Left: Guide Emilia Tuomi with huskies. Photo: Ming Lee. Right: Photo: Tiina Salonen/Aurora Holidays
A peaceful retreat and aurora borealis gazing In the Finnish Lapland’s beautiful, wild and peaceful nature lies Utsjoki – the European Union’s northernmost town. Aurora Holidays offers guests an idyllic setting for a different kind of adventure, complete with a private cottage, where the evenings are committed to spotting the magical light shows provided by planet Earth’s magnetic fields. By Ndéla Faye
Owners Tiina Salonen and Mika Länsman, along with their friend Emilia Tuomi, started running their northern lights spotting holiday tour, Aurora Holidays, last year. The couple rents out cottages for five-night stays where visitors get to experience the magic of the northern lights. Utsjoki is a unique village, located by the River Teno, right on the border between Finland and Norway. It has a population of just over 1,200, so visitors will surely enjoy plenty of untouched nature and wild, peaceful scenery surrounded by the fells. “We’ve lived here 76 | Issue 92 | September 2016
all our lives, so we know the area like the back of our hands and can offer our guests a personalised experience and introduction to Lapland’s beautiful nature and traditions,” Salonen says.
Your very own wooden cabin in Lapland The four identical self-catering cottages can fit up to six people each – and they are all kitted out with all the latest amenities, including a fully equipped kitchen, heating, access to Wi-Fi and a sauna. In addition, the cottages have an outside terrace that faces north, making it the perfect spot
to wind down for the evening and enjoy the light show that is the aurora borealis. “With us, guests don’t need to chase auroras – we have extensive knowledge of the best places to spot them. There’s minimal light pollution, so when the skies are clear there’s a very good chance that our guests will get to see the lights,” says Salonen. “Everyone who visited us last winter got to see the northern lights – and we’ll do everything in our power to ensure that our guests make the most out of their visit,” she adds.
A holiday tailored for you When guests first arrive at Ivalo airport, the hosts will collect them and bring them to a supermarket to stock up on food and drink for the holiday. At least three nights are spent gazing at the northern lights. On the coldest nights, there is an outdoor