This guided trek will take you on a memorable journey across the fells of Aakenustunturi and Yllästunturi, in one of the most beautiful national parks of Finland. This unique multi-day adventure has been designed to offer a great winter experience in Lapland, that is easy to book and accessible to any good hiker!
DURATION & TREKKING DISTANCE : we offer two duration options for the ski trek, depending on the usual weather conditions and periods :
2-day ski trek (2 nights in cottage ; 1 night in wilderness camp) with a total distance of around 32km.
3-day ski trek (2 nights in cottage ; 2 nights in wilderness camp) with a total distance of around 48km.
For both treks, the goal is to ski across the national park over one fell (tunturi) and in the valley to discover the beautiful nature and landscapes of Lapland in winter!
Each trek has several departures at fixed dates - please check our calendar to find about the availability. The maximum number of participants are usually 6 adults. If you would like to arrange a specific departure for your group, please contact us by email.
OVERNIGHT & ACCOMMODATION : The first night (before the trek) and last night (after the trek) are spent in a large fully-equipped wooden cottage. located in the beautiful nature and just 500m from the national park! Our cottages are large and cozy ; they may accommodate the whole group in comfortable shared twin bedrooms. The cottage is equipped with all facilities, kitchen, laundry machine, and a sauna that participants may happily use.
Overnight(s) during the ski trek are spent as wilderness camping next to a wooden hut refuge in the national park. If the huts are free, participants may camp inside ; otherwise, winter tents, sleeping bags and mattresses are provided for a comfortable and safe outdoor camp night in the beautiful Lappish nature!
Each of those nights offer the possibility to observe Northern lights if the weather & solar conditions are good!
ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE: The trek departs from the cottage in Lainio, at the edge of the national park of Yllästunturi, where the group gathers and spend the evening together. This allows for a comfortable night before embarking on a unique adventure of ski trekking across Lapland nature!
The closest airport is Kittilä (25min away) and Rovaniemi (2hours). The closest train stations are Kolari (30 min) and Rovaniemi (2h15).
Airport/Station transfers to/from the cottage are not included in the price but may be added as extra for a fair price.
EQUIPMENT : A list of equipment provided or recommended to bring is sent to each participants. During the first evening at the cottage, the group will get to know each other (max. 6 participants) along with the guide. A 1-hour briefing will be organized in the cottage, during which the guide may present the itinerary, introduce the equipment, safety aspects and answer all remaining questions. Each participant is provided with their own equipment needed for the trek, including a pair of Altai trekking skis with poles and an expedition sleigh (1 sleigh may be used for every 2 participants). Participants use Altai skis for trekking ; they are easy to use and designed to let you glide on deep snow off the beaten tracks or groomed trails. Those Lappish backcountry skis (called in Finnish, “sliding snowshoes”) are equipped with a partial skin allowing to both hike uphill and slide downhill ; they are the perfect gear for long Arctic expeditions in Lapland. They adapt to standard winter shoes used for hiking (for example, Sorel-type boots), so we recommend participants to bring their own winter hiking boots to make sure they are already adapted to their feet.
FOOD : Meals are included for the duration of the trek and the time at the cottage, from the first evening until the last morning. Meals are prepared by the guide, and they consist of typical Nordic food for a hiking journey. Dietary restrictions will be respected as much as possible and we kindly ask participants to inform us about any restriction so we may best adapt to them. During the trek, meals and snacks are provided too. We recommend participants to bring their own extra snacks or specific food if they feel the need to - a shopping session to the closest supermarket may be organized the day before for the whole group if needed.
WANT TO STAY LONGER IN LAPLAND ? You may indeed book your flight specifically for this ski trek adventure, or you may want to extend your stay and enjoy other winter activities possible in Lapland : husky ride, reindeer farm visits, hike to frozen waterfalls, cultural experiences, etc. We actually recommend this option and we may organize an extended stay in the Ylläs area or Rovaniemi area, before or after the trek. Please contact us if you would like to add extra days and activities on your trip!
