Getting here
Kolari · Lapland
Kolari, 100 km north of the Arctic Circle. The last stretch is a gravel road and your GPS will not find the address on its own — read this before you set off.
- Set your navigator to "Naalaojantie, Kolari"
The exact address will not be found by GPS. Naalaojantie gets you to the right turning; from there the road is signposted.
- The last 5 kilometres
A Lapland gravel road with potholes. A normal 2WD car with normal ground clearance makes it. Drive slowly, no more than 30 km/h, and watch for reindeer and elk. Park at the top of the hill — do not drive into the yard. Leave the car in the parking spot; it is a 30 m walk.
- Finding the cabins
Drive to the end of the road, where you will find the parking area. You will pass a brown cabin on your left; keep going about 50 metres to the end of the road. Äkäsjoen Piilo appears on your left by the river, and Viking Hut is the black log cabin 8 metres from it.
- Coming by air or train
Kittilä airport is an hour away by car and has direct winter flights from several European cities. Rovaniemi is 2.5 hours. Kolari has a night train from Helsinki and it stops 25 minutes from the door. Rent a car at the station in advance — it is cheaper than a taxi.
- Winter driving
From November to April the road is snow and ice. Finnish law requires winter tyres and every rental car has them. The road is ploughed so that no more than 15 cm of snow is left on it; after heavy snowfall this can take up to 24 hours. If you need it sooner, call Jani.
- If you get stuck
Roadside Assistance, 24 hours: +358 400 891 770 or 0200 8080. Or message Jani on WhatsApp.