I want to go to the Rally of Finland next year.

I would like to book through a rally tour company (that most of you are aware of). I received the latest tour brochure at the weekend and the 5 day trip looks good.

Who has done the package before?
What is the food and hotels like?

I would like to hear lots of good things about it (as I am trying to convince a mate to come along too).

Thanks :)

I want to go to the Rally of Finland next year.

I would like to book through a rally tour company (that most of you are aware of). I received the latest tour brochure at the weekend and the 5 day trip looks good.

Who has done the package before?
What is the food and hotels like?

I would like to hear lots of good things about it (as I am trying to convince a mate to come along too).

Thanks :)Good choice!! :thumb:

I've done the 1000 lakes 3 times now (My wife is finnish and we lived in Finland for 2 years).

Everyone depicts finland as cold and wintery. True, it is, but only over winter. In the summer months it is beautiful, warm & sunny. My mates were surprised to be wearing shorts and no tops watching a rally, especially after years of RAC Rally abuse.

It's an amazing rally, the speed is very noticeable over the RAC and you do get some "yump" action. If you're planning to go to Ojinpoihja (sp?) - we called it Onion Burger. Then get there super early, very popular stage!!

The food is the same as ours, you'll get whatever you want. They do like a lot of fish though. Instead of the "hog-fat-vans" of the RAC, you get nice Makkara. - Which is finnish sausage. They dead nice. Always export some. :)

I don't know how much the package deals are, but you could wing-it. Ryan Air fly to Tampere, the west coast of Finland, for cheap, hire a car from there and head upto Jyvaskylla. We've always stayed in friends summer cottages. One year i did book through Jyvaskylla tourist office to get a cottage. It was about half an hours drive from the epi-centre, was lavishly furnished and super cheap.

The ticket prices are much cheaper than rip-off britain too. I think about 50 euros.

There's a good chance i'll be going next summer too, having missed the last two years (No WRC brits :cry: )

If colin signs, i'll definitely be going again. I guess i'll have to get used to the abuse from friends "If you wanna win, take a finn".

Hope that helps...

PS. Don't forget mosquito spray, the buggers love me.
PPS. Sauna, swim in lake, drinking beer lOOking at the Finnish night sky, fantastic!! Someone has poked lots more holes in the black blanket when you lOOk up, second to none for me

If you want an organised trip try Rallytravel. We went to Catalunya with them a couple of years ago and it was spot on. Clear instructions of how to get to the best places and lots of other useful info.

Mark, that is who I was talking about at the start of my post, but I did not want it to be seen as advertising so I did not say the company name.

Gaz thanks for the tips, never even thought about bugs.

As a veggie will I struggle with food as I get the impression the Finns are keen on meat and fish?

Mark, that is who I was talking about at the start of my post, but I did not want it to be seen as advertising so I did not say the company name.

Gaz thanks for the tips, never even thought about bugs.

As a veggie will I struggle with food as I get the impression the Finns are keen on meat and fish?
Oh yeah, the mozzies are out in force in August, and what with all the still water etc...

You might struggle on stage a little, but you'll find the selection better than the "vans" on say the RAC. The "vans" over there have much nicer selection of food, makkara is the biggest seller, but they will do pastries and that kinda thing too and i'm almost positive a veggie dish, so you should be OK.

My cousin who joined us one year is a strict vegan and she survived. :)

Went last year with rally travel, i cant remember the tour code but i was somethin like FINGOLD it was the one were you land at the airport and they do the rest fot you. Hotel was basic but had everything you needed and also had a nice gym and sauna food was again basic but very nice, breakfast was a buffet with loads of choice. A little far to travel in the morning ( think they are using the same hotel for 06 ) but as you were just jumpin out of bed and just sittin on a coach that was OK. Rally itself was great, loved going to shakedown as you got to speak to the drivers and have a good look round the cars. Had a great time and would defo use rallytravel again. Also at Tampere airport there was a guy from select motor travel ( sorry dont no web address ) who seemed to offer great deals based very near rally HQ if you wanted to be near the partyin. I am using them for my trip to Le-mans so i will have a hunt through my paperwork to find the web site.......

Nicci penfold118 is correct it is the fin gold tour with rally travel. We are thinking of going to this one as well. just booked up to go to sweden in feb with these. and you can book to go on exclusive tour of subaru rally team at sevice to see the cars and drivers it is a two hour tour with some subaru merchandise at the end it is about £65.?

Good company, they really look after you, the packed lunch isnt to bad either. It does get a little hectic some mornigs we were out at 4 am and not back till 11pm so not much free time, we decided to miss the after party and relax at the hotel for a afternoon/evening, depends how much you like partying....! Another advantage of the FINGOLD package are the rooms, think they were slightly larger and a view over the lake, but as you dont spend that much time there it doesnt make much difrence.

P.S. Harvey1. Potters for Premiership ? ;-)

No flights available with Ryan air now.

Flight is looking pricey.

What is this 4am start?? I realised that there would be an early start, but that is shocking ...lol

Went a few years ago - Ryan air to Tampere (just like an exclusive rally comapny :rolleyes: ) and then a hire car.

I remember Finland for leaving bars at 4-5 am than anything else......well most local blokes seem to be bladdered by 11 am too :D

What is this 4am start?? I realised that there would be an early start, but that is shocking ...lol

It goes with the territory Nicci but you do get used to it eventually ;) WRC stages get very busy so in order to minimise the amount of walking you have to do from the car park and to enable you to get a good spot (particularly at the more popular places) you need to get there early. We're normally in bed by about 9.30pm when we're on WRC events :eek: but we're there to see the best rally drivers in the world not the inside of a bar so getting out early takes priority :D

No flights available with Ryan air now.

Flight is looking pricey.

What is this 4am start?? I realised that there would be an early start, but that is shocking ...lol

I took a sleeping bag and fell asleep :-) got woke by one of the marshalls comin through...! Perfect.... 15 minutes later the 1st car came through

I went to Finland this year with 4 friends - organised the trip by myself, booked the flights through Finnair, the ski chalet (about 10kms from Jyvaskyla) through Tiina Bjork at the tourist centre and a hire 4x4 through budget.
total cost for 5 was around £350 each

The comments regarding Ouninpohja are correct, we got there at 5am this year, and had to settle for 2nd row with poor line of sight - the majority of good seats were taking by people camping out overnight.

If you do decide to get a hire car and drive, nominate a designated driver, ideally for the week (I don't drink so I did all the driving) the Finns have a zero tolerance policy for blood alcohol level and they do regular roadside checks (I got breathalised 3 times in 5 days)

It is, of course, down to personal choice, but I wouldn't consider doing an organised trip as I like to do my own thing, we saw 3 different stages each day (minimum) and met most of the drivers at the shakedown stage.

In conclusion, a great event and definately one I'd go back to.

Does anyone know if the Ryanair flights have sold out or just not fully available yet (as I changed flight dates and still nothing showed).

Rallyfan, I would prefer an organised tour as my first WRC outing as I have no idea what to expect, but I would consider arranging something myself at a later date.

Went with rally travel in 2005 saw Shakedown, Super special, 3 stages and service Friday, 3 stages on Saturday, and 2 stages and finish on Sunday + booze up in HQ town on Sunday evening. Met some guys who had gone to the Monte with Select travel, who Penfold's going to le Mans with, and the guy had them up at 4:30am and then took them to the wrong stage so mised the Col de Turini completely(LOL)! Best with them for sticking to the roundy roundy stuff..

Ryannair flights have sold out for certain dates - at this time it is still possible to fly from London to Tampere leaving on Aug 15th and returning on August 21st for £120 - add car hire to this and it's a cheap way of seeing WRC Finland.

My flights are booked with Ryanair, availability on the later flights (15th and 21st) is now open (if anyone else wants to book)

Just waiting for the final OK from David at Rally Travel.

Finland here I come. :D

this is the one i want to go abroad for - quality event

Watching Gigi Galli come over the yellow house jump on Ouninpohja this year was worth the cost on its own!!
No lift, no hesitation, just flat out committed stage driving - he had the longest distance off the ground of anyone.
The award for the highest jump goes to the Utting crew in their N10 though - I have a pic of them at full height and you could have walked under the car!!

We went a couple of years ago and flew to Helsinki and hired a car, we stopped in Jyvaskyla. The event to so well organised it was very easy to get to and from stages and most people speak English. I can honestly say it was the best Rally ive ever been to ....its one youve realy got to go to.