Difference between revisions of "Saariselkä"
Revision as of 08:48, 27 July 2017
Nestled in a valley, Saariselkä is a compact strip of a village with one gas station, one main supermarket, one liquor store and a slew of hotels, shops and restaurants, but it's quite manageable on foot and located only 30 km away from the town of Ivalo and its airport. The fells of Kaunispää and Iisakkipää, both equipped with ski lifts, are the primary centers for winter sports. UnderstandA succession of ice ages and their glaciers scraping back and forth has reduced what were once mountains into gentle rounded fells (Finnish tunturi), barely reaching 500m. The valleys between them are sparsely forested, but the exposed summits are treeless. Aside from the occasional Sámi reindeer herder, there wasn't much human activity in these parts until Konrad Planting struck gold at the nearby Lutto River in 1865. The Finnish gold rush started soon thereafter and the first claim in Saariselkä was staked in 1871. Enough gold was found that by 1902 the mining company Prospektor set up its headquarters here and hacked a cart trail down to Sodankylä, some 100 kilometers away. The gold rush slowly faded away, but in the 1960s the area started to gradually develop into a tourist attraction. Hotels and restaurants were built, skiing lifts were put up, and in 1983 the region stretching from Saariselkä to the Russian border -- favorite hunting grounds of former president Urho Kaleva Kekkonen -- were turned into the UKK National Park. These days Saariselkä is a part of the municipality of Inari, which has some 7,700 inhabitants (including some 2,200 Sámi) on 17,321 square kilometers of land. NOTE: Most things are closed for the month of October. Get inBy planeThe easiest method is to take a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Ivalo airport (1:40, price €100-250 depending on the season), and then a connecting 20-minute bus ride (€10) into town. UK tourists may arrive at the airport at Kittilä, and take a three-hour road trip to Saariselkä, via Sodankylä. By busDirect buses from the south are cheaper but involve a laborious 15 hour journey. By trainAn overnight train to Rovaniemi and a bus for the last 3 hours is a less painful but not particularly cheap alternative; this is, however, a viable option if you want to bring your own car. Get aroundOnce in Saariselkä, you can pretty much walk anywhere you want to, but if you have gear in tow just hop aboard the (all day ticket €5) Ski Bus, which shuttles between the village and the slopes approximately once an hour. See
DoThe fells nearby are excellent terrain for cross-country skiing, sledding and hiking, but somewhat puny for downhill since the maximum differential is on the order of 300 meters. Alas, this is about as good as it gets in flat Finland...
Snow mobiles If you want to get away from a group and go out on a snow-mobile with a private guide, there are quite a few operators to talk to ; Lapland Delights is one of them and offers ice-fishing in one of the local lakes which includes a snack reindeer lunch cooked in a hunter/fisherman's cabin, great !! They also arrange viewing the 'Northern Lights' with a private guide, a wonderful way to spend an evening in the Tundra (if only the lights could be guaranteed!)
Buy
EatFood in Lapland is expensive and fairly unimaginative, although if you haven't tried reindeer meat yet then this is your chance. For a more memorable experience, try a set dinner in a Lappish kota tent, offered by a number of hotels and tour operators ( with respect to the above poster, found the food in Saariselka to be tremendous, great dishes, friendly service and the meals really complemented the holiday experience of being in Lapland - quite special - see below )
DrinkThere are quite a few possibilities for after-ski as well, all the hotels have restaurants and discos, and there's even a local microbrewery with a side line in distilled spirits as well. However, Saariselkä has a deserved reputation for catering to the middle-aged market, standard musical fare is melodramatic Finnish tango and even the food is all reindeer and snow grouse. Hip snowboarding youngsters tend to head for Levi or Ruka instead.
Wines : Having posted above on Petronella, they also offer an excellent choice of wines if you're looking for the perfect accompaniment to the cuisine. They also have a 'house cocktail' the 'Petronella' which has to be tasted to be believed ; great for warming up in minus 30 degrees C Finnish weather ! SleepBudget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safeSummer hiking in Saariselkä is safe if you follow safety advise and know your own limits. Routes near Saariselkä village are well marked and require only sneakers and clothes accordant with current weather. It's recommended to purchase an inexpensive map from your hotel reception or local market. Don't go alone into fields, at least without informing your hotel reception. Ask safety advises from your hotel reception if you feel unsure. Don't forget to report to your hotel when you come back. Weather conditions can change a lot even if it's warm and sunny when you leave. Cellphone networks may not cover many places in between fields. Tourists usually never meet any dangerous animals in Saariselkä. There are some bears in the eastern part of the national park, but bears would rather avoid humans if they can. It's recommended to indicate somehow to animals that you are roaming in the neighborhood. Crime figures for Saariselkä are very low. Stay healthyTap water is potable and of high quality. In case of emergency call number 112. If you need medical consultation less urgently, contact to MedInari health service (nurse and doctor services) +358(0)207205830, address Kelotie 1, Saariselkä. It's managed by the Inari municipality and some local travel-related companies. Get out
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