europe · 4 days · 9 stops

Finnish Lapland — to the Arctic Ocean

North from Rovaniemi along the E75: the Arctic Circle, the fells at Pyhä-Luosto, Saariselkä, Lake Inari and Utsjoki by the Arctic Ocean road.

Days
4
Stops
9
Driving
511 km
Behind the wheel
6h 54m

Driving figures are measured road distances between the stops listed for each day, not straight lines. The transfer from wherever you sleep to the first stop of the day is not included.

Daylight on this route, by season

The single number that decides whether a self-drive day works. Almost every guide tells you to "check the daylight hours"; here they are for this route, on the solstices and equinoxes.

Day Driving 21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar
Rovaniemi → the Arctic Circle 0h 7m 24h (midnight sun) 12h 30m 2h 11m 12h 21m
Ranua → Pyhä-Luosto 3h 20m 24h (midnight sun) 12h 30m 1h 21m 12h 21m
Sodankylä → Saariselkä 1h 23m 24h (midnight sun) 12h 32m 0h (polar night) 12h 23m
Ivalo → Inari → Utsjoki 2h 4m 24h (midnight sun) 12h 33m 0h (polar night) 12h 23m

Measured at the midpoint of each day's stops. "Midnight sun" means the sun does not set; "polar night" means it does not rise.

Day by day

Day 1: Rovaniemi → the Arctic Circle

2 stops · 9 km · 0h 7m driving · 2h 30m at stops

In winter: About 0h 7m of driving inside 2h 11m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Rovaniemi

    The official Arctic Circle city

    Allow about 1h 30m

  2. 2

    Santa Claus Village

    On the Arctic Circle line, north of the city

    Allow about 1h

Legs and times
  • Rovaniemi → Santa Claus Village: 9 km, 0h 7m

Day 2: Ranua → Pyhä-Luosto

2 stops · 210 km · 3h 20m driving · 5h at stops

In winter: About 3h 20m of driving against 1h 21m of daylight — you will be driving in the dark. Start before sunrise, or split this day.

  1. 1

    Ranua

    Wildlife park on the road south-east

    Allow about 2h

  2. 2

    Pyhä-Luosto National Park

    Two fells and an amethyst mine

    Allow about 3h

Legs and times
  • Ranua → Pyhä-Luosto National Park: 209 km, 3h 20m

Day 3: Sodankylä → Saariselkä

2 stops · 129 km · 1h 23m driving · 3h at stops

In winter: About 1h 23m of driving against 0h of daylight — you will be driving in the dark. Start before sunrise, or split this day.

  1. 1

    Sodankylä

    Midway fuel stop on the E75

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Saariselkä

    Fell village at the top of the E75

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Sodankylä → Saariselkä: 129 km, 1h 23m

Day 4: Ivalo → Inari → Utsjoki

3 stops · 164 km · 2h 4m driving · 4h 30m at stops

In winter: About 2h 4m of driving against 0h of daylight — you will be driving in the dark. Start before sunrise, or split this day.

  1. 1

    Ivalo

    The northernmost airport in Finland

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Inari

    Lake Inari and the Sámi museum

    Allow about 2h

  3. 3

    Utsjoki

    The last village before the Arctic Ocean

    Allow about 1h 30m

Legs and times
  • Ivalo → Inari: 39 km, 0h 31m
  • Inari → Utsjoki: 125 km, 1h 33m

When to drive it

21 Jun

24h

of daylight

21 Sep

12h 31m

of daylight

21 Dec

0h

of daylight

21 Mar

12h 22m

of daylight

Longest days are around 21 June, shortest around 21 December. On this route the swing is large enough that the same day's driving can be comfortable in June and entirely after dark in December — which is why the table above is per day.

Plan this route with the daylight in view

Tseril builds the multi-day route on a map, warns you about the legs you would drive at night, and shows the snow and weather at every stop. Free to use.

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