Saariselkä is northern Lapland ski resort with a wide range of tourist services.
The village is built tightly, so you don`t necessarily need a car. The village has many hotels and restaurants, market, a spa, liquor store, ATM, post office, gas station and other services like shops. You can find the most important services within walking distance. The Skibus stops are around the village.
Saariselkä is also fell-wide wilderness area in northern Lapland.
It situated in UKK-national park. It is a popular trekking destination.
Saariselkä`s Ski resort is one of the world northernmost ski resort. The ski slopes are located about one kilometer from the village center. The longest slope is 1 300 meters long and a height differences found 180 meters. The slopes are suitable also for beginners.
You find Finland best ski trails from Saariselkä. All in all ski trails found 180 kilometer. 34 kilometer of them are illuminated.
In Saariselkä has also Finland longest toboggan hill. Its length is 1.2 kilometer. Tobogganing Championship is in April each year.
Saariselkä is important Northern Light area. If sky is clear, the Norhern Light can be seen about every other night in winter. The summer nights are too bright to see them.
Kaunispää situated north of the Saariselkä village. It is the only fell which top of runs a general road.
150 years of history has been very special. In 1865, five years before the great gold rush time to Lapland, gold was found near by Luttoriver.
The Rural police chief – K.W. Planting, was digging gold on the Ruija walking route and find a ”gold mark.”
1913 road from Sodankylä to Kyrö (Ivalo) was completed and at the same time Kaunispää road was ready. Around the same time a fire guard hut was ready, so it was possible to monitor if there is any signs of wildfires.
1931 a road to Liinahammar in Petsamo was completed. Also tourism grow fast and Lotta Svärd organization decided to build a cafeteria top of the fell. The 1930s, Kaunispää was a popular place. People from Ivalo visited to gatherings and celebrate. In November 1944, end of the Second World War, in the Lapland War, Kaunispää bloody battles took place on the slopes. All the buildings, fire guard hut, a large shed and a few auxiliary building, were destroyed.
1952, a new fire quard hut and a cafè was build.
1954 began a tourist business in top of the fell. Restaurant and souvenir shop have since expanded twice.
1971 ski slopes was introduced. Ski lifts goes all the way up to the top of the fell, and pass through the maintained ski tracks and snowmobile routes. 1.6 kilometer long road to the top is open all year around.
Kiilopää is a 546 meter high fell in Urho Kekkonen National Park. It is located about 15 kilometers to the south from Saariselkä. Kiilopää situated on the Inari and Sodankylä border. And also Sompio-Kemihaara the Natura 2000 nature conservation areas. Kiilopää outdoor centers and hotel owner is Suomen Latu. It offers accommodation, restaurant, sports and camping services. Near by the hotel starts three nature trails, which makes it possible to make different length treks. Road to the Kiilopää Center separates from main road E4 at Kakslauttanen.
Tankavaara Gold Village is a small village along the E4 main road in Sodankylä municipality, about 30 kilometers south of Saariselkä. Tankavaara Gold Museum and Koilliskaira Visitor center located with observation tower and a nature trail here. From Tankavaara you find gold panning culture and the gold history. Tankavaara Gold Museum is located in one of Finland professionally managed specialized museums. In 1973 founded Gold Museum, examines and record of gold mining history and introduces the world gold panning tradition – Golden World fair. In addition, the museum has a large rock and mineral exhibition in the former of Oy Lapin Kulta Ab main house – Härkäselkä. During the summer, open-air museum is open, as well as gold panning area. In winter, gold panning is possible for this purpose-built indoor pools inside the Gold Museum. Tankavaara held the annual Gold Panning Championships. It is one of the oldest events in Lapland. For the first time, when gold was panning in Tankavaa was year of 1974. In 1977 Tankavaara started the World Cup tournament. World Cup travels around the world and it is at the annual happening where gold diggers meet each other. Tankavaara owns its own railway. It was completed in 1997, at Golden Village area, it is intended to transport tourists around the village. Railway track width is 600 mm and a total length of 1 600 meters. Tankavaara Gold Village, as well as the Gold Museum are open all year around.
Urho Kekkonen National Park, located in Inari, Savukoski and Sodankylä municipality area.
The park begins just a few hundred meters from the center of Saariselkä. The park covers an area of 2 550 square kilometers, and it is Finland’s second largest national park. The National Park is a very versatile. There is Finland highest density of hut area, and overnight stay possibilities. You can do as a short day trips as well a long hikes. Popular starting places are Kiilopää Fell Center or Suomujoki. Often hikers end up in the region’s highest mountain top, 718 meters high Sokosti. A number of hikers spend the night one of the wilderness cabins. Popular destination on day-trips is Rumakuru the new and the old hut. UKK- National Park keeps inside of the mightiest fells, as the extensive marshland, not forgetting the forests and wildlife. Reindeer herding is a long tradition in the region, and it is still the key livelihood.
It is reminds us many ways; deer graves, reindeer fences, old gold diggers houses and hut sights….
Seasons
In Northern Finland, the changing of seasons can be seen more clearly than the rest of the country. Polar Night ”Kaamos” and Midnight Sun are extreme opposites of each other. Autumn colour in September is also worth experiencing. And sunny winter day at spring is certainly forgettable. During the year, the temperature varies greatly.
Minus 20 degrees in the winter is very common, and summer temperatures can occasionally rise up to 25 degrees Celsius. Statistically the coldest month is February.
The winter season last about six months. The spring and summer season mixed together, so one might say that the summer comes and goes quickly. In general, the spring becomes summer just a few days. And when autumn arrives it will note very clear.
In late spring can still rain snow, but summer always ends, but the sun can heats comfortably. The beginning of June, temperature can drops a few degrees and sometimes it snows, it called ”back winter”.
In summer, average temperatures range from 10-14 degrees. More than 25 degrees of hot days is usually only a few. In the early summer 2013 has been the warmest in a hundred years.
Saariselkä offers a perfect setting for outdoor activities and services in each season.
The first snow may be obtained as early as September, but the permanent snow cover may be in November.
The first ski trail will be opened Oktober and since then, cross-country ski track amount and length growing fast, when there is enough snow.
Polar night is the annual period when the sun never rises above the horizon. This phenomenon is the opposite of the midnight sun. Darkness at present in the Earth’s polar districts and higher latitudes. The closer to the poles you go, the earlier light begins and the longer the polar night takes. In Saariselkä, polar night lasts from 04.12. to 08.01.
During this time the sky glows in different shades of blue and the northern lights burning. And even if the sun is not just reflected on, there is never darkness. White snow and bright stars take care of it. Polar night is a good time to relax. Polar night is worth of experience!
Spring time. When the polar night is over and heart of winter is ending in February, starting gorgeous late winter and spring time. Then the sun is shining and the snow sparkles attractively. At this time, the snow is the most and ski trails as well as ski slopes are in top condition.
At this time, Saariselkä is the densest. There are a lot of different activities, program services, and events. Cross-country ski and slalom season lasts until May, Mother’s day.
Midnight Sun is a phenomenon where the sun does not set below the horizon during the day. For this reason, the phenomenon is the opposite of the polar night. This phenomenon is due of the Earth’s axis inclination. This phenomenon occurs only in pole circuits and higher latitudes. The phenomenon is longer the closer the polar regions. In Saariselkä the midnight sun lasts for nearly two months from 22.05. to 20.07.
The midnight sun can interfere with sleep during the first days. Blackout curtains or use of blinkers can help in this situation. Once you get used to it, you can enjoy this wonderful phenomenon. For example, the all-night hiking or kayaking trip is a great experience. You can walk in the wild at any time. The mosquitoes do not tease in Saariselkä. Saariselkä is a nature lover’s paradise!
Autumn. The first frosty night arrives and the days becoming shorter. The time of entry flora to start preparing for winter. Leaves of trees change color from green to golden yellow and reds hot colors shine on earth, the beauty of nature can only admiring.
Autumn progresses from north to south in the direction of 500 kilometers in during two weeks. The best fall colors time is in second or third week on September. The leaves have dropped by about the end of September.
It`s great time to pick up berries and mushrooms.
