Mr Bartholomew says...
A great holiday. Great trails and wonderful food. Yllas is a great location. We strongly recommend half board at the hotel. Room a little disappointing - ...
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Perfectly picturesque and surrounded by the 7 softly rounded, snow-capped fells of the Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park, the village of Akaslompolo makes for superb cross-country skiing exploration whatever your ski ability. With over 300km of designated tracks - the most in Finland - trails vary from flat and easy to more demanding routes into the fells. There are even about 40km of trails that are illuminated at night for superb skiing even in the atmospheric twilight of the Polar Night in December and into January. The intricate network of signposted trails crisscross and intercept each other, so your route can even be changed halfway through, giving countless alternatives through the beautifully preserved Lappish landscape. There are even so-called 'warm tracks' on the upper fells where it might be as much as 15 degrees warmer than in the village!
Using cross-country trails directly from the hotel, follow the freshly prepared ski tracks to the frozen lake of Akaslomopojarvi, through peaceful ancient forest and pristine white and unspoilt nature. The trails are dotted with traditional Finnish kotas - small wigwam shaped huts where you can take a break from skiing to marvel at the silent snow covered landscapes - or enjoy Finnish hospitality in a skiers' cafe where you can try the local energy booster of a pulla (sweet sticky bun), munkki (the doughnut equivalent) and a hot blueberry juice.
Just 200km north of the Arctic Circle, this far north there are good opportunities to glimpse the celebrated Northern Lights. Street lights here are turned off at 10pm to showcase this extraordinary natural phenomenon. Admire from the hotel or take to your snowshoes as night falls in a guided search (payable locally) over the snow for the Aurora.
When you fancy a day off from skiing, a convenient ski bus connects Akaslompolo with the impressive Snow Village - constructed as the first snows come down in November, artists from around the globe come here to design and sculpt this intricately chiselled ice hotel. Or take the chair lift to the summit of 719m high Yllastunturi Fell - which gives the Yllas region its name - to savour the views at the highest restaurant in Finland.
The base for your 7-night stay is the Yllashumina Hotel, set near the shores of Akaslomopojarvi lake and a home away from home run by the Qvist family for over 70 years. With just 32 rooms, housed in 8 separate traditional wooden cabins, it makes for wonderfully cosy and intimate accommodation. Dinners here, served in a separate log building, where you'll also find the welcoming lounge and Humina pub, are highly recommended with buffet style, hearty Lappish fayre based on locally sourced game, fish, cheese and berries. All guests can take advantage of the hotel's sauna, a must for any Finnish accommodation!, as well as the Arctic Spa: an outdoor hot tub for the ultimate in relaxation.
Climate in Yllas / Akaslompolo
Akaslompolo and Yllas are located in Finnish Lapland, 150km above the Arctic circle. This northerly location gives Yllas long winter and summer seasons with a short spring and autumn in between.
The Winter ski season runs from November to May. The temperature in the winter months stays well below zero and it can often get below -20°C or even -30°C especially during January. These temperatures may sound extreme, however the dry air in the Arctic means that they are not a problem, providing adequate clothing is worn. When the temperatures are very low, it is essential to have thermal base layers. Hats and face masks are advisable too, especially if dog sledding or snowmobiling. Some visitors to Yllas also find that hand and foot warmers are a good thing to have when heading out on to the slopes for the day.
Daylight hours during the ski season in Yllas range from 0-6 hours in November, December and January up to 16 hours in April. For the short days in December and January flood lighting is provided on the slopes and the darkness is more like a blue twilight, aided by the reflection of light from the snow, than a pitch black. The long nights of winter are the best opportunity for viewing the northern lights in Yllas so it is considered by some people as the best time to go.
We meet you at Kittila airport and take you to the Lappish village of Akaslompolo (45 mins). Your hotel for the week is the Yllashumina Hotel where you stay on a B&B basis with the option to upgrade to half board (pre-bookable at a supplement).
The hotel's convenient ski service will help you to get kitted out with your skis, boots and poles on your first morning before discovering what this beautiful area has to offer. With easy access to the cross-country skiing trails around Akaslompolo, you can choose which trail to follow depending on your ski ability and local weather conditions for leisurely independent exploration.
For those wishing to try cross-country skiing for the first time, improve their technique, or master the art of skating, ski tuition can be arranged locally, as can guided group excursions (supplements payable locally). If you fancy a change from cross-country, downhill skiing, snowmobiling, husky sledding and snow shoeing are all available (payable locally).
We take you back to Kittila airport for your flight home.
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 01606 720199, use our live webchat (we open again 9am Monday) or email sales@headwater.com
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades: Superior Rooms and Suites
For a touch of luxury, upgrade to one of the superior rooms. These are much larger than the standard rooms and come with a cosy sitting area - complete with fireplace, television, DVD and blu-ray, a separate bedroom (double bed only) and a kitchenette, as well as a bathroom with 2 showers.
The one bedroom suite has the same facilities as the superior rooms, but also comes with bath tub in the bathroom.
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 01606 720199, use our live webchat (we open again 9am Monday) or email sales@headwater.com
Air prices include our standard flights/transfers
Finnair from Gatwick to Kittila 09:05/14:30 (transfer to hotel, 45 minutes provided). Return: Kittila to Gatwick 06:35/08:05.
Business/club/first class seats are available on request.
Alternative Air Travel
Alternative flights, onward rail to your holiday area, and connecting private transfers can be arranged from most UK airports. If you would like to use one of the many 'low cost' airlines, we can book these on your behalf. We can also book UK shuttles to connect with your onward flight, please call for details and prices.
Popular alternative routes for this holiday include:
From | To | Airline(s) |
---|---|---|
Heathrow | Kittila (indirect via Helsinki) | Finnair |
Manchester | Kittila (indirect via Helsinki) | Finnair |
Standard transfers
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Kittila airport at 14:30 (transfer 45 minutes) and back to Kittila airport in time for a flight leaving at 06.35.
Alternative transfers
If you require alternative transfers (because you will be arriving at a different time to our standard flights), then we can usually arrange these for you (there may be an additional charge).
Should you require overnight airport accommodation, airport parking or even a uniformed chauffeur to take your car from your departure terminal and park it for you, we can arrange this for you through Holiday Extras. You can book airport parking, airport hotels and executive lounges directly through their website - or call us on 01606 720199 for further details of all the services on offer. Early booking is recommended to obtain the best availability and prices.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
A great holiday. Great trails and wonderful food. Yllas is a great location. We strongly recommend half board at the hotel. Room a little disappointing - very cramped. Initial transfer was late and it was a little confusing arriving at the airport but otherwise things went smoothly. Delighted not to have a rep. around. Ski Rental OK but ran out of boots in my size and landed up with some old (but very functional) boots. Would certainly visit again.
Excellent base for skiing and other winter activities. The ski tracks offer a variety of terrain and challenges, there is no charge for using the tracks which were well maintained throughout the week I was there. I would recommend the half board option because the food in the hotel is excellent and there are no better options that do not require travel by car or taxi. Ski equipment was good and the staff in the hire shop friendly and helpful, I did resent having to pay for my hire skis to be waxed.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night winter snow holiday holiday includes:
Single-centre accommodation in a hotel
Bed and breakfast
Management by local hotelier
Use of the cross country ski trails
Use of the sauna and Arctic Spa
Standard transfers to/from your hotel (if booking inclusive flights)
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 01606 720199 (we open again 9am Monday) or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
Complete our holiday enquiry form - we'll get in touch when it's most convenient for you
Speak to our sales team on 01606 720199 - we open again 9am Monday
Use our live chat to ask us a question
Departing | Tour only | Including flights![]() |
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31st Jan 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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7th Feb 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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14th Feb 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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21st Feb 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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28th Feb 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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7th Mar 2021 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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14th Mar 2021 | £945 | £1245 | Tour only: £945 Including flights: £1245 |
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21st Mar 2021 | £945 | £1245 | Tour only: £945 Including flights: £1245 |
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5th Dec 2021 | £769 | £1069 | Tour only: £769 Including flights: £1069 |
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12th Dec 2021 | £769 | £1069 | Tour only: £769 Including flights: £1069 |
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19th Dec 2021 | £1199 | £1499 | Tour only: £1199 Including flights: £1499 |
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26th Dec 2021 | £1089 | £1389 | Tour only: £1089 Including flights: £1389 |
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2nd Jan 2022 | £769 | £1069 | Tour only: £769 Including flights: £1069 |
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9th Jan 2022 | £769 | £1069 | Tour only: £769 Including flights: £1069 |
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16th Jan 2022 | £769 | £1069 | Tour only: £769 Including flights: £1069 |
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23rd Jan 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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30th Jan 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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6th Feb 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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13th Feb 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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20th Feb 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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27th Feb 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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Departing | Tour only | Including flights![]() |
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6th Mar 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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13th Mar 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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20th Mar 2022 | £949 | £1249 | Tour only: £949 Including flights: £1249 |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Singles
Please contact us for prices
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Cross-country skiing Managed locally by hotelier.
Departures
Selected Sundays from 31st Jan 2021 to 20th Mar 2022, for 7 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.
Meals
Bed and breakfast
Other details
For half board during your stay, ski hire (either classic skis or skating), ski lessons, guided ski excursions and guided snow shoeing excursions, please call for a quote.
Limited availability for December 2020 departures. Book now to avoid disappointment
The above prices include our standard flights/transfers
Finnair from Gatwick to Kittila 09:05/14:30 (transfer to hotel, 45 minutes provided). Return: Kittila to Gatwick 06:35/08:05.
Alternative Air
Flights can be arranged from most UK airports, with connecting transfers as required, prices and details on request.
Upgraded air travel
Business/club/first class fares on request.
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Kittila airport at 14:30 (transfer 45 minutes) and back to Kittila airport in time for a flight leaving at 06.35.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 01606 720199 (we open again 9am Monday) or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
Complete our holiday enquiry form - we'll get in touch when it's most convenient for you
Speak to our sales team on 01606 720199 - we open again 9am Monday
Use our live chat to ask us a question
Please note: The prices and travel options shown are provided for customers based in, and travelling from/to, the UK. We are happy to arrange holidays for non-UK customers however, if you are travelling from USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, we recommend that you contact your local agent as they can provide appropriate transport options and advice.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Cross-country skiing in Lapland. Simply complete the form below (fields marked * are mandatory) and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 01606 720199 to discuss your requirements in more detail (we open again 9am Monday).