Hi, I'm Maikki, the founder of Kiuru & Kuukkeli and a nature and adventure service entrepreneur. I live in Rovaniemi, but in the summer, I spend my time in my family's over 100-year-old house in Imatra, where I organize adventures around the beautiful Lake Saimaa.

My journey into nature and adventure began in 2017 when I enrolled in the environmental and nature studies program at Koulutuskeskus Salpauksen in Asikkala. I graduated as an environmental caretaker and nature guide, continuing my education with various specialized qualifications, including paddling instructor, boat rental operations, and security management. My internships took me all around Finland and the world – I worked as a safari guide in Lapland, maintained hiking trails at Lake Päijänne, worked with a kayaking club at Lake Vesijärvi, and served as a snorkeling guide in Thailand.

After school, I pursued my dream of building a real business from the NY-company project I started at school. I wanted to share the same joy and happiness I've found in nature with others. Kiuru & Kuukkeli was born from the sincere desire to help people slow down and enjoy life and nature.

I have also studied guiding services at Riveria, adventure and experiential pedagogy at Outward Bound Finland courses, and geo-guiding in Saimaa Geopark's Georangers training program.

In my free time, I enjoy water rescue, kayaking, hammock camping, and snowmobiling. I also love singing karaoke in Finnish, Chinese, and Japanese, and I'm currently studying Mandarin. At the moment, I'm learning to play the Xaphone as well as the kantele, Finland's national instrument.

Come and experience the magic of nature and adventures with me!

Sir Markus Aurelius entered my life in the spring of 2020, when Covid-19 and social distancing created space for a kitten as I moved to a new city.

Markus is a curious and lively little guy who loves cooking and hiking. He sometimes joins me on adventures. He's also a diligent helper in renovation tasks, and while he's not unfamiliar with being out on the water, his favorite hobby is still a work in progress. In short, Markus wants to be involved in everything and adds his own unique touch to my adventures.