Ylläs: Everything to Know Before You Come

Winter, and its three moods

Winter in Ylläs is not one season. It changes a lot between November and April.

Early winter (November to mid-December). The first snow, quiet villages, and short days. Ski tracks open as soon as there is enough natural snow, starting with the ones closest to the villages. Some services only open for the main season, so check dates for your week.

Polar night (December to January). The local word is kaamos. In Äkäslompolo, the fells block the low sun, so the village can go up to around 50 days without direct sunlight. On the fell tops, it lasts only a few days. It is not black all day: around midday there are a few hours of blue and pink twilight. We find it one of the most beautiful times of the year, but plan your outdoor time around the middle of the day.

Late winter (February to April). The light comes back fast. By March the days are long, the snow is deep, and all the ski tracks are open: grooming of the outer tracks starts on 1 February and 15 February, and the whole network (around 320 km) is open from mid-February. Tracks are maintained until 1 May if the snow allows.

Cold, and a useful trick

January and February are usually the coldest months. Cold snaps below −20 °C are normal, and some days get colder still. One thing locals know: on calm days, it is often 10 to 15 °C warmer up on the fells than down in the villages, because of temperature inversion. If the village is freezing, going up can actually help.

Northern lights

Ylläs is far enough north to see them, and winter nights are long. But we can't order them. You need a dark, clear sky and some activity in the atmosphere. More in our northern lights guide.

Ylläs is in the municipality of Kolari, in western Lapland, about 115 km north of the Arctic Circle.

By plane. The closest airport is Kittilä, about 35 km away, roughly a 30-minute drive. From the airport you can take the airport bus (timetables and tickets for the next month go on sale on the 20th, through Matkahuolto), a shared transfer such as the Airport Express to Äkäslompolo, a taxi or a rental car. Book transfers ahead if you land late.

By train. The VR night train from Helsinki runs to Kolari, also about 35 km from Ylläs. A train bus runs from Kolari station to Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi. Tickets are cheaper online on Matkahuolto than on board.

By car. From the south, you reach Ylläsjärvi via road 939, or Äkäslompolo via road 940 from Kolari. From Rovaniemi (about 160 km), go via Kittilä.

The two villages sit on opposite sides of Yllästunturi, the 719 m fell that gives the area its name. They are 15 km apart by road.

Äkäslompolo is on the north side. It is the bigger village, next to Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, with shops, restaurants, the Kellokas visitor centre and many trails starting close to the houses. This is where we are based.

Ylläsjärvi is on the south side, smaller and quieter, close to the southern ski slopes.

Honestly, both work. If you want the national park and trails on your doorstep without a car, Äkäslompolo is the easier choice. If you mostly want to ski downhill on the south side, Ylläsjärvi makes sense.

Ylläs has hotels in both villages, but a lot of people stay in a cottage, with its own sauna. Lomarengas is the big Finnish cottage rental site, and a good place to compare what's available in Äkäslompolo. For everything else (hotels, events, maps), Visit Ylläs is the official tourism site.

You can manage without a car in winter. The Ski Bus runs between the two villages and the ski resort during the ski season, from November to early May, with stops near many cross-country trails. Taxis run all year: there is a 24/7 dispatch number, and taxi ranks in both villages. A car helps if you want to explore further, for example toward Pallas.

On our day tours, we pick you up in Äkäslompolo or Ylläsjärvi, so you don't need a car for those.

The rule is layers, not one big jacket. You move, so you warm up quickly, and then you cool down fast when you stop.

• Base layer: merino or synthetic, never cotton. Cotton stays wet.
• Mid layer: fleece or light down.
• Outer layer: windproof jacket and trousers.
• Hands and feet first. At −25 °C, these are what get cold. Bring warm mittens (warmer than gloves), a thin pair underneath, and warm winter boots with room for thick socks.
• Hat and buff for the face when there is wind.
• Headlamp, especially from December to January.
• A power bank. Phone batteries drop quickly in the cold. Keep the phone in an inside pocket.

If you are missing boots, don't buy everything before you come. You can rent gear in the villages, and on our tours we can arrange boots on request.

Lapland Hotels SnowVillage is rebuilt from snow and ice every winter in Lainio, Kittilä, near Ylläs. For winter 2026–27 it is announced open from 25 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. A bus runs from Ylläs during opening hours; tickets on Matkahuolto. It is touristy, and we say that kindly: the ice work is impressive, and it is a good plan for a cold or windy day.

Ylläs is small. Over Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays, accommodation, rental cars and popular tours fill up early. Flights and the night train too. If your dates are fixed, book the big pieces first.

For tours, we keep groups to 8 people maximum, so some dates go quickly. That is also why we recommend booking any guided activity early in your stay: if the weather turns, there is room to move it.

Our best advice: don't fill every day. Wind on the fells, a −30 °C morning, or a storm can change plans. Leave a free day or two, and use it when the weather is right.

• Snowshoeing in Ylläs
• Backcountry skiing in Ylläs
• Northern lights in Ylläs
• Exploring Ylläs on your own

And if you'd like a day out with a local guide, here are the day tours we run from Ylläs.