Services in Käsivarsi Wilderness Area

Customer Service and Guidance

Kilpisjärvi Visitor Centre
• Information on the area, sales of maps and permits.
• Skierri, Fell Lapland Nature Centre
  • When Kilpisjärvi Visitor Centre is closed during off-season the nature centre provides information on the area.

Services offered by enterprises and other organisations

• Following enterprises and other organisations offer services in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area.
  • They have a cooperation agreement with Metsähallitus and they follow the principles of sustainable nature tourism when operating in the wilderness area.

Meals, Where to Buy and Prepare

Cafés, Restaurants and Shops

• There are a few restaurants and shops in the centre of Kilpisjärvi Village.

Campfire Sites, Turf Huts, Wilderness Huts and Cooking Shelters

Meals are easiest to prepare at open or reservable wilderness huts, which each have a gas stove and/or an iron heating stove.
• Lighting campfires is permitted, but not recommended as there are very few fallen branches to gather as firewood. Lighting campfires is forbidden when there is a forest fire warning in effect.

Drinking Water

• The water in the area’s lakes and rivers is usually safe to drink, but during hot weather we recommend that you boil water before drinking it.

Waste Management

Most of the open and reservable wilderness huts in Käsivarsi Wilderness Area still have waste bins. Waste bins have been removed from some of the wilderness huts; such as Kuonjarjoki and Halti open/reservable wilderness huts and Kaskasjoki open wilderness hut. Measures should be taken in advance to avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area. Each visitor is responsible for the waste that accumulates during his/her stay. Please bring waste out of the wilderness area to recycling points.
• Read more about Hiking without Littering.

Toilets

• Each open and reservable wilderness hut has a dry toilet.

Overnight Stays

Camping and Lean-to Shelters

• Camping is an Everyman’s right in the wilderness area.

Open Wilderness Huts (owh) and Reservable Wilderness Huts (rwh)

Open wilderness huts are intended for 1 to 2 night stays. More information on huts can be found on the open wilderness huts page.
You can spend one to two nights at a reservable wilderness hut if you reserve it in advance and pay the required fee.
• Fee: 10 e / person / night, reservations can be made at Skierri, Fell Lapland Nature Centre.

Kuohkimajärvi owh
• This hut is at the point where Finland’s, Sweden’s and Norway’s borders meet. It is on the northeast shore of Lake Kuohkimajärvi 100 m from the Norwegian border. Kuohkimajärvi owh is owned by Finnish Forest Research Institute.
Saarijärvi owh /rwh
• The hut is located near the Norwegian border to the north of the Salmivaara Hills at the western end of Lake Saarijärvi. One part of the building is an open wilderness hut and at the other end there is a reservable wilderness hut.
Kuonjarjoki owh /rwh
• The hut is on the north shore of the River Kuonjarjoki, south of the Kahperusvaara Hills peaks, in a valley between the Kahperusvaara Hills and Guonjarvárri Fell. One part of the building is an open wilderness hut and at the other end there is a reservable wilderness hut.
Meekonjärvi owh
• The hut is on the southeastern shore of the River Pierfejoki, which flows into the sound between Lakes Meekonjärvi and Skadjajärvi at the western end of Porojärvi Valley. The hut is 500 m from river delta.
Meekonjärvi rwh
• The hut is on the southern shore of Lake Meekonjärvi about 500 m northwest of Meekonjärvi owh.
Pihtsusjärvi owh /rwh
• The hut is on the east shore of Lake Pihtsusjärvi north of the River Rassajapuro. One part of the building is an open wilderness hut and at the other end there is a reservable wilderness hut.
Halti owh
• The hut is on the west shore of the lake, which is on the south side of Halti Fell.
Halti owh/rwh
• The hut is on the north shore of the lake, which is on the south side of Halti Fell.
Kopmajoki owh
• The hut is west of Seitalompolo on the shore of the River Kopmajoki.
Lossujärvi owh
• The hut is near the Norwegian border on the shore of Lake Lossujärvi to the south of Urtasvaara Hill.
Jogasjärvi owh
• The hut is to the west of Lake Porojärvi on the shore of Lake Jogasjärvi. There is a rental cabin next to the hut.
Porojärvi owh
• The hut is on the southeastern shore of Lake Porojärvi at the mouth of the River Poroeno.
Taapmajärvi owh
• The hut is at the head waters of the River Harrijoki, between Lakes Harrijärvi and Taapmajärvi.
Termisjärvi owh/rwh
• The hut is on the north shore of Lake Termisjärvi on the west side of the stream which flows out of Salmikuru Ravine. One part of the building is an open wilderness hut and at the other end there is a reservable wilderness hut.
Ailakkajärvi owh
• The hut is 1 km southeast of the northern tip of Lake Ailakkajärvi. It is on the shore of the lake. Lake Ailakkajärvi is located about 5,5 km east of Lake Ala-Kilpisjärvi.
Tenomuotka owh
• The hut is on the western bank of the River Poroeno, about 1,5 km northeast of Karravaara Hill.
Puuvrasjoki owh
• The hut is on the bank of the River Purasjoki, 18 km east of the south tip of Lake Ala-Kilpisjärvi. It is about 700 m from where the river branches out, and on the east bank of the western branch.
Kaskasjoki owh
• The hut is on the south bank of the River Kaskasjoki, which flows into the River Toriseno. It is about 2 km in the direction of the lower course on an isthmus between the River Kaskasjoki and a pond.
Hirvasvuopio owh
• The hut is on the west bank of the River Lätäseno at Hirvasvuopio. It is near the snowmobile track leading to Kilpisjärvi.
Ropi owh
• The hut is on the east bank of the River Ropijoki, which flows into Lake Ropijärvi. It is by the reindeer round-up site.
Kutukoski owh
• The hut is northwest of Kalkkoivi at the northern tip of Lake Ylimmäinen Vuontisjärvi.
Kalkkoivi owh
• At the end of a road called Saksalaisten tie, ”the Germans’ Road” on the south side of the Kalkkojärvet Lakes.
• Aatsa owh
  • The hut is on the southeastern shore of a pond in the west branch of the River Aatsajoki. The River Aatsajoki flows from Tarju Fell down into the River Könkämäeno.

Rental Cabins

• Rental cabins differ from wilderness huts in that you can rent an entire cabin for you and your group. Reservations can be made through
Wild North (www.villipohjola.fi). Tel. int. +358 203 44 122
• Jogasjärvi Rental Cabin (www.villipohjola.fi) is located on the shore of Lake Jogasjärvi west of Lake Porojärvi.

Lodging in the Surrounding Area

• Holiday Cottages
• Private tourist enterprises rent holiday cottages in the Kilpisjärvi area.
• Camping Grounds
• There are camping grounds at Ropinsalmi and Kilpisjärvi.
• Services for Caravan Tourists
• Private tourist enterprises have parking areas with electrical supply for caravans.
• Hotels
• There is one hotel in the village of Kilpisjärvi.
• Saunas
• Private tourist enterprises in Kilpisjärvi have saunas for public use.
• More information can be found on the Enontekiö website (www.enontekio.fi) and on the Lapland tourism website (www.laplandfinland.com).

Equipment Rental

• Private tourist enterprises in Kilpisjärvi rent boats and hiking equipment. More information can be found on the Kilpisjärvi website (www.kilpisjarvi.org).

Services for the Disabled

• The exhibition area at Kilpisjärvi Visitor Centre is wheelchair accessible. The visitor centre has a toilet for the disabled.

Other Services in the Surrounding Area

• The closest banks, ATMs, medical centres and pharmacies are in the village of Hetta, the municipal centre of Enontekiö, and in village of Muonio.
• There is a medical centre in Karesuvanto.
• Kilpisjärvi village has a fuel distribution point, a shop, transportation services (taxi, boat and plane transportation), a permit sale point and post office services.
• More information can be found on the
Enontekiö website (www.enontekio.fi).
• Versatile information on Lapland and tourist services in the area can be found on the Lapland tourism website (www.laplandfinland.com).