Inari
Begin your journey into Sámi culture in Inari. A visit to the Sámi Museum Siida, as well as the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, offers in-depth insight into the history and way of life of the EU’s only Indigenous people. Inari is set on the shores of the magnificent Lake Inari, also known as the Sámi Sea. In the village, you’ll find all the services you need, while the surrounding wilderness invites you to discover countless natural sights.
Traveler’s tips for Inari
Inari is the centre of Sámi culture by the shores of Lake Inari.
Stay in aurora igloos, hotels, apartments, or cottages.
Enjoy restaurants combining local ingredients and culture.
Must-sees: Lake Inari, Ukko Island, Siida, Sajos, Otsamo Fell, Inari and Pielpajärvi churches.
Popular experiences in Inari
Summer: cruises, hiking, biking, paddling, fishing.
Autumn: hiking, foraging, hunting.
Winter: reindeer, husky & snowmobile safaris, aurora tours, skiing, snowshoeing.
Sámi culture
The heart of Sámi culture. Experience vibrant Sámi life with local Sámi-run companies — try a traditional reindeer sleigh ride. Learn about Sámi languages, crafts, and reindeer herding at the Sámi Educational Institute. Visit the must-see Sámi Museum Siida by Lake Inari. Enjoy lake adventures by boat in summer and by snowmobile in winter. Inari’s location under the Aurora Oval makes it ideal for Northern Lights watching.
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Siida and Sajos
Sámi Museum Siida– discover the rich heritage and northern nature of Lapland through exhibitions that connect Sámi culture and the Arctic environment. In summer, Siida’s open-air museum brings history and traditions vividly to life.
Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos – the administrative and cultural heart of the Finnish Sámi. Home to the Sámi Parliament, Sajos also functions as a congress and meeting venue. Guided tours offer insight into Sámi governance and contemporary culture.
Lake Inarijärvi
The beautifully rugged wilderness lake of Inari, or Inarijärvi in Finnish, is the third largest and the second deepest lake in Finland. The great lake features some 3,318 islands, as well as a series of large ridges without islands. A tight-knit network of wilderness huts carpets the shoreline and the islands, providing shelter for canoeists and boaters during the summer and cross-country skiers during the winter. During the summer season that kicks off in June, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy Lake Inari via a boat cruise – also under the Midnight Sun!
Explore boat trips in InariUkonsaari Island
The holy site of Ukonsaari Island in Lake Inarijärvi has been a place of worship amongst Sámi people. The rocky island is approximately 30 metres high, 50 metres wide and 100 metres long and can be identified from a distance. The island is an essential part of the cultural heritage and considered sacred, which should be respected by all visitors on the lake.
Boat trips to Ukonsaari
Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church
The wilderness church of Lake Pielpajärvi is one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland, built in 1760 in what was once a winter village. In use until the late 1800s, it still hosts special Easter and Midsummer services and remains a beloved wedding venue. In summer, it can be reached by a 5 km hiking trail or by boat; in winter, by ski or snowmobile. Open year-round, this historic site invites quiet respect—leave no trace in its pristine surroundings.
Pilpajärvi hiking trailOtsamo Fell
Otsamo is a 418 m high fell rising above the village. Otsamo peak boasts magnificent views of lakes Inarijärvi and Muddusjärvi, River Juutuanjoki and the fells of Muotkatunturi and Joenkielinen. The hiking trails to Otsamo start from nearby Siida and another from youth centre Vasatokka. During late winter there is a maintained ski track. At the top of the fell, there is a cabin where visitors can take a break.
Ostamo hiking trail
Inari hiking area
Inari Hiking Area is located around the village. The hiking area has numerous marked trails and interesting sights such as Jäniskoski rapids, Otsamo fell and Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church.
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