Backpacking in Lapland: A Journey Through Nature's Magic

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If you want to experience something truly magical and intense, Finnish Lapland is undoubtedly the perfect destination for you. In this corner of the world, whose northernmost point lies further north than Iceland and nearly all of Canada and Alaska, winter seems endless, as does the sense of purity emanating from the snow and the Christmas atmosphere.

Here, nature expresses itself through its extreme and captivating cold, and at the same time, nestled within these lands, welcomes the warm earthly residence of Father Christmas: a truly moving combination!

Walking on foot, in darkness and with temperatures constantly below freezing is certainly not the easiest or most accessible activity for everyone, but it's definitely achievable: with proper planning and the right clothing, you can immerse yourself in the Arctic territory and experience something absolutely unique.

Why visit Lapland and experience a backpacking adventure

There are countless reasons to travel to Lapland, and although some apply only to the winter months, this is a place that consistently offers unforgettable experiences.

• The landscape

The cold season is exceptionally long in Lapland, but this is precisely what makes the region an enchanting and magical place: lakes become shimmering mirrors of ice, everything is painted white, and across the vast wilderness landscape, only spruce and pine trees stand out, reaching toward the sky. Roads and villages, already sparsely populated, blend together to form endless expanses of snow.

• The Northern Lights

The Arctic lights are an extraordinarily evocative and unforgettable sight: they can be observed in the Arctic Circle zone during winter darkness, while in summer the sun makes them nearly invisible. It's a curtain of whitish-green light that stretches from east to west across the sky for thousands of kilometres, moving continuously in what appears to be a graceful dance: ancient inhabitants believed the Northern Lights were caused by a giant fox sweeping the heavens with its tail.

• Sports, hiking and trekking

Despite the seemingly unfavourable conditions, there are numerous opportunities for winter activities. Beyond traditional sports like downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding, or classic snowshoeing, you can experience much closer contact with the Lapland environment through husky or reindeer sledding tours, night safaris where you can try a wood-fired sauna, or long journeys by snowcat or snowmobile, even attempting ice fishing like the local bears. Don't miss the trekking in the parks that extend across the entire region during the milder season.

(www.nationalparks.fi)

The Sámi

The Sámi are the indigenous people of Lapland, historically nomadic hunters and gatherers dedicated to hunting and fishing, today they live mainly by herding reindeer, working with natural products and crafts, both as a source of income and to preserve the traditions they hold dear. Folklore, traditional dress, customs and social rules are still passed down from generation to generation and are clearly visible and represented throughout the north of the country.

Suggested itinerary for a Lapland backpacking trip

A possible itinerary I recommend for backpacking in Lapland is one that departs from Rovaniemi and continues northward to Inari and, for the more adventurous, even further to the Norwegian border.

• Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is the main city of Lapland and the ideal place to organise regional activities, as it's an important transport hub thanks to the presence of an airport, train station and bus terminal offering year-round services to the north and south.

Reconstructed according to a design by Alvar Aalto, the leading Finnish representative of modern architecture, after its destruction in 1944, the city is best remembered for its streets that radiate from the centre outward, mirroring the shape of reindeer antlers. Here you can visit one of the country's finest museums, Arktikum, whose crystal gallery houses exhibitions on the flora, fauna and peoples of the Arctic in Europe, Asia and North America: an excellent way to begin discovering the mysteries of these latitudes.

• Napapiiri

8 km from Rovaniemi, on the road to Sodankylä, you can cross the southernmost line within which the sun never sets for at least one day per year: the Arctic Circle (Napapiiri in Finnish). Nearby stands the official Santa Claus Village, complete with the famous post office where you can see letters from millions of children worldwide and send your own postcard to loved ones. The main attraction is, of course, Father Christmas himself, who welcomes visitors year-round in a magical grotto containing a giant clockwork mechanism designed to slow the Earth's rotation so he can reach all dreamers on that fateful night.

(www.santaclausvillage.it)

• Levi and Ylläs

For skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, Levi and Ylläs are the finest destinations to visit. Of the two, the former is better equipped and offers more services, while the latter features the highest peak and extends toward Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, where you can follow a 55 km trekking route that runs from the village of Hetta to Pallastunturi, in the centre of the park.

• Sodankylä, Saariselkä and Tankavaara

Before heading north and encountering Sámi culture, you can stop halfway and visit:

• Vanha Kirko, the wooden church just outside Sodankylä, considered the oldest sacred building in the entire region (dating from 1689) and one of the few structures that survived the German invasion
• Urho Kekkonen National Park, within the Saariselkä nature area, offering 2,500 km² of protected forest and excellent hiking opportunities
• Kultamuseo, the Gold Museum in Tankavaara, which tells the story of Finland's gold rush of the late 1800s through reproductions of gold-bearing basins and equipment used for prospecting and panning, as well as displays of precious stones and minerals

• Ivalo and Inari

Despite its small size, Ivalo is one of the largest cities in the region, with an airport from which you can depart for home, and serves as an important service centre. There aren't many attractions here, so the recommendation is to move to nearby Inari, the most important Sámi settlement in Finland, home to the Finnish Sámi Parliament, the Siida Museum and Cultural Centre, where you can learn more about the history and evolution of this nomadic people. (www.siida.fi)

The village sits on the southern shore of Inarijärvi, the largest lake in Lapland, covering an area of 1,153 km² with over 3,000 islands, which becomes an enormous frozen expanse during winter. From here you can also set out to explore Lemmenjoki National Park and Kevo Strict Nature Reserve.

When to visit Lapland

In the far north, the sun disappears for 50 days each year, with temperatures dropping below -20 degrees, while it remains constantly high in the sky for another 70 days, bringing lots of mud and insects. If you want to experience these particular conditions, plan your Lapland backpacking trip between December and January or between June and July.

The best months for hiking are August and September, when nature's colours begin to change and the weather is pleasant. The periods offering the best chances to see the Northern Lights are October-November and March-May, when daylight hours are more reasonable and temperatures start to rise.

Where to stay for a backpacking trip in Lapland

There's a good variety of apartments, cottages, bungalows, guesthouses, hotels and hostels throughout the region, all equipped with heating—modern or wood-fired—and often featuring saunas in the bathrooms.

Getting around by public transport in Lapland

Despite the remoteness and harsh climate, this area boasts a solid network of bus connections, as well as trains and flights. A backpacking route through Lapland is possible, though during winter there may be only a few buses per day and none on Sundays, so thorough planning is absolutely essential for this type of trip (especially if your time is limited!)

Backpacking through Lapland can truly be one of those experiences you'll remember for a lifetime. Recharge yourself with fresh energy, venture into a new and different world, and discover just how many colours of wonder a single snowflake can hold.

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