If you happen to’ve ever had daydreams about watching the Northern Lights dance within the sky above a glass-roofed igloo, or swooshing via a snowy forest on a sled pulled by reindeer, or maybe experiencing a sauna beside a silent Finnish lake… then that you must learn about Apukka Resort.
Situated not removed from the city of Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, Apukka Resort is most well-known for its glass igloo suites. However it’s a lot extra than simply igloos. Apukka is a full-service wilderness resort that gives friends every little thing they may want in a single place, from husky sledding to lakeside saunas to cozy eating and a lot extra.
I have been dreaming about visiting a spot like Apukka for years, and at last determined to plan it final winter with a good friend of mine. Is Apukka Resort expensive? Sure, it undoubtedly it. However it’s additionally distinctive and such a particular place to spend a number of nights!
Staying at Apukka Resort: Every thing that you must know
This is every little thing that you must learn about planning a visit to and staying at Apukka Resort. My good friend Kat from World Large Honeymoon and I stayed for 3 nights in late February, reserving one in every of Apukka’s packages that included a glass igloo cabin plus some wintry actions.
The place is Apukka Resort?
Apukka Resort is situated simply above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, roughly 15 kilometers outdoors of the city of Rovaniemi. The property sits on a big lake and is surrounded by native forest, making it really feel such as you’re deep within the wilderness regardless of being simply quarter-hour away from an airport.
The property is giant, however not too giant; even if you happen to’re staying within the cabin furthest away from the principle lodge constructing, you in all probability solely have to stroll for about 5-7 minutes to get there.
What time of 12 months do you have to go to Apukka?
Apukka Resort actually shines within the winter, with tons of winter actions on supply — plus these glass-roofed cabins designed for watching the Northern Lights. So the winter months of December-March are the preferred instances to go to.
However you may as well go to Apukka within the fall, too, with packages additionally accessible from Augusut-November.
And when you definitely can go to Lapland within the spring and summer season, Apukka itself isn’t open throughout these months; the resort closes annually from early April via the tip of July. So in case your dream is to journey to Finnish Lapland to see the Midnight Solar, you will have to seek out one other place to remain.
As for the best possible time to remain at Apukka? For me personally I’d say late February via mid-March. You’ll kind of be assured snowy scenes throughout these months, and the times might be getting progressively longer, which means plenty of time for outside adventures throughout the day, however nonetheless loads of alternatives to chase the aurora at night time.
RELATED: A Good 10 Day Finland Itinerary in Winter (Helsinki + Lapland)
What all does Apukka supply?
Apukka Resort is one half resort and one half outside journey heart, so staying right here means you possibly can expertise it multi function place. Together with the comfy igloo cabins, Apukka additionally has two eating places, non-public saunas, and an journey heart the place you possibly can guide every little thing from dogsledding to reindeer sleighing, and even borrow snowshoes.
In addition they supply winter clothes leases to all their friends at no cost, which embrace tremendous heat snowsuits and boots.
You possibly can guide a keep at Apukka immediately (save 10% once you guide this manner), or you possibly can guide on a website like Reserving.com or Expedia. And you’ll learn extra evaluations on TripAdvisor.
Attending to Apukka
Appuka Resort is situated about quarter-hour outdoors of Rovaniemi, which might be the place you will arrive (we took the practice from Helsinki, however many individuals additionally fly). Apukka does supply non-public transfers from city or to/from the small Rovaniemi airport, and you may as well guide a taxi that can drive you out to the resort.
If you happen to’re already going to be in Rovaniemi (like we have been), probably the most cost-effective possibility is to take the Apukka Shuttle Bus, which makes stops in central Rovaniemi, at Santa Claus Village, and at Apukka Resort. Shuttle tickets value €8 one-way.
Lodging choices at Apukka
Apukka Resort is understood for its glass igloo cabins, that are constructed with glass-paneled roofs that provide up Northern Lights viewing when the situations are proper. The overwhelming majority of the lodging choices at Apukka are in these trendy and cozy cabins.
Each cabin at Apukka has its personal non-public rest room, together with a mudroom to maintain all of your boots and snow gear, wifi, an electrical fire, blackout curtains, air-con, and a tea and low station. Breakfast can be included for all room varieties.
The totally different lodging choices are:
- Aurora Cabin Glass Igloos – The fundamental (and authentic) igloo cabins at Apukka, these are nonetheless extraordinarily comfortable with two twin beds and a sofa. These are situated closest to the principle resort buildings.
- Aurora Cabin Queen Glass Igloos – Barely bigger than the unique Aurora Cabins, the Queen igloo cabins have a queen-sized mattress and a pull-out sofa.
- Aurora Cabin King Glass Igloos – Greater nonetheless, the King Aurora Cabins have king-sized beds and bigger dwelling areas.
- Aurora Cabin Household Glass Igloos – Designed with households in thoughts, these are the biggest of the single-level Aurora Cabins. These have one king mattress, one double mattress, and a pull-out sofa. The household igloo cabins are furthest away from the principle lodge, however all have non-public views over the river or Lake Olkka.
- Komsio Glass Igloo Suites – These igloo suites are unfold over two ranges, with a queen mattress underneath a full glass ceiling with 360-degree views upstairs and a seating space with a pull-out sofa downstairs.
- Kammi Glass Igloo Suites – These are the biggest glass igloos at Apukka, and are additionally on 2 ranges. The mattress is as soon as once more upstairs beneath a 360-degree sky view. Downstairs, the Kammi suites have a bigger seating space alongside a full kitchenette.
- Apukka Lakeview Suites – Observe: these are NOT igloo cabins! These lakeside suites are nice for bigger households or teams, and might sleep as much as 6 friends. They’ve two bedrooms, a front room, and a full kitchen, and overlook Lake Olkkajärvi.
- Villa Apukka – Touring with a very giant group? Then this villa could be best for you. There’s just one, and it might probably accommodate as much as 14 friends.
How costly is Apukka?
There’s not sugarcoating it: staying at Apukka Resort is fairly expensive! The igloo suites listed below are pretty luxurious, and the costs replicate that and the resort’s comparatively distant location.
If you happen to journey in the summertime/fall, you are costs beginning at €200 per night time for the smallest igloo cabins. Within the winter, nonetheless, costs begin nearer to €715 per night time for those self same cabins. Once we visited in February, we booked a Queen Aurora Cabin and paid greater than €1100 per night time (although we booked a package deal that additionally had some actions included).
Costs are the costliest in December (like, twice as costly as the opposite winter months), when plenty of folks need to go to Finnish Lapland in an effort to see Santa. If you would like the most effective charges in winter, undoubtedly keep away from December!
After which all of the actions include separate charges, although these are in-line with what you’d pay for comparable excursions elsewhere in Rovaniemi. (For instance, most guided actions at Apukka run €90-€200 per particular person.)
Are the glass igloos price it?
Whenever you’re doubtlessly paying upwards of $1000 per night time, you need to know if it is really price it, proper? Not each glass igloo resort is created equal, however I do assume that Apukka gives a number of the higher ones on this a part of the world.
What I cherished in regards to the Apukka igloos:
- They’re thoughtfully designed, with layouts that make sense. Our Queen cabin had loads of area for us and all our baggage/gear, and I cherished the heated mud room the place you possibly can preserve your boots and winter gear.
- The glass a part of all of the igloos have heaters you possibly can activate in case they get lined in any snow or ice — so sensible! In addition they have black-out curtains that work properly.
- Electrical fireplaces in each cabin? Sure, please! Ours was small, however very cozy to activate at night time.
- A wonderful buffet breakfast is included each morning in the principle restaurant — and the principle constructing is just perhaps a 5-minute stroll from most cabins.
Belongings you may not love in regards to the igloos:
- The igloos in some areas are fairly shut collectively. You will not *hear* your neighbors, however relying on which approach the glass a part of your cabin faces, you undoubtedly would possibly see them. You may have to make use of your blackout curtains in order for you full privateness.
- The cabins have wifi however no TVs or different leisure choices. We truthfully cherished this and spent loads of time studying and simply enjoyable in between actions, however I notice this could be a adverse factor for some folks.
Once more, you possibly can guide a keep at Apukka immediately (save 10% once you guide this manner), or you possibly can guide on a website like Reserving.com or Expedia. And you’ll learn extra evaluations on TripAdvisor.
Actions at Apukka
From August-early November, you possibly can take pleasure in summer-like actions at Apukka Resort that embrace issues like kayaking and canoeing, mountaineering (both guided or by yourself), fishing, fats biking, going for walks with huskies or reindeer, and going out to search for Northern Lights at night time (higher likelihood for aurora beginning in late September because the nights get longer).
There are heaps extra actions within the winter at Apukka, together with:
- Dogsledding
- Reindeer sleigh rides (each throughout the day and at night time)
- Snowmobiling
- Ice fishing
- Snow shoeing
- Winter fats biking
- Northern Lights excursions (together with taking the “snow practice” out to a wilderness camp)
- Varied sauna experiences
In addition they supply excursions that can take you to the close by Santa Claus Village the place you possibly can meet the person himself, and you may as well guide unbiased excursions (like Northern Lights chasing excursions) that can come decide you up at Apukka.
Kat and I really booked a packaged referred to as “It is All About Aurora,” which included our igloo cabin for 3 nights in addition to nighttime reindeer sleighing and the aurora snow practice. We added on further actions throughout our keep, together with dogsledding, a snowshoe tour, a non-public Lakeside Sauna expertise, in addition to some particular eating. We principally did 2 wintry actions per day, which was excellent!
We sadly did NOT see the Northern Lights from our glass igloo cabin as a result of the skies remained fully cloudy the entire time we have been there! However that is simply the way it goes with the Northern Lights generally.
(If you would like a greater likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights, I like to recommend reserving a chasing tour independently to allow them to take you to the clearest skies! We went on this tour, which might decide you up at Apukka.)
Eating at Apukka
Apukka Resort has two eating places on website.
Restaurant Aitta is the principle restaurant in the principle constructing at Apukka, and it serves all 3 meals. Breakfast is at all times a buffet; you possibly can order from a bistro menu for lunch; and for dinner you possibly can both guide a desk within the a la carte portion of the restaurant, or you possibly can go for a half-board seating time, which features a 3-course meal. (Dinner at Apukka was a buffet, however they’ve modified this as of early 2026!)
The opposite restaurant known as Restaurant Kota, a small and comfortable restaurant constructed to resemble a conventional Sami lavvu tent full with an open hearth within the heart. There is a set 3-course menu right here, and it is price doing a minimum of one night time when you’re at Apukka. (You often have to pre-book this one!)
Meals at Apukka (particularly for dinner) is on the pricier facet, however consuming on-site is the one handy possibility for many friends. Sure, you possibly can after all go away and eat in Rovaniemi, however you will must pay for taxis each methods, which might get fairly expensive on this a part of the world!
There’s additionally a bar inside the principle constructing at Apukka the place you possibly can take pleasure in cocktails within the night.
Do it’s a must to keep at Apukka in a single day?
The quick reply isn’t any. You do not *have* to remain at Apukka to take pleasure in a few of its journey actions..
The longer reply isn’t any, you do not have to remain at Apukka. However when you can guide issues right here like dogsledding and reindeer walks and even sauna experiences with out being an in a single day visitor, you will not be capable of expertise or admire the glass igloo cabins until you keep in a single day. And that is actually the principle draw of this place!
So what is the verdict?
The decision is that I completely cherished my keep at Apukka Resort, however I’ll acknowledge that it is not going to be a very good match for everybody due to the value level.
If it is in your finances, nonetheless, then I completely advocate staying right here for a minimum of a number of nights!
Is Apukka Resort a spot you need to remain in Finland?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Harmful Enterprise Journey Weblog. She has traveled to greater than 60 international locations on 6 continents from her residence base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and considerate journey via the US, Europe, and remainder of the world. Amanda solely shares ideas primarily based on her private experiences and locations she’s really traveled!