Snowshoeing in Utsjoki: an easy 2-hour walk on Sámi Homelands

The Sámi culture is rooted in the northern nature. The wilderness  areas have no roads or buildings, so they may seem like untouched  nature for most people, but these lands are actively used and  important cultural landscapes of the indigenous Sámi. Living from  nature means also having to have a balance with the surrounding  ecosystem. Nature is not something distant from us, but a very  important source of life and surviving.  

For guests to be able to connect deeper with the Sámi Homelands,  we have planned walking tours into the Sámi cultural landscapes (in  western terms referred to as “wilderness trails”). Without motorized  vehicles, we really feel the nature as it is. When we walk in nature,  we see, hear and experience things inside and outside our-selves  that we miss if we move with speed or with noisy machines.  

During the snow-covered season, meaning time from November to May, we need snowshoes to walk on snowy trails. Walking  with snowshoes is very similar to normal walking, so using them is  easier than skiing. Our tours always have a local guide to tell about the  nature, culture and history of that landscape. 

All our snowshoeing tours include pick-up max 8 km from Utsjoki village, hot drinks and  small snacks, snowshoes and extra winter gear if needed. Tour length and destination can be modified with the needs and preferences of guests. This is the easy 2 hour tour, and is suitable for anyone capable of normal walking and for children as well. We normally start at 10 AM for snowshoeing tours (pick-up can be a bit earlier than this).

We also have longer 3-4 hour cultural landscape tour with snowshoes to the fells. The longer tour can be reserved via email or our webstore. On the longer tour, we will be walking uphill and downhill for several kilometers, so a basic fitness level is required. You don´t need prior experience with snowshoes to take part. You can also inquire longer snowshoeing tours or multiday tours at arctic@travelutsjoki.com.