Price and donations
The base price for the retreat is €420 (including 25.5% VAT). This covers travel costs for the teachers and managers, the base camp rent, bus transportation, food, and other practical expenses. The bus from Rovaniemi to the retreat starting point is included in the fee; travel tickets to Rovaniemi and back and meals during the travelling are not included.
We feel that the financial situation should not prevent anybody from participating, and we can offer a reduced fee when needed. If the base price is too high for you, please contact us at retriitit2@nirodha.fi to discuss how much you can contribute.
The teachers and organizers do not receive any payment for their services but offer them freely so that as many people as possible can access the teachings, regardless of their financial situation. This principle of generosity is central to the Buddha’s teachings and has enabled meditation practice to continue for over 2,500 years.
At the end of the retreat, participants will have the opportunity to offer donations to support the work of the teachers and organizers; we ask you to take a payment card or cash with you for this. The teachers live primarily off on donations.
Registration and Cancellation policy
You can sign up for the retreat by filling in the registration form. Once you have registered, you will receive an invoice for the 35 euros registration fee. A separate invoice and payment instructions for the remaining balance will be sent via email. Please pay both invoices by the due date using the provided reference number, or your place will be given to the next person on the waiting list.
If you need to cancel your participation, we kindly ask that you tell us as soon as possible, so we can give your place to someone else. The registration fee is non-refundable. If you cancel after paying the full participation fee, we can only refund the balance if we can find another participant to fill in the empty place. The payment cannot be transferred to another retreat.
If you are coming from abroad, please note that we are not able to provide any documents for visa applications because of limited resources.
Retreat Schedule and Travel Arrangements
The retreat begins on Saturday, 20 June. We will meet at Rovaniemi railway station at 7:20 AM and travel by chartered bus to the retreat site, stopping for a meal break along the way. On the first day, we will hike approximately 3.5 km from the road to our base camp. The retreat ends on Saturday, 27 June, with the bus returning to Rovaniemi railway station by 8:45 PM.
Recommended night train schedules from Southern Finland:
- Helsinki–Rovaniemi: Unfortunately the night train on the 19th is still unpublished on the VR site due to scheduled trail maintenance. This train would arrive at Rovaniemi train station on the 20th at 7.20 AM. Keep checking the site for updates. If there will be no night shift published, we recommend you to arrive in Rovaniemi during the 19th of June with a day train or bus.
- Rovaniemi–Helsinki: Sat 27 June, 21:00 – Sun 28 June, 09:15
Train tickets are not included in the retreat price. You can purchase the train tickets from vr.fi.
(VR’s sleeper cabins are already available for purchase, and buying tickets early can save you on travel costs. The cabin price is the same whether you purchase a sleeping spot for one or two people. You can therefore buy two tickets at the same price and sell the second sleeping spot closer to the retreat to another participant.)
If you plan to arrive in Akumaja by your own means (approx. 30 km from Karigasniemi), please contact us in advance.
Retreat Conditions
Weather in northern Finland in June varies greatly from year to year. It can be sunny and warm, even hot, but rain and at night also frost and even snow are possible. The most likely daytime temperatures range between 0–20°C. Mosquitoes may be a major issue, and it is good to be prepared; there might be big swarms of mosquitoes and other biting insects. A mosquito hat, insect repellent and perhaps a mosquito jacket, too, are worth having.
Accommodation is available either in Akumaja or in your own tent. Please indicate in the registration form if you do not have a tent and would prefer to sleep indoors. A warm sleeping bag is required. We will prepare our meals primarily using camping stoves. The campsite has a dry toilet and a possibility to wash yourself.
Daily hikes will be several hours long, sometimes in trackless terrain with marshes, boulders, and steep slopes. We will wade across small streams. There are no nearby cabins, so we are likely to encounter few, if any, other hikers.
Packing List and Insurance
A detailed packing list can be found here. If you lack any equipment, consider borrowing from friends or renting.
Participants are not insured through Nirodha. We recommend having personal insurance covering hiking in Lapland.
Food
Meals will be made from lightweight camping food. We will have three meals a day and some snacks for all, but you may want to bring your own snacks too. All food is vegan. If you wish you may bring your own non-vegan food with you. Please indicate any allergies on the registration form. Drinking water will come from clean natural waters.
The retreat is an alcohol- and drug-free event and we also encourage people not to smoke during the retreat.
Lastly
We will send participants additional information closer to the retreat.
If you have any questions, please contact us (info below). We hope this retreat will be a unique and beautiful experience for all!
You are warmly welcome,
Elli Alasaari (retreat manager), ellialasaari@gmail.com
Marianne (Nella) Woodbury (registrations), retriitit2@nirodha.fi, +1 470 641 7056 (WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage)