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Lake Inari

Inari (North Sami: Anár, Inari Sami: Aanaar, Skolt Sami: Aanar, Swedish: Enare) is a municipality and a small village in Finnish Lapland, on the shore of Lake Inari. The village is an administrative and cultural centre of the Sámi people in Finland.

Understand

Winter in the village of Inari.

Because Inari is located 300 km north of the Arctic Circle, there is Midnight sun from late May to late July and Polar Night from the beginning of December to middle January. The last ice within the lake disappears at the end of May. Even in July, the average temperature is only about 17°C. Inari is the biggest municipality in Finland by area.

Four languages are spoken in Inari: Finnish, Northern Sami, Inari Sami and Skolt Sami. Inari Sami is the language traditionally used by the lake. North Sami is the biggest Sami language, spread with large scale reindeer husbandry. The Skolt Sami people were evacuated from Petsamo when Finland lost it in the World War.

Get in

The nearest airport is in Ivalo. Coaches from or via Rovaniemi pass Inari on their way to Utsjoki, Vadsø, Nordkapp or Kirkenes. By car, the easiest way to get from southern Finland is by car train to Rovaniemi. Inari lies along road E75, but it's over 15 hours by bus from Helsinki.

See

  • 1 Siida (Inari Sámi Museum), Inarintie 46, Inari, FI-99870, ☏ +358 400 898 212, . Jun 1-Sep 19: 9:00-20:00; Sep 20-Mar 31: 10:00-17:00. Siida is a museum devoted to the history and culture of the Sámi, the original people of the area. It also doubles as a natural history museum for the region, displaying plants and wildlife from all of the areas inhabited by the Sámi. The main building is from 1998, the outdoor museum has traditions from 1959. The exhibitions are of international standard, and text is provided in local languages, English, and German. In addition to the indoor exhibition, there is an outdoor museum which features traditional Sámi dwellings. Plenty of free parking available at the site. Adults: €10. 
  • Inari Lake (Inarijärvi) is Lapland's largest lake (about 40 x 80 km). The deepest point is 92 m. More than 50% of the area is not open water but a labyrinth of 3300 islands.
  • 2 Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church. At the former winter village of Inari. The church is from 1760 and thus one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland. There is a 5 km trail to the church from Sarviniementie parking area, 3 km from Siida, through a nice forest. In wintertime there is a 18 km ski trail passing by the church. Campfire areas by the church and halfway. 

Do

The lake is ideal for fishing, canoeing and boating: you are alone and will not meet any person for weeks. The landscape is very nice because of the islands, but there are lots of mosquitoes. There are open wilderness huts and cabins for rent in the islands. For boating you need the Lake Inarijärvi boating map (Inarijärven veneilykartta; chart no 480).

Canoes and bikes can be rented from the shop next to Hotel Inari. There are also opportunities for horse riding and sleigh riding with huskies, depending on the season.

There are many nature and hiking trails in the area.

  • Nature trails:
    • Oi Juutua! telling about people, events and fishing. 7.5 km, starting point by the bridge in the village.
    • Snowshoe Trail, telling about snow, 1.3 km, starting at the mouth of the Juutuanvuono Fjord.
    • Five Senses Nature Trail telling about the history and nature, tough, unmarked but with GPS coordinates.
  • Other trails:
    • Inari – Otsamo Trail, 9 km. The trails goes by the river through old pine forest, passes the fell birch zone to the treeless fell top at 418 meters. Great view from the top. There is also a shorter trail (3 km) to the fell top from Rovajärvi parking area.
    • Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail, see above

There are also cross country skiing and biking trails, canoeing routes and snowmobile tracks in the area.

Cruises, fishing trips and snowmobile safaris can be arranged by Lake & Snow Inari, phone +358 16 671-108.

The Lemmenjoki National Park [1] is nearby (45 km), the largest National Park in Finland, and, according to Metsähallitus, "one of the whole Europe’s most extensive uninhabited and roadless backwoods". The park can partly be explored by boat, but there are also marked trails and wilderness huts as well as rental huts, and a vast backcountry. The park borders to Øvre Anárjohka National Park in Norway.

Also nearby is the Muotkatunturit Wilderness Area,[2] "literally a wilderness area" according to Metsähallitus. There are no marked trails, few wilderness huts or other facilities in the wilderness area itself – and phones are out of signal except on fell tops. Experience and adequate equipment are needed, but the terrain is quite easy. Suitable for hiking and cross-country skiing, for those who enjoy the silence. A few places are more frequented, such as the Stuorraäytsi canyon.

With a bit of luck you can observe Northern lights dancing across the dark Lappish sky any time between September and March during your night walk.

Buy

There are two supermarkets and a gas station in the city centre. The K-Market also serves as post office and pharmacy. Several dedicated souvenir shops are located along the main road (E75).

Samekki +358 16 671-086, with handicraft by Petteri Laiti, a famous Sámi goldsmith. Laiti often combines silver and reindeer horn. Among the products are leuku knives, jewellery, spoons and guksi. Not cheap, but true to Sámi tradition and highly regarded. The atelier on a side street by the church is open M–F 10AM–4PM.

Inarin hopea +358 16 671-333, by the Juutuajoki bridge, sells locally made modern jewellery inspired by the traditions and nature of Lapland. You can also watch the goldsmith at work. Open daily in the summertime (15.6–31.8) 9AM–8PM, winter M–F 10AM–5PM.

Eat and drink

  • The hotels
  • There is a small café at the top floor of the Siida museum, featuring a lunch buffet and sandwiches.
  • Bear Caves. At the bear caves about 10 km outside Inari (in direction Ivalo) they offer meals from €6. It seems a bit like a tourist trap with the singing bear at the entrance. A few hundred meters climb through the forest to the bear cave (nice variation to sitting in the car). 

Sleep

Budget

  • 1 Vasatokka, Angelintie 696, ☏ +358 16 670-7960. A modern and comfortable hostel about 10km outside Inari. Also cottages. €54; breakfast €7.40. Sauna €15/h. 

Mid-range

  • 2 Hotel Inari, Inarintie 40, ☏ +358 16 671-026, fax: +358 16 671-047, . Check-out: 12AM. In the village. Free internet available in the reception area and nearby rooms. Rooms have different standards. Nice view over Lake Inari from some rooms. Restaurant with full menu at a reasonable price. Many of the courses are based on local produce such as reindeer, fish from Lake Inari, and berries. Bar open to 3AM in summer. €108. 
  • 3 Hotel Inarin Kultahovi, Saarikoskentie 2, ☏ +358 16 511-7100, . In the village. With a riverfront sauna. €106. 
  • 4 Hotel Korpikartano, Meneskartanontie 71 (at lake Menesjärvi), ☏ +358 40-777-4339, . Variety of summer and winter activities are offered. Some 30 km southwest from the village, 10 km from Lemmenjoki National Park. €89; sauna. 

Connect

Postal code 99870 Inari.

Mobile phones should work well in the village and along the main roads, but coverage in the wilderness is limited.

Go next

  • Tankavaara (100 km to the south, on E75). Gold village with activities, museum, restaurant, and accommodation. 
  • The ski and spa resort of Saariselkä, 70 kilometers to the south
Routes through Inari
Vardø ← Utsjoki ←  N  S  → Ivalo → Rovaniemi



This city travel guide to Inari is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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