Summer in Lapland and the Midnight Sun

Have you ever heard about the Midnight Sun? It's a phenomenon  that occurs in the proximity of the Arctic and Antarctic circle  where the sun does not set at night.  Is the contrast to the polar nights, where the sun keeps hidden below the horizon.  Sounds like magic? It feels like it.

Source: St.Lapland's Facebook

Lapland is situated on the Arctic circle and enjoys both periods. The Midnight Sun happens during the summer months,  while the Polar Nights take place during winter.

The Midnight sun allows you to enjoy incredibly long sunsets observing the sun coming down until the horizon but staying there during the night. This gives Lapland endless days and light to enjoy the nature, or summer festivals as the Midnight Sun Film Festival.

In Ruka-Kuusamo we celebrate the beginning of the summer period as well! In the Ruka and Kuusamo Midsummer fest you can enjoy traditional Finnish music or dance all night long!

But for those who prefer the relaxation of our landscapes and the wildlife, there is plenty to do as well. The Midnight Sun period is perfect for wildlife watching. The constant light helps to spot the Moose or the Bear, and the nature is just so alive that you will feel like in the middle of nowhere : just the nature and you.

Source: Karhukuusamo.com

If you would like to experience we have a large catalogue for summer holidays in Lapland, just visit our website!

The Midnight Sun is coming, are you going to miss it?

St. Lapland Team.

The Brown Bear and the Midnight Sun

Finland’s northernmost bear watching venues are in Kuusamo Lapland, in the deep forests close to the border to Russia. I will never forget the sight of the mighty brown bear in his natural environment. The bear’s are best sighted at night, so that is why the bright nights of Lapland serve very well in bear watching. I am told that it is 99% sure of seeing the fantastic brown bear during your visit to the wilds. Make sure to bring your camera and binoculars (there are a spar pair of binoculars at the hide), as the watch-out hides have large windows and provide a spectacular view of the wildlife.

We started our wildlife experience by checking in to Isokenkäisten Klubi Wilderness Hotel Kortteeri. The wildlife guide met us at Isokenkäisten Klubi, we got a snack to bring to the watch-out hide. We will spend several hours watching nature’s own show in the light of the midnight sun.


The last bit to the watch-out hide is done by foot. I had no thoughts of possible encounters with bears as we walked to the hide, I was enjoying the peaceful forest walk, we were asked to be quiet. That is the key: to be quiet, as bears will escape as soon as they sense humans nearby. The brown bear might look like a teddy bear, it has a round and a bit clumsy appearance, but it is a fast runner and a predator and like most animals, protective of its little ones. So it is wise to stay out of the way of the bears – stay safely in the watch-out hide.

We had a nice show of five (yes indeed, FIVE) adult bears, the largest is about 100 kg, according to our guide. There were also a few White-tailed eagles; I was quite surprised to spot them here in the forests of Lapland as I thought they are coastal habitants. Apparently there are about 20 pairs of them here in Lapland, they live by large waterways and there is no lack of such in Kuusamo!


Amazing! We all sat in silence, just watching these wild animals, listening to the sounds of the summer night. For many of us it was first time to see any wildlife in its natural environment. Shortly after midnight the wildlife had left us and we walked back to the car to return to Isokenkäisten Klubi. Even knowing that this walk is done safely every night during the summer season, I was looking around and hoping not to see anymore bears tonight. Actually, we had learnt during the night that silence is the most important factor in watching wildlife. Bears are shy of humans and will stay away if they can hear humans around.

I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and woke up to birds’ song late the next morning. Mmm, I look forward to a yummy breakfast and a large coffee on the terrace of Isokenkäisten Klubi. Actually, I enjoyed the peace and quiet so much, that I stayed one more night...

Face to face with wild nature

The first rays of spring sun have reached Lapland. This is the time when Finns enjoy cross country skiing to the fullest – gliding away through the landscape and enjoying the fresh air. On the frozen lakes you see a lot of ice-fishers, especially on the weekends. Faces turned towards the sun, waiting for the fish to bite…

As we sit there, feeling the light of the sun, closed eyes, thoughts wander to the coming summer. I am sure not only Finns start to steer their thoughts to the summer already now. Let’s have a peek on what St Lapland has to offer the coming summer.





Fishing is great! The lakes and rivers of Kuusamo are abundant with fish. Thanks to clear and very pure water – actually so pure that it is drinkable – the fish of Kuusamo Lapland has a fantastic flavor. Our cabins are equipped with fish smoking pots and outdoor BBQ-areas where you can prepare the catch of the day.

Should you wish to have a tasty fish dinner served for you, we recommend the Fisherman’s Delicacy Buffet of Restaurant Juomuskota. The coming summer our Countryside Restaurants serve delicious local food – not only fish.

Finns love to cook outdoors in the summer, we really want to take in the bright nights and beautiful lush nature to the fullest. Restaurant Ukonkivi has changed from winter Game Fondue dinner to Tasty BBQ. Restaurant Ukonkivi is located on the premises of Oivanki. A beautiful way to spend a summer’s day is to go Nordic hiking in Oivanki (followed by a sauna bath) before the BBQ dinner. The hike over the stunning morrain ridges formed by the ice age is accompanied by tales of the history of Oivanki. This used to be the summer dwelling of ancient Sámi people, as they still inhabited the area.

For a real encounter with the wild nature we recommend wildlife watching. Close to Isokenkäisten Klubi by the Russian border lies the northernmost wildlife watching venue in Finland. Here the bright summer nights last until late August and offer perfect setting for wildlife watching.

Our summer programs will be online next week, so start to steer your thoughts towards the summer.