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Aakenus lodge is located in a peaceful area close to the Pallas-Ylläs national park in the foothills of Aakenus fell. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the ski resorts. Aakenus Lodge offers you a unique experience of the Lappish wilderness and tranquility. The great thing about Aakenus lodge is that although it is a wilderness location, it can be easily reached by car and snowmobile. Or you can opt for a slower method of transport such as snowshoeing, mushing a husky-team, cross-country skiing or hiking through the forest of the nature park. The journey to and from Aakenus lodge can be an experience of its own!

Once you reach the Aakenus lodge you are in the middle of Lappish wilderness. The Lodge sleeps 20 people and has sauna facilities and a hot pool. During your stay you will be looked after by an experienced lodge host/ess. Food at the lodge is as seasonal and local as possible. The menu includes local specialities such as reindeer meat, lake fish, wild mushrooms and fruit from the forest.  Aakenus Lodge is a guest house and can be used for private and company parties.

Stay at the wilderness lodge For all sales queries please contact Sanna Toivonen: sanna.toivonen@destinationlapland.com or Mauri Kuru: mauri.kuru@destinationlapland.com More about the Lodge » Distances Kittilä 25 km (airport) • Äkäslompolo    25 km • Levi 45 km • Rovaniemi 170 km

 

Experience unique nature safaris at Destination Lapland

The people of Lapland have traditionally divided the year into eight seasons. We do the same with our safaris which take place in the natural surroundings of Aakenus Lodge. You can ski on untouched snow in the blue light of the winter, snow shoe and listen to the night owls accompanying the northern lights dancing in the sky. You can trace the bear tracks on the spring snow, admire the migrating birds and get to know the life of the past in the midsummer. You can experience the tranquility of the wilderness and the voices of the local natural habitat while celebrating the light and colors of Lapland.

The guide

Game biologist and photographer, Keijo Taskinen, knows the northern habitat and Ylläs region like the back of his hand. Keijo has planned nature tracks, organised exhibitions and written popular wilderness books. His latest picture book 'Ylläs –life by the fells' describes every day life in Ylläs and details how the northern nature and the rich cultural history influences everyday modern living. Keijo is also a popular and experienced nature guide. His safaris venture outside the normal tracks in the peaceful wilderness.


The safaris of the eight seasons

General

The seasons in the north are very different. The format of the safaris is dependent on the weather conditions. That way we can guarantee a memorable adventure in the Lappish region. The safaris last 6-8 hours and are suitable for everyone.  We will move peacefully without keeping an eye on the clock or counting the kilometres and will stop for Lappish style snacks by the camp fire. The top quality safaris are for smaller groups between 2 -6 people.

SPRING/WINTER (March-April)

Cross-country skiing on the hard and crusty snow. In April the changes in the temperature make the snow crusty and hard and easier to move on. Then the wilderness is very accessible and we will cross-country ski behind the fells and off the beaten track to see what is out there.
Carnivora trips. At the end of April the bears will wake up. We will follow the tracks of the bear by cross country skis and will try and see what the bear has been up to. We will also try to find the tracks of the elusive wolverine.

SPRING (May – June)

Spring combination.  In May the winter is at it’s best. We will make the most of nature waking up and walk towards the fells. At the snowline we will put the snowshoes on and walk up to the fell. During the trip you could see reindeer, mooses, swans and eagles.
Bird trips. There are birds everywhere in the spring time. We will enjoy the light night time by walking, watching and listening to the wilderness which is full of life. We will get to know the most common birds in the area.

SPRING/SUMMER (June)

Wilderness river. In the beginning of the summer there is pleanty of water even in the smallest rivers. This will enable us to travel along little rivers. We will go along an easy low gradient river. The animals are not afraid of a rubber boat or a canoe so we will have a good chance to spot mooses.
Worshipping the sun.  The light is the conductor of the northern nature. We will do a trip worshipping the midnight sun. We will observe the effect of the unique light on the animals and plants.

SUMMER (July-August)

Life of the olden days. There are signs of the ancient life in Lapland in the nature of Lapland. Ancient fireplaces, holy stones etc. There are signs of the life after the ice age in the Ylläs area. We will explore the rituals of these times  through the ancient monuments and cultural/historical sites.
Animal of life. Reindeer has been the most important animal to the humans in the north. We will walk and become familiar with the life of reindeer. We will visit reindeer hearders who are ‘marking’ the new born calves and get to know their lifestyle.


SUMMER/AUTUMN (August)

Self–sufficient day. The nature is full of food at the end of the summer. We spend a self-sufficient day in the nature. We will eat forest fruits and mushrooms we’ve picked and maybe even some fish that we have caught ourselves.
Towards the wetlands/bogs. The wetlands of Lapland are unique. We will visit one of the larger bogs and become familiar with the natural habitat of the northern bogs.


AUTUMN (September-October)

Picture perfect. Nature photography is an art form on which Keijo will give you some useful tips. Having planned beforehand what kind of picture we would like to take, we will explore the area to capture the perfect shot.
The secrets of the old forest.  The old forests of the Ylläs area are special. We will take a trip to see the homes of the eagles, bears, siberian jays, western Capercaillie.


AUTUMN/WINTER (October – November)

Tourskating. In the beginning of the winter the water will freeze - what better setting for some tourskating. We will skate along the lakes and stop by important cultural and historical sites.
Appreciate the silence. Nature is preparing for the long winter ahead and is quiet - the tranquility interrupted only by the rippling of streams, the wind in the trees and the occasional raven making itself known. We will walk into the heart of the wilderness, set up a camp fire and spend the evening watching the dancing flames and enjoying the peacefulness of our surroundings.


WINTER (December-March)

Explore the wintery scene. Wide and long forest skis are the best for getting around in the winter. We will ski on traditional Finnish forest skis and observe the tracks of the animals while exploring the effects of the snow on the local habitat
Northern lights trips.  You will be lucky enough to observe the northen lights in the sky quite often. We will snowshoe in the far away so that we can fully appreciate this wonder.

Details

Many of the trips can be done during different seasons. Only 2-6 people per trip
 Dates are available upon request.
 6 – 8 hrs