Deep winter
Tammikuu
January
−15° to −25°C
The sun returns mid-month after the polar night. Dry, squeaky snow, the quietest trails of the year and clear, starry nights.
- 0–5 h daylight
Good forHuskies · snowshoeing · auroras
Northern Finland Travel Guide
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Travel guide
Seasons & weather
What to pack
Seasons & weather
What to pack
Kittilä or Kolari●Year-round destination●Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park
Our Äkäslompolo travel guide has everything to know before you visit Finnish Lapland: where Äkäslompolo and Ylläs are, how to get here, what each season feels like, what to pack, our favourite tips and the questions guests ask most.
A small, women-run business · Personal knowledge of the trails · Guided personally by Ciara & Susi
Where you’ll be
Above the Arctic Circle
We guide around Äkäslompolo, a small Lapland village at the foot of Ylläs fell, beside Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park. Wide open fells on the doorstep, and huskies down every other driveway.
- Arctic CircleAbout 115 km to the south
- By airFly to Kittilä (KTT), about 1½ hours from Helsinki, then around an hour’s transfer
- By trainOvernight sleeper from Helsinki to Kolari, about 30 minutes away
- StayIn the village, or in the cabins we host in the wild, 25 minutes out
- NaturePallas–Yllästunturi National Park on the doorstep
Share your arrival details and we’ll help you plan your transfer.
Where to stay
Cabins in the wild
We host a small collection of wooden cabins deep in the forest beside Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park, about 25 minutes from Äkäslompolo. No streetlights, no crowds: just lakes, fells, your own sauna and the Northern Lights overhead. Stay a few nights and add any of our tours.
FinlandSleeps 2In the wild · 25 min from Äkäslompolo
Aurora Cabin in the Wild: Ahma 3
A cosy log cabin for two beside a quiet lake, with a crackling fireplace, your own sauna and dark skies made for the Northern Lights.
- 1 bedroom
- Private sauna
- Fireplace
- Lakeside
Airbnb guest favouriteView on Airbnb →
FinlandSleeps 4In the wild · 25 min from Äkäslompolo
Aurora Cabin in the Wild: Riekko 4
A snug wooden cabin for up to four, framed by lake and fell views, with a private sauna and a fire pit for long aurora nights.
- 1 bedroom
- Private sauna
- Fireplace
- Lake & fell views
Airbnb guest favouriteView on Airbnb →
FinlandNew this winterIn the wild · 25 min from Äkäslompolo
One more cabin this winter
A third cabin joins the small collection we host in the forest this winter. Get in touch and we’ll let you know as soon as dates open.
- Sauna
- Wilderness setting
- Dark skies
Winter 2026–27Ask us →
Booked through Airbnb and hosted personally by us. The cabins are a 25-minute drive from the village; ask us about getting there.
Respecting the trails we use
Ylläs, the Trail Fee, and Our Metsähallitus Cooperation
Every trail we ski, snowshoe or walk here is maintained by someone. Here's how that works, and why we run a deliberately limited number of tours.
Ski slopesAround 60, across Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi
Lifts29, including Finland's tallest gondola
Highest point719m — the highest ski fell in Finland
Cross-country trailsAround 320km, part lit for dark winter days
Ski slopes at Ylläs & Äkäslompolo. Ylläs is Finland's largest ski resort, spanning two villages — Äkäslompolo on the fell's northern side, where we're based, and Ylläsjärvi to the south, linked by an 11km road around the fell. Around 60 downhill slopes and 29 lifts climb as high as 719m, the highest fell with ski lifts in the country, with some of the longest runs and biggest vertical drops in Finland. Alongside the downhill slopes, the Ylläs trail network carries around 320km of cross-country tracks, among the most extensive in the country.
The Ylläs trail card, online and in print. Grooming and maintaining that trail network costs the local trail organisation over €600,000 a year, funded mainly through a trail fee (reittimaksu) paid by everyone who uses the trails — visitors, holiday home owners, and businesses like ours. You can buy a day, week or season trail card online, through the Epassi, Edenred or Smartum apps, by MobilePay or card, or as a printed map with a trail sticker from the Kellokas Visitor Centre and other outlets around the village. Buying one, even for a short visit, keeps the tracks groomed for everyone who follows.
- Day, week and season trail cards cover the cross-country and fat-biking trail network
- Printed maps and trail stickers are sold at the Kellokas Visitor Centre and other outlets in Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi
- Fees fund grooming, machinery and the staff who keep the network open through the season
Metsähallitus, and the permit that lets us operate here. Much of the wild land around Ylläs, including parts of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, is managed by Metsähallitus, the state body responsible for Finland's national parks and public land. As a tour operator, we hold a cooperation agreement with Metsähallitus and pay an annual use fee to run guided tours on this land, on top of the trail fee above. That payment goes directly toward the upkeep of trails, wilderness huts, campfire sites and the safety infrastructure that makes it possible to be out here at all, in any season.
Why we keep our tours small. None of this infrastructure is unlimited, and we don't want to be the reason it wears out. That's part of why we run a deliberately limited number of tours each season, in small groups, rather than scaling up to meet every booking request. It costs us bookings some weeks. We think it's the right trade for land this good.
Plan your journey
Getting Here, and Getting Around
Once you've landed or stepped off the train, here's how to complete the trip to Äkäslompolo, and what to know if you're driving yourself.
By carKittilä Airport, about 1 hour
By busAirport transfer, timed to flights
By trainSleeper to Kolari, then a short transfer
Winter tyresStandard on every rental car, by law
Renting a car
Driving here is straightforward, and gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace. We recommend a 4-wheel drive over winter (roughly November to April) for extra confidence on snow-covered side roads; outside those months, the main roads are cleared and well maintained, and a standard car is perfectly fine.
- All rental cars in Finland come fitted with winter or studded tyres by law from 1 November to 31 March
- Rental desks are available at Kittilä Airport, plus specialist agencies covering the wider Lapland region
Bus from Kittilä Airport
A direct airport bus runs between Kittilä Airport and Äkäslompolo, timed to meet arriving flights during the winter season. It's an easy, affordable option if you'd rather not drive.
Airport bus timetable & tickets →Arriving by train, via Kolari
The overnight sleeper train from Helsinki runs to Kolari station, about 30 minutes from Äkäslompolo. A connecting bus meets the train for the onward journey, and a taxi is also easy to arrange.
Kolari connecting bus →Driving safely in winter
- Reindeer (and occasionally moose) wander onto the road at any time of day — slow down, especially around dawn, dusk and in autumn
- Watch for black ice, which can look just like a dry or wet road
- Keep your headlights on at all times, and leave extra distance to the car in front
- Take it slowly: local drivers do, and it's the easiest way to stay safe
Renting winter clothing
Don't want to pack bulky winter gear? Winterent delivers full winter clothing sets (jacket, trousers, boots, mittens) across the Levi/Ylläs area — contact them directly to arrange delivery to Äkäslompolo. Local shops in the village, including Äkäslompolo SportShop and Y1 Ski Rental, are the place for skis, snowshoes and other equipment.
Picture yourself here
See where you’ll be
When to come
The Finnish year, month by month
Every month here has its own light, its own snow and its own kind of quiet. Scroll through the year to find yours.
Deep winter
Helmikuu
February
−15° to −20°C
Proper cold meets proper light. Bright sunny days on deep snow, a local favourite. Our busiest month, so book ahead.
- 7–10 h daylight
Good forDog skiing & skijoring · ski tours · huskies
Spring winter
Maaliskuu
March
−5° to −15°C
Kevättalvi, spring winter. Full snow cover, long bright days and strong sun on the snow. Many locals call it the best skiing month.
- 10–14 h daylight
Good forDog skiing & skijoring · ski tours · snowshoeing
Spring winter
Huhtikuu
April
−5° to +5°C
Snow still lies deep in Lapland while the days stretch long and golden. A calm, bright time for the last winter adventures.
- 14–18 h daylight
Good forSpring skiing · snowshoeing
Spring
Toukokuu
May
+5° to +15°C
The thaw. Rivers run high with meltwater, the snow slips away and the nights grow shorter until the sun barely sets.
- 18–24 h daylight
Good forQuiet days · birdlife
Midnight sun
Kesäkuu
June
+12° to +20°C
Around midsummer the sun stays up all night. The land turns green almost overnight, and a walk at midnight feels like magic.
- 24 h daylight
Good forMidnight sun · hiking
Summer
Heinäkuu
July
+15° to +25°C
The warmest month, with the midnight sun lingering into the first weeks. Long days on the fells and by the lakes.
- 24 → 19 h daylight
Good forHiking · lakes · national park
Late summer
Elokuu
August
+12° to +20°C
Berries ripen in the forest and real darkness returns to the nights. The first hints of autumn colour appear at month’s end.
- 19 → 14 h daylight
Good forHiking · berry picking
Ruska
Syyskuu
September
+5° to +15°C
Ruska season. The fells glow red, orange and gold, peaking in the first half of the month, and the auroras return.
- 14 → 10 h daylight
Good forAutumn colours · auroras · husky walks
Autumn
Lokakuu
October
0° to +10°C
Crisp air and quiet fells as the colours fade. The first snow can fall any day from mid-month.
- 10 → 6 h daylight
Good forHusky walks · auroras
Early winter
Marraskuu
November
0° to −10°C
Alkutalvi, early winter. The first lasting snow arrives, the days shorten fast, and clear nights bring good aurora chances.
- 6 → 1 h daylight
Good forFirst snow · auroras
Polar night
Joulukuu
December
−10° to −20°C
Kaamos, the polar night. The sun rests below the horizon and a soft blue light glows over the snow at midday. Cosy and candlelit.
- Polar night · blue twilight
Good forSnowshoeing · huskies · Christmas
Temperatures and daylight are typical for Äkäslompolo and vary from year to year.
The Arctic light and colours. This far north, the light itself changes character through the year almost as much as the temperature does. Midwinter brings the kaamos — the polar night — where the sun stays below the horizon but the snow glows in a soft, several-hour blue twilight. Clear, dark nights from roughly September through March bring a real chance of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), rippling green, and sometimes pink or violet, overhead. By February and March the light turns sharp and golden, bouncing hard off deep snow. Come midsummer, it flips entirely: the sun never sets, and you get weeks of soft, golden “midnight sun” light at every hour. Then in September, ruska sets the fells alight in red, orange and gold before the snow returns. Whatever month you visit, the light here is very much part of the experience — bring a camera.
Not just winter
Summer & Autumn in the Wild
Lapland changes completely once the snow melts — it's a quieter, greener side of the same wild landscape.
Reindeer everywhere. They roam free across this whole region, and in summer and autumn you'll spot them right on the roads and roadsides more than in winter — drive gently and give them plenty of room.
Berry picking. Thanks to Finland's everyman's rights, anyone can forage for wild bilberries and lingonberries in the forests here, no permission needed — it's one of our favourite quiet ways to spend a late-summer afternoon.
Ruska, and slowing down. Autumn brings ruska, the fell-sides turning red, orange and gold, and a good time to explore at a gentler pace than a winter itinerary allows.
We use this season ourselves to go biking with the dogs, once the temperatures start to drop in autumn — one of our favourite times of year here.
Come prepared
What to pack, by temperature
The secret to loving the Arctic is layers. Find the temperature for your month and pack from the card.
June – August
Summer
+10° to +25°C
- Light base layer
- Packable warm layer for cool evenings
- Light waterproof jacket
- Comfortable walking shoes or boots
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Insect repellent for July
May, September – October
Cool and fresh
0° to +10°C
- Wool or thermal base layer
- Fleece or wool mid-layer
- Waterproof, windproof jacket
- Waterproof walking boots
- Hat and light gloves
- A flask for a warm drink
November, March – April
Cold and crisp
0° to −15°C
- Thermal base layer, top and bottom
- Warm fleece or wool mid-layer
- Windproof outer jacket and trousers
- Insulated winter boots
- Wool socks, hat and warm gloves
- Sunglasses for spring snow glare
December – February
Deep winter
−15° to −30°C
- Two thermal base layers
- Thick insulating mid-layer
- Insulated winter jacket
- Thin glove liners under warm mittens
- Hat over the ears and a neck buff
- Extra pair of thick wool socks
All year
Any month
Handy extras
- Head torch for the darker months
- Sunglasses, all year round
- Reusable water bottle
- Spare phone battery, kept warm
- A camera for the light
- Ask us about renting winter overalls, boots and mittens
Before you book
Äkäslompolo travel guide: questions guests ask
How do I get to Äkäslompolo?
Fly into Kittilä airport (about an hour’s transfer), or take the overnight sleeper train from Helsinki to Kolari (about 30 minutes from the village). Both routes are well used by visitors to the area, and we’re happy to help you work out transfers once you’ve booked.
What’s the best time of year to visit?
It depends what you’re here for. December to March is peak season for snow, huskies, and skiing. June to August brings the midnight sun, hiking, and warm(er) weather. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are quieter, beautiful in their own way, and often better value.
How cold does it actually get in winter?
Typically -15°C to -25°C, and it can drop lower on very clear nights. It sounds extreme, but with the right layers (see our packing guide above) it’s very manageable — our guests are outdoors and comfortable all winter.
Will I see the Northern Lights?
Possibly — Äkäslompolo is well placed for them on clear, dark nights roughly between September and March. Like all wild things, they appear on their own schedule, which makes every sighting feel like a gift.
Which languages are spoken?
English is widely spoken across Finnish Lapland, including by us, so getting around is easy.
What currency and time zone is Finland?
Finland uses the euro (€), and follows Eastern European Time (EET, or EEST in summer) — one hour ahead of most of Western Europe.
What is Äkäslompolo like?
A genuine Lapland village at the foot of Ylläs fell, beside Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park. That sense of real place is part of what makes our programs feel so connected to the land and the people who live here.
Where can I stay?
Äkäslompolo has hotels, apartments and cabins right in the village. For something wilder, we host a small collection of wooden cabins in the forest beside Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park, about 25 minutes from the village, each with its own sauna and dark skies for the Northern Lights. See cabins in the wild above, or ask us for tips.
Adventures in the Wild
Find your adventure
Small-group adventures in Finnish Lapland and on the wild Connemara coast, guided by a small, women-owned team.
FinlandDay tourÄkäslompolo, Finnish Lapland
Husky Trail Walk
Clip in, breathe out. Walk side by side with your own husky through snow-hushed forest and find a shared, gentle rhythm.
- Huskies
- Beginner-friendly
- Up to 5 guests
Winter & autumnView trip →
FinlandWomen onlyFinnish Lapland wilderness
Women's Dog Skiing & Cabin Retreat
Skijoring with a pulk: ski with your own husky pulling your gear, off the main trails to a remote cabin for two nights.
- Multi-day · 5 days
- Skijoring with a pulk
- 2 nights in a remote cabin
WinterView trip →
FinlandWomen onlyÄkäslompolo, Finnish Lapland
Women-only Trips
Days out in the wild, warm sauna evenings and a small group of women to share it with.
- Solo-friendly
- Sauna
- Huskies
WinterView trip →
FinlandDay tourFinnish Lapland
Lapland Snowshoe Adventure
Step into deep, quiet snow where the only sound is your breath, and let the forest open up around you.
- 3–4 hours
- Snowshoeing
- Up to 6 guests
Dec – AprView trip →
Finland🇫🇮Women only · Äkäslompolo, Finnish Lapland
Reset & Reconnect Retreat
Five days of snowshoeing, skiing, kick-sledding and sauna evenings for up to 6 women.
- 5 days
- Wed–Sun
Jan, Mar & SepView trip →
Finland🇫🇮Women only · Äkäslompolo, Finnish Lapland
Women's Intro Ski Tour
A first day on OAC skis with female guides, a warm-up by the fire and no experience needed.
- Day tour
- No experience needed
Jan – AprView trip →