Description
Step out of your busy life and into the silence of Lapland’s Arctic wilderness. The all-inclusive Arctic Ski Tour in Lapland lasts six days in total, including two nights in nice accommodation at the start and end – and four days of cross-country skiing with pulka from hut-to-hut.
No previous cross-country skiing experience is required and the pace is slow. Our professional wilderness guides teach you step by step, while the daily distances of 9–17 km with a pulka remain steady and manageable for everyone. This is a perfect way for adventure travelling in Lapland!
This is not about testing physical limits, but about slowing down and discovering the clarity that vast wilderness brings. Many travellers leave with new energy, a calmer mind and maybe a little bit deeper connection to nature.
Key Points:
- 6 days total, 4 in the wild
- Two nights in an accommodation in Ylläsjärvi (two persons/room), three nights in wilderness huts (dorm)
- All meals, accommodation, and expedition gear are included
- Capacity: min 4 – max 10
- Daily distances 9–17 km with pulkas, moderate fitness required
- Best time February-April
Why join?
- Learn cross-country skiing / trekking with pulka – no previous skiing experience required
- Safe and accessible: no polar bears, no glaciers, no steep mountains
- Sleep 3 nights in huts without electricity or running water – back to basics
- Vast wilderness brings clarity of mind
- For someone wishing to experience the true Arctic Lapland, but may lack cross-country skiing experience
- High likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights
- Easy access from Kittilä airport
- Women-only cross-country ski tour offered
- Perfect for solo travellers
What to expect on the Arctic Ski Tour in Lapland?
Experience cross country skiing with pulka in the backcountry at its most authentic way with this fairly easy hut-to-hut ski tour in Finnish Lapland, Käsivarsi Wilderness Area near the village of Kilpisjärvi. This nordic skiing tour is designed for people wishing to experience the true treeless arctic wilderness perhaps for the first time, in safe guidance and hassle-free.
Each day covers 10–17 km on skis with a pulka (sled), giving you a solid introduction to what a ski expedition is like. We ski with “fell skis”, a hybrid between cross-country and alpine skis. They are made for ski trekking in Scandinavian terrain. We use comfortable leather ski boots and usually attach climbing skins to the bottom of the ski to help with uphill sections.
We follow partly a marked route, partly totally unmarked territory on our own. There are no cross-country skiing tracks, we make our own tracks. Nights are spent in basic dorm-like wilderness huts without electricity or running water, sleeping in sleeping bags. After dark you’ll have a good chance of witnessing the Northern Lights, which appear statistically every other night this far north. Of course only if the sky is clear and you’re patient.
Our all-inclusive Arctic Ski Tour is the ideal starting point before joining our more challenging ski expeditions in Finnish Lapland. Our women-only ski tour dates are available if you are a woman looking for company with similar minds.
Huts on the way
We spend three nights at reserved wilderness huts. One hut accommodates 10-12 people in one room with dorm-style bunk beds. There is no electricity or running water. Drinking water comes from melted snow or a nearby river. Pihka Outdoors provides sleeping bags with liners and there are blankets, pillows and mattresses on each bed. Heating is by wood-burning stoves. There are dry toilets outside and no showers. There is no phone reception at some of the cabins.
Good physical fitness is required
The Arctic Ski Tour is designed as beginner friendly, and no prior cross-country skiing experience is required. However, good physical fitness is required. The physical effort is roughly equivalent to hiking 10 km with a 15 kg backpack. While the terrain isn’t extremely steep, the snow conditions can vary significantly. Hard-packed snow makes for an easy day; deep, fresh snow makes pulk travel slower and more strenuous. On average we ski six hours per day.
Weather Conditions in the open Arctic
Winter weather in the open tundra can be unpredictable. Strong winds (15–25 m/s) are common, but you may also experience bright sunshine or heavy snowstorms. Temperatures range from 0°C to –20°C. High-quality, warm and waterproof gear is essential. Pihka Outdoors can provide down jackets and assist with other clothing needs. Safety is always our top priority, and a detailed safety briefing is held before the trek.
Your Gateway to Scandinavian Ski Expeditions
This 4-day Arctic cross-country ski tour is the perfect gateway to our more demanding multiday ski adventures in Finnish Lapland. As this is designed for beginners, it offers a safe and structured way to learn ski touring with a pulka, winter skills, right winter clothing and much more while exploring the snowy Arctic enviroment at team’s easy pace.
During the evenings, there’s time to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the Arctic. Unlike many other distant regions, Finland has no polar bears or glaciers, and the risk of avalanches is pretty minimal due to the gentle terrain making it an ideal environment for newcomers to Nordic skiing.
