You are warmly welcome to a spring retreat for wellbeing, indulgence, and balance on Lapland's gleaming spring snow.
8. – 11.4.2027
Springtime Lapland offers the perfect setting for stopping and reflecting: clear light, silence, vast fell landscapes, and nature's calming rhythm. This is a time when the nervous system can rest, and body and mind return to their natural balance.
This retreat is not about pushing or developing – but about enjoyment, recovery, and balance
What is experienced on a retreat?
Gentle morning and evening yoga
Spring trips in the fells at a leisurely pace
Snowshoeing in the sun (without performing)
Intensified eruption and deep recovery
Sauna, ice swimming and Northern Lights
Inspiring yet light-hearted talks on life and balance.
Good food and unhurried moments
Silence, laughter and presence
All of the programme is voluntary – you can participate as much or as little as you feel.
We will hear inspiring stories from wellbeing coach Karita Aaltonen, tourism entrepreneur Heidi Jokela, and Evelina Tistegren. Where have they found the creativity and inspiration to act with an open mind and as pioneers? What does it take to dare to jump into the new with your heart leading and to find your own way of working that is simultaneously productive but also ”passion”?.
The Arctic nature is powerful and the connection to the ancient wisdom of the fells – to the grounding energy of mother earth – calls you to pause by nature.
The retreat will be held at the Taivaanvalkeat experience hotel in Levi's Könkä village, just eight kilometers from Levi, in the Ounasjoki riverside scenery.
No street lights, no demands, just peace.
Address: Palosaarentie 30, Köngäs
You can get to Taivaanvalkei with your own car or we can pick you up from Levi or Kittilä airport.
Tentative program (schedule and Excursion destinations may change due to weather conditions):
THURSDAY 8.4.
15:00-16:00 Check-in at the Taivaanvalkeat experiential hotel in the Konkkä village of Levi.
16:00 Retreat information. We'll enjoy Lapland's power drinks and get to know each other a little.
We descend into the energies of Lapland with a body-rooting exercise, followed by drum relaxation / Heidi
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Evening long yin yoga / Karita
19:30 Dinner at the Elf Village restaurant
Possibility to participate in an evening walk in Tonttula's fairytale forest.
21:00 Sauna
FRIDAY 9.4.
8-9 Gentle morning yoga / Karita
9-10 Breakfast in Tonttula
10:30 Departure to the fells & snowshoe excursion
At the top of Levi Utsuvaara, we do a presence exercise and feel the energy of the fells flowing into our hearts. We walk calmly on snowshoes along the fell paths, admiring the spring flowers and the wonderful fell landscapes that continue as far as the eye can see. At Lappish kota hut, we enjoy lunch by the fire in the spirit of Lapland. Drum ceremony.
17-18 Lecture: DARE TO SHINE / Karita Aaltonen
18-19 Dinner at the Elf's Hamlet restaurant
19-21 We get to relax in the gentle baths of Taivaanvalkeat traditional Finnish wood-heated sauna, we enjoy peat masks and herbal foot baths. The bravest can take a dip in the cool water of Ounasjoki river. Myths, magic and age-old traditional knowledge can fit into a sauna moment.
The night arrives in the North and the stars light up twinkling in the sky, if we are lucky we get to admire the dance of the Northern Lights as the night darkens.
MONDAY 10.4.
8 Gentle morning yoga / Karita
9 Breakfast in Tonttula
10 Departure to Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park for the mythical chain of seven fells.
Arctic nature is powerful and beautiful. We summit one of Pallas' keros with snowshoes. From Pallas, the whole of Tunturi-Lappi opens up in front of us. Nature bathing in the spring sun makes our hearts sparkle.
We enjoy a delicious meal at kota hut and relax listening to the ancient sound of the drum.
15:00-17:00 Arctic Sauna World - sauna world and ice swimming
18:30 Dinner at Tonttula restaurant
20:00 Lecture: INTUITION IN THE LIFE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR, Heidi Jokela
Sunday 11.4.
8 Gentle morning yoga
9 Breakfast in Tonttula
10-11 am Lecture: Eveliina Tistelgren
11 Women's circle and closing ceremonies
12 Journey towards home begins
If you have any questions, please contact us.
If you arrive in Levi before the start of the retreat or want to continue your vacation after the retreat, please contact Heidi.
Please inform us of any special dietary requirements: heidi@polarstartravel.fi
You need weather-appropriate outdoor clothes and equipment, a yoga mat (if you have one), flexible/comfortable clothes for yoga, wool socks and other comfortable loungewear, a swimsuit and note-taking equipment.
The rooms have bed linen and towels.
The retreat includes meals according to the program, accommodation in a double room (extra charge for single room) and all the program.
You can take a snack and evening snack with you according to your preference.
1036 EUR per person
230 eur/person additional fee for a 1-bedroom room
The price includes accommodation in a double room at Hotel Taivaanvalkeat, the meals mentioned in the itinerary, and the varied programme described above.
Retreat fee:
300 eur / registration fee. To be paid at the time of registration via the link on the right.
736 EUR / Final payment for retreat by 9 March 2027
Cancellation terms:
Refund of 50%% of the registration fee before 8.2.2027
10-11 March 2027 Final payment to be returned €736
9.3-8.4.2027 Payments are non-refundable.
We recommend taking out travel insurance, in case of a possible obstacle.
Karita Aaltonen | Wellness coach, entrepreneur
Karita Aaltonen is a wellness coach, yoga teacher, author and host of the popular TerveysSummit program. She travels around the world leading welfare trips and is involved in wildlife protection projects as well as helping orphans. Her greatest passion is to help people find their own inner resources, both at work and in their free time - and to live an inspiring life just like their own.
"What does my soul want?"
How to build a work well-being model where you can shine and use your own strengths. Do work that you would do for free, because it's simply so nice.
"Things don't happen to you – they happen for you"
Karita searched for meaning in life throughout the "old life". Something was calling but she didn't know what. Jobs changed, so did cities and countries. Finding "it" came from a very surprising place. From being seriously ill with brain cancer. And it had to be the worst of its kind, glioblastoma, grade IV.
Karita has always been interested in the power of the mind. Karita also believes that even those "bad and evil" things have a big meaning in life. They are our greatest teachers and lead us towards our own life mission, Dharma.
Karita wants to bring everything she has learned to help you.
Karita has written the books: Uskalla parantua – an incredible story of hope and the power of the mind, and the books Valoa lautasella – heal with pure nutrition and Valon vuosi – make dreams come true together with Kaie Hakonen. Her latest book is: Aikuisen Naisen voimakirja – everything is possible when you believe in your dreams.
What we pay attention to increases. So think what you think. Start building your own life according to your own values. If you do things in conflict with your own values, it will not do you any good. You are responsible for yourself and your choices. I want to tell you to DARE! Dare to live the life you think is what you really feel. It feels so good that it sparkles and your soul sings. Trust the flow of life and the events along your path. People don't just "drop" in front of you - they often have a reason.
Heidi Jokela | Tourism entrepreneur
Heidi Jokela, who moved from the world to Lapland, is the mother of a large family and a travel entrepreneur from Levi. She moved abroad at a young age and enjoyed herself there for 18 years, studying and successfully creating a career. Then came the longing to return to Finland to grow roots, and so the road led through Helsinki to Lapland. Nature has always been close to Heidi's heart. In Lapland, she was attracted by the ancient fells and the wild and mystical power of arctic nature.
This woman is an incredible example of how the right things happen when you strongly trust and believe in your own vision. First a man was found and a family was founded, and then it was the company's turn. Heidi has found inspiration in the arctic nature of the fells and has developed nature experiences for thousands and thousands of travelers.
Growing the company and making it successful has required a lot of work, perseverance and faith in your own vision. Running and growing a company in the middle of peak years, as a mother of a new family and small twins, has taught me a lot about female entrepreneurship. Both husband and children are used to being involved in the company's everyday life.
Heidi likes to drum at home by the fire and admire the northern lights in the northern sky. Relaxing drumming and moving in nature are her way of letting go of the stressful everyday life of an entrepreneur.
