As seen on
Far Northern Finland: Halti Ski Tour Adventure
Finland
From
This trip supports
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Esential info
- Packing list
Grade:
Intermediate
Type:
Activity
Duration:
8 Nights
4 - 8
Group size
Leaders
Tour Highlights
- 100+ km Arctic expedition with seven days skiing across remote tundra, frozen lakes, and fells.
- True wilderness experience: No crowds, no phone signal, no electricity – just pure Arctic nature
- Learn winter survival skills so you can thrive in sub-zero conditions
- Northern Lights nights: High chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis
Halti Ski Tour - An Active Adventure Across Lapland’s Untamed North
Step far beyond the ordinary with this 9-day backcountry ski expedition through the pristine Arctic landscapes of Finnish Lapland. Designed for active travellers seeking the rare combination of physical challenge, deep wilderness immersion, and the silent luxury of nature at its most powerful, this journey traverses over 100 km of remote fells, frozen lakes, and snow-covered valleys on classic Nordic backcountry skis.
Your adventure begins in the serene village of Ylläs, with a welcome dinner, before transporting you north to Kilpisjärvi—the edge of the wild. From here, you’ll travel by pulka (expedition sled) through one of Europe’s last true wilderness regions. Each day offers a rewarding physical challenge and the raw elegance of Arctic solitude, from silent ascents to sweeping tundra views and the surreal beauty of the Northern Lights overhead.
Nights are spent in remote, reserved wilderness huts—unplugged and with only the essentials, yet rich in atmosphere and camaraderie. Experience the simple luxuries of wood-fired warmth, hearty expedition meals, and starlit silence. Highlights include summiting Halti, Finland’s highest fell; skiing off-trail across tundra that evokes Greenland or Antarctica; and tracking wildlife like reindeer, wolverine, or arctic fox.
The expedition culminates with a return to Ylläs for a well-earned sauna and celebratory dinner—where stories are shared, and future adventures dreamed.
Day 1: Arrival in Ylläs
Transfer
Dinner
Boutique Hotel
Arrive at Kittilä Airport or Kolari Train Station, both about 35 km from Ylläs. A group transfer takes you to your accommodation Lapland hotel Saaga (or similar standard) in Ylläsjärvi (twin room, single room available for an extra fee). In the evening we enjoy dinner together and go through our adventure plan and safety briefing.
For travellers arriving at separate times we suggest the direct bus transfer from Kittilä airport to Lapland Hotel Saaga (35 km). We can organise airport transfers with the guides, for an additional fee.
Accommodation: Hotel Saaga or similar
Day 2: Into the Arctic Wilderness
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
After a hearty breakfast, we head up to Kilpisjärvi (3,5 hours drive), at the northwestern tip of Finland near the Norwegian border. Here the adventure begins. We pack our pulkas (sleds) and start skiing towards Saarijärvi wilderness hut. For meals we mostly eat expedition food – dryfood with added water. The first day includes gentle climbing to the open Arctic tundra, frozen lake crossings, and views of majestic fells. We follow partly a marked snowmobile route, partly our own ways in the wild. The night is spent in the simple but cosy hut, without electricity or running water, reserved only for our group.
Distance skied: 12 km
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 3: Across the Open Tundra
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
We continue through vast Arctic landscapes with long views over snow-covered fells. Our goal today is Meeko wilderness hut, where we spend the night. We follow a marked snowmobile route today. If the sky is clear, this is a great spot to see the Northern Lights.
Distance: 18 km
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 4: Towards Halti Hut
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
The route takes us deeper into the remote Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, heading towards the Halti region. Along the way, look out for tracks of wolverine, arctic fox, and reindeer. Spend the night at Halti hut, your base for the next two nights.
Distance: 16 km.
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 5: Summit Day
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
Leave the pulkas at the hut and ski light to the summit of Mount Halti (1324 m), Finland’s highest point, weather permitting. The climb rewards you with panoramic views across three countries – Finland, Norway, and Sweden – with nothing but wilderness in sight. In case of bad weather, we may skip the summit and either relax at the hut or ski in the surrounding area. Second night at Halti hut.
Distance: 10 km
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 6: Back to Meeko Valley
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
We retrace our route back towards Meeko hut, skiing across open tundra and enjoying the Arctic silence. After a long day we rest and recover at the hut, ready for the final stages of the expedition.
Distance: 16 km
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 7: Off trail adventure & tundra views
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
Today we leave marked routes behind and ski across untouched terrain towards Termisjärvi hut. The remote location by a frozen lake makes this one of our favourite huts on the whole tour. The sense of wilderness here is at its peak – no crowds, no phone signal, just pure Arctic nature.
Distance: 20 km
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 8: Last day of skiing & Finnish sauna in Kilpisjärvi
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Boutique Hotel
We ski the final stretch back to Kilpisjärvi, completing our 100+ km ski expedition. From here we drive back to Ylläs (3.5 hours) for hot showers, a traditional Finnish sauna, and a well-deserved final group dinner at Lapland hotel Saaga.
Distance: 15 km
Accommodation: Hotel Saaga or similar
Day 9: Travel home
Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast before you check-out, ready to travel home, feeling reinvigorated after the magical experience of skiing and hiking in the wilderness of Finnish Lapland
Adventure Optional Extras
Single Room Supplement
Single rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. We will charge on a pro-rata basis if a single room is only available for part of the trip.
Plant an additional 15 trees for your adventure
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
Not Included
- International Flights & airport taxes
- Insurance (compulsory)
Contents
Accommodation
We fully believe in, and practice, Responsible Tourism and recognise the value of using hotels run by locals. The accommodation on this adventure really accentuates your experience with both the hotel you stay in either side of the Halti ski tour and the authentic wilderness huts on the trek itself.
You will sleep in wilderness huts with no electricity or running water so it’s all about getting back to basics. Drinking water is melted from snow and a wood stove heat the huts. After dark you’ll have a good chance of witnessing the Northern Lights, which appear statistically every other night this far north. Of course only if the sky is clear and you’re patient.
Facilities
Unless you have booked a single room (where they are available) and paid the single room supplement for those nights, you will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender). The huts are shared dorm but are reserved only for your group and no other people.
Guiding & Your Group
Supporting you on your trek will be our local, family owned and run certified wilderness guides.
We believe that it is a very important positive aspect of Responsible Tourism, to employ the expertise of local suppliers, as well as offering you a much more informative and authentic experience.
Your Group
Your group will be any number from our minimum group size of 4, up to a maximum of 12 clients. This number works really well with the ratio of guides, and ensures the optimum level of service to you during your adventure.
We get clients booking alone, as couples and in small groups of friends. If you have a group of friends or family who are interested in having their own customised trip, then please let us know and we can cost it for you.
Am I fit enough?
This all-inclusive Arctic hut-to-hut ski tour in Lapland to Mount Halti is physically demanding, no question about it. We don’t recommend this ski tour as your first winter ski holiday. Daily distances are over 15 km. However, you don’t need previous skiing experience. Ski trekking is slow as everyone is pulling their own sleds, or pulkas as they are called locally. You will learn to ski with fell skis in a couple of hours. Fells skis are specifically made for this kind of terrain, they are a hybrid between cross-country skiing skis and alpine skis. Boots are comfortable leather. The guides always use climbing skins on the bottom of skis to assist ascending with pulkas. These skins can be worn during the whole ski expedition.
This Lapland wilderness area is truly remote with no phone connection. It is heaven for winter hiking or backcountry skiing, but you need to know what you’re doing hence why this tour is offered with our very experienced wilderness guides. The Arctic winter is harsh and unpredictable but can be enjoyed safely with appropriate clothing, a list will be provided. There may be snowstorms and -20 degrees Celsius, or it might be 0 C and pure sunshine but this unpredictability is part of the wild beauty of this region.
Clothing
Our guides will provide the ski equipment for this trip - fell skis, poles, boots, pulka for gear, storm goggles, down jacket if needed. However, you will need to bring your own outdoor clothing, a gear list will be provided.
Weather conditions
Winter weather in the open tundra can be unpredictable. Strong winds (15–25 m/s) are common, but you may also experience bright sunshine or heavy snowstorms. Temperatures range from 0°C to –20°C. High-quality, warm and waterproof gear is essential. Pihka Outdoors can provide down jackets and assist with other clothing needs. Safety is always our top priority, and a detailed safety briefing is held before the trek.
Travel & Arrival
Your YellowWood adventure starts at Kittilä airport. We understand that arriving into an unfamiliar airport can be very daunting, so we aim to give you as much information here as possible, to help you prepare.
Finding flights
Flights are not included in the cost of your holiday, and whilst we are happy to help advise you, responsibility for booking the correct flights rests with you. We recommend that you use a comparison tool such as www.momondo.co.uk or www.skyscanner.net when searching for flights. We will send you a Flight Information Sheet with further pointers on which flights to book.
Foreign Travel Advice
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We also receive notifications direct from the FCDO so we are always aware of the ‘status’ in our destination countries.
Insurance
Holiday insurance is essential for all Yellow Wood Adventures. Unfortunately, anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the holiday, so please make sure you arrange cover. We recommend arranging your insurance cover when you book so that if you have problems during the run up to your holiday, and need to cancel, you are covered.
YellowWood partners with battleface as a travel insurance provider. Click here for a quote.
battleface insurance is provided in the UK by battleface Insurance Services Limited, a UK insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details provided on this webpage are for information only. Terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations apply. Always read the description of cover contained within your policy to ensure it is suitable for your needs.
Prior to the holiday, we will ask you to send us details of your insurer, policy number, 24 hour emergency assistance contact details and the name, address, and telephone numbers of your NOK or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.
You must ensure the travel insurance you purchase provides you with suitable cover for the entirety of your trip. Your travel insurance must include cover in the event that you have to cancel for a reason outside your control prior to departure, for any medical expenses you may incur whilst away (including repatriation in the case of medical need) and for the activities which you may participate in during your trip.
General Information
For information on Lapland, such as climate, weather, language, social norms, food & drink etc, please have a read of our Country specific information.
Compulsory
This trip supports
Need a little help?
All adventures can be tailored as private bespoke trips.
Please contact us for more information:
+44 207 846 0197
Related Adventures
Booking Process
Select dates: Choose the dates for your adventure and consider adding any extra adventures or add-ons to enhance your experience.
Check the box to agree to our Terms & Conditions.
Make Booking: Click on "Make Booking." If you're booking more than 56 days before your adventure, you'll be redirected to secure WorldPay to make your deposit. If it's 56 days or less before your adventure, you'll need to make full payment. Rest assured, your money is held securely by the Travel Trust Association.
Your booking will show as 'pending' in your YellowWood online account.
Confirmation: We'll be in touch as soon as possible to confirm your booking or discuss any availability limitations. Please refrain from booking transport or flights until we've emailed you to confirm your booking. (Note: Receipt of your booking form is not confirmation.)
Making payment: Once your booking is confirmed, we'll change the status of your final invoice from 'Pending Approval' to 'Outstanding,' indicating that it's ready for payment online.
You will receive a reminder email for your final payment 56 days before the departure date.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about your adventure or booking, we're here to help!
Grading
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
Grade 1-3: Entry Level
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
Grades 4-6: Intermediate
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
Grades 7-9: Challenging
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
Get in touch
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