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Tips for visiting Utsjoki

 

Services available in Utsjoki

The Utsjoki village centre features a general store that caters for all needs. The store provides a wide selection of various groceries and foodstuff, tools, clothes and lots more. During the summer, the store is open every day from early morning till evening. In the winter, the opening hours are more limited, however.

The village centre also features a restaurant/bar for a night out in the town. Please check with us for the opening hours. The resort village also has a restaurant that is available for private functions during the winter and open for all during the summer.

The Village House is a meeting place for locals and features a small café and a grocery store. You can also find a crafts shop for buying souvenirs, for example. The crafts are locally produced.

If you fall ill or otherwise need a doctor, there is a health centre in the Utsjoki village centre.

Cash and credit

There is no ATM machine for withdrawing cash money in Utsjoki. Therefore, if you need cash, prepare in advance. The closest ATM machine is in Inari, approximately 120 kilometres from Utsjoki. You can withdraw Norwegian krones in the Tana village, some 60 kilometres from Utsjoki. However, a debit/credit card is accepted as a payment method nearly everywhere in Utsjoki. Holiday Village Valle also accepts Credit Card Payments.

Mobile phones

Please note that cellular network coverage is not 100% in the wilderness and hiking areas. We are also very close to the Norwegian border so your mobile phone may switch into Norwegian mobile phone network. Please adjust your mobile phone roaming settings accordingly.

There is a free wifi for Holiday Village Valle visitors and guests. You will find the password in the information folder of your accommodation, or you can always ask the staff.

Gearing up – what to bring along

When you participate in our activity services, we will provide all required outdoor winter gear (overalls, shoes, woolen socks, gloves and warm headwear). All gear is returned to us on the day of departure. In addition, we recommend bringing a warm set of underclothing to give extra protection against the cold. A long-sleeved shirt and long underpants will do fine for even the coldest of weathers. You can also buy these at the Utsjoki general store.

In the summer, we will provide the required safety gear for fishing trips and hikes. However, everyone is expected to bring their own personal necessities with them. For longer hikes, we recommend bringing good hiking boots, a GoreTex suit and a functional backpack to hold your personal belongings. Please make sure that your gear is waterproof in case of rain.

Utsjoki, the land of the Sámi

Utsjoki is the northernmost municipality in Finland and the only municipality where the majority of the 1400 inhabitants are Sámi. The Sámi culture still lives very strongly in Utsjoki and there are more than 10 000 reindeers in the area. In winter, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), the starry heavens lend a mystical twilight which hangs suspended above the landscape.

The Sámi people have their own national costume, clearly distinguishable by its vivid colours. Today, the costume is usually worn during various celebrations and other important events. The Sámi people used to wear their costumes every day, but nowadays they prefer to wear regular clothes like the general population.

The most important livelihoods for Sámi people include reindeer husbandry, handicrafts, fishing and hunting. Tourism has also become an important part of maintaining the Sámi culture.

How can I get to Utsjoki?

Utsjoki can be reached by bus, by renting a car or booking a separate transportation from us. The Ivalo Airport is the closest airport, approximately 175 kilometres from Utsjoki. There is also an airport in Kirkenes, across the Norwegian border, but if you want to use this option, you must book the transport from us. Contact us for more information on how to find your way here.

Distances: Ivalo 165 km, Ivalo airport 175 km, Kirkenes airport 199 km, Rovaniemi railwaystation 465 km, Helsinki 1300 km

The distance between the capital Helsinki and the town of Utsjoki is approximately 1300 km. A flight from Helsinki to Ivalo takes about 1,5 hours. More information about the flights to Ivalo:
Finnair
Norwegian
Helsinki airport
Ivalo airport