Plan Saariselkä 2026: glass igloos, some of Europe's clearest aurora skies, 500 km of marked trails in Urho Kekkonen NP. Ivalo airport 30 min away.
Gold panning and wide-open wilderness trails
On the edge of Finland's second-largest wilderness, with gold-panning history at Tankavaara.
Saariselkä is a northern outpost on the edge of Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland's second-largest wilderness. The village is known for its glass igloos and gold-panning history, and above it shine some of the clearest Northern Lights skies in Europe.
September–March for aurora, December–March for snow activities
Fly to Ivalo airport (30 min transfer). Drive from Rovaniemi (260 km, 3h). Bus connections from Ivalo and Rovaniemi.
The original glass igloo experience. Sleep under the Northern Lights in a heated glass dome. Book months in advance, this is one of the most sought-after stays in Lapland.
2,550 km² of wilderness, Finland's second-largest national park. Over 500 km of marked trails, wilderness huts, and virtually no light pollution. Wolverine, lynx, and golden eagle habitat.
Pan for gold in a real gold-panning village. Gold was discovered here in the 1860s and prospectors still work the rivers. Gold Museum and international gold-panning championships.
Compact resort with 15 slopes and 100+ km of cross-country trails. Not the biggest, but the fell-top views are exceptional.
Saariselkä sits at 68°N, deep in the aurora zone. Minimal light pollution and open fell landscapes make this one of the best aurora-watching locations in Finland.
Remote wilderness area east of Saariselkä. Guided snowshoe and ski tours into untouched forest. Old-growth wilderness with bear and wolverine tracks.