Provinces of Oulu and Lapland,
North Ostrobothnia Region
Municipalities of Kuusamo
(www.kuusamo.fi) and Salla
(www.salla.fi)
Area: 270 sq. km, established in 1956, enlarged in 1982 and
1989
The area is managed by Metsähallitus.
Oulanka is a superb hiking
destination. The popular Karhunkierros Hiking
Trail leads through the National Park. Hikers can get a general picture of
the park’s nature and see the national landscape even on day-trips lasting a few
hours.
Oulanka National Park is located in the Municipalities Kuusamo
and Salla in north-eastern Finland in an upland region. The park ends at the
national border. Behind the border in Russia is Paanajärvi National Park
(parks.karelia.ru), which was established in 1992. Oulanka is a unique and
versatile combination of northern, southern and eastern nature. The landscape is
made up of pine forests, river valleys with sandy banks and rapids, and in the
north of vast mires. The area is rich in animal and plant species, even
endangered ones.
Conservation of nature and
the pressures of increasing nature tourism have been balanced so well in Oulanka
National Park, that in 2002 the park received the international PAN Parks Certificate (www.panparks.org
).
Read what's
new and currently happening in Oulanka and take part in PAN Parks' contest to win a
holiday in an Italian National Park!
The electronical infopoint Hiking Site provides you with information on
destinations and nature activities in six languages! Hiking Site can be used in
customer service points. More information in Hiking Site.
This is the web page www.outdoors.fi/oulankanp
Take a look at Oulanka National Park related products at the
Outdoors.fi online
shop (kauppa.luontoon.fi).
