We aren’t fortune tellers, but we’re certainly sure that you’ve never seen the Northern Lights before. Or have you? Whatever. Commonly known as the aurora, these lights are a natural spectral phenomenon of the interaction between the solar radiation from the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field. This is normally seen around either of the poles, hence the name — northern or southern lights. Would you love to witness this wonderful spectacle? Of course, you’d loved to. And if that’s what you wish for, then head up to this arctic resort in Finnish Lapland to lodge for this once in a lifetime spectacle. Dear friends, welcome to Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort.
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Welcome To Finnish Lapland
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is an enchanting otherworldly hotel where you can lodge for a wonderful spectacle of the aurora. Its located deep in Finnish Lapland, roughly 250 kilometers (150 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Lapland is a vast desolate wilderness of ice in the northern most part of Scandinavia. It is the magnificent land of fells, reindeers and of course, the Northern Lights. It has a very low population density — about two people per square kilometer. Finnish Lapland is roughly 98,937 square kilometers (61,476.6 square miles) — most of it being water — is about 30 percent of the total land area of Finland.
Kakslauttanen is mostly open all year round, but before we talk about how amazing it is, let us tell you the backstory. The resort dates back to the early 1970s, when it’s founder, Jussi Eiramo, was traveling down a lonely road when his car suddenly broke down. Unfortunately, he had to camp in the frigid cold near the isolated roadside, but fortunately, he witnessed a wonderful spectacle. Enter Aurora Borealis. So Eiramo fell in love with the place and eventually developed it into the current Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Today, Kakslauttanen is a luxury resort destination which features a variety of interesting accommodations.
Here, you’ll be amazed as to what to experience and witness. There are cozy wood cabins with in-built glass nooks, little hotels built like igloos, and perhaps the most astounding field of glass igloos — where you can lodge not only for the night, but nothing to obstruct your view of the auroras. Sounds breathtakingly irresistible? It seems much like Sci-Fi than reality. Tucked away at almost the northern tip of Europe, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is just a cozy little spot to visit and enjoy the beauty surrounding it.
En Route To Kakslauttanen
Kakslauttanen is located some 1,075.5 kilometers (668.28 miles) north of the capital Helsinki. Most flights leading to Lapland depart from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL). But the closest airport to Kakslauttenen is at Ivalo (IVL), which is just a 30-minute bus ride away. Here, you can book all your flights to Kakslauttenen, though schedules vary depending on the season. However, you can also take a bus tour, there are excellent roads in Lapland. Buses thro and fro Lapland all alight at Kakslauttanen, and are quite affordable than flights.
The journey usually takes roughly three hours. Tickets can be bought directly from the bus driver. But for departures, visit the official website of Matkahuolto — a Finnish transport company that organizes bus trips nationwide. Or you can simply check in their address (Kiilopääntie 9, 99830 Saariselkä) into your GPS navigator if you’re driving to Kakslauttanen, you’ll find them easily. For more information about getting to Lapland, visit their official tourist website.
Whence Cometh Northern Lights?
Kakslauttanen is one of the best places on Earth to witness the Northern Lights. Aurora Borealis are visible from late August to late April — roughly eight months for admiring the cosmic wonders. At Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, you have the perfect opportunity for observing Aurora Borealis all season. There’s virtually no light pollution in the vast wilderness of Lapland, and there are a few trees to obscure your night vision.
According to their official website, they claim that they cannot guarantee you the Northern Lights or any other natural phenomenon. Since many things like magnetic activity and weather conditions could affect the visibility. However, they can offer a few tips to look out for. The lights might unexpectedly appear and just as suddenly vanish any time from just after sunset to just before dawn. And can last for 5 minutes or for the whole night. For more information, please visit the official website of the Finnish Meteorologic Institute for real-time info and predictions of the Northern Lights.
And, speaking of the resort, how much does it cost to lodge in one of these glass igloos? You better have a deep pocket. A small glass igloo could cost you roughly $512 per night. But the resort offers accommodations for up to six people in their Kelo-Glass igloo for roughly $703 per night. This is for six-figure earners. But here’s a pro tip: if your visit to Lapland is just to witness the auroras, you can set up a camp by the roadside for a glimpse of the spectacle for an affordable price. If you know what we mean.
Let us know when you’re visiting Lapland, and remember to send us a postcard.
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Written by: Nana Kwadwo, Mon, Jan 03, 2022.