Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Lapland Finlandfeatured
For several months after coming back from Lapland, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort was my “happy place” that I would go to in my mind when things were looking down. It was just such a surreal magical experience for the whole family that we had to tell everyone we met about it. We also just happen to love the snow, a lot. Somehow everything is just more beautiful in white. If you are lucky enough, like us, to see the Northern Lights this will become an unforgettable experience for years to come. In winter the days are shot, only a few hours. So enjoy the midday sun! It is an incredible phenomenon to watch when the sky is just simply red all around you.
Located deep in Finnish Lapland 250 km north of the Arctic circle this place should definitely be on your list of remote luxury resorts. To get to Kakslauttanen you can fly to Ivalo from Helsinki and then it is 40 km by bus. Alternatively, you can get a bit more adventurous and do what we did – get an overnight Santa Claus Express train to Rovameni from Helsinki and then get a bus ( about 3 hours). We actually stayed in Rovameni for a few days, which is an experience in itself.
Kakslauttanen is almost a fantasy. Your experience starts with a push-sled trip to your accommodation. You will pass by little light tree houses that look just so ridiculously cute. By the time you reach your pine log snow-covered cabin you already feel like you are in a fairy tale and then you walk in, inhale the aroma of a pine log cabin and you just can’t stop smiling.
West Village
Stay at the West Village if you want to be closer to the action but keep in mind that it is huge and to get from the furthest Kelo-Glass Igloos to the restaurant is probably 10 minutes with a push-sled. Allow a couple of hours to explore the village. You will encounter cute Elf’s huts here and there, Santa’s home for kids to visit, woodworking workshops but most importantly reindeer grounds and a husky home.
East Village
The East Village is the original resort and this is where you will arrive by bus. It is smaller than its West counterpart. A couple of ski trails go through the village. If you never tried Nordic Skiing (cross-country) or snowshoeing, this is a great place to give it a go! The resort has lessons available and all equipment for hire. East Village has a snow chapel for those wishing to tie the knot in deep snow.
Glass Igloos & Snow Igloos
You will find that it is very tempting to stay in the Glass Igloos. It is a special experience but maybe only for a night or two. If you are coming for several days Log Chalets would be a much more comfortable choice! For the best of both worlds try hybrid log-and-glass igloos. We only stayed at the Log Chalet but during the day went for a stroll around both villages and checked out the Igloos.
They are small, made of glass of course (so not very private) and don’t have showers. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort has smoke saunas and shower rooms separately and for young and adventurous this might be a fun in -40. It all becomes so worth it though when you get to see the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed! Snow Igloos are only built when the conditions are right. So if this is your dream, check in advance!
Log Chalet
- sauna – this is something you must do: sit in a sauna for a while and then run outside and plunge into a deep snow pile, do this naked, its dark anyway, no one will see you!
- open fireplace – although chalets are heated and fireplace is there really only for ambiance you will want to use it. You have to pay extra for wood but trust me, it is completely worth it!
- sit in the rocking chair, drink hot chocolate and watch the fire. That fire crackling sound when it is freezing outside makes it so cozy, you can watch the wood burn all night!
Restaurant at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
The buffet breakfast was just fabulous. I can almost still taste the lightly salted salmon with dark rye bread and lingonberry juice! Dinner is a set menu with simple local home-style made food. We loved the reindeer for mains and soups for an entree. Mushroom soup and salmon soups were definitely my favorite. You can order à la carte if you really want to for the additional price but we were never really tempered as we wanted to try just the simple local food, hearty, and warming! The restaurant venue itself is very authentic, with traditional ceremonial decorations and bear skins on the walls. Check out the Igloo Bar!
Things to do at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort:
The 3 most popular outdoor activities are snowmobiling, dog sledding, and reindeer safari. Try to book midday time slots for the best light. I also recommend coming back in the morning to watch Huskies getting ready for a trip, give them some hugs, they are incredibly cute. If you have small kids when going snowmobiling they will sit on a sled covered in blankets and reindeer skin, they will love it! By far the coldest experience is the reindeer trip. It is very very slow, layer up and takes hand and toe warmers! Apparently -20C is too warm for reindeer and they move faster in -30C and -4oC, but not much faster!
For the best experience at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort :
What to Pack:
Lots and lots of layers. Allow for a temperature range of -20C to -40C. Down jackets, fleeces and thermals are a must, lots of gloves and mittens. If participating in resort activities, you will be also provided with a thermal suit and winter boots. So if you are underdressed for the occasion, don’t despair! Pack lots of hand and toe warmers. This will be particularly handy on a reindeer safari, it gets very cold!
Camera gear:
If your dream is to photograph Northern Lights then make sure you are bringing a steady tripod and a remote. It is mostly dark so you will be shooting lots in the long exposure. Take your widest lenses to capture the sky. Be prepared to operate in a manual mode as everything freezes and particularly focusing ring. You will also need to deal with condensation issues on DSLR lenses. Because of that, I tried to shoot with my iPhone but the battery freezes and shuts down within 10-15 minutes. Alternate your gear. No drone, again battery will freeze and the thick cold air will change the way it handles. Plus the motors will probably not well work for too long at that temperature anyway.
Communication:
The Internet is available at the restaurant. You can also hire a router to take into your room but Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort has a limited supply of those, I recommend booking in advance.