Wilderness Hotel Muotka – Fellside Auroras
- Details
Details
This 3-night trip allows you to experience the real highlights of the remote and spectacular Muotka, Finland. The quest for the Northern Lights leads your evenings and your days offer exceptional activities, as well as time to enjoy peaceful Lapland.
Muotka is simply delightful. This small and remote hotel is surrounded by the forests of North East Lapland. The region is a veritable feast for anyone looking to enjoy a comprehensive experience of Lapland whilst looking for a retreat from the everyday and a more relaxed pace of life.
You will enjoy true 'bucket list' activities such as an unforgettable dog sled safari in the wilds of the Arctic and an exciting snowmobile safari to a reindeer farm.
Your evenings are dedicated to the hunt for the Aurora Borealis and these excursions typically use engines to do all of the hard work, allowing you to focus on the task at hand. During one evening you will hunt for the Northern Lights using the mobility of a minibus. Your expert local guides will use their incredible local knowledge and the latest weather forecasts to aid your search. Another Aurora evening uses a snowmobile-pulled sleigh as your method of transport as you will be heading out to one of the Aurora camps.
We can also arrange for you to upgrade to the epitome of Aurora accommodation for either part or all of your holiday and book you into one of Muotka's wonderful Aurora Cabins. Details of all of these special upgrades can be found in the 'Accommodation' section of the holiday page.
Please note: If you are travelling over Christmas or New Year, you will enjoy a festive dinner and celebrations on the 24th or the 31st of December (traditionally in Finland, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve).
Photo credits: Wilderness Hotels, Matt Robinson, Markku Inkila
Important Information
The order of activities listed in this agenda is provided for guidance only. Your final and detailed itinerary will be provided either with your final travel documents (which will be emailed to you around a week prior to departure), or upon arrival.
Itinerary
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed and then transferred* to Muotkan Maja Wilderness Hotel. The hotel has a beautifully remote feel and provides the ideal base for a Lappish adventure.
On your first evening, you will be provided with your cold weather clothing.
* Transfers are based on a scheduled group shuttle that sometimes stops at a few nearby hotels. If you would prefer to upgrade to private taxi transfers please ask our Travel Experts for a quotation.
Today, you will be trying out one of the most memorable activities in Lapland, as you participate in an exciting husky safari.
Guiding a team of huskies is almost always one of our guests’ favourite activities and is a truly unique experience. Travelling in this traditional fashion gives people a wonderful connection with the Arctic environment. Once the dogs have calmed their initial excitement, it is a remarkably peaceful activity as the dogs pull you through this winter wonderland (approximately for one hour).
Before setting off, you will be given full instruction and will travel two people per sled with the opportunity to swap drivers during the activity so you can both experience the thrill of being the musher, and the joy of taking in the scenery as a passenger. This activity will last around two hours.
Today your guide will also introduce you to the Northern Lights and some of the myths and legends that this phenomenon has inspired over the centuries. Your guide’s knowledge of the area and the Northern Lights is exceptional.
After dinner, you will head out on a hunt for the Northern Lights. You will travel via sled pulled by your guide’s snowmobile to one of the Aurora Camps, which offer excellent views of the vast night sky. If the solar conditions are favourable, and there is no cloud cover, then you will hopefully see the Northern Lights dancing overhead. You will be out for around two and a half hours in total.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning, you will travel two people per snowmobile and journey on an exciting tour of the wilderness and to a local reindeer farm. After a full safety briefing and instructions on how to drive and handle the snowmobile, you will head out for a snowmobile safari to the farm where you will meet the reindeer herders and learn all about the importance of reindeer in Lapland. The whole tour will last approximately four to five hours and a soup lunch is included. You will have the chance to swap seats and each take a turn at driving (the driver must be 18 years old and hold a full driving licence).
This afternoon will be free to relax before dinner. You may wish to take advantage of one of the hotel’s saunas. There may also be additional activities which can be arranged locally and snowshoes can be hired should you wish to explore independently.
After dinner, it’s time for your last activity, a Northern Lights hunt by minibus. The guides will drive you to a potential vantage point, utilising their local knowledge, weather and solar forecasts. You will be out for around three hours in total.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is departure day and you will be transferred back to the airport to catch your return flights. If you are on an early flight, a packed breakfast will be provided. If you depart on a later flight, you will have breakfast in the restaurant.
Included Meals: Breakfast
What's included?
- Return flights from London to Ivalo (either direct or via Helsinki). Flight routes are subject to change
- Return scheduled group shuttle airport transfers
- 3 nights’ accommodation in twin/double hotel rooms
- 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
- Aurora workshop
- Aurora hunt in a minibus
- Husky safari
- Aurora camp
- Reindeer day via snowmobile
- Cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay
- 24/7 assistance from our UK based operations team and in destination support from our local partners
Accommodation
|
|||||||
|
Wilderness Hotel Muotka resides around 40km from the main town of Ivalo, tucked away in the corner of North-East Finland. Recently renovated and restored it is owned and run by the same couple as the popular Nellim Wilderness Hotel, Mari and Jouko Lappalainen. They run the hotel with the same hard-working ethos and it exudes the same warmth and charm for its much-welcomed guests. The hotel boasts some wonderful scenery, tucked away in the forested-fells with roaming reindeer frequently seen amongst the trees. It consists of two main accommodation buildings, one with the majority of the bedrooms and another with hosts additional bedrooms, the main restaurant and the reception area. Hotel facilities
|
Wilderness Room
These double or twin bedrooms sleep a maximum of 2 people and are split across the two main buildings at Muotka. All rooms are en-suite with shower and hair dryer. The décor offers Scandinavian charm, and these rooms are a warm and comfortable base after a day of adventure. They are approximately 20m² in size.
Premium Wilderness Room
These double rooms are more spacious (approx. 25m2) and feature stylish, modern décor. They are ideal for couples and have the added bonus of tea and coffee making facilities. They are situated in their own building (which offers its own sauna for guests to enjoy), just a short distance from the main restaurant.
Superior Sauna Room
Muotka Wilderness Hotel has 16 Superior Sauna rooms, located a short distance from the main hotel building. These rooms offer modern Scandinavian interiors and plenty of space. They are ideal for small families as they have a double bed and a convertible sofa bed (so they sleep a max of 3 – 4 people). The rooms are approximately 33m² and each separate building has four superior sauna rooms inside.
As the name suggests, each room has its own private sauna which provides a wonderful way to relax after a day of activities. They also offer tea and coffee facilities.
The Riverside Room
The Riverside Room at Muotka is a real favourite with guests. As the name suggests it is right next the stream which gently flows through the grounds and the setting is incredibly peaceful. The room has its own entrance and is log built, giving it a unique interior. There is a shower room with private sauna, hair dryer and tea and coffee making facilities. Featuring a double bed it is a wonderful rustic retreat for couples.
Panorama Log Cabin
Situated not far from the main hotel, these traditional log-built cabins are a wonderful upgrade option and provide a self-contained base with incredible views, making them very popular for couples. They are just a short distance from the main building.
Each log cabin is approximately 42m² and has a double bed (log built!) and space for extra beds (sleeping a maximum of 4 guests).
The real gem is the shower room with private sauna which coupled with the log burning stove offers the ideal way to warm up after a day in the wilds.
The cabins also offer a small kitchenette (meals are all served in the main restaurant), fridge, seating area, tea and coffee facilities and hairdryer.
Riverside Log Cabin
The most exclusive accommodation available at Muotka, these stunning rustic log-built cabins are perfectly situated with views over the stream, a short walk from the main building. Beautifully appointed, with a fireplace in the living room, a shower room with private sauna, and kitchenette (and fridge), the cabins have sleeping space for 5 people and are around 72 m². There is a double bedroom downstairs and three single beds in the loft (accessed by very steep steps). There is also a second toilet in the loft. The cabins also contain a hairdryer and tea and coffee making facilities. Please note that these cabins require a minimum number of 4 guests in order to be booked.
Aurora Cabin
Guests have the chance to spend the night in one of their 20 magnificent Aurora Cabins, just a short walk from the main building. These stunning partially glass-roofed buildings, offer guests an exceptional overnight Aurora hunting experience.
You can enjoy the space and feel of a cabin during the day and the Aurora viewing benefits of a glass igloo at night, as you sleep under a heated glass roof. This means that you are provided with the most wonderful views of the night sky from the comfort of your bed.
The cabins are all approx. 30m² with double bed (there is space for additional beds so these can sleep a maximum of 4 people, but we recommend no more than 3 adults) and en-suite shower room. There are tea and coffee facilities provided.
Tour Map
Additional Info
Price is based on 2 persons travelling
Tour terms, click here
Booking conditions click here
Payment and Cancellation Terms:
Snow coverage in early December
If you are travelling early in the winter season and there is not enough snowfall, then some activities may be adapted by the local team, or alternatives provided, to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort. For more information on this, please see section 11 of our booking terms and conditions.
Key Facts
For your best chance to see the Northern Lights, contact the UK’s only Aurora specialists
