Safaris
If you operate as a safari entrepreneur and use state-owned land in your operations, you must agree on the safari activities and the snowmobile tracks used in them with Metsähallitus in advance.
Agreement on safari activities
If you use state-owned land in your safari activities, you need a Metsähallitus safari consent or track agreement. This may apply to Metsähallitus’ permit tracks and/or company tracks. The Metsähallitus permit tracks are located in Northern and Eastern Finland and they can be viewed in the track map. Company tracks are separately agreed routes or tracks outside of permit tracks.
Your company must have a safari consent or track agreement with Metsähallitus before applying for a safari-specific off-road permit. If your company does not have an agreement with Metsähallitus, read more below in the Apply to be a safari entrepreneur section.
Safari-specific off-road permit (safari notification)
In addition to a safari consent or track agreement, you also need a safari-specific off-road permit, which means you must submit a safari notification. A safari-specific off-road permit covers the tracks and routes included in your safari consent.
In practice, safari notifications are handled electronically in the Business Portal, where your company is assigned a user ID after receiving a safari consent or signing a track agreement. One completed safari notification is a safari-specific off-road permit. Each safari must have its own permit. The safari notification must be filled in before the safari trip begins. In addition to the date, record the number of snowmobiles and the route that will be used.
Prices
Safarikohtaisen maastoliikenneluvan eli safari-ilmoituksen hinta määräytyy käytettävien ajoneuvojen lukumäärän mukaan (mukaan lukien oppaiden ja asiakkaiden ajoneuvot):
The price of a safari-specific off-road permit (safari notification) is determined according to the number of vehicles (including those used by guides and customers):
- 1–3 vehicles: €10/day
- 4–6 vehicles: €25/day
- 7 or more vehicles: €40/day
Remember that you need a safari entrepreneur user ID to report a safari. If you want to register as a safari entrepreneur, read more below in the Apply to be a safari entrepreneur section.
Apply to be a safari entrepreneur
Apply for a safari consent or track agreement from Metsähallitus. Metsähallitus primarily accepts documents in electronic format: kirjaamo(at)metsa.fi. The postal address is Metsähallitus/Kirjaamo, P.O. Box 80, FI-00521 Helsinki.
When do you need an off-road permit?
If you use company tracks located in areas managed by Metsähallitus, you may also need an off-road permit. This applies to situations where a route or track agreement has been signed for areas on Metsähallitus land.
In older agreements, there is often no such requirement. In such cases, off-road traffic is permitted without a safari-specific off-road permit (safari notifications) for as long as the old agreement is still in force.
When companies enter into new agreements or renew old ones, they are required to acquire a safari-specific off-road permit for use of all company tracks located on state-owned land.
When do you not need an off-road permit?
You do not need a Metsähallitus permit
- on official snowmobile routes, or
- on tracks maintained by municipalities/associations.
In addition to permit tracks and company tracks, state-owned lands contain many official snowmobile routes and snowmobile tracks maintained by municipalities and associations. A company does not need to sign an agreement with Metsähallitus for its activities or acquire a Metsähallitus off-road permit if it is using official snowmobile routes or tracks maintained by municipalities/associations.