I am 54 years old and still as excited as I was as a little boy when I first went into the wilderness or along a river full of fish with my father. I have traveled countless times in the wilderness, both with groups of various sizes and alone. I went on my first hikes when I was 5-6 years old child and since then Lapland and the wilderness have lived in me. I lived in Ii during my childhood and teenage years, near the border of Lapland province, and it was easy to go on trips of various lengths with my father here and there to the wilderness (skiing or hiking), to fish, canoe and berry forests.

As a young adult, work and life took me to southern Finland and I spent my off-season years in Pirkanmaa. I spent about 30 years there, but the call of the wilderness of Lapland was strong and every year I had to spend at least a week there, sometimes even longer. And every time I went there, I felt that it was good for me to be here. However, life kept me firmly in southern Finland until 2019, when it began to look like I could move permanently to Lapland, when the youngest of my children reached the age of majority. I spent my time looking for an apartment and a place to live, until I found one in Levi in ​​the spring of 2022. Since then, I have lived in Levi and employed myself as an entrepreneur in the Fell Lapland region.

In 2019, I trained as a fishing guide and in 2022 as a wilderness guide. In the spring and winter of 2023, I achieved the qualification of an avalanche technician in terms of snow safety.

Training and titles

• Fishing guide
• Wilderness guide
• Canoeing Instructor
• Ski Instructor, Alpine, Level 3.
• Ski Instructor, telemark 1
• Ski Instructor, Cross-country skiing
• Avalanche technician, Finlav Pro 2
• Ski Patrol 2
• Carpenter
• Arborist
  

I want to offer you and your group part of my expertise on how to hike safely, whether with your own group or alone. Safety is the main focus of my backcountry skiing trips, with enjoyment being a side benefit. On fishing excursions, I will guide you to fish-rich waters and show you the tricks to catch that record-breaking grayling or the highland lake trout and arctic char with your lure.

Where did the idea of starting your own guiding company come from?

I have been thinking about starting my own guiding company for years, but establishing it hasn’t been a quick process; it has required a journey of many years. Entrepreneurship itself is familiar to me, but the tourism industry is uncharted territory, and I needed to study it a bit. I completed training as a fishing guide and a wilderness guide, and I worked at Levin Ski Resort, which gave me confidence in my own work in the tourism sector.

The guiding principle is to provide services that customers want to experience. My operations are often based on customer preferences, and I almost always customize the trips according to what the customers desire.

How did the company name, Adventure Marmot, come about?

The name of my company, Adventure Marmot, or 'Retkimurmeli' in Finnish, is the result of long contemplation. I wanted a cheerful and fun name. Alternatives included names like 'Adventurous Fox,' 'Artic Fox,' and 'Lemming,' but I felt that their pronunciation and spelling did not fit as well as 'marmot.' There’s something cute and perhaps even childish about it, as well as fun, as can be seen from the logo. The smiling marmot exudes positive energy.
Adventure Marmot is part of Fishgu Oy (Fishing Guide Services).

Welcome to my guided tours to experience stunning and unforgettable nature experiences.
Best regards, Janne Hapuoja