In Kuusamo, you can rent a snowmobile or participate in a guided snowmobile safari. We have lots of maintaned snowmobile routes and an area for those who enjoy freeride snowmobiling.
Snowmobiles
Snowmobiling on the glistening Lapland snow is a holiday highlight!
500 km of well-groomed routes
Find more detailed route information from the Ruka-Kuusamo snowmobile route online service. You can also find up-to-date information on route conditions on Facebook (primarily in Finnish): Ruka-Kuusamon Kelkkaryhmä. Familiarize yourself in advance with the guidelines provided by Finnish Road Safety Council and the instructions on the Eräluvat.fi website regarding snowmobiling on Metsähallitus routes (Finnish Forestry).
UPDATES ON RUKA-KUUSAMO SNOWMOBILE TRAILS DURING WINTER 2024-2025:
- Open at the moment: Ruka Round Route.
- Maintenance of the rest of the snowmobile routes will start as soon as the snow conditions allow.
- Please note: This winter the ice cover on the bigger lakes is exceptionally uneven.
Guided snowmobile safaris
Participating in a guided snowmobile safari is an effortless and safe way of starting your snowmobiling journey, also with the whole family! In our weekly programme, you can find a diverse selection of different ATV safaris and family excursions on sleighs pulled by snowmobiles where you can enjoy the northern lights, for instance. Some sleigh rides are also suitable for people with physical disabilities.
Snowmobile safaris are available from December to April, snow and ice conditions allowing. Prices starting from 75 €/person/2 hour snowmobile safari, pre-bookings recommended. Snowmobiling for kids is available at Lammintupa, 20 €/child, no pre-bookings required.
Book now:
Companies organizing or selling snowmobile safaris:
Kuusamo Safaris
Activity
Lammintupa Winter Village
Activity
Northern Lights Expedition
Activity
Ruka Adventures
Activity
Ruka Safaris
Activity
Rukapalvelu | Tailored Adventures
Activity
Snowmobile hires:
We rent high-quality snowmobiles with all the necessary equipment. When renting a snowmobile, you will always be instructed on how to use the snowmobile and get tips on suitable snowmobile routes in Lapland. You can also rent sleighs where kids can travel on your snowmobile excursions.
Kuusamo Safaris - snowmobile rentals
Rental
Northernlight Safaris Yamaha rental
Rental
Rukahuolto - Snowmobile Rental
Rental
Sport House Ruka - snowmobile rentals
Rental
Stella Polaris Adventures Snowmobile Rentals
Rental
Sustainable snowmobiling
In the Ruka area, there are several intersections of cross country skiing and snowmobile routes and underpasses shared by skiers and snowmobilers. The Ritakorpi/Multasniemi area has an unofficial dog sleigh route in addition to the official snowmobile route. Intersections have warning signs; please be careful and make sure that you are driving on a designated snowmobile route.
Freeride snowmobiling in Kuusamo
Kuusamon yhteismetsä maintains freeride snowmobile area in the plots of Maaninka and Ölkky in Martinluoma. In spring 2024, the permit fee is 40 €/day/plot. There is a daily permit quota. You will receive more detailed instructions and a map of the permit area with the permit. For companies offering safaris, Kuusamon yhteismetsä office (tel. +358 40 750 0026) also sells transfer permits for safari guides at a price of 150 €/season.
Plots have access by car as well as some parking space. When snowmobiling, please drive responsibly, following the instructions and respecting nature!
Voluntary route fee for grooming routes
If you so wish, you can support the grooming of routes in Ruka-Kuusamo by paying a voluntary snowmobile route fee of €50. The income from the snowmobile route fees is used to groom the region’s snowmobile routes. One fee covers 2 kilometres of grooming.
Practical tips for snowmobilers
Set your driving speed according to weather, terrain and situation.
Learn about the land and plan your route in advance.
Prepare for the journey with a proper helmet and appropriate driving gear.
Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances.
When driving in a group, maintain sufficient distance to the person in front of you. Also get to know Liikenneturva’s guidelines for safe snowmobiling and instructions on snowmobiling on land owned by Metsähallitus.
Rest stops and snowmobile cafés
Snowmobile trail around Ruka
Almost all restaurants and cafés in the Ruka area are accessible by snowmobile. Reaching Ruka village is easy along the route running next to Rukatunturintie, and there is a designated snowmobile parking area at the end of the route on the southern side of Ruka village (snowmobile route maps section "Rukan kylä").
Rokova-Tahkolampi
Lammintupa Winter Village open daily at 9.30-16.
Ruka-Ritakorpi-Kuusamo Airport/Suininki
There's a "kota" shelter at the crossroad of Ritakorpi.
Kuusamo Airport-Nissinlampi
Restaurant O'Learys at Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki.
Kuntivaara route
Isokenkäisten Klubi / Kelekkakahvila - check opening ours at Isokenkäisten Klubi Facebook page.
Ruka-Jyrkänkoski-Kuntivaara: Pohjolan Pirtti, check details at Pohjolan Pirtti & Kievari Facebook page.
A new "kota" shelter at the top of Kuntivaara hill (a new, smaller kota has replaced the bigger buidling that was lost in fire 2021 - a more permanent, larger kota coming in a few years!).
