Nestled throughout the pristine wilderness of Pallas-Yllästunturi Nationwide Park, Muonio beckons with its untouched landscapes and the promise of an genuine Lapland Winter expertise.
This village, famend for having the cleanest air on the planet, boasts over 20 fells, 200 lakes, and a outstanding eight seasons, inviting us to embrace a slower tempo of life amidst nature’s wonders.
Muonio, Finland, is the proper vacation spot in your winter journey in Lapland. It affords a bunch of distinctive actions, reminiscent of husky safaris and northern gentle recognizing.
All aboard the Kolari Evening sleeper Prepare from Helsinki to Kolari
The easiest way to succeed in Muonio from Helsinki is by taking an in a single day sleeper practice service to Kolari railway station.
Do you know that Kolari railway station is Finland’s northernmost practice station?
Your journey to Muonio commences from the bustling and handy Helsinki Metropolis Centre Railway Station.
You’ve gotten two decisions of practice cabin sleeper rooms, each with two single bunks every, which will be shared or booked to stay non-public.
One possibility has a built-in room ensuite with rest room, wash sink and bathe, while the opposite cheaper room possibility solely affords the 2 single cabin bunk beds. The bathroom and bathe rooms are on a shared communal and will be discovered all through the practice.
We board the evening practice, every of us settling into our cabins for the subsequent 14-hour journey.
Because the practice glides in the direction of Kolari railway station, we anticipate the Arctic chill that awaits, with temperatures that may plunge as little as -40°C.
It’s important to put on a multiple-layer system to remain heat through the Finnish Wintertime.
When you attain Kolari, the journey to Muonio will be organized by a non-public switch service, which takes round an hour to finish.
Arrival in Muonio: Unveiling the Charms of Harriniva Journey Resort
We awaken to the mild rhythm of the practice and revel in a satisfying breakfast out of your cabin, longing for the day’s adventures.
Upon arrival at Kolari, our prearranged switch whisks us away on the ultimate hour journey from Kolari to Muonio.
Our journey unfolds as we arrive at Harriniva Journey Resort, our base for the approaching days.
A real Lapland residence away from residence expertise.
Harriniva Adventure Resort is a community of lodging, companies, eating preparations and journey actions.
If I had been to spend my time in Muonio, being primarily based in Harriniva Journey Resort and arranging all the pieces with them instantly can be one of the simplest ways to make sure a tremendous time.
After settling in, we bask in a pleasant lunch and a captivating presentation on the area.
Harriniva Journey Resort additionally provide winter rental gear to maintain heat throughout your adventures in Muonio,
Donning the winter apparel fitted by Harriniva workers, we put together for our first thrilling exercise.
Heading out on a Husky Safari in Muonio
Harriniva Journey Resort affords varied husky safari durations, from 5-day expeditions to a couple hours of journey.
Choosing the shortest Husky safari adventure trip, which lasted a number of hours, allowed me to get a style of the expertise.
As you enter the advanced, you will have a security briefing and a Husky driving lesson earlier than you begin.
There are two to a husky sledge, one driving and one sitting. You may decide to rotate midway if you want, so talk this together with your co-sledge buddy who desires to go first and whether or not you need to change round.
As you stroll to your sledge, you may be surrounded by keen husky canine of their pens, eager to exit on a run. The fortunate ones who get chosen begin to gear up and are related to your sledge.
The unimaginable factor about husky canine is their pure power; they need to go and run and love being out within the snow doing what they do.
It’s an unimaginable expertise forming bonds with these outstanding animals. All have totally different traits and personalities.
After a number of hours, I used to be tempted to exit and e-book the 5-day safari; it was a brilliant enjoyable expertise.
A couple of hours is brief, however sufficient to get a style of the expertise.
The Husky safari guides do an awesome job taking care of all of them and getting you prepared in your Husky safari.
As evening falls, we’re handled to a luxurious conventional Finnish dinner in a kota, a Finnish wilderness smokehouse. We’re handled to open-fire grilled Salmon with jacket potatoes.
Finnish Salmon on the grill is simply out of this world, and you need to strive it, particularly when it has been ready in a Kota.
Muonio has a great likelihood of Nothern lights, Aurora Borealis
Expertise essentially the most glorious present in nature: Northern lights, the Aurora Borealis, and magic beneath the Arctic sky.
Muonio affords a excessive likelihood of recognizing on account of its nice location, clear skies, and low gentle air pollution.
Through the lively season, count on to see the Northern Lights in Muonio each few days.
Harriniva Journey Resort affords a number of good viewing areas. I received fortunate with the one down by the river, which was improbable, and I noticed the northern lights on two events on two totally different nights.
Wrap up heat, obtain a Northern Lights app for monitoring, and bear in mind your digital camera tripod! Better of luck.
Exploring Lapland’s Enchanting Wilderness and Assembly some native reindeer
We embrace the day by transferring to a reindeer farm, delving into the timeless connection between people and these majestic creatures.
Harriniva Journey Resort has a resort referred to as Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort, which is an genuine 200-year-old Lapland reindeer farm.
The farm is named Lapinkartano (“Lapland Manor”), the place reindeer husbandry has been practised for over a century.
The primary home additionally serves as an inn for travellers between Muonio village and Pallastunturi Fell. You can even go to the reindeer museum and feed the reindeer that roam across the farm.
You’ll meet reindeer at shut quarters, and you’ll embark on a reindeer experience with them through the magical Wintertime.
On this cosy timber Finnish cottage, you possibly can collect a way of the previous days and calm down totally within the calm of the wilderness.
Later, we enterprise to Jeris Lakeside Resort for a scenic lunch amidst breathtaking vistas.
At this level, we had been going to embark on a snowmobile journey. Nevertheless, the climate reached a cold -36C, so we needed to change up the itinerary. When the climate permits, it’s doable to get pleasure from a snowmobile journey.
Calm down in winter type on the Arctic Sauna World
For an genuine Finnish expertise, we immerse ourselves within the Arctic Sauna World, the place the soothing warmth of the sauna contrasts with the crisp Arctic air.
Right here, you can see a choice of 4 totally different Finnish saunas to attempt to get pleasure from.
– Smoke sauna
– Infrared Sauna
– conventional wooden sauna
– sluggish drip sauna
Make sure to strive all of the totally different kinds and benefit from the stress-free lounge chair chill space to chill down with a glass of refreshing Finnish faucet water as you benefit from the views of the river.
Whenever you’re feeling courageous sufficient, strive a real Finnish custom: dip within the outside ice pool.
A refreshing ice dip is quite stress-free, particularly once you go straight again into the sauna and revel in all its well being advantages.
Returning to Harriniva Journey Resort, we get pleasure from a leisurely dinner; you possibly can decide right into a buffet meal plan when staying on the resort, which is sweet to have catering lined all through your keep.
You even have the choice to pay a bit of extra and improve your meal to the Wilderness Plus bundle to make it a bit of bit extra particular, which was a quite good possibility.
Earlier than calling it an evening, get pleasure from a nightcap and the bar or see if you happen to can spot the Northern lights once more. Take up the serenity of your environment. It’s nice to be staying amongst Finnish Lapland nature.
Wrapping Up Our Muonio Journey and heading to Pallas-Yllästunturi Nationwide Park
As our journey attracts nearer, we bid farewell to Muonio and Harriniva Journey Resort.
The wonderful thing about the situation of Muonio is its proximity to Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.
You may have a enjoyable day mountaineering round Pallas on snowshoes, a enjoyable method to discover Winter Lapland.
Make sure to additionally not miss out on a go to to the Nature Centre of Yllästunturi Customer Middle Kellokas, Äkäslompolo.
You could find a cinema right here displaying a documentary in regards to the northern lights and a museum sharing the native life historical past in Lapland all through the years.
Additionally, right here, you will discover a superb lunch spot referred to as Kahvila Kellokas, which makes a pleasant salmon soup and is a good looking spot to seize a espresso and cake whereas having fun with the nationwide park views earlier than heading off.
Winter horseback driving with Polar Lights Excursions
Polar Lights Tours for varied actions, from horseback driving to encounters with huskies and reindeer.
We conclude our day with a light-weight, wild supper in a distant cabin, cherishing the ultimate moments of our Lapland journey.
Should you want to go extra futher north in Lapland, why not explore Utsjoki, Finland.
Farewell to Muonio and Lapland, Finland
Because the practice carries us away from Muonio’s tranquil embrace, our hearts are stuffed with a profound sense of gratitude for the unforgettable experiences we’ve had in Finnish Lapland.
From the exhilarating husky rides to the serene moments by the Arctic Sauna World, every day has been a testomony to the timeless attract of nature and the heat of Lapland hospitality.
As we mirror on the pristine landscapes, the colourful tradition, and the bonds solid with fellow travellers and the outstanding animals of the area, we stock with us not simply reminiscences however a deeper appreciation for the wonder and tranquility that Muonio embodies.
Although our journey might have reached its finish, the spirit of Finnish Lapland will endlessly linger inside us, a beacon of serenity and marvel amidst life’s bustling currents.
Muonio, this gained’t be my final go to, and I can’t wait to return. It’s a real Finnish winter Lapland expertise that I’ll bear in mind for a lifetime.