Korvalan Kestikievari
Experience Arctic Lapland at Korvala
Arctic reindeer, husky and snowmobile safaris, log cabins complete with skis, snowshoes and ice fishing equipment, and Lapland’s wilderness with its forest paths, lakes and fishing are all available at Korvala, 60 km north of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Circle, Finland.
Korvala’s crown forest estate was established in 1889 alongside the path joining the village of Rovaniemi and the small community of Sodankylä. When the road was completed up to the ice-free Arctic Ocean, inn activity began. Today, work at Korvala’s inn is enjoyed by the fourth generation of the founding family.
Beautiful scenery, nature’s proximity, varied activities and long traditions are essential elements of a holiday at Korvala.
Welcome!
Usvatanssin Kennel
We have been providing husky tours here at Korvala for 25 years and are third generation kennel owners. We have also been breeding pedigree Siberian Huskies under our own kennel name Usvatanssin Kennel for the last 10 years. The name means “mist dance” and was inspired by two things: first, our location – on summer evenings the mist dances over our lake and around the kennels, creating a mystical feel to our white nights; and second by our dogs – when they run on cold winter days, the beauty of their synchronized paces is like a dance moving through the sparkling mist of the powder snow. Very poetic, don’t you think!
Things to do all year round
Winter
Cross-country skiing, snowshoe trekking and our husky tours are a great way to explore and experience the many aspects of our surrounding wilderness. Once there is enough snow, our routes will take you to into the forest where you can admire and be delighted by the rare beauty of our natural landscape. We cut ski tracks in the snow for cross-country skiing and there are maps and marked trails for those who want to explore the forest with our snowshoes too. The routes for our husky tours range from relatively easy, where only normal fitness is needed, to longer, more challenging ones covering longer distances.
Sometimes, we have good winter snow conditions as early as October, but sometimes the snow doesn’t arrive until December. Nearly all of our winter activities require snow of varying depths. While it is possible to ski with a little snow, the husky tours require a lot more in order to be safe! As conditions can change daily, early season programme availability is hard to predict for November and December. Likewise, towards the end of the season, snow conditions can deteriorate in April or continue well into May. If travelling early or late season, please check the snow situation with us before booking to avoid disappointment.
With its unspoilt nature and traditional local culture, Korvala provides a distinctive setting for many types of recreation.
For those not staying in our cabins, our husky tours are scheduled to coincide with round-trip bus timetables from Rovaniemi.
Paymants are taken on site and we accept all major credit cards.
Husky Tours
Get away from the crowds and see how much fun dog sledding is! During this personalized experience you can learn how to drive your own team of dogs in small groups of max six participants and two guides.
We start by getting winter overalls and boots for anybody needing them. Then after the driving lesson we set off with our lively Siberian huskies through the silent forest, following the guide’s team, without any snowmobiles spoiling the magic. Participants travel in pairs, so couples can take turns to drive and ride in the sled, and for families, parents can drive a sled, while their children sit in the sled for the ride. After the run, you can cuddle the dogs and take photos before we go for a kennel tour, where we tell you all about our dogs. We finish off with a warm drink and cookies in our old, traditional house.
Snowmobile Tours
Alternatively, the wilderness can be explored with iron dogs! We no longer arrange these on site, but they can be booked through the VisitRovaniemi website. You would start by getting winter overalls and boots, and then helmets and balaclavas. Then you will have a driving lesson. After that, you set off with the snowmobiles through the forest and over hills, following the guide.
The routes can be challenging and the speed will vary according to the conditions. The snowmobiles are easiest driven solo but can take two people each, so long as they are approximately the same weight. The time spent driving the snowmobiles varies from approximately 1 hour to multi-day tours. The distance driven in that time depends on the weather conditions and the skills of the participants.
These tours are available for our guests who have a car or are prepared to travel by local bus to get to the departure points. The price is usually calculated as per person when driving/riding pillion and there are extra charges for driving solo.
Northern Lights
Northern lights, or aurora borealis, can be seen as soon as it starts getting dark, as long as the sky is clear and there is auroral activity. The lights can be viewed easily from the garden directly in front of the cabins or out on the lake, from autumn until spring. And since we are located in the middle of the wilderness, by a large open space and far from city light pollution, the views are incredible. The aurora come and go depending on how active the sun is, and there are many apps with aurora forecasts.
Click here for aurora alerts.
During the early evening the aurora forms arcs from horizon to horizon, then around midnight the arcs begin to twist and sway like curtains in the wind, sometimes expanding to fill the whole sky, while moving fast and shining very brightly. In the early hours of the morning the aurora take on a more cloud-like appearance, then slowly fade away before sunrise.
Skiing, Snowshoeing and Ice Fishing
Cross country skis, snowshoes and ice fishing equipment are included in the price of accomodation in winter, so are free to use whenever you want. We make cross country ski tracks according to our guests requirements, within reason, and they are maintained as necessary.
Reindeer and Horse Sleigh Rides
For those interested in going for an authentic reindeer sleigh ride or experiencing real jingle bells whilst riding in a one horse open sleigh, then we recommend going to Jaakkola reindeer farm and Luostola horse farm, which are situated near each other about 60 km away to the north.
Summer
Korvala, along with its surrounding village, unspoilt nature and traditional local culture provides a distinctive setting for many types of recreation. Hiking, mountain biking and canoeing provide opportunities to admire and be delighted by the rare beauty of our natural landscapes. All hiking tours are designed to be relatively easy and only normal fitness is needed.
Hiking with Huskies & Kennel Tours
On cool summer evenings and bright early mornings we go out hiking with our huskies. If you would like to join us, we’ll supply the equipment needed. All you need are your own hiking boots and appropriate outdoor clothing. Some of our huskies are very strong so this is dog-walking with a difference – they take you for the walk! It can be very intensive at the start and you will use muscles you didn’t know you had! But don’t worry, we also have older dogs more suitable for gentle strolls if preferred. Each adult participant can take one husky and children can walk/run alongside. En route we’ll visit a nearby reindeer corral and an ancient hunting pit from pre-herding times, and we’ll explain how they are/were used. If we’re lucky, we might even see some reindeer. After the hike we’ll go for a tour around the kennel to meet the rest of the dogs and learn about their care and training.
Programme duration approximately 2-3 hours in the morning and 4-5 hours in the evening, including instruction on how to use the equipment, the hike and the kennel tour. The max. temperature limit is +15°C. It is also possible to do just the kennel tour to meet the dogs and see how the kennel is run. These can be booked on site only.
Käyrästunturi Fell & hiking in the local area
Our walking trails are grade A and experience is not necessary at this level: anyone who is in good health and fit enough to enjoy a good hill walk can manage a grade A. The longest hike is to Käyrästunturi fell, which is 12 km away and takes about 2½-3 hours to get to the top. The hike is at a low altitude, rising 200 metres from Korvala to 347 metres above sea-level. At the top of the fell there is a wooden day-hut with a stove, firewood and an outhouse. There are no other services along the route. Map info is available for our guests from reception.
Please remember that it is impossible to be absolutely precise about how hard a walk may be, as there may be many contributory factors: weather and trail conditions, level of fitness, weight of rucksack if carrying drinks or food provisions, etc. The walks always involve some exertion: trails are seldom flat, and you must expect to have a reasonable amount of ascent and descent.
Fishing
For those interested in fishing, there are two lakes and two river frontages to choose from at Korvala, all within easy walking distance from the cabins. The large and small Korvala lakes have a combined surface area of 11 ha and shoreline of 2 km, which is partly sandy and partly covered by sphagnum peat bog, with duckboards and benches to make access and casting easier. They have an average depth of 5 metres, with the deepest point at 20 m. The lakes have perch and powan, and some stocked trout.
Fishing is also possible along a one kilometre stretch of Säynäjäjoki River or with the Forestry Commission’s licence for Raudanjoki River. The fish variety includes trout, char, powan, grayling and pike.
Bird Watching
While the lakes and rivers also offer the opportunity for canoeing and rowing, the forest paths lead the walker or hiker to beautiful spots in the wilderness, ideal for bird-watching and nature photography. The best bird-watching months are May–June and September–October.
Sauna
The lakeside sauna is available to hire at any time during the day and bookings are arranged once you are here. The sauna includes a changing room, a washroom with wc and showers, and a hot room. When you have finished bathing, there is a room available to relax in, which leads off the changing room. It has a large natural stone fireplace, sofa, kitchenette and dining table.
There is also a small terrace, a path to the lakeside where there’s a bench and a shallow swimming area, and leading out onto the lake is a jetty with steps into deeper water. Going for a dip or a swim is a great way to cool off in the lake in summer. In winter there is access to an ice hole if you dare to take the plunge!
Accommodation and camping
We have three types of self-catering log cabins available, each with different facilities ranging from the basic to the more fully equipped. All have electric heating and hot & cold running water. Our tap water is pure spring water to the highest drinking water standards. The cabins look out over the lake and have been hand-made by Seppo in the early eighties. They were upgraded in 1994, 2006 and again in 2021.
Skis, snowshoes and ice fishing equipment are free to use in winter. Fishing in our lake and use of our boats, canoes, grill hut, playground, swimming areas and beach in summer are included in the price of accommodation. The lakeside sauna can be hired for private use. In winter there is also swimming area carved out of the ice.
Gray Log Cabins
We have 3 grey log cabins, consisting of a washroom with shower and wc, and a small main room with a queen size double bed including duvets and pillows. This room also has a kitchenette with fridge & cooker, microwave oven, coffee percolator for filter coffee, pots and pans, bowls, cooking utensils and normal tableware, including cutlery, plates, cups and glasses. These cabins are suitable for couples.
Red Log Cabins
We have 6 red log cabins, consisting of a small alcove bedroom with bunk beds for up to four persons including duvets and pillows; a washroom with shower and wc; and a living room with TV, fireplace, sofa and kitchenette including fridge, cooker, coffee percolator for filter coffee, microwave oven, pots and pans, bowls, cooking utensils and normal tableware, including cutlery, plates, cups and glasses. These cabins are suitable for small families.
Large Log Cabin
We have one larger, old log cabin, which is located nearby but at the edge of the forest and was built in the 1950’s. It is fitted as above, but with a separate bedrooom, with duvets and pillows throughout. This separate small bedroom has a standard double bed with a single bunk above. The main living room has a big stone fireplace, a dining area and a kitchenette, including fridge, cooker, coffee percolator for filter coffee, microwave oven, pots and pans, bowls, cooking utensils and normal tableware, including cutlery, plates, cups and glasses. The living room also has four beds as bunkbeds and a sofa. (The sofa could also be used as an extra bed.) The cabin also has a washroom with a shower and a toilet. This cabin has beds for seven people.
Campsite
Our small but spacious campsite along the shores of our lake has been a popular spot for over fifty years. Being in an open area, the summer breezes keep many of the tiny winged “friends” to a minimum! The beach and swimming area are favourites with young children, whilst the mountain bikes, canoes and fishing possibilities provide the rest of the family with plenty to do.
Fishing in our lake and the use of our boats, canoes, grill hut, playground, swimming areas and marked hiking trails are all included in the price of accommodation.
There are twelve electric hook-ups for caravans and mobile homes and twenty places for tents. Included in the camping price is the use of the service building which has a kitchen, dining area and TV, warm showers, WCs and a basic laundry room.
If a cabin or campsite place is rented for one week, the 7th night is free. Payment can be made on arrival – we accept all major credit cards and euros.
Korvalan Kestikievari
Sodankyläntie 5901
97540
Tiainen
+358 407 229 515
Have a look at nearby destinations
Visatupa
Northern Finland, Raudanjoki
Accommodation | Activities | Food and drink | For groups
Take a look