Arctic activities

"Outdoor in the wilderness."

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Activities and outdoor tips

Lapland, beautiful year-around

Saariselkä summer Saariselkä winter
Ylläs summer Ylläs winter
Luxury of nature: Northern lights, sunsets and silence
The Northern Lights, the Blue Moment, and the wild nature are the luxury you can only experience in Lapland. Landscapes and a tranquil rhythm of life in the fells help you to forget your scheduled everyday life. In Lapland, you are really beyond the border of rush.
Permission to relax: Sauna, easy walks and views
The rhythm of life in Lapland is peaceful. Take it all out and relax. Ice swimming, sauna and Lappish cuisine are good ways to give your body and mind a holiday.
Arctic activities: Huskies, xc-skiing or snowshoeing
Easy and peaceful skiing in the fell, photography in the moonlight, or snowshoeing under the Northern Lights. Lapland has opportunities and landscapes. You decide your way to enjoy.

Saariselkä

Winter

best places to spot

Northern lights

Spotting of Northern lights is optimal from September to late March. The best possibility to see the arctic magic is around midnight. Our tips for northern light spotting:
1. Kaunispää fell obseravtion tower
2. Top of Iisakkipää fell
3. Lake Pitkäjärvi
Navigate to Pitkäjärvi
Nature and wild life next door

Photographing

Saariselkä region is a lovely place for winter photo shooting. You can easily reach nice spots, and wildlife is just next door.

Laplandway tip: Reindeer and Siperian Jay get along near the village so pack your camera for nearby walks.
Enter the national park

Winter hiking and snowshoeing

Lapland is a winter fairy tale land like a dream. The best way to enjoy the atmosphere is to walk in the arctic.

One good and easy hike just near the village is called Aurora trail. The short 1,5 km trail Is good for families and particularly aurora spotting.
Start point of Aurora trail
What a view

Easy and epic viewpoints

TOP 2 places to take photos:

1. Top of Kiilopää: 2km walk to the top of iconic fell
2. Top of Kaunispää: Drive by car to the top, and you are there.
Navigate to Kaunispää
Explore the north

Arctic roadtrip

Explore one of the most scenic roads in Finland. The road from Karigasniemi to Utsjoki is something spectacular. Views are unique, and the winding road is a pleasure to drive.

Our tip: Utsjoki - Karigasniemi scenic road.
Easy and fun

Spot the reindeer

Tame and calm reindeer are easy to spot along roads, in the village, or from skiing tracks. Just grab your camera with you and be ready to take photos. And no hurry reindeer is not the fastest animal on the planet 😉
Untouched wilderness

Backcountry skiing

Especially UKK national park is awesome place for backcountry skiing.

TOP 3 spots:
1. Kulmakuru
2. Open fell area of Kiilopää
3. Off-piste skiing at Kaunispää
The most scenic tracks

Cross-country skiing

Saariselkä is one of Finland's most iconic and traditional cross-country skiing places. The season starts in early November and lasts till early May. 200km of different tracks, from easy to difficult.

Our tip:
Track to Kulmakuru: true wilderness, untouched nature, and beautiful landscapes.
Skiing tracks
Trails in winter wonderland

Winter biking

Saariselkä offers plenty of different routes for winter biking.

You can find the route map below.

One versatile tour is Kaunispää-Kiilopää with a coffee stop at traditional small coffee shop Savottakahvila, Laanila.
Route map
Aurora athmosphere

Tobogganing

The longest tobogganing slope in Finland is in Saariselkä, more than 1km winter joy from the top of Kaunispää. You can take the ski lift or walk uphill. Atmospheric lights are something to remember.

Check the storage from Laplandway apartment and borrow toboggans for winter adventure.
Lift tickets and more info
Something unique

Arctic sauna culture

Arctic sauna culture is something you have to experience while visiting Lapland. You can find saunas from Laplandway cottages, but you should try a smoke sauna!

Traditional smoke sauna and ice swimming in ice-cold water is the Finnish thing, and you should test this out at Kiilopää.
Smoke sauna tickets
Once in a lifetime safari

Huskies

Safari with huskies is something to remember. Pure nature and stable speed with lovely dogs are an adventure not to miss.

You can find plenty of options for a husky ride, but here is our pick.
Husky safari
Into the Wild

Snowmobile

Northern lights, speed, and wilderness in the same package? Yes, please. Dive into the wild with a snowmobile and feel the different Lapland. Plenty of marked tracks and places to stop, and you can reach places you have only dreamt of.
Snowmobile safaries

Summer

Best tracks and routes

Mountain biking

Open fells and rugged landscapes are present on the mountain bike trails of the Saariselkä region. The trails are fast and mostly easy to ride, so you can focus on enjoying the scenery.
MTB trails
Epic views

Midnight sun

A nightless night in the fells? Is there anything better? If you want to enjoy the best aspects of Lapland, head to the viewpoint in the middle of the night and experience silence, nature, and the magic of the nightless night all at the same time.
Polkujuoksu lemmenjoen kansallispuisto
Awesome trails in National park

Trail runnnig

Pine forest, open fells, or gold panners' paths? Saariselkä has a lot to offer for trail runners. Quieter places, such as wilderness areas, are worth seeing and experiencing. One of the running routes that few people know about is the 30-kilometer run to Kultala on the banks of the Ivalo River.
Start point for Kultala trail
Scenic routes

Road tripping

Explore one of the most scenic roads in Finland. The road from Karigasniemi to Utsjoki is something spectacular. Views are unique, and the winding road is a pleasure to drive.

Our tip: Utsjoki - Karigasniemi scenic road.
Epic places

Hiking

Are you looking for the best hiking trails in the Saariselkä region? Head for Kiilopää and Urho Kekkonen national park. The rugged nature and open fells are spectacular. There are routes from a short family hike to a wilderness hike of many days.
Untouched nature

National Parks

Urho Kekkonen National Park starts just east of the Saariselkä fell center and is one of the largest in Finland. Another almost as great is Lemmenjoki National Park, about 90 minutes by car from Saariselka. In Urho Kekkonen National Park, open hills play the main role, while in Lemmenjoki, the main role is the mighty river, Lemmenjoki.

Ylläs

Winter

The most scenic tracks

Cross-country skiing

Ylläs is one of Finland's most popular and best cross-country skiing places.

The season starts in early November and lasts till early May. 300km of different tracks, from easy to difficult.

Our tip:
Track to Kukastunturi: true wilderness in national park and beautiful landscapes towards Ylläs.
Skiing tracks in Ylläs
What a view

Easy instagram places

TOP 2 places to take photos:

1. Top of Kuertunturi: 2km walk to the top of iconic fell Kuer.
2. Ylläs Swing: In the heart of Äkäslompolo by the Äkälompolo lake.Lovely swing with an awesome view. This place is also perfect for northern light spotting.
Lovely place for IG-photos
Enter the national park

Winter hiking and snowshoeing

Lapland is a winter fairy tale land like a dream. The best way to enjoy the atmosphere is to walk in the arctic.

One of the most iconic hikes in Ylläs is up to Pirunkuru gorge. It is a demanding hike with hundreds of meters of ascent. Every meter will pay off because of the unbelievable views towards Ylläs.
The most iconic hike in Ylläs
Wilderness and powder snow

Backcountry skiing

Ylläs is "the place" for backcountry skiing in Finland. Seven fells in the heart of the national park and powder snow are perfect combination for adventure.

Our tip: The top of Lainio fell is peaceful, and the 360 views are breathtaking.
Trails in winter wonderland

Winter biking

Ylläs offers plenty of different routes for winter biking.

One versatile tour is Äkäslompolo-Kotamaja-Äkäslompolo with a coffee stop at traditional cottage coffee Kotamaja.
Winter biking routes
Nature and wild life

Photographing

Ylläs region is a lovely place for winter photo shooting. You can easily reach nice spots, and wildlife is just next door.

Laplandway tip: Sunset photo shoot at the top of fell Kuer (Kuertunturi). 2km walk up to the fell with a majestic view towards sunset.
Best place to shoot sunset
best places to spot

Northern lights

Spotting of Northern lights is optimal from September to late March. The best possibility to see the arctic magic is around midnight. Our tips for northern light spotting:
1. Top of fell Kuer (Kuertunturi)
2. Lake Äkäslompolo
Arctic relax

Arctic sauna culture

Arctic sauna culture is something you have to experience while visiting Lapland. You can find saunas from Laplandway cottages, but you should try a sauna by the lake!

Traditional sauna and ice swimming in ice-cold water is the Finnish thing, and you should test this out.
Sauna by the lake
Explore the north

Arctic roadtrip

Explore one of the most scenic roads in Finland.

The road from Kolari to Kilpisjärvi is something spectacular. Views are unique, and the winding road is a pleasure to drive.
Places to spot and see

Reindeer

Tame and calm reindeer are easy to spot along roads, in the village, or from skiing tracks. Just grab your camera with you and be ready to take photos. And no hurry reindeer is not the fastest animal on the planet 😉
Into the wild

Snowmobile

Northern lights, speed, and wilderness in the same package? Yes, please. Dive into the wild with a snowmobile and feel the different Lapland. Plenty of marked tracks and places to stop, and you can reach places you have only dreamt of.
Snowmobile safaries
Once in a lifetime safari

Huskies

Safari with huskies is something to remember. Pure nature and stable speed with lovely dogs are an adventure not to miss.

You can find plenty of options for a husky ride, but here is our pick.
Husky safari

Summer

Best tracks and routes

Mountain biking

Ylläs is a mountain biker's paradise. There are routes everywhere: easy routes for beginners, challenging routes for experienced drivers and the possibility of downhill cycling. There are hundreds of kilometers of trails, so at least you won't run out of things to do.
Read more
Epic views

Midnight sun

A nightless night in the fells? Is there anything better? If you want to enjoy the best aspects of Lapland, head to the viewpoint in the middle of the night and experience silence, nature, and the magic of the nightless night all at the same time.
Awesome trails in National park

Trail runnnig

Pine forest, open fells, or steep gorge? Ylläs has a lot to offer for trail runners. Quieter places, such as wilderness areas, are worth seeing and experiencing. One of the running routes that few people know about is the 5-6 kilometer panorama run at the top of Äkäskero.
Äkäskero panorama trail
Scenic routes

Road tripping

Explore one of the most scenic roads in Finland.

The road from Kolari to Kilpisjärvi is something spectacular. Views are unique, and the winding road is a pleasure to drive.
Epic places

Hiking

Are you looking for the best hiking trails in the Ylläs region? Head for Pallas and Ylläs-Pallas national park. The rugged nature and open fells are spectacular. There are routes from a short family hike to a wilderness hike of many days.
Untouched nature

National Parks

Ylläs-Pallas National Park starts just east of the Ylläs fell center and is one of the largest and most popular in Finland. The great park hides great nature in its corners, and especially the quieter places in the middle of the park show nature that you can rarely see and feel. For example, a bear and a lynx are permanent residents of the park.
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