5 Amazing Day Trips From Rovaniemi You Must Experience

Hike to the frozen waterfalls of Korouma national park

Korouma national park is about 100 km away from Rovaniemi, close to the town of Posio. This is an amazing trip, where you’ll spend most of your day in the Lappish nature, enjoying the serenity and fresh air of the forest. This is an easy hike, as it doesn’t require any technical hiking skills, however you should be aware that there are altitude differences and you’ll need a generally good level of fitness to do it. But apart from that, it’s a walk in the forest. At the end of the hike there are a couple of rest areas where you can light a fire, grill a sausage or vegetables and enjoy a hot beverage. There is wood available there and most of the time the fire will be already lit, as there are a good amount of people on the trail. As the name suggests (frozen) you’ll only be able to see them in the colder months of the year – typically from end of November to Mid-April.

Korouma national park is easiest to get to by car. There are buses that go to the neighbouring villages, but the closest bus stop to the start of the trail is about 4 km away. You can also book an organized trip with a tour operator, however I would really advise against it, as those groups are normally very big and the whole thing feels too touristy and commercialized, which kind of defies the purpose of spending time in nature. What I’d recommend doing is to book a private or small group hike (snowshoe hike) on a platform like AirBnB or Get your Guide. Expect to pay about 120-150 EUR per person for the day, the price will most likely include a transfer from Rovaniemi. However, if you can’t find a suitable tour, and you have at least a little bit of experience hiking, I’d really suggest you go it alone, as the route is very well-marked and maintained.

It is a 5 km circular trail, which means you’ll begin and finish your hike at the same spot – the Saukkovaara parking area. You are advised to do the tour in a clockwise direction, thus ensuring you will be at the camp sites at the end of your day. There are 9 boards along the route, providing you with information and details about the park, the waterfalls and the forest. The trail will take you down to the bottom of the valley where you’ll cross the river to the other side and will be able to marvel at the frozen waterfalls from a closer distance. They are very popular with ice climbers, so if you’re lucky you might spot some on the frozen rocks. Not long after the third waterfall, you will arrive at the rest area. From there it’s another 500 m back to the parking lot, so you can relax around the fire, knowing that it’s just a brief walk to the car after that.

This was the absolute highlight of our week-long trip! If you’re in the area, it is an amazing adventure and you shouldn’t miss it!

Dig for your own amethyst stone in a mine in Luosto

This is a bit of a hidden gem for people visiting Rovaniemi. Luosto is a small village, about 110 km from Rovaniemi, in an area famous for its reindeer herding. The amethyst mine is located above the village on top of the Luosto mountain. You can get there by car, the roads are well maintained and cleaned in winter, on the account of the few hotels and ski slopes in the area. If you have any concerns about driving on snowy roads, you can check out our article about driving in Lapland in winter. In case you’re not renting a car for your visit, you can still easily organise your trip – there are direct buses travelling 4 times a day from Rovaniemi to Luosto. The journey is about 2 hours and tickets start from 30 EUR one-way. You can check timetables and book tickets directly with the provider online.

Once you’re in Luosto, you’ll be picked up and taken to the mine on a pendolino (see the picture above). They can pick you up in the village centre, where your bus will drop you off. However, if you’re travelling by car, I recommend driving to the Ukko-Luosto parking lot, which is a couple of kilometers further down the road. It is also the second stop of the pendolino and the ticket is 20 EUR cheaper if you’re picked up from there. The pendolino makes two trips each day. The ticket with a pick-up from the village costs 88 EUR, and from the parking lot – 69 EUR. You can buy your tickets directly from the mine’s website, so that you get the best price.

If you visit in the summer months (June to October) there’s no transportation, but you can walk up to the Lampivaara café, located just below the mine. It’s a 2.5 km trail, starting at the Ukko-Luosto parking lot (takes about 45 minutes to walk) or 5 km from the village. It is uphill, but the road is wide and even that you can also do it with strollers. The ticket for the tour is 24 EUR (as there is no transfer to the mine). They start every hour from the café.

Once you arrive at the mine, you’ll be welcomed in a wooden chalet where a guide will tell you more about amethysts in general, mining and how they do it there. They use a very sustainable method and do most of the work by hand. After the introduction, you’ll walk down into the mine, where you’ll get the opportunity to dig for your own amethyst that you get to keep afterwards. There is also a small shop that sells amethysts in different forms and jewellery.

Upon your return to Luosto, you should check out the village café – Uksakka. It’s an extremely cozy place to have lunch or afternoon coffee, where they serve home-made meals. If you haven’t tried reindeer, that’s the right place to do it. As mentioned before, Luosto is a big reindeer herding area and the meat they serve is sourced locally. They also have vegetarian options.

This is a one of a kind trip, a bit off the beaten track and will help you experience an authentic Lapland. Added bonus if visiting in the winter – there is A LOT of snow in the area.

Ranua wildlife park

Ranua wildlife park is not your typical zoo. It gives you the unique opportunity to observe the arctic animals in their natural habitat. It has about 50 different animal species and is also the home of the only polar bear in Finland. You can visit the park every day of the year, including in winter. It is built inside a forest, so you are walking in nature the whole day.

The Ranua park is situated about 80 km south-east of Rovaniemi and can be easily reached either by car or public transport. There are regular bus services connecting it with Rovaniemi. The ride takes about an hour and single tickets start at 18 EUR. Entry to the park is 23.50 EUR, but you can save 2 EUR if you book online. An interesting idea is to book a guided tour through the park. You will learn more about the animals and help to feed them. You have to book this in advance by sending an enquiry via email (wildlifepark@ranuaresort.com) and it will set you back 120 EUR. However, the price is really comparable to some of the other activities you can book around Lapland like reindeer farm visits or husky sleds. So if you love animals, it’s definitely worth giving it a thought.

You can easily spend a day there, admiring the majestic animals, with the park also having a restaurant and a café where you can have lunch or take a breather, enjoying a cup. The restaurant is nothing fancy but offers a buffet lunch for a reasonable price.

Arctic Circle Hiking Area

You don’t need to travel for hours from Rovaniemi to experience Lappish wilderness. The arctic circle hiking area, located about 20 km north of Rovaniemi is the perfect gateway to the wilderness, right at your doorstep. The area consists of a number of trails, all well maintained and accessible throughout the year. You can see all available trails here. I’d especially recommend doing the Könkäiden polku trail – highlights on it include: two rapids, a wooden tower and a breathtaking view from the top of the hill. It takes about 4–5 hours, depending on your pace. Another good option is the Vaattunkivaara Nature Trail. It’s shorter, about 1.5 hours, and there’s also a watchtower from which you can enjoy the view. You could be able to see the phenomenon known as the polar sun, if visiting in the winter and it’s a clear day. Basically, from the tower, you can observe the sun just appearing on the horizon and then disappearing a couple of minutes after that. The starting point for both trails is the Vikaköngäs parking area, so you can make a spontaneous decision based on the weather or your energy levels. In any case, whichever trail you choose, you can be sure that you’ll have an amazing day in the Arctic wilderness.

A couple of useful resources:

An overview with a map of all the hiking and nature trails in the region

A detailed description of the trails

Enjoy a day on the slopes in Levi

My final suggestion for a day trip is Levi. It’s a ski resort about 170 km north of Rovaniemi, easily accessible by car or bus (the trip takes about 2.5 hours and tickets start at 29 EUR one-way). A daily ski pass costs 49 EUR and the resort has slopes for everyone – from beginners to experts. Levi also has one of the best networks of slopes for cross-country skiing in Finland. There are 7 restaurants/ café in the ski area, varying a bit in their opening hours and menus. The Panorama restaurant Tuikku is worth mentioning – offering hot drink and a buffet lunch with a great panoramic view.

The ski season in Levi is quite long, starting from November to April. However, if you’re visiting Lapland in the summer, Levi is still worth considering for a day trip. The area offers many different activities in the off season, with a lot of outdoor adventures like biking, hiking and an activity park to name a few. Another option is to jump on a scenic lift and then ride downhill in a summer sled.

While in Levi, look out for the campfire barista. He offers artisanal coffee specialities cooked over an open fire. You should try his chaga chai latte, which is made with the chaga mushroom, native to the arctic circle, with many health benefits. You can find him on Instagram for more up-to-date information on opening times and location.