Arctic activities

"The Best Things to Do in Saariselkä – Curated by Laplandway"

Recommended activities Free & Self-Guided Activities

Activities and outdoor tips

Saariselkä is a place where the Arctic reveals its most magical side — endless fells, the vast silence of Urho Kekkonen National Park, and some of the clearest night skies in all of Lapland. Here, every day can become an adventure: racing through snowy forests with your own husky team, chasing the northern lights across wide-open fells, meeting Santa in his hidden cabin, or discovering Sámi culture in the heart of the north. Whether you’re seeking excitement, tranquillity or authentic local heritage, Saariselkä offers unforgettable experiences that stay with you long after your journey ends.

Recommended Experiences in Saariselkä

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Some speed in the wilderness

Snowmobile Safari

Explore the fells and national park landscapes on a snowmobile. From beginner-friendly tours to longer wilderness routes, you’ll experience thrilling Arctic scenery with total ease.

Highlights:
Easy to learn, suitable for beginners
Powerful snowmobiles
Wide-open fell routes
Book Snowmobile Safari
Once in a lifetime safari

Husky Safari in Saariselkä

Ride through snowy fells, frozen lakes and untouched wilderness with your own husky team. This is one of the most iconic activities in Lapland — safe, exciting and unforgettable.

Highlights:
Drive your own husky team
Stunning fell & forest scenery
Family-friendly
Experienced local guides
Book Husky safari
Magic of Lapland

Aurora Hunting in Saariselkä

Saariselkä is renowned for its exceptionally dark skies, making it one of Lapland’s best aurora destinations. Join a guided hunt by car, sleigh or snowmobile and discover the northern lights with expert knowledge.

Highlights:
High probability to see auroras
Real-time forecasting
Photography assistance
Small groups & expert guides
Book Aurora Tour
Unforgettable Christmas Experience

Meet Santa in Saariselkä

Step into a magical snow-covered forest and meet Santa Claus in his authentic Lapland setting. A perfect, heartwarming experience for families and children.

Highlights:
Elf-guided experience
Crafts & gingerbread
Meet reindeer + sleigh ride
Private moment with Santa
Symbolic gift for children
Book Santa experience
Culture and heritage

Visit Nellim – Remote Village by Lake Inari

Discover the cultural heart of Northern Lapland by choosing between two meaningful experiences: a visit to Siida, the Sámi Museum & Nature Centre in Inari, or an excursion to Nellim, a peaceful lakeside village known for its Skolt Sámi heritage and authentic Arctic atmosphere. Both offer an engaging look into local history, traditions and northern life.
Book Guided visit to Nellim or Siida
Easy and fun

Reindeer Experience

Meet Lapland’s most iconic animals in a peaceful and atmospheric reindeer farm visit. Learn about Sámi reindeer herding culture and enjoy a short reindeer sleigh ride.
Book Reindeer experience
Untouched wilderness

Winter Sports – Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing

Experience two of Lapland’s most iconic winter sports in Saariselkä. Glide through world-class cross-country ski tracks or explore deep snow and peaceful forests on a guided snowshoe walk. Both activities offer an easy and memorable way to enjoy the surrounding fells and the edge of Urho Kekkonen National Park — suitable for beginners, families and nature lovers alike.
Book Winter Sports Experience

Free & Self-Guided Activities in Saariselkä

Not everything requires a ticket — Saariselkä is full of nature experiences you can enjoy at your own pace.

Winter Summer

Winter

Tunturimukka mökki Saariselällä – Laplandwayn majoitus kahdelle hengelle
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
Lumikuru Ylläksellä – Laplandwayn loma-asunto ja revontulet Lapin taivaalla
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.
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