Driving Experience: Ice Driving in Finland with Tommi Mäkinen
Be fast on ice, the Finnish way, in Rally’s homeland.
Learn from 4 times World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen and his team the driving the skills to develop your car control on ice at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris.
And, optionally, take a passenger ride in the original Toyota Yaris WRC (driven in 2018 by Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja) or an official Toyota Yaris WRC Prototype, alongside Tommi Mäkinen.
Explore the area of this Finnish ski resort in Eastern Finland you will stay at, on a snowmobile tour taking you over lakes, through forests, up to viewpoints, with lunch prepared over fire.
Whether you are a beginner or have piloting experience, you are welcome to learn, improve and simply enjoy this unique Driving Experience on Ice along Tommi Mäkinen.
And why not extend your stay? Located at the centre of the ski resort, you have the possibility to go alpine and/or cross country skiing and/or to visit the nearby city of Kuopio at your own discretion before or/and after the Driving Experience days.
You can find details and further information about the experience below.
Contact me for details and questions about the Experience, Driving, Accommodation, Payment,…!
The experience
Day 1: Arrival
Tervetuloa Suomeen!
Transfer from Kuopio Airport (Flight AY369 from Helsinki, arriving 17:15) and Kuopio Train Station in combination with flight times.
Transfer time to Hotel. (about 1 hour)
Dinner at Hotel.
Day 2: Snowmobile Safari
Following breakfast we transfer to the starting point of our snowmobile safari. Driving your own snowmobile, our guide takes us through various terrain over frozen lakes, through forrests and up to viewpoints to discover the area. We take our lunch on the tour, prepared over a fireplace.
Back at the snowmobile lodge, we return to the hotel. You have free time to explore on your own the village and ski resort and/or relax at the Rooftop Spa.
Day 3: Tommi Mäkinen Ice Driving
After breakfast we transfer to Tommi Mäkinen’s cottage. Here you will receive a theory lesson in rally driving dynamics.
You will then drive with your coaches in the respective Toyota GR Yaris to the nearby lake. (approx.5min)
You will drive and receive individual instruction in the car doing exercises to learn and develop car control. You start driving on a slower circuit. (slalom, drift circle)
Following a light lunch at the lake cottage, you will drive on the fast circuit with your instructor.
We take the stopwatch out! Who will be fastest at a Time attack session?
If you have booked the optional co-drive: get ready to copilot Tommi Mäkinen in the Toyota Yaris WRC.
And if you have not booked the co-drive: enjoy the sound and the impressive sight of the Toyota Yaris WRC being driven by a master.
We return to the cottage for debriefing, where you receive your Ice Drive diplomas.
We return to the hotel and relax, before getting ready for dinner at a restaurant on the mountain top. Weather permitting, with clear skies and, if we’re lucky, northern lights.
Day 4: Departure
After breakfast, it is time to say Goodbye.
Combined transfer to Kuopio station and/or airport in the morning with respect to earliest travel times.
Included are
During the Tommi Mäkinen Ice Driving Finland:
- 3 nights in single rooms at 4-star Hotel
- Breakfast in Hotel on Day 2, 3, 4
- Lunch on Day 2, 3
- Dinner on Day 1, 2, 3
- Soft Drinks, Coffe/Tea, Snacks on Day 2, 3 during Snowmobile Safari and at the Ice Circuit
- Transfers on Arrival and Departure day to Kuopio Airport or Kuopio Train station, in combination
- Transfers to and from Snowmobile lodge
- Transfers to and from Ice Circuit
- Safety driving equipment during the Ice Driving experience
- Safety equipment and warm overall, if necessary shoes, during the snowmobile safari
- Instruction on Toyota GR Yaris cars (2 drivers/car) with an instructor
- Professional Finnish Instructors, current or former rally or drift pilots. Language of instruction is English
- Free access on 2 days for 2 hours to the Rooftop Spa
- Personal Coaching from me to support you to learn and perform on track, as necessary
My gift to you, before the start of the Tommi Mäkinen Ice Driving Experience, so you can get the most out of the Driving Experience:
- Individual online Oxygen Advantage® Breathing program, with 1 intake session and 4 training sessions (1x30Min., 4x45Min, online, individual).
Optional
Ice Driving with Tommi Mäkinen as described, plus:
Passenger ride alongside Tommi Mäkinen at the wheel of a Toyota Yaris WRC (driven in 2018 by Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoia) OR Toyota Yaris WRC Prototype. The choice of car is at the discretion of Tommi Mäkinen.
See Price section below for prices with and without optional passenger ride.
Not Included are
Not included in the price are:
- Alcoholic drinks (Zero alcohol policy during the Snowmobile Safari day and Ice Driving day)
- Travel: Flights, Train, Bus and other additional transport outside the Ice driving Experience, as described above
Good to know
Accommodation:
4-star hotel with central location in a ski resort.
Single rooms with free access on 2 days for 2 hours to the Rooftop Spa.
Language of instruction (Snowmobiles & Ice Driving):
English
Cars:
Toyota GR Yaris for instruction
Optional co-drive with Tommi at the wheel:
Toyota Yaris WRC driven in 2018 by Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoia OR Toyota Yaris WRC Prototype. The choice of car is at the discretion of Tommi Mäkinen.
Group size:
between min. 6 to max. 8 people with 2 people sharing a car and instructor.
A min.number of 2 bookings/Ice Driving Experience for the optional co-drive with Tommi Mäkinen is necessary for it to be organized.
If you are interested in a private Driving Experience for a group of friends, business,…feel free to contact me.
Equipment and Clothing:
Snowmobile Safari:
You will be provided with a warm overall, shoes if necessary and helmet for the the duration of the snowmobile safari.
Driving:
You will be equipped with the necessary saftey equipment for the duration of the Driving Experience.
Offered Coaching:
An Individual Oxygen Advantage® Breathing program for this experience is a training of functional breathing to increase recuperation and handling of stress.
These sessions can be individually organized according to your and my availabilities.
1x30minutes intake, 4x45minutes, online, individual
Price.
For the entire Tommi Mäkinen Driving Experience Finland, as detailed in the description above:
- without co-drive with Tommi Mäkinen:
6 000.-€ per person, including 17% VAT
- with co-drive with Tommi Mäkinen, as detailed in the description above:
7 500.-€ per person, including 17% VAT
Dates.
02.03.2026 - 05.03.2026 (min.6 - max.8 people)
05.03.2026 - 08.03.2026 (min.6 - max.8 people)
The Experience is confirmed once the minimum number of 6 participants is reached.
For the optional co-drive to be confirmed the minimum number of 2 needs to be reached for each scheduled Ice Driving Experience.
Do you have questions, need more information on travel options, driving, instruction, warm clothing needed, accommodation, payment options,…?
Contact me to learn more about the Ice Driving Experience with Tommi Mäkinen!