pallas-yllästunturi national park

The Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park is listed under Muonio whereas in reality the classic hike or trek starts or finishes at one end in Pallas and at the other end in Hetta. There are car transfer services at each end which can do car pick-ups or drop offs and this makes the logistics very simple. All you have to do, then, is choose from the myriad of attractions and things to do at either end to have a complete holiday experience.

I visited Pallas / Muonio region in Finland's Lapland to hunt for Northern Winds and photograph the natures light show.We left for Kittilä airport and rented a car to drive from airport to our rented cottage near village of Raattama. I have to say that all services exceeded our expectations many times! The cottage was about 80km from airport to north-west, very clean, very comfortable and warm.The cloud departed fro a few hours and I got photograph the beautiful solar winds.

I was there in September, when the nature has amazing colors and its still quite warm. There were so many berries everywhere and I saw few reindeer. I was photographing northern lights and landscapes and I was pleased what I saw.

Just to be in the middle of it, and we were, our hotel was on its own, within the park, was magical. I loved just 'looking' at it all! So different to my eyes than anywhere else I'd ever been. Stunning in the snow. Silent and beautiful. A must see, even if it's only ever once in your life, the memories and photos, will live with you forever.

The tall pine trees heavy with snow stood like sentinels guarding an ancient forest. Loved everything about it.

We stayed in a hotel in the park and the views were amazing. The trees covered in snow as far as the eye can see and beautiful coloured skies.

Fantastic and well worth the walk. Small hut with free logs and a fire pit about half way up. Take some sausages to grill on the wood fire

A great Park with ample selection of walks. Breathtaking views and even a chance to see wild reindeer sharing the same walking path. Would love to return to do some more walks one day. The staff at the info centre can provide maps and all the info or help you need

This is a place with good hiking, away from the crowds but still with services. You get the feeling of being in the wild you might miss in other more crowded places. I've approached Aakenus from two directions: from Totovaara and Pyhäjärvi. I prefer Pyhäjärvi since the beginning of the hike from Totovaara is a bit boring.The fell is a bit kidney shaped and very versatile. In the southeast corner (From Totovaara direction) there is a nice hike just above treeline to a shelter with a spring for drinking water and possibility to make fire at Niritsa. Just a bit further there are the remains of a wartime german Junkers-plane. You can hike back the same way You came or climb up the Vaulokuru and return via Moloslaki-peak. This hike is a bit demandig because of rough "rakka"-rocks but very rewarding.The west-corner is approachable from Pyhäjärvi, a very clear lake with a parking lot and a shelter. From here You can climb to the flat peak-area of Pallilaki. The scenery is beautiful and the terrain is not too rough. You can continue all the way to Moloslaki or descent between the two peaks to southwest where is a small day-cabin and a shelter with fire. There is a very interesting trail over a swamp and easy terrain to hike back and make a round trip.

Lapland is characteristic by lakes and neverending forests, this is the NP Pallas - Ounas Tunturi! But the landscape have more surprises, chain of hills and neverending days with herds of elks during all night. In the summer is by the good weather (dont mis it!) is this landscape unforgetable, real view of typical Lapland, few miles from Muoni town. Visit also the vista places by the way to Sarkajarvi and Visitors Center by Hotel Pallas. In case of bad weather with many insects You can observe foggy landscape from big window in Hotel Pallas (with interresting history) by "kahvi and pulla" (coffe and cake)!

Take your bug spray! Especially in the long summer evenings, every bug in the universe invades this place. Black flies, midges, bug 'uns, you name it.But you do get a very closeup and personal view of the friendly reindeer.Good hiking opportunities.

The park is huge and there are a wealth of different landscapes that are easily accessed using some of the excellently marked trails. You can find borreal forest, swamp, high fell, lakes, rivers and mixed birch and pine woodland. There are also some interesting rocky outcrops in some parts. There is a wealth of wildlife including reindeer, brown bears, martens and some wolves and lynx, the reindeer are easy to spot, the others less so! The park is divided into series of different zones (some of which allow open camp fires and others not) and there are many excellent trails and walks that can be done ranging from a few to many tens of kilometres. We visited in the last week of May (staying until end of the first week of June). Most of the snow has gone completely and we have enjoyed temperatures ranging from 5-18 degrees celsius so far. The mosquitoes, though present in small numbers, haven't yet proved to be any sort of a problem though they are apparently quite a nuisance in late June and July.This really is a beautiful park to visit and explore.

We went on a 4 day husky safari with Pallas Huskies in January 2014. It was a remarkable landscape - white, silent and utterly deserted of people. We saw no one on our safari but our group of 9 the whole time. It was incredibly cold but we were well equipped with clothes and Pallas, a small family operation were fantastic to deal with. Our two guides - one the owner of the business, and the other his excellent employee were really professional gracious and the trip was fantastically planned. The accommodation in huts in the woods was wonderful and rustic.

We stayed at a hotel for 4 nights at a Pallas-Ylllastunturi National Park. The views were breathtaking. A truly magical lace to stay.

We hit a beautiful, very cold but cloudless day in January 2014. Early in the morning at the visitor center we mounted our snowshoes and explored and photographed the park. The light conditions were just unbelievable, the trees deeply covered with snow and frost were glowing and at the end of the day we got the most stunning "blue hour" we could imagine - truly incredible.