Services in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park

A woman and a child on a path.

Customer Service and Guidance

Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas

  • Provides information on northern natural features, the Ylläs-Aakenus fell area and the diverse hiking opportunities there.
  • A nature exhibition, AV presentations, organised events, tours of the visitor centre and of Varkaankuru Ravine for a fee.
  • Information on hiking, souvenirs and permits. 
  • Cafe Kellokas

Pallastunturi Customer Service

  • You can call and send e-mails to the Customer Service Officers.
  • A new Visitor Center is being prepared for Pallastunturi, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

Fell Lapland Visitor Centre

  • An exhibition on the area, AV presentations, changing exhibitions.
  • Information on services in Käsivarsi Wilderness Area. Permits.
  • Maps, books local souvenirs and a cafe.
  • Tours of the nature centre's exhibition for a fee.

A girl pouring drink into her cup in Fell Lapland visitor centre.

Services Offered by Enterprises and Other Organisations in the National Park

Services offered by enterprises and other organisations in the Pallas-Yllästunturi national park. They have a cooperation agreement with Metsähallitus and they follow the principles of sustainable nature tourism when operating in the national park.

Meals, Where to Buy and Prepare

Cafes and Restaurants

  • Cafes, restaurants and shops can be found in the villages and holiday resorts surrounding the National Park. Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas and Fell Lapland Visitor Centre has a cafe. They are open during peak tourist seasons. The Lapland Hotel Pallas is located next to Pallastunturi Visitor Centre.

  • There are also services along the trails in the National Park.

Campfire Sites, Huts and Campfire Shelters

  • Within the National Park and just outside of its boundaries, there are campfire sites, lean-to shelters and campfire huts, which can be used to shelter from bad weather. In the recreation zone of the National Park campfires are only permitted at sites designated for this purpose. In the wilderness zones of the National Park, campfires are permitted by using fallen twigs and dead branches as firewood. Lighting campfires is forbidden everywhere, even in spots designated for them, if the wildfire warning is in effect. During extremely dry weather visitors are advised not to light fires in the fireplaces of the open huts. Remember to use firewood sparingly!

A campfire shelter on the slope of Kesänkitunturi Fell.

  • Campfire sites are located:
    • At the foot of Pahtavaara Hill
    • On the shore of Lake Rautujärvi, outside the National Park on the northwest side of the Ounastunturi Fells
    • On the bank of the River Ounasjoki, about 1 km south of Ketomella by road
  • Campfire huts are ment for day use only, not for an overnight stay. They are located:
    • At Lake Savilampi
    • At Hietajärvi
    • At Hannukuru (will be closed from 1.12.2024)
    • At Lake Varkaanjärvi
    • In Suaskuru Ravine
    • In Rihmakuru Ravine
    • At Lake Sarvijärvi
    • At the foot of Palkaskero Fell. There is also the Pallaskota rental campfire shelter.
    • In Mustavaara 
    • On the western shore of Lake Vuontisjärvi right by the snow mobile track in Muonio
    • In the Lake Pyhäjärvi, there is an accessible campfire hut
    • In Haavepalo at Totovaara Fell
    • At Lake Aakenusjärvi
    • At Hangaskuru
    • At Kesänkijärvi, an accessible campfire hut
    • At Tahkokuru
    • At Tuomikuru
    • At Varkaankuru
    • At Tunturijärvi
    • At Lainiotunturi Fell; Karhukota campfire hut
    • At Kotamaja
    • At Äkässaivo
  • Day-use huts are intended for brief stops, for lighting campfires and enjoying packed lunches, not for overnight use. They are:

Drinking Water

  • When in the vicinity of wilderness huts it is best to get drinking water from a well or other marked water spot or at a considerable distance from the building. It is recommended to boil water from natural sources before consumption.

A person dipping a kuksa in a creek with clear water.

Waste Management

  • Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is a Hiking without Littering -area.  Avoid taking unnecessary waste into the area. Take all waste out of the area. Recycling points can be found at Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas, Pallastunturi and Fell Lapland Visitor Centre.

Toilets

  • Dry toilets can be found at open and reservable wilderness huts, day-use huts, lean-to shelters and at most campfire sites.

Overnight Stays

Camping

  • In the recreation zone of the National Park camping is permitted only in the vicinity of wilderness huts and campfire sites. In the wilderness zones camping is permitted everywhere.

Open Wilderness Huts

There are 22 open wilderness huts in the National Park and nearby. They are intended for one to two night stays. There is no charge for using them.

Reservable Wilderness Huts

Rental Huts and Cabins

Caravans

  • There is no actual camping ground with services in the National Park. There is a parking area for caravans 500 metres south from Pallastunturi Visitor Centre. There are, however, no services for caravan tourists there. Hotels Pallas, Vuontispirtti, Hetta, Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi all have services for caravan tourists.

Lodging in the Surrounding Area

Sauna

  • There is an open sauna in Hannukuru area. Sauna fee is 10 e / adult, 5 e / child (under 7 years) or for a member of a group (a group is  more than 10 persons). Payment in advance in the Eräluvat webshop (verkkokauppa.eraluvat.fi).
  • You can use the sauna in hour-long men's, women's or joint sauna shifts. The sauna cannot be reserved for private use.

Equipment Rental

  • Local enterprises rent out boats, canoes, cross-country and slalom skis, hiking boots and mountain bikes.

Accessible Services

  • The exhibition areas in Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas and Fell Lapland Visitor Centre are accessible by wheelchair.
  • Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas and Fell Lapland Visitor Centre have accessible toilets.
  • From Pallastunturi there is a 1 km trail to the ruins of an old hotel and Pallaskota Rental Campfire Hut. The trail is wheelchair accessible if assisted.
  • There is a short wheelchair trail from Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas to a nearby mire. There is a wheelchair trail to the campfire shelter, but to move around on the visitor centre's grounds an assistant is needed. The logging museum by Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas is wheelchair accessible if assisted. Other easily accessible locations are Pakasaivo and Kesänkijärvi.

Services for Boaters

  • There are two harbours in Lake Pallasjärvi, with concrete boat launch ramps. 

Other Services in the Surrounding Area

  • There are shops in the villages of Äkäslompolo, Ylläsjärvi, Kittilä, Kolari, Muonio, Hetta and Raattama.
  • Cafés and restaurants can be found in the villages and tourist resorts of Äkäslompolo, Ylläsjärvi, Pallas, Raattama, Kyrö, Kutuniva, Jeris, Olos, Muonio and Hetta.
  • The closest banks and ATMs are in Äkäslompolo, Kittilä, Kolari, Muonio and Hetta. Credit cards are accepted in most places.
  • Kittilä, Kolari, Muonio and Hetta also each have a post office, pharmacy, medical centre, and other services common to municipality centres.
  • Almost every village has a taxi service.
  • Services for lodging, crossing the Lake Ounasjärvi and transport of Your car in the Pallas-Ounastunturi area.
  • There are galleries, museums and other tourist sights in many of the area's villages.
  • Hikers can shower and use the sauna for a fee at many tourist lodges in the villages There are several resorts offering lodging and bathing possibilities in the villages of Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi.
  • More information on services can be found on the Ylläs (yllas.fi) and Levi (levi.fi) resort area and Enontekiö (enontekiolapland.com) websites.
  • Find out more about visiting Lapland (lapland.fi).

Guidelines for Using Wilderness Huts in Summer


Youtube.com

Guidelines for Using Wilderness Huts in Winter


Youtube.com