We know...

The words ‘genuine’ and ‘unspoilt’ are used all too freely to describe travel destinations. In Nellim’s case they are wholly appropriate. Every year we try to come up with words to describe the beauty of Nellim and the vast wintery expanses of Lake Inari. However, words alone just don’t do it justice, sometimes you have to see to believe. For a break from the hustle and bustle and a return to a much simpler way of life, we would struggle to name a better destination.

This tiny “one street” village, in the far North-East corner of Finnish Lapland, is on the shores of Lake Inari and just a short distance from the Russian border. The terrain here is hillier and more rugged than in other parts of Finland and the spectacular winter scenery is all the more dramatic for that.

To add to the magic, this far North there is an excellent chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Indeed, three of us here at Activities Abroad saw the Aurora for the first time while visiting Nellim so it holds a special place in our hearts. There’s so much here that is different. For example, if you walk close to the Finnish/Russian border fence then motion sensitive cameras follow your movements. It’s spooky and exciting at the same time!

Despite Nellim’s remote wilderness location you are assured of a warm and genuine Lappish family welcome from your hosts Jouko and Mari. In our opinion, Jouko is probably the hardest working man in the world.

Among his many projects in recent years has been the construction of some fabulous new apartments across the courtyard from the main building.

After a day of activities during one of our many programmes at Nellim you may want to sledge down the small hills near the hotel. Alternatively you can grab a reindeer skin lie back, insulated against the frozen ice, and gaze skywards at probably the best free entertainment anywhere in the world.

Now that’s not something you get to do every day is it?

You know....

“We are back after having an amazing time a holiday of a lifetime!  We saw the Aurora on our first night it was fantastic, absolutely unbelievable and beautiful. Thank you for all your help!  I have already started recommending it to everyone!”  Anne Hodgkinson – January 2011

Day 1: Flights, arrival and transfer
Your holiday in this far flung corner of Lapland starts with your transfer to Nellim for an introductory meeting with your guide before dinner.

Day 2: Cross country skiing and Aurora Camp
After breakfast you will receive cross country skiing tuition before heading out onto the trail for a 2-3 hour tour before heading back to Nellim for lunch and some time to explore.
After dinner you will go to the Aurora Camp on Lake Inari to get the best opportunity to view the Northern Lights should they appear. You will be out from around 10pm until midnight.

Day 3: Day with a reindeer herder
Today you will experience the life of a reindeer herder. You will join him in the forest as he heads out to track down his reindeer and give them their feed. He will tell you about his life and the importance of the animals to the area. You will also join some local fishermen on Lake Inari.
You will travel around 30km on snowmobiles throughout the day.

Day 4: Snowshoe trek and ice fishing
The importance of snowshoes is revealed if you try and go for a walk in a forest without them; you may end up digging yourself out of waist deep snow. You will be out for approximately 4 hours.

Day 5: Wilderness snowmobile safari
Today you will head out onto the tracks and trails for an exhilarating safari through the wilds which surround Nellim. You will travel around 80km so you’ll be ready for your dinner tonight.

Day 6: Husky safari
This is a real highlight of any holiday in the North. You will be given full instruction and tuition before testing your mushing skills during a safari lasting approximately 4 hours including a break for a trail side lunch. This is a wonderful final activity in Lapland.

Day 7: Departure
Today it is time to head home or you may wish to extend your stay at Kakslauttanen Igloo Village.

The Kakslauttanen Igloo Village

Hotel Kakslauttanen
Kakslauttanen is about getting away from it all and certainly isn’t the place if you’re looking for wild nightlife. Our advice is to take a good book and revel in the peace and quiet of your log cabin. But don’t forget to pop your head out the door and look skyward from time to time, we don’t want you missing the Aurora!
In a central log building you’ll find reception, a small souvenir shop and the main restaurant. From there, all snowy
paths lead to the log cabins, the snow igloos and the hugely popular (and warmer) glass igloos. Amongst the different accommodation you’ll find the world’s largest smoke sauna, a wedding chapel and ice bar.

Kakslauttanen Log Cabins
There are 40 very cosy and comfortable cabins here at Kakslauttanen. We recommend the “standard” cabins which vary in size making them suitable for groups of two to ten people. Each cabin has an open plan kitchenette and lounge area with fireplace, shower/toilet room, bedroom or bedrooms and sauna.

Kakslauttanen Glass Igloos
Fabulous idea! Take an isolated site in the Aurora Zone and build glass igloos with unbelievable views of the Arctic night sky. Even better, use special thermal glass that ensures the igloos stay at a comfortable room temperature and prevents the windows from frosting over. Each igloo has two luxury beds with remote control positioning (so you can prop yourself up to watch the Aurora) and a discreet toilet and wash room.

Kakslauttanen Snow Igloos
For a slightly more extreme bedtime why not try a snow igloo? As the name suggests, they are built entirely from snow but the temperature inside is always between -3°C and -6°C. However, everything has been done to make sure that you remain warm as you’ll be provided with a down sleeping bag, woollen socks and a hood.

Tourism in Finnish Lapland has become the main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Working within this growth industry in rural and remote areas means that we must take a great deal of responsibility; socially, environmentally and economically. We fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect.

The wilderness hotel in Nellim is owned and run by the Lappalainen family, whose Sámi routes have been in this area for centuries. They have a strong sense of tradition and we encourage all of our clients to respect and embrace the lives and culture of all Nellim’s local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. We have also included activities with a cultural base. In addition, we always encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities which help to sustain traditional values and customs.

In all of our destinations we ensure that we use local accommodation, transport and activity providers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. The hotel in Nellim also serves as much local produce as possible and stocks locally made souvenirs. Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas such as towns and cities. In a small and remote village such as Nellim the effects of such a drift could be devastating.

The use of small family run hotels and businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence stays where it should, in the local economy. We firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world.

Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas, and they don’t come more un-spoilt than Nellim. Naturally we wish to maintain the natural settings in which we work, not just for the future of our company, but also for future generations. We will always insist that our local providers are equally conscious of this need.

We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Nellim they are a way of life. They are the only means of keeping in contact with remote reindeer herders and communities as the road infrastructure is not extensive. All trails are well managed. The alternatives to snowmobiles would in most cases be large, gas-guzzling off road vehicles. All snowmobiles are regularly serviced and kept as fuel efficient as possible. The snowmobile service industry is also another vital source of employment in these remote areas.

We always ensure that all litter is removed from any of our activity sites, we strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment. We always offset our air travel emissions and would encourage you to do the same.