Suomutunturi – Lapland’s Hidden Gem
There are many attractive destinations in Lapland you’re probably already familiar with, but Suomu might not be one of them. Suomutunturi, or in other words ‘’The Arctic Circle Ski Resort’’ is located in Kemijärvi, Finland’s official winter city of 2022. The area is known to be one of the snowiest places in Finland, with lots of lakes and rivers, too. If you’re looking for an authentic, peaceful place in Lapland surrounded by pure nature and less crowds, but still want to try out excursions and local cuisines – Suomutunturi might be the place for you.
How to Get There – Kemijärvi
The closest airports to Suomu are in Rovaniemi (125 km) and Kuusamo (100 km). You can take a bus (or train from Rovaniemi) to Kemijärvi, and continue with another bus to Suomu, where the bus stop is right in front of Suomu hotel and skiing slopes. There’s also a wonderful restaurant and cafe inside, where you can try out some local foods first thing when you arrive. The hotel with slopes right behind the building is quite picturesque, so don’t forget your camera when you come here!
Another option is to rent a car from the airport, and some hotels also have transportation options for extra fee. You can check out current bus and train timetables here. Suomutunturi is fairly nearby from other fell destinations, as well, so why not plan some day trips to make the most out of your stay! I’d recommend to check out Salla, Ruka, and Pyhä, which all are about an hour drive from Suomu.
Where to Eat and Sleep
As I mentioned before, the Suomu Hotel is right in the heart of Suomutunturi, and there are rooms with slope or lake views available. The hotel itself has three restaurants, Takka, Ailo and Ski bistro, as well as a café, indoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, massage services, common lounge and more. They also have different activities available, such as husky safaris and fishing, and skiing equipment for rent. Downhill skiing slopes are right behind the hotel, and cross-country skiing tracks are very nearby, too. If you’re keener to stay in a cabin, you can find plenty of options from different booking sites. Suomu Hotel has self-service cabins approximately 1,2 km from the main building. Pets are welcome as well! Kemijärvi town is half an hour drive from Suomutunturi, where you can find grocery stores, health center, more restaurant and accommodation options etcetera.
What to Experience in Suomutunturi
Suomu is known as a peaceful and laid-back village, but there’s still plenty of action for those in need. Classic Lappish excursions, such as husky, reindeer and snowmobile safaris, downhill and cross-country skiing, (ice) fishing and swimming, saunas and northern light hunting tours. You can find plenty of seasonal information, tips and prices here.
There’s also a famous Finnish movie filmed in Suomutunturi, which is a story about Ailo reindeer’s journey with other wild animals in Lapland’s nature. I’d highly recommend to watch this heartfelt move before your trip for inspiration and education! You can find information about the movie here. If you’re interested to learn more about the Finnish nature, there are more documentary movies from the same producer, Marko Röhr – Tale of a Forest and Tale of a Lake.
‘’For being able to understand why we must protect the nature, we need to experience what nature is all about.’’
-Guillaume Maidatchevsky, director.
⇐ By Erika Katainen / Visit Lapland ⇒
