Hovercraft and ice swimming in Helsinki: Survival suit experience
You float among ice rafts in a heated survival suit, completely dry.
An activity in the frozen Helsinki archipelago where you ride a hovercraft or ice-breaking steel boat, swim among ice rafts wearing a survival suit, and finish with campfire lunch on the frozen sea. The experience runs 3.5 hours and includes all equipment, the guide, pickup from Helsinki city or the airport, and coffee or tea. Children from age 6 are welcome; it suits anyone with basic fitness, though it is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with cardiovascular concerns.
The Experience
You start on the east side of Helsinki and head into the deep-frozen archipelago in a hovercraft or, if ice conditions limit it, an ice-breaking steel boat. The choice depends on what the sea offers that day. The boat breaks through the wall of ice or runs over snow, and the empty archipelago opens around you — no crowds, no land in sight, just the white expanse and the sound of the engine. A live guide in English, Finnish or Swedish narrates the ride and explains what you are seeing.
Once you reach the frozen sea, you put on a survival suit — it keeps you completely warm and dry even when you are in the water. You float among ice rafts, moving through the landscape in a way most people never do. Running on the floating ice is part of it too, when the conditions allow. The suit does the work; you just move and feel the strange buoyancy of the frozen world around you.
The day ends on the island with a campfire lunch cooked in the open air, coffee or tea, and a walk through the frozen landscape. Pickup and drop-off are arranged from Helsinki city or the airport, so you do not drive yourself or navigate to the coast.
What’s included
- Hovercraft or ice-breaking steel boat ride into the archipelago.
- survival suit and all equipment for ice swimming.
- campfire lunch cooked on the frozen sea.
- coffee or tea.
- a guided walk on the ice.
- live guide in English, Finnish or Swedish.
- pickup and drop-off from Helsinki city or the airport.
Operated by REDRIB EXPERIENCE OY LTD
Is this one for you?Reach the frozen archipelago in a single afternoon from Helsinki—the hovercraft cuts through ice to empty waters where you'll walk on the sea and float among ice rafts in a survival suit.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What do I wear in the water during the ice swimming part?
A survival suit keeps you warm and dry while you float among the ice rafts. The suit is included, and it handles the cold so you stay comfortable the whole time.
Can children do this activity?
Children from age 6 are welcome on the hovercraft ride, the ice walk and the campfire lunch. They wear a survival suit too if they go in the water.
What happens if the ice is not thick enough?
On days when ice conditions are limited, you travel in an ice-breaking steel boat instead of the hovercraft. Either way, you still reach the archipelago and do the ice swimming and campfire lunch.
Is pickup from Helsinki included?
Yes, pickup and drop-off are included from Helsinki city or the airport. You do not need to arrange transport to the coast yourself.
How long does the whole experience take?
The activity runs 3.5 hours from pickup to drop-off, including the hovercraft or boat ride, the ice swimming, the campfire lunch and the walk on the frozen sea.
Hovercraft and ice swimming in Helsinki: Survival suit experience
3h 30m · EN · FI +1 · at your hotel
from € 350 per person
★★★★★★★★★★5.0027 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider
