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Far Northern Finland: Lapland Snowshoe Escape
Finland
From
This trip supports
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Esential info
- Packing list
Grade:
Intermediate
Type:
Activity
Duration:
4 Nights
4 - 10
Group size
Tour Highlights
- Wilderness snowshoe trek in Finnish Lapland
- Explore remote landscapes of Lapland, above the treeline
- Experience a true wilderness hut without electricity or running water
- A chance to see the Northern Lights
A Deep-Winter Snowshoe Adventure into Lapland’s Wild Heart
Step into a quieter, slower, and more profound rhythm of adventure with this curated 4-day snowshoe journey, with three full days of snowshoe trekking. Journey through the untouched beauty of Finnish Lapland. Designed for travellers looking to connect deeply with the Arctic landscape—without the need for skis—this expedition offers raw nature, physical challenge but for beginners, and the kind of remote solitude that’s become a rare luxury.
Your journey begins in the peaceful village of Ylläsjärvi, the base of your local tour guides, where you will gather for a safety briefing and dinner before heading into the wilderness. Over the next three days, you’ll trek through the pristine fells of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, carrying gear in pulkas and spending nights in a reserved wilderness hut far from light pollution, Wi-Fi, and the world’s noise.
Each day on snowshoes brings a new kind of Arctic beauty—slow ascents to sweeping viewpoints, playful descents, and moments of quiet reflection in wide open landscapes. One day is spent without pulkas, allowing for lighter movement, summit attempts, and optional winter survival skills practice. On clear nights, the Northern Lights often dance above, untouched by artificial light.
The expedition concludes with a return to the comforts of your Ylläsjärvi accommodation—where a traditional Finnish sauna and a well-deserved restaurant dinner await. You’ll leave rested, reconnected, and ready to take on your next Arctic challenge.
Day 1: Arrival in Ylläs, Finnish Lapland
Transfer
Dinner
Boutique Hotel
You arrive at Kittilä airport or Kolari railway station in Finnish Lapland, both about 35 km away from Ylläsjärvi. Enjoy a night at the hotel (a twin room, single room available for an extra fee) in Ylläsjärvi, home of your guides. In the evening, you will enjoy dinner together and go through a detailed safety briefing to prepare for your adventure.
Accommodation: Hotel Saaga in Ylläsjärvi or similar
Day 2: First day of the Snowshoe Escape
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
After breakfast we drive about one hour to the starting point in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. Here we pack our pulkas (sleds used to carry gear) and begin the Arctic adventure on snowshoes. Snowshoes are easy to use, and we will first teach you the proper technique. The first day involves a steady climb up to the open fells and is the most physically demanding. Lunch is a warm expedition meal prepared simply by adding boiling water from your thermos. We then continue to Nammalakuru wilderness hut, reserved exclusively for our group. The hut has no electricity or running water, and sleeping is in bunk beds in a shared dormitory – a true Arctic experience. If the sky is clear, there is an excellent chance to see the Northern Lights above the fells. Distance: 6–10 km.
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 3: Snowshoeing without pulkas
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
Today we leave the pulkas at the hut and set out light, carrying only backpacks and snowshoes. We hike 2–5 km on nearby fells to admire the endless wilderness views: forests, frozen swamps and snowy hills stretching as far as the eye can see. Lunch is enjoyed outdoors. There is plenty of time to play in the snow. In the evening we return to the hut for our second night in the wild. Dinner is prepared by the guide, and in the evening we relax by candlelight and wait for the Northern Lights.
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Day 4: Returning to the hotel
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Boutique Hotel
After breakfast in the hut we pack our pulkas and begin the journey back. The route is mostly downhill and less demanding, though the terrain still varies. Depending on snow conditions, we either follow an existing snowshoe track or make a new path. Back at the starting point, we load the van and drive to Ylläsjärvi. At Hotel Saaga you can enjoy a hot shower, sauna and spa before heading out for a well-earned dinner at a local restaurant. Distance: 6–10 km.
Accommodation: Hotel Saaga in Ylläsjärvi or similar
Day 5: Travel home or to new adventures
Transfer
Breakfast
Boutique Hotel
Breakfast and check-out at the hotel in Ylläs, Finnish Lapland. This is the end of this mini adventure – but perhaps the beginning of a new one. For many participants, this trip is the perfect introduction to Arctic adventures. Once you have completed this snowshoe trek, you may be ready to join one of our more demanding winter tours.
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)
- Dinner on the 4th Day - see itinerary for details
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 snowshoe trek and the authentic wilderness hut on the trek itself.
At the reserved wilderness hut of Nammalakuru, there is no electricity or running water. The hut accommodates 12 people, sleeping in the same room, in dorm-style bunk beds. Pihka Outdoors provides a sleeping bag for each participant and there are blankets, pillows and mattresses in huts. Drinking water is melted from snow or taken from the well. Warmth is provided by wood-burning stoves. There are only dry toilets outside the hut. No showers. You will spend two nights at the same hut.
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). On the trek, you will be staying in group dorms in the wilderness hut but these are reserved for your group only.
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.
You will be provided with all snowshoe equipment: Snowshoes, poles, boots, pulka for gear, goggles, down jacket if needed but will need to bring all other necessary outdoor clothing - a gear list will be provided.
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?
No prior snowshoeing experience is required, but a fairly good physical fitness and stamina is needed. Your fitness level should be comparable to carrying a 15 kg backpack for 10 km per day. The pulka is not that heavy to pull but the first day is all about ascending to the fells, way above the treeline, which will make your heart pound a bit. The second day is a lot easier, and the third day is more about going down than up.
You snowshoe with your only pulka 3-10 km/day in the stunning Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, only less than one hour away from Kittilä international airport. You have everything you need packed in the sled, pulka, all meals, sleeping bags and necessary equipment sorted for you with no hassle. You only need to pack your own clothing according to a specific list of items sent to you well in advance.
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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