivational support or otherwise, we should be able to assist. You are in good hands.
In general terms, we will expect you to be fairly self-contained on each stage with a daypack, containing food and drink plus some spare clothing and emergency supplies. This will allow you to be self-sufficient for large parts of the route when you cannot access our support services. It is also good practice to be self-contained in this part of the World.
You will be transferred from Tromso to Kilpisjarvi, which is a small village in Finland and is the hub from which our adventure unfolds. Kilpisjarvi is a 3 hour drive from Tromso, allowing for time to stop and buy some food. All transfers throughout the challenge are fully inclusive within the format. At the end of the challenge, we will return to Tromso and the airport, aiming to arrive back to the airport around 12pm.
Click Buy Event Voucher Now and go through the sign up process, you’ll then be issued with an event voucher which will automatically reserve you a place in the event you have chosen.
Yes. You need a decent travel policy covering you for general travel and which covers participation in outdoor sports. You will also need what is called an Evacuation Insurance Policy, which is for if we need to send you back to the closest city for urgent medical attention via a helicopter or similar. We also recommend you have this in place as soon as you enter this event and that if you book flights, we highly recommend booking a flexible option for any last-minute changes you might need to make or to ensure you have maximum flexibility if you cannot attend for any reason.
Travel insurance is compulsory for our events, so please make sure your insurance policy covers the activities you will be participating in. There are a number of specialist providers available including Mann Broadbent.
No problem. Where we use hotels, rooms are offered on a twin / shared basis. If you wish to share with a fellow participant, you will be asked to add this information to your event participation form which we will issue you with approximately 3 months ahead of the event.
The short answer is no. The price for this event is for everything outlined on the website and it is very difficult for us to split this out. Our accommodation is based on group rates and is on a shared basis. All of our event logistics, support and organisation has been designed to have all the participants in the same locations to allow transfers, briefings etc to run smoothly and to let you bond with your fellow #ratracers!
A fat bike. This is inclusive within your entry fee.
We do recommend a very basic intro to cross-country skiing to have been completed as a minimum, but this is all. Novice skiers are very much encouraged on this event; the route is well equipped for both beginners and experienced skiers. You will get the opportunity for a 90 min guided ski lesson on arrival and you will also be provided with all equipment necessary for the ski stage.
This is of course a big challenge set over multiple winter disciplines and over multiple days. BUT the Rat Race ethos is to set extraordinary challenges for ordinary people. You do not need super-technical skills or to be a seasoned endurance athlete. It is a wonderfully varied route and the Arctic North will truly delight. You so need a good base fitness. But this route is definitely designed to be ‘doable allowing a maximum time of 10 hours per day to complete the stage. The average times range from 6-9 hours depending on ability.
We have firm emergency protocols and response systems in place whilst out on our adventures. Our main priority above all else is to keep you and our staff safe. Before we leave for each trip a comprehensive in-country risk and threat assessment has been conducted by the Head of Expeditions. All protocols are put in place relating to those assessments. We make sure that the staff involved have the highest level of first aid training; a higher level of medical cover is also put in place if needed; all instructors have qualifications and/ or competencies to match the adventure we will undertake. In the event of an emergency, Rat Race staff and appointed contractors have comprehensive knowledge of procedures which will rapidly be put in place. If needed, our staff will provide first aid and then further medical assistance and evacuation if needed in line with a published Medical Procedures Plan. We have medical back-up and Clinical Directorship provided by a specialist events medical company and we have further emergency response support services provided by competent contracted partner. All our cover is available 24/7 while operations are underway. We use our knowledge and emergency procedures to provide the best possible care in our often remote and austere environments. Before leaving on a trip, we will advise on the insurance cover you are required to have in place for the trip; we will ask for a copy of these insurance details before the departure date.
Once you’ve signed up, you will receive a confirmation email. After that, you will be kept in the loop closer to the event when we will send out our Essential Event Information approximately three months ahead of the event, detailing the full itinerary, what you need to bring and other important information relating to the specific event you have signed up for. We will also host webinars which you will be invited to (again, closer to the event), where you will have the opportunity to ask questions and go through your kit. There will be a final email one month ahead of the event, just to check you’ve completed all the important forms and are ready for the event ahead.
If you have chosen to pay in instalments, we will also contact you if any of your payments have been missed. Please ensure you regularly check your spam folders and have events@ratrace.com and noreply@ratraceentries.com added to your ‘approved / safe’ email senders.
Getting to the start line is important and we are there to help you as best we can. However, if you feel on reflection that it is just not your time yet, we do have a transfer system that you can use to transfer out, receive Rat Race credit and come back again next year or do something else. Credit is typically valid for 12 months and there is a fee to be paid for transferring out in this way. We want to be really clear that this option is there for you if you need it, but it does have a deadline. View our full terms and conditions here.
Race entry includes a brilliant finishers medal and bespoke event Rat Race tech tee. We will request your t-shirt size in the event details form 3 months ahead of the event and this will be the size you will be given at Registration.