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Saariselka Ski Holidays

At a glance

  • Urho Kekkonen National Park
  • Easy skiing
  • Local cuisine

Great for

  • Meet Santa
  • Northern Lights
  • Off-slope activities

Ski Holidays in Saariselka

As well as being a popular place for panning, Saariselkä is a goldmine of winter wonderland activities. With a stunning national park on your doorstep, you can explore the snowy surroundings on foot, skis, snowmobile or even reindeer before coming home to your cosy cabin or hotel.

  • Flight Time
  • 3.5 hours
  • From London
  • Nearest Airports
  • Kittilä, Kuusamo
  • Rovaniemi
  • Time zone
  • GMT + 2 hour
  • Language
  • Finnish
  • Currency
  • Euros
  • Ski Season
  • Dec - April

Saariselka Stats

Top Altitude
438m
Bottom Altitude
260m
Resort Altitude
265m
Total Piste
10km
Longest Run
1.3km
Slope Orientation
N, E, W
Vertical Drop
180m
Skiable Vertical
180m
Night Skiing
Yes
Glacier Skiing
No

Europe’s northernmost ski resort, Saariselkä is 250km up from the Arctic Circle, not far from the Russian border. One of the main resorts in Lapland – the legendary home of Father Christmas – it has snow-sure skiing, a Christmas-card-esque village and heaps of festive activities all in one place.

The village itself is surrounded by forest and full of winter wonderland charm, with its own little chapel, some shops and restaurants and accommodation ranging from spa hotels to traditional log cabins. Everything is pretty close-knit and it’s usually only ever a short walk from A to B.

Surrounded by wilderness, this is one of those places where you feel like you’re a world away from the rest of civilisation and can get really close up and personal with nature. Right next door, the stunning Urho Kekkonen National Park is one of Finland’s largest protected areas.

There’s lots to do here, from experiencing natural beauty at Kakslauttanen’s Igloo village or spending some time indoors at the - less traditional but kids love it - Angry Birds activity park. Famous for its gold rushes (you can try your own luck at gold-digging here) it also has a thriving Sami community and the Sami Museum is well worth a visit.

If you’re lucky you’ll catch the northern lights, whether peeping out from your cabin, on a snowmobile safari or lying in a glass igloo...

The two fells that make up the ski area are 1km away. You have to take a ski bus to the slopes but it only takes about five minutes and the service is usually pretty sharp.

In terms of getting here in the first place, the closest airport, Ivalo, is only a 20-30 minute drive away and bus service for the last leg of the journey is fairly frequent. You can also train it to Rovaniemi and then take a bus to the resort.

Winter Sports Ratings

Beginners

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboarding

Saariselka Transfer Times

Ivalo32 km, 30 mins

The nearest airport to Saariselka is Ivalo at 30 km or about 25 minutes by car

What's the ski area like in Saariselka?

Spread across the Iisakkipää and Kaunispää fells, the ski area is modestly sized, with 6 ski lifts taking you up to 15 slopes. The bus is quite regular and does drop-offs at the top of the slopes and the base. From the base, one chairlift takes you to the top of Kaunispää (the rest of the lifts are T bars). All pistes take you back to the same part of the valley, where you’ll find campfires and cafés to warm up and rebuild your energy stores.

Cross-country trails cover a whopping 220km and being national park territory; you’ll be utterly wrapped up in the views.

At the end of the day, go for the old school approach to get down a mountain and grab a toboggan for the Alli slope; made all the more exciting by the fact that it’s the oldest in Europe.

Which other ski resorts are near to Saariselka?

The nearest ski resorts to Saariselka include Levi, Luosto, Pyha, Yllas, Ruka.

Ski Area Facts

LocationNorthern Lapland, Finland
Established1970s
Downhill10km
Lift Pass200€ (adult 6 day)

Beginner Slopes

5km50%

Intermediate Skiing

4.2km42%

Advance & Expert Terrain

0.8km8%

Snowboarding Trails

10km100%

What is Saariselka like for Beginner skiers?

This isn’t a challenging ski area, and the slopes would best match a beginner or just-turned intermediate. The ski school has a bunch of English-speaking instructors that will show you the ropes (and slopes) in skiing, snowboarding, cross country, telemarking and even snowkiting, so those who have already conquered Alpine skiing can have a go at something new. The Pollo and longer Naakka on Iisakkipää are two of the easiest greens and Huuhkaja on Kaunispää is a good one to progress onto. Iisakkipää has two blue runs to progress onto; the short Haukka and longer Metso.

What is Saariselka like for Intermediate skiers?

Kaunispää has a couple of pistes that follow the pattern of starting off more gently and gradually getting a little steeper. Pulmunen is a blue running into a red and Varpunen is a long red that leads into a black over 1050m.

What is Saariselka like for Advanced skiers?

The most difficult run is the black Lunni, off-pisters might catch a little bit of powder between the runs too.

What is Saariselka like for snowboarding?

The freestyle park stretches down a 1200m street on the Riekko slope of the Kaunispää and the children’s park is helpfully located next to the ski bar where grown-ups can sit back with a Finnish gluggi while the kids play.

What is Saariselka like for off-piste skiing?

There is plenty of off-piste options, best to be explored with a guide.

What is Saariselka like for cross country skiing?

Cross country season lasts from October to May, with about 200km of tracks. Some of tracks go into the Urho Kekkonen national park. There are 34km of lit trails.

Saariselka Restaurants

Reindeer dishes, the native Cloudberry and the River Tenojoki salmon are all must-try Finnish flavours here. Restaurant Petronella was made with high class dining in mind and the Café/Restaurant at the top to the Kaunispää chair is great for a panoramic view. If you prefer to cook for yourself, the Kuukeli supermarket has a good supply of the necessities and then some.

Where to eat in Saariselka and on the mountain

The Petronella Restaurant The Petronella Restaurant has a menu that is sure to give you a proper taste of Finland. The restaurant itself was named after an adventurer who got involved in the gold fever gripping the area in the mid-1900s. It’s got quite a cosy atmosphere where you’ll be surrounded by warm lights. You can enjoy the ambiance over a glass of red maybe!

Laanilan Kievari It’s all about fresh ingredients and traditional tastes here. They get a lot of the components for their dishes by growing the ingredients themselves. You can sit back and relax here over a nice glass of wine in the warm. Check to see whether they’ve got any particular events like wine tastings going on during the week. They are quite good at organising events so if you have a birthday coming up these might be the people to talk to…

Siberia Restaurant Describing itself as refined and relaxed you’ll certainly have a pleasant pit stop at the café or leisurely evening meal at the Siberia Restaurant. There are some great dishes around the Lappish area and here you get an opportunity to experience a few. They pride themselves in using local food from the forests to the lakes. They do have a shop too, showcasing some handmade jewellery and clothing items.

Saariselka Après Ski

With only 15 slopes, this isn’t meant to be a resort where the sole focus is skiing and there are tonnes of other activities to fill up the week. When it comes to having a warming tipple or two, O’Poro Pub usually holds an after-party between 2 pm and 5 pm. They get local bands to play live music, and you’ll get to have a go at ski shoe dancing. They also have a restaurant with big windows to see the Northern Lights. You’ve got Brewery Pub and Kaunis Jorma Saariselka for a chilled beer and rock music (for karaoke on Sunday and Tuesday you might need another beer). Hotel Kieppi also has live music, and for a culture lesson, there’s a Sami evening once a week.

Bars Late Night Clubs and Cafes in Saariselka

Husky Bar and Ranch This is the perfect place for a cool beer after a day trekking, skiing or sledding. It has chilled-out, loose atmosphere with plenty of opportunity to have a good old chat. You can find the little bar along the ski track to Laanila, around about 1km from the centre of Saariselka.

Saariselka Activites for Non-skiers

Snowmobiling, reindeer and husky safaris really are as fun as they look, and all are a great way to enjoy the surroundings. For something a bit different, try your hand at ice fishing or follow one of the more well-trodden snowshoe routes. Even better, 15 minutes away by road is Santa’s resort, Kakslauttanen for a once in a lifetime meeting with the man himself. From November to April you might be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. The Sami people believe it is the energies of ancestral souls causing the lights whereas a Finnish legend tells the story of a large Arctic fox running across the snow and creating the lights as sparks fly up from its tail thumping the ground. In the resort, you can wind-down at the spa, keep the kids occupied at the Angry Birds activity park or try something new at the curling centre.

Angry Birds Activity Park The Angry Birds Park offers a bunch of fun activities throughout the year and they are aimed at all ages. You’ve got all sorts of games going on around the indoor park from virtual games to an adventure track. There is also a shop as well as a resting area for parents to relax and keep an eye on the younger ones. The tower and climbing structures are designed to get the whole family involved so worth a visit if you’re all together this year.

Husky and Co Sign up to a Husky safari and you might be able to be picked up directly from your accommodation to the Husky and Co farm. You’ll be offered some warm overalls and shoes for the ride and a trek could last up to 4 – 5 hours. One the way round they like to stop off and cook you a spot of lunch on an open fire. It is a great way to experience the landscape and let’s face it… Husky’s are cute. Reindeer safaris run from the reindeer farm where you will be transported to after meeting at the central office. You’ll get so see some traditional costume and might even have a go at steering the reindeer yourself. The tour lasts a couple of hours and there might be the option to have lunch at the farm.

Arktikum Arktikum is located in Rovaniemi – about 3 hours’ by road from Saariselkä. Visitors eager to discover Lapland’s past will love the cultural and natural history exhibits, meanwhile there’s plenty to learn about arctic ecology and climate change in Arktikum’s science centre.

Joulukka Following a pickup in Rovaniemi centre (around 3 hours’ drive from Saariselkä), Joulukka will transport you into the wilderness to find Santa’s woodland hideaway. Visitors have the option of a great range of programs, which include meeting the man himself, sneaking a peek at mission control, and becoming a ‘Guardian of Lapland’.

Tankavaara Gold Village The Tankavaara Gold Village makes a wonderfully unique activity when in Finland for your holiday. 30km south of Saariselka on the E75 road the village offers the gold mining experience. You will be able to pan for actual gold deposits with some direction and you are allowed to keep what you find. In the café you can actually pay with what you find as they accept real gold! The international gold museum is worth a wonder round as well as over to the goldsmith workshop. They sometimes have a particular even going on given the time of year which is also worth checking out. The Gold Panning Championships, for example, might be something you never expected to find yourself at.

Santa Park Saariselka’s around 3 hours from Rovaniemi’s Santa Park. Other than meeting Santa himself, visitors can cook up a treat in the gingerbread kitchen, attend Elf School and visit the world’s only below-ground Arctic Circle crossing. The park also has an ice gallery, sleigh ride, giant snow globe and Angry Birds activity area.

Metsäkyly Forest Retreat 300km from Saariselka, and hidden in woodland beside the lake Sieri is the Metsäkyly sauna. There’s a range of health programs on offer here – from sauna, Jacuzzi and a dip in the ice pool, to beauty treatments, forest trails and enjoying an indulgent meal.

Clothing Food & Souvenir Shops

There are just half a dozen shops in the village selling basics, groceries (9am to 9pm), photographic services, souvenirs and skiwear, most are concentrated in the shopping Centre Siula. In addition there are another half dozen studios, shops and workshops selling unique local crafts and traditional jewellery, often made on the premises, incorporating local gold and other precious metals and stones, to either contemporary or traditional Sami designs. If you would like a reindeer skin souvenir you'll find them molre affordable here than at the airport.

Ultima Jewelry sells Lapponia Jewelry and other brands well known in Finland.

Inarin Hopea has original and traditional handicrafts which are made in their own workshop. This includes handmade jewellery of the type traditionally worn in Lapland, designed following old Lappish models from centuries ago, adapted to better suit modern times.

A log cabin built in 1952 on the top of Kaunispää fell is one of the oldest buildings in the resort, it is now used as a souvenir shop.

Hire Shop The Saariselka hire shop is where you will be able to hire all your slope equipment. You'll find all the necessities from helmets to skis, boots and snowboards as well as telemarking and even snowscooting equipment. The hire shop is open at the same times as the slopes and is found alongside the lifts at the main slope area.

Saariselka Package Ski Holidays

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Best Time to Visit Saariselka

The season usually runs from November to May with temperatures just below freezing for most of the winter, so lots of warm clothing, lip balm and hand warmers is an absolute must! Thermal wear can be hired out to make things easy and the locals do a fantastic job of warming up the restaurants and bars.

The chilly weather does paint a positive picture for the snow conditions and the area is known to have excellent ski conditions all season long.

In the mega European resorts, queuing for the lifts can take up a chunk of your week, but this is rarely an issue in a place where there are more reindeer than people, especially where there’s so much focus on activities off the slopes.

If you’re coming for the Northern lights, anytime between November through to April is supposed to be the best time to see them.

What's Saariselka like at Christmas?

Christmas in Saariselkä will beat struggling through the last minute Christmas shopping mosh-pit back home. The easy skiing and activities like reindeer sleigh rides and meeting Santa will also beat any other Christmas present…
Christmas Ski Holidays

What's Saariselka like in the New Year?

Common sightings of the Northern Lights are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reasons for spending the New Year at Saariselkä.
New Year Ski Holidays

What's Saariselka like in Half-Term?

February half-term in Saariselkä should have you wishing away the next 12 months until you can do it again. Take a step back from the furore of school or the office and embrace the Finnish fells.
Half Term Ski Holidays

What's Saariselka like at Easter?

Instead of hunting for the last chocolate egg, start searching for your warmest pair of gloves for an Easter in Saariselkä. It’s the perfect way to take a story or two back to the classroom or office that will top all the others…

Saariselka Snow Conditions

Snow Report, History & Forecast

View our detailed Saariselka snow report to see skiing confitions now. Our Saariselka snow history shows you what snow depths have been in recent years month-by-month. If you're visiting soon, use the Saariselka snow forecast to see predicted snowfall over the coming days.

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Ski Accommodation in Saariselka

We have 805 ski holidays in Saariselka. Search all Saariselka ski deals or pick your preferred accommodation type below:

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Saariselka is a magical resort for a family as it’s a world away from anything children might have experienced before. The ski area is contained over two neighbouring fells, making it easy for you to drop them at ski school and pick them up later. Thanks to the slopes being mostly wide and gentle, there’s some lovely skiing to enjoy as a family once ski school is out - make sure you do the toboggan run on the Kaunispää fell before you get the bus back to the resort, which is 1km from the skiing.

If you’re with the little ones who aren’t old enough to ski, babysitting services are usually available so the rest of the clan can head off to the slopes. You’ll find that you’ll probably spend as much time on the slopes as off what with the activities on offer... Husky rides are hugely popular and a reindeer safari will bring a festive feel to your holiday. If you need to escape the outdoors, the Angry Birds Activity Park is a super option (see if under 4’s can still go free). For the icing on the cake, Santa’s resort is only 15 mins away in Kakslauttanen.

Temperatures can drop to around minus 15-20˚C in the colder months and barely creep above freezing over the season, so stocking up on good thermals and taking regular hot chocolate breaks are really important when you have little ones. Ask us about snowsuit hire so you don’t have to fork out for your own gear, these warm suits can be a godsend when it comes to keeping the kids warm and happy!

Saariselka is great for groups looking to spend equal time on and off the slopes. If you’re all a bunch of beginners or have been skiing once or twice, you’ll love the introductory greens and blues across the two fells. The ski area is 1km away from the resort and accessible by bus - or if you’re feeling fresh you could walk it... (pick up some tasty provisions from the Kuukeli supermarket before you set off).

After dedicating a few hours to the skis, turn your attention to the rest the resort has to offer: Tobogganing on the Alli slope, which takes up 1200m of the Kaunispää fell is a fun way to end a group ski session while husky, reindeer and snowmobile safaris are ideal for those who love a bit of a thrill and a view to boot. Snowshoeing can be a super way to experience the landscape – don’t forget you’re right next to a nature park here! For something a bit different, go ice fishing or stay inside to try your hand at curling or soak up some culture at the Sami museum.

This isn’t a party resort, and part of its appeal is its tranquillity. However, O’Poro Irish Bar has live music most days, which will get you up dancing - pop along to its swish restaurant afterwards. Brewery Pub and Kaunis Jorma Saarisekla are an excellent place for a drink, and Restaurant Petronella might interest those famished after a day full of adventure. Make sure to look out for the northern lights while you’re out here – a fantastic experience to share with your nearest and dearest.

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Ski Extras

How much is a ski pass in Saariselka

Maximum and minimum adult Saariselka lift pass prices ranged from €133 to €190 for 6 days access to the Saariselka ski lift system at the start of the 2025 winter season. Our lift passes are part of a packaged Saariselka holiday with accommodation, so prices vary depending on chalet or hotel suppliers. Confirm price for the lift ticket before booking your holiday.

Lift Tickets Child Adult Senior
1 Day Price €19 - €27 €29 - €42 €19 - €27
6 Day Price €80 - €114 €133 - €190 €80 - €114
Age Range 7 - 12 13 - 64 65+
Saariselka Packages + Extras

Getting to Saariselka

Most of our ski holidays to Saariselka packaged with flights include airport transfers. We can also arrange private transfers to Saariselka from nearby airports

How long does it take to fly to Saariselka from the UK?

Flights from London take about 3.5 hours to Kittilä, Kuusamo, Rovaniemi. This table shows approximate transfer times to Saariselka from the nearest airports, smaller airports can be more prone to delays.

Airport Distance Transfer Time
Ivalo 30 km 25 minutes
Kittila 260 km 3 hours
Packages with Plane Train or Car

How long does it take to drive to Saariselka from the UK?

Browse our self-drive ski holidays which include your car channel crossing, or go choose accom-only and book your car ferry or tunnel later.

Self-Drive Ski Holidays
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Accommodation-Only

How long is the transfer from nearest Finland / Lapland train station to Saariselka?

The transfer time from alpine train stations are generally shorter than from airports, Call us for details of Saariselka transfers.

Station Distance Transfer Time
Rovaniemi 260 km 4 hours 20 minutes
Ski Train Holidays

Saariselka Maps

Saariselka piste map
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Going to Saariselka under your own steam

For independant travel to Finland / Lapland, compare accommodation only with Saariselka self-drive packages which include Eurotunnel or ferry.

Accomm-Only & Self-Drive

See driving directions to and from Saariselka in Finland / Lapland.

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More Saariselka Information

Saariselka Tourist Office The tourist office at Saariselka is your best resource for finding out about the best places to visit during your stay. The helpful staff can provide you with advice and brochures regarding where to eat and drink, which excursions to check out and where you’ll find local services and facilities.

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Saariselka Ski Holiday Resources

Need help choose your Saariselka ski holiday? Call us on 020 7770 6888 or click Enquire - we love to help!

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