Your guide to Northern Lapland

Northern Lapland (Pohjois-Lappi in Finnish) is the northernmost part of Finnish Lapland and a section of the Sámi homeland. The region is known for its wilderness areas and national parks, including Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lemmenjoki National Park and Pyhä-Luosto National Park, as well as the famous Lake Inari and the Teno River. Popular winter activities include skiing, husky safaris, reindeer farm visits and seeing the Northern Lights, which can be seen from late August to early April. In summer, travellers come for hiking, fat biking, canoeing and fishing. In autumn, ruska, the season of autumn colours, draws hikers to the fells.

The village of Inari is the centre of Sámi culture in Finland and home to the Siida museum and the Sajos cultural centre, where the Sámi Parliament is based. Most travellers fly to Ivalo Airport, which has year-round flights from Helsinki, or take the train to Rovaniemi and continue by bus or car.

Below you'll find all the must-visit spots in Northern Lapland on an interactive map.

Northern Lapland is a vast region made up of three municipalities: Sodankylä, Inari and Utsjoki. Each offers plenty of year-round things to do and places to visit.

What you do in Northern Lapland depends a lot on the season. In winter, days are spent outdoors skiing, on husky safaris or out after dark spotting the Northern Lights. In summer, the same fells and rivers are for hiking, paddling and fishing in the midnight sun.

Much of the region is true wilderness, with long distances between villages and services, but you don’t need to be an experienced trekker to enjoy it. For example national parks and other popular outdoors areas have marked trails, equipment rental and guided tours, and local guides can take you further out safely. Finland’s Everyman’s Right (jokaisenoikeudet) also means you’re free to walk, ski and pick berries almost anywhere, as long as you respect nature and people’s homes.

Most accommodation in Northern Lapland is in or near the resorts and villages like Saariselkä, Luosto, Pyhä, Inari and Utsjoki. Depending on the locations, you'll find everything from hotels, resort villages and glass-walled cabins to traditional Lappish log cabins. You'll find options on where to stay in the region on the resorts' own pages, Visitfinland.com's product pages or at Laplandnorth.fi.

If you’re heading into the wilderness, the region's national parks have open wilderness huts that are free to use and reservable huts that you book in advance. Go to Luontoon.fi for more information.

Ivalo Airport (IVL) in Inari is Finland’s northernmost airport. Finnair flies directly between Helsinki and Ivalo all year round, with several flights a day in winter. In winter there are also seasonal direct flights from several major European cities. If you’re heading to Utsjoki or Nuorgam in the very north, Kirkenes Airport (KKN) in Norway is another option.

If you'd like to read more about Northern Lapland, here's some of our other content for inspiration.