Arriving into Nuorgam for my first trip to Finnish Lapland, over an August bank holiday, I was treated to all the weather elements the arctic can throw at you. From glorious sunshine, howling winds, soaking rain and peaceful stillness, Finland has it all, often within minutes of each other.

Nuorgam is situated at the most northerly tip of the EU, with only Norway further north, it really does feel close to the edge of the world. The region has been occupied by humans longer than many areas across Europe due to the warming effects of the jet stream creating a unique microclimate. Nuorgam can be reached by car in around three hours from Ivalo, further south, or two and half hours from Kirkenes in the north, making the area easily accessible from both directions.

Marjetta and Raimo, our hosts at Nuorgam Holiday Village, warmly welcomed us to the far north of Finland on the deck of the main building before treating us to a warm cup of coffee and delicious blueberry cake. After a short tour of the holiday village we settled into our cabin, preparing for the activities ahead. Each cabin has been uniquely designed based on a modern Finnish theme that is used throughout the holiday village. The dining space is very inviting and is the perfect place to enjoy your home cooked meals after a day of activities.

It’s fair to say that it was a shock arriving from 25 degrees in the UK to a chilly 10 degrees with rain and wind in Finland. Always prepared for the occasion Raimo and his son, Santeri, prepared us for the day of activities ahead. Equipped with overalls, mittens and new hats, we headed out onto the Temo river for a riverboat cruise. The river is frequented by fishermen throughout summer hoping to land a salmon and is the perfect place to view the northern lights from during winter when it freezes over. With the wind and river water enveloping us we head up river before floating back downstream taking in the stunning scenery.

With the weather clearing we headed out to the fells with Raimo and Santeri guiding us through the nearly barren landscapes of the far northern wilderness. Most activities at Nuorgam are guided by Raimo and son Santeri, both of whom are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and put you at ease. They are very hands on with arranging and running the activities, helping guests plan their days to optimise time. The fell trip is ran throughout the year as either a hike in the summer or snowshoe expedition during winter. The location on the fells offers amazing views across the almost barren landscape and to a huge inland lake, home to fish normally found in salt water. At the fell sight there is currently a private lavvo, a partly covered wooden structure used to keep warm and sheltered in the wilderness, and Raimo is currently building a private cabin. The cabin will be used to keep warm during amazing northern lights trips on the fells and can be hired for very special overnight experiences in the unique wilderness. Marjetta and Raimo have already arranged a unique honeymoon on the fells for guests that wanted to be in the perfect, remote, setting for the northern lights. There is not street light out on the fells and the unique scenery really helps make this a special location for aurora photography. The bare birch trees cast an eerie shadow across the landscape and provide a unique foreground to the inspiring background of the northern lights. In the winter the site can be reached by snowmobile, either driven by the guest or in a trailer for the less experienced. Snowshoes are used for the final part of the trek. Our trip to the fells was greeted with gusts of wind so strong you could almost lean into it, but we were dressed for the occasion and with our hosts knew we would have no issues with the elements.

Luckily the holiday village is equipped with eight saunas in total, two of which are communal. I was lucky enough to try out the riverside sauna which is the smaller of the two communal options. The temperature was perfect and the sauna is finished to an impeccably high standard. Guests are invited to swim in the river (even in winter!) which I took advantage of. The water was surprisingly warm and provided a refreshing dip between sauna sessions! A larger sauna in a separate building is available during stays. A small kota, a timber cabin with central fireplace, is used once a week for meals prepared in the main building and kept warm over a wood fire. The kota is an amazing setting for a meal, providing a warming, special environment, perfect to discuss the day's events with new friends. A riverside, north facing, lavvo is perfectly situated (with warming large fire, perfect for freezing nights!) for viewing the northern lights throughout the long season. Whilst in Finland we were treated to a northern lights showing, which is possible all the way from mid-August until mid-April. Autumn is an amazing time to visit Lapland, taking advantage of the reasonably long days, amazing produce including berries and mushrooms and some of the best opportunities to photograph the northern lights. Without the reflective white of the snow the dark night sky is viewed best in the late autumn months. The Ruska season offers the most stunning scenery, colouring the hills in reds, yellows and oranges of the autumn leaves, making it the perfect time to photograph the amazing scenery and enjoy the bountiful produce.

All meals at Nuorgam Holiday Village are prepared by Marjetta; and are delicious! We were treated to fresh Nuorgam salmon and Lappish cheese with cloudberries picked from the fells for dessert. Typical Finnish menus are served to guests, so expect reindeer, berries, mushrooms and of course salmon from the Teno river. I really enjoyed the food, it was prepared freshly and made with love. Breakfast is a large buffet consisting of porridge, cereals, meats and cheeses, salmon and herring, juices, yoghurts and more. The amazing selection meant that staying in Nuorgam for a week you would not get bored. Picnics are prepared for day trips, which included warming soup, delicious rye sandwiches, reindeer jerky and freshly prepared cakes.

Retiring to our warm, large rooms was the perfect end to an amazing day in Lapland. All of the cabins are finished to a high standard by Raimo and Santeri, with Marjetta having input on the design and kept in an impeccably clean state.

The night after our stay in Nuorgam we were treated to a trip to Varangerfjord in Norway, which provided the most dramatic and picturesque scenery of the trip. The museum in Norway is a great place to visit to learn about life in the far north, the small local community and history of Varangerfjord. Summer activities at Nuorgam Holiday Village include hiking the fells, Teno river cruise, river salmon fishing, a trip to Varangerfjord in Norway and arctic fishing. King crab fishing is available most of the year around from Varangerfjord which again Raimo can organise. Winter activities include snowmobiling, guided snowshoeing, fell trips with ice fishing, reindeer herding with sami culture and aurora adventures. Raimo runs an Aurora photography workshop presentation lasting around an hour but often over running once he gets talking about the lights and photography. Part one of the workshop lasts around an hour and is held in the room next to the dining room (in the warm!) with Raimo explaining how to set up the camera, how to prepare for the cold and displaying various shots that he took. Part two of the workshop is held outside when conditions are best for the northern lights. This may be the same night or any one of the nights whilst staying in Nuorgam, depending on conditions. Flexibility is key in most activities, so guests are always informed that the they may be rescheduled to fit better with weather or northern light activity. The passion and flexibility that our hosts afforded us really showed how much they care for what they do.

Our trip was perfectly summed up with a USB with photos Raimo had taken during our stay, which we thought was a lovely touch and perfect way to end our stay in Finnish Lapland. Nuorgam Holiday Village is the perfect setting to explore the stunning scenery of northern Finland in a warming and hospitable setting. Marjetta and Raimo’s passion come across in everything they do, making this experience a truly unique one.

Magnetic North Travel offers a range of holidays covering all the seasons of Lapland, so please let us know what you wish to get out of your stay so we can advise the season accordingly. To find out more about holidays to Nuorgam Holiday Village please click here.