We are a Lappish, family-run business with two generations of experience in organising wilderness experiences in nature. We know Lapland and want to share our knowledge and tales with you, in order for you to receive the utmost once-in-a-lifetime experiences and heart-warming atmosphere in the Arctic conditions here in the north.
Kylmämaan Ohjelmat Oy is a family-run business founded in 1988 that has long traditions being a provider of activity programmes. Founder Mauri Kylmämaa was awarded Kolari’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2008. Kylmämaan Ohjelmat Oy has been awarded the Q1000 Certificate in the quality programme customised for tourism enterprises.
Over the years we have served visitors from dozens of nations, heads of state and numerous business leaders. Our base in Ylläs is our Safari House in the Ylläsjärvi resort. We also operate throughout the year at LappeanLohi in Lappea in the Tornionjoki River Valley.
We are also a local DMC (Destination Management Company) and we provide almost everything you need for your holiday, starting from transportation and accommodation. Kylmämaa is the only local activity programme company in Ylläsjärvi. The experienced, competent and genuinely local employees are very familiar with the entire Ylläs district, Lappea and neighbouring regions and organise activities throughout the year. The company employs two people full time and more during the high season.
Our company offers a substantial number of ready activity programmes, and new programmes are being constantly developed. Programmes are also designed based on customer preferences, and we compile programmes to create entireties ideal for you! All of our programmes are always implemented with consideration for safety and environmental perspectives.
Personnel
Marika Kylmämaa
Marika came to work for the family business in August 2013. Having been brought up in an entrepreneurial family herself, she was never supposed to become an entrepreneur, but as the years went by, Marika changed her mind and returned back to work in the family business. Years flew by living in southern Finland and abroad. She has a family of two children and a dog and most of her free time is spent outdoors with them.
Marika’s motto is that everything always works out for the best and everything has a purpose.
Marika is responsible for company sales and marketing, and her official title is Managing Director. Contact Marika by calling +358 400 397 484 or email marika.kylmamaa@kylmamaa.fi
Heikki Piirainen
Lapland and the Northern part of Finland have always fascinated him and he has spent most of his holidays in Lapland fishing along the rivers and at the fells hunting. Finally, the right moment came across and he was able to make his dreams come true. He signed up for the wilderness guiding school in Muonio and graduated as a wilderness guide in 2019 and started working for Kylmämaa the same fall.
Mauri ’Maukka’ Kylmämaa
Mauri started working as an entrepreneur in 1988, once work finished at the Rautuvaara Mine. In the beginning, he ran a travel agency in connection with his wife Riitta-Liisa's bookshop, which later expanded into activity programmes. Back in 1988, there were not that many activity programme enterprises in Ylläs. Mauri himself worked a number of years as a guide and over the years he has done a little less guiding work, but still works actively in the company, although officially he has reached the age of retirement.
Mauri still takes care of the financial administration and transportation of the company, a jack of all trades. His official title is Chairman of the Board of Directors.