12 Incredible Attractions to See and Things to Do in Saariselkä, Finland

May 23, 2024 Mustafa Natalwala 749 Views

Saariselkä is a resort town in the Lapland region of Finland. People visit Saariselkä to explore Urho Kekkonen National Park and for adventure activities. The town sits on a hill surrounded by vast grasslands, hills, mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes. These landscapes facilitate a lot of fun things to do in Saariselkä in winter. Most people primarily come here for skiing, snowboarding, and other resort winter activities.

However, there is much more to explore during Saariselkä travel. The surroundings of the resort town have breathtaking scenic beauty. You can explore the Saariselkä tourist attractions on sledge rides led by Huskys or Reindeers. Some of the farms also facilitate horseback rides to explore the landscapes.

If you are looking for a little more adventurous things to do in Saariselkä, Lapland you can also explore the terrain on a snowmobile. This ride can be similar to an offroading experience. You can also take snowmobile rides to reach distant places to visit in Saariselkä, Finland. This includes viewpoints, ice caves, forest camping sites, lake shores, and so on.

These rides also take you to one of the most beautiful things to see in Saariselkä – the Aurora Borealis. You can head to the wilderness at night to enjoy the natural light show. But that’s not all. There are more winter activities to do in Saariselkä. These include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and fat bike riding. These are different ways to explore the terrain around Saariselkä in winter.

But when summer comes, these landscapes exhibit a more vibrant and colourful form. You get to explore many Saariselkä attractions that are otherwise hidden in the snow. Some of the most beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails open up only during summer. You also get to enjoy watersports such as kayaking, river rafting, and canoeing in this season. Saariselkä sightseeing has something fun and unique to offer, regardless of the season.

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Table of Contents

Top 12 Things to Do in Saariselkä, Finland

1. Urho Kekkonen National Park

This national park is spread over 2500+ sq. km. and is one of the largest protected areas in Finland. The park is known for its abundant natural beauty and variety of landscapes. It is one of the best places to visit in Saariselkä for outdoor activities.

The park has grasslands, hills, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, caves, forests, lakes and more. The landscape changes appearance each season. This also changes the activities to enjoy here. The things to do in Saariselkä in winter include snowshoe hiking, safaris, snowmobile rides, and so on. You will need 3 to 4 hours to explore the park.

2. Saariselka Ski & Sports Resort

This resort is one of the top Saariselkä tourist attractions for adventure activities. It is the northernmost ski resort in Europe and is spread across two mountains. You get to enjoy different types of activities here in different seasons.

If you visit Saariselkä in winter, you can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, sledging, snowmobile rides, cross-country skiing, ice-cave tours, and so on. However, the landscape changes in summer. The snowclad mountains turn into lush green habitats, flowing streams, vibrant lakes, and forests.

The top things to do in Saariselkä, Lapland in summer include hiking, mountain climbing, canoe rides, kayaking, speed boat rides, river rafting, and more. These adventure activities in Saariselkä are done at Lake Taimenjarvi, River Luttojoki, River Tankajoki, and River Ivalojoki. You will also come across some of the most beautiful things to see in Saariselkä while enjoying these adventure activities.

The resort also has many indoor facilities for leisure and entertainment. People can also dine with amazing mountain views at the restaurants of the resort. You can easily spend a couple of days at this resort regardless of the season.

3. Reindeer Safari & Husky Safari

Reindeer and husky sledge rides are a traditional part of the Sami culture. These are some of the most popular Saariselkä attractions. You can get on a sledge ride led by husky dogs or reindeers to explore the wonderful snowclad landscapes of Lapland.

Both rides are a different experience. Reindeers have a more graceful pace and gradually pick up speed. A husky safari is a little more thrilling. You also get to pet these animals before and after the ride.

Furthermore, these rides are also coupled with delicious hot meals and beverages alongside a campfire. It is one of the best things to do in Saariselkä, Finland. You will need about 3 to 4 hours for this experience.

I suggest you should book your Reindeer Safari and Husky Safari in advance.

4. Fat Bike Tour

Another popular way to explore the wilderness of Lapland is on a fat bike. These bikes are fitted with special tyres to maintain control over the snow. These bikes are both manual and electric. As you paddle, the battery charges and helps you push through the snow.

There are several trails to explore on a Fat Bike during Saariselkä sightseeing. You can also explore the forests and mountain trails on a fat bike. You can also use fat bikes to tour around the village and other nearby villages. Take a few hours to explore the amazing terrains while cruising on a bike when you visit Saariselkä, Lapland.

I suggest you should book your Fat Bike Tour in advance.

5. Northern Lights

The magical Aurora Borealis is one of the biggest highlights of Saariselkä travel in winter. You will venture out far into the snowclad forests and mountains. You can go for these tours in cars and snowmobiles.

Then you camp in the wilderness while looking at the sky waiting for the magic to happen. While you are waiting, you also get to enjoy an incredible night sky full of sights that you cannot see from anywhere else. It is one of the most beautiful things to see in Saariselkä, Finland. You will need an entire night to enjoy the northern lights.

I suggest you should book your Trip to See the Northern Lights in advance.

6. Snowmobile Safari

If you are looking for a more thrilling way to explore the Tundra, you should hop on a snowmobile. You can enjoy snowmobile rides like offroading. You can also embark on long safaris to see beautiful landscapes and wildlife.

You can also go for snowmobile rides to see the northern lights. The tours are among the top things to do in Saariselkä in winter. The safaris can range from an hour to overnight camping tours.

I suggest you should go for an Evening Snowmobile Tour with Fire and Dinner.

7. Snowshoe Hiking

Snowshoeing is the winter version of hiking. It is another one of the popular things to do in Saariselkä, Finland. You will put on spiked extensions on your shoes and go on to explore the forest trails.

Most of these trails are in Urho Kekkonen National Park. These take you through the forests and open snow-clad terrains to reach amazing places to visit in Saariselkä. These include viewpoints, ice-fishing spots, and ice caves.

If you are not up for that long an adventure, you can also enjoy shorter snowshoeing trails close to the village. These trails lead you to nice scenic spots where you can play in the snow and enjoy camping. The snowshoe trails can range between one to five hours depending on the length of the trail.

I suggest you should book your Snowshoe Safari in advance.

8. Cross Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing is just like skiing, but not on a slope. You cruise on flat or slightly sloped surfaces wearing skis. You can go on cross country skiing in the national park to explore the forests. It is one of the most fun activities to do in Saariselkä.

Aside from the forests, you can also enjoy lighter trails in the resorts if you want enjoy cross-country for leisure. You can easily spend a couple of hours enjoying this activity when you visit Saariselkä.

I suggest you should book your Cross Country Skiing Experience in advance.

9. Ice Fishing

Enjoy the traditional Finnish way to catch fish. The process is quite simple. You go to Lake Inari. Then you put a hole on the ice surface. And you sit waiting for a fish to take the bait and pull.

You can take a guided tour with an experienced fisherman to show you the ropes. It is an interesting experience. When you do catch a fish, you can have it cooked in the traditional way & enjoy a delicious meal. It is one of the best things to do in Saariselkä, Lapland. You will need about 2 to 3 hours for this experience.

I suggest you should book your Ice Fishing Experience in advance.

10. Kaunispää Triangulation Tower

This simple tower is one of the lesser known Saariselkä tourist attractions. This tower was built for survey. However, it is popular now for scenic views of Saariselkä. It is also one of the most popular Saariselkä attractions to see the Aurora Borealis. You will need about 2 hours to make trip to this tower and enjoy the views.

11. Kultala Gold Village

This village was born during the 1869 Gold Rush. The village controlled Gold Mining and trade in the region. This village has been restored to recreate the era. It is one of the most interesting places to visit in Saariselkä, Lapland.

You get a glimpse of the era and understand the hardships of the people living in the region. The village shows you the day-to-day life in the village as well as the administrative side of the gold trade. You will need about 2 hours to explore this village when you visit Saariselkä, Finland.

12. Prospektor Mine

This mine is yet another remnant of the gold rush era. The mine was operational for several years, but no gold was found there. However, it has become a popular tourist attraction in Saariselkä.

You get to see how the gold mines of the time used to work. The mine has old mining equipment, tracks, mining cabins and more. You will also get to the road built from the mine all the way to the Arctic Ocean to support the gold trade.

Check out the sections below if you are looking for more things to do in Saariselkä, Finland. We have compiled a list of activities and attractions to explore in and around this resort village.

Things to do in Saariselkä, Finland

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Saariselkä, Finland

Siida Sami Museum
North Village St. Paul’s Chapel
Laanila Logging Camp Museum
Kummitus kamppa
Museum Road Magnetic Hill
Kultala Gold Village
Prospektor Mine

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Saariselkä, Finland

Urho Kokkonen National Park
Kiilopaa
Lake Inari
Lake Taimenjarvi
River Luttojoki
River Tankajoki
River Ivalojoki
Etlarinne

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Saariselkä, Finland

Saariselkä Ski & Sport Resort
Saariselkä Bowling
Kaunispaa Triangulation Tower
Wild Spirit Park

Shopping in Saariselkä, Finland

Lapland Safaris North
Hippupuoti Oy
North Village Shopping Center

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventures in Saariselkä, Finland

Husky Safari
Reindeer Safari
Horseriding
Snowshoeing
Ice Fishing
Skiing
Snowboarding
Sledge Ride
Fat Bike Ride
Cross Country Skiing
Snowmobile Ride

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Saariselkä, Finland

Laaninlan Kievari
Scanburger
Caiju Cafe
Muossi Grill
Rakka Holiday Club
Ravintola Linnansali
Kaunis
Anne’s Garden Grill & Cafe
Revontuli Holiday Club
Fieno
Kuukkeli Cafe
Javri
Ravintola Petronella

Where to Stay in Saariselkä?

Here we have listed Top Rated Hotels in Saariselkä. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Saariselkä.

Custom Tours Package in Saariselkä

How to Reach Saariselkä, Finland?

By Air

The Ivalo airport is the closest airport to reach Saariselkä. It is only 27 km away from the town. This airport receives direct flights from Zurich, Dusseldorf, Helsinki, Frankfurt, Kirkenes, Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Manchester. You can get buses and cabs to travel to Saariselkä from the airport.

By Road

Rovaniemi is the closest train station to visit Saariselkä. Then you can take a cab or a bus to reach the town. The ride is about 3 hours long, but you will pass through beautiful landscapes and some of the top places to visit in Saariselkä.

You can buses to travel to Saariselkä from only a few towns and cities in Finland. The journey is quite long and tedious, so it is better to take a train or flight.
If you are planning to travel to Saariselkä by road, you should head for route E75. This route directly passes through the town.

By Water

There are no direct water routes to reach Saariselkä.

Image Reference

Urho Kekkonen National Park – Nina Laakso / Flickr
Saariselka Ski & Sports Resort – Maxima / Goodfon
Reindeer Safari & Husky Safari – youngrobv / Flickr
Fat Bike Tour – PixaBay
Northern Lights – MoneLoe / Flickr
Snowmobile Safari – Timo Newton-Syms / Flickr
Snowshoe Hiking – Daniel Stuhlpfarrer / PixaBay
Cross Country Skiing – Stefan Schweihofer / PixaBay
Ice Fishing – Fiskeavisen .no / PixaBay
Kaunispaa Tirangulation Tower – Htm / Wikimedia Commons
Kultala Gold Village –
Prospektor Mine –