Pelkosenniemi and Sodankylä · Finnish Lapland
Pyhä-Luosto
Two ski resorts connected by a national park.
- Airport
- Rovaniemi (RVN), 115 to 130 km
- From Helsinki
- about 1 h 20 by air to Rovaniemi
- Position
- 67°01′ N
- Highest fell
- Noitatunturi, 540 m
- National park
- since 1938
- Cross-country trails
- 150 km
The place
What Pyhä-Luosto is actually like
Pyhä and Luosto are two separate ski resorts only 25 kilometres away from each other, connected by Pyhä-Luosto National Park. The park consists of Pyhätunturi National Park, one of the first two national parks in Finland, established in 1938, and the Luosto area north-west of Pyhätunturi fell. In 2005 the two were combined into a new national park, Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
Europe’s only active amethyst mine.
Pyhä-Luosto has Europe’s only active amethyst mine, on top of Lampivaara fell, on the chain of fells between Pyhä and Luosto and about five kilometres from Luosto. It is one of the few mines in the world that welcomes tourists to learn the history and dig their own purple gemstone to take home. No heavy machines are used to dig in this mine: everything is done by hand with small hammers, to protect the national park.
Pyhä is famous among advanced skiers for having the steepest ski slope in Finland, Huttu-Ukko, at 32 degrees. Luosto is famous for its easy and gentle slopes, which are perfect for beginners and children. Pyhä has a compact resort centre where the ski lifts, hotels and restaurants are all close together, while in Luosto everything is spread out beautifully through the woods. Pyhä has Isokuru Canyon, the deepest canyon in Finland, and Luosto is near the Lampivaara amethyst mine. Pyhä has modern hotels, while Luosto is famous for its beautiful, giant kelo log cabins. The two resorts are connected by 150 kilometres of cross-country ski trails. If you like thrilling outdoor activities such as steep downhill skiing or hiking down a deep canyon, you should choose Pyhä. If you would rather enjoy a peaceful and relaxing holiday in a cosy log cabin, Luosto is the perfect choice. One thing is sure: whichever resort you choose, it will be an unforgettable memory.
What you do
What to do in Pyhä-Luosto
Quiet slopes, long ski tracks and safaris that rarely feel crowded. Book December and February early all the same.
Where to sleep
220 places, in three kinds
Every place to stay in Pyhä, Luosto and around, ranked so a strong score from hundreds of guests beats a perfect one from a single review.
Hotels & lodges
14 places · from €142 a night
Reception, breakfast, a restaurant that stays open in the dark. Resorts, lodges and guest houses too.
Pictured: Parkside Pyhä · 9.4
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Apartments
47 places · from €114 a night
Your own kitchen and washing machine, in the village or close to the slopes.
Pictured: Lucky Ranch Snow Igloos · 9.4
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Cabins & holiday homes
159 places · from €107 a night
Log walls, a stove, a sauna. Villas and chalets count here too. The Lapland stay.
Pictured: Villa Sol Del Luosto · 9.9
See allGetting here
Four ways to Pyhä-Luosto
Fly to Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi airport is about 115 km from Luosto and 130 km from Pyhä, with flights from Helsinki several times a day and direct winter flights from Europe.
Search flights
By train
Kemijärvi is the nearest station, about 50 km from Pyhä, with a bus on to Pyhä. For Luosto, take the train to Rovaniemi and the bus from the station.
Times and tickets
By bus
A bus runs every day from Rovaniemi airport and railway station to Luosto and Pyhä: four times a day in winter, twice a day in summer.
Timetables
Driving yourself
Winter tyres are the law from November, and we would not recommend driving unless you have driven on ice before.
Rent a car
Taxi from Rovaniemi · our own car
From Rovaniemi airport
to Pyhä-Luosto, door to door
Landing in Rovaniemi? We drive the 115 km to Pyhä-Luosto for you. Type your arrival and your address here: the fare shows straight away, and you book it in the same box.
- We watch the flight
- Give us the number and a late plane costs you nothing.
- Straight to the door
- Your cabin or hotel in Pyhä-Luosto, not a bus stop.
- Up to eight people and the bags
- Six with a suitcase each. Child seats and skis if you say so in the booking.
When to come
When to go to Pyhä-Luosto
Quiet in every season. Winter for the slopes and the aurora, summer for the canyon and the mine.
Winter
December to March
Quiet slopes, the national park under deep snow, and dark skies a short walk from either village.
Spring
April to May
Long sunny days on deep snow, when the fells are at their best for skiing.
Summer
June to August
The midnight sun on the fell tops, the Isokuru canyon trail and the amethyst mine.
Autumn
September to November
Ruska colours the whole chain of fells in September, and the aurora is back from late August.
The sky tonight
Northern lights, honestly
Activity peaks near Kp 5.3 around 03:00, clearest 00:00–02:00 (4% cloud).
Kp now
2.33
live, every minute
Peak tonight
5.3
around 03:00
Cloud
37%
while dark
Dark
20:00–04:00
in Pyhä-Luosto tonight
Sun 12:50 Finnish time. Every number is read from NOAA and MET Norway and refreshes on its own.
Where to eat
Eight places to eat in Pyhä-Luosto
Our picks, five in Pyhä and three in Luosto. A name opens the restaurant's own site, where the hours and menus live.
CAMP Kitchen & BarPyhäKultakeronkatu 21, 98530 PyhätunturiWebsite
Mokkatupa Social DiningPyhäKuusiranta 3, 98530 PyhätunturiWebsite
Northern Lights Village Pyhä RestaurantAt Northern Lights Village, PyhäAstelintie 1, 98530 PelkosenniemiWebsite
Ravintola PopoloPyhäKultakeronkatu 21C, 98530 PyhätunturiWebsite
Restaurant AihkiAt Sunday Morning Resort, PyhäHuhanniemi 1, 98530 PyhätunturiWebsite
Lapland Hotels Luostotunturi restaurantsÀ la carte at Bistro, LuostoLuostontie 1, 99555 LuostoWebsite
Ravintola AuroraAt Santa’s Hotel Aurora, LuostoLuppokeino 1, 99555 LuostoWebsite
Restaurant PunakettuLuostoLuostontie 4, 99555 LuostoWebsitePlaces to visit
Places to visit in and around Pyhä-Luosto
Five places, from a canyon 220 metres deep to a mine where you dig your own amethyst.
Lampivaara Amethyst MineMineEurope’s only active amethyst mine. Visitors can dig their own gemstone and keep it as a souvenir.See the tours
Isokuru CanyonNatureFinland’s deepest canyon, plunging 220 metres between steep rock walls. In winter it is strictly closed because of safety hazards.
Noitatunturi fellFellNoitatunturi fell is the highest peak in the area, about 540 metres above sea level.
Pyhä-Luosto Visitor Centre NaavaVisitor centrePyhä-Luosto Visitor Centre Naava is in the middle of Pyhä village, near the services. It is free to enter and has engaging interactive exhibitions about the nature, geology and cultural history of the national park.
Kopara Reindeer ParkReindeer farmKopara Reindeer Park is a family-friendly farm between the two resorts. Visitors can feed the friendly reindeer. Open from autumn to spring, closed in summer.Before you come
The things nobody tells you
The first two are worth sorting out before you fly. The rest you only need to know.
Travel insuranceBook before you flyValid worldwide, for citizens of any country, at any age from 0 to 100.Check your cover
Phone and dataBook before you flyEU and EEA phones roam free here. From further away, or on a plan without EU roaming, an eSIM usually costs less.Get an eSIM
Warm clothesSafari companies lend thermal overalls, boots and mittens for the trip itself. For the rest of the day, bring wool for next to the skin and a windproof layer on top.
What the cold meansMinus 20 degrees is normal from January to March. From the middle of January to the middle of February some winters go to minus 30. Wool next to the skin, then a warm layer, then a windproof one, and the cold is beaten. With the proper clothes, enjoy the beauty of the winter.
MoneyYou do not need to bring cash. Cards are accepted everywhere, including the taxi, the restaurants and the market stalls.
EmergencyCall 112 from any phone. You can speak English.
TippingTipping is welcome but not required. It is always encouraging to give something extra when the service was good, the taxi included.
Reindeer on the roadEvery reindeer here is domesticated and belongs to someone. In many cases they will not move for a car. If you meet them on the road, sound the horn to move them off, or drive slowly past. If you hit one, call 112 for help.
Questions
What people ask about Pyhä-Luosto
01
Can I drive my rental car directly to the Lampivaara Amethyst Mine?
No, you cannot drive a car directly to the mine, because the site is in a protected national park. You have to leave your car at the Ukko-Luosto parking lot, which is 2.5 kilometres from the mine. You can hike or cycle to the mine café. In winter you can cross-country ski or snowshoe there, or buy a ticket for the "Amethyst Pendolino", a special snow train that carries visitors up the mountain.
02
Can you hike through the famous Isokuru Canyon during the winter?
No, you cannot hike it in winter. For safety reasons the main trail through Isokuru Canyon is strictly closed. In winter the steep rock walls are fully covered in heavy, unstable snow and ice, which creates a severe danger of avalanches and falling rocks. The trail through the canyon is open only in the snow-free season, in summer and autumn.
03
How do you travel from Rovaniemi to Pyhä-Luosto if you don’t have a car?
You can travel to Pyhä and Luosto by bus. Buses run daily from Rovaniemi airport and Rovaniemi railway station. You can also go by taxi, without waiting outside in the extreme winter cold. You can check and book a taxi on our taxi page: you do not have to wait for the car, the car waits for you. From the airport the bus takes about one and a half hours to Luosto and about two hours to Pyhä; from the railway station add about twenty minutes.
04
Are the cross-country ski trails between Pyhä and Luosto connected?
Yes, the two resorts are fully connected by 150 kilometres of cross-country ski trails. The trail goes through the ancient forests of the national park, and skiers can ski all the way from one resort to the other.
05
Can I keep any gemstone that I dig up at the Amethyst Mine?
Yes, you can keep it, but there is a specific size rule. Your tour ticket includes the right to dig and keep one amethyst, if the gem fits completely inside your closed fist. If you dig up a very large or exceptionally rare, museum-quality gemstone, you can buy it for an extra fee.
06
Is Pyhä a good ski resort for complete beginners?
Pyhä is famous among expert skiers for its steep freeride areas and for Huttu-Ukko, the steepest ski slope in Finland. The resort also has separate slopes for beginners and a highly rated ski school on the lower part of the fell, where adults and children can learn to ski for the first time.
07
What is the "Siberian jay" in Pyhä-Luosto, and can you feed it?
The Siberian jay is a friendly little brown bird and the emblem of Pyhä-Luosto National Park. The birds live in the ancient pine forests and have learned that hikers carry food. If you stop at any of the official campfire huts to roast sausages or marshmallows, they will often fly down and sit right next to you. Enjoy the visit, but do not feed them: Metsähallitus asks visitors not to feed wild animals, and human food can harm the birds.
08
Where can I buy food and groceries in Pyhä and Luosto?
You can find local grocery shops in both resorts. The shops inside the resorts are smaller and slightly more expensive than city stores. If you want to buy a large amount of groceries, you can stop at a big supermarket in the nearby towns of Sodankylä or Kemijärvi on the way to the resort.
Guest scores come from the booking sites the places are listed on. Aurora and weather come from NOAA and MET Norway and refresh on their own. The airport taxi is our own car at the meter tariff.