NUTS Karhunkierros Trail 2027

Run deep into the wild Finnish taiga! NUTS Karhunkierros is an iconic trail and ultrarunning race in northern Finland (the Ruka / Kuusamo area), following the famous Bear’s Trail through Oulanka National Park. Runners can choose punishing ultra distances (160 km and 83 km) as well as shorter routes (34 km and 13 km) 🏃🌲. The course delights with suspension bridges over rushing rivers, austere forests, and rocky ridgelines, and the May–June sun shines here for almost the entire day.

After the race—and the obligatory warm-up in a Finnish sauna—the Ruka–Kuusamo region offers the calm of the wild north: Take the Pieni Karhunkierros loop (Little Bear Trail) to see the historic Myllykoski mill and cross charming suspension bridges over the foaming river 🌉.With the family, visit a local reindeer farm (Porotila), where you can get up close with these remarkable animals and feed them reindeer lichen 🦌.Then climb up to the Konttainen viewpoint or the Valtavaara ridge, where a spectacular panorama opens up over an endless sea of green forests and lakes 🏔️.

To finish the day, have a creamy, hearty salmon soup (Lohikeitto), traditional stewed reindeer venison (Poronkäristys) served with mashed potatoes and cranberries, and for dessert try the golden cloudberry (Lakka) 🐟🫐