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SAANA-FELL
Saana is a holy mountain of the Laplanders - the Saami folk. Saana rises 1029 meters above the sea level. There are two alternative hiking trails to the top. Saana scenic nature trail is 6 kilometres long and the shortcut - Saana trail - 4 kilometres of hiking. More information on Saana.

Kilpisjärvi has many other places where you can climb for an awesome view. If you'd rather not climb so high, then the top of Salmivaara-fell is a good option.

HALTI-FELL
The Halti Fell is the highest point in Finland - 1328 meters. It is located a few days hike away from Kilpisjärvi on the Norwegian border. During the winter - many want to conquer this point on a snowmobile.

FOTO: On the front you see Pikku-Malla (738 m). Further back stands Iso-Malla (942 m). Picture has been taken from Saana. © Kjetil Pettersen

MALLA NATURAL PARK
At the northern end of Kilpisjärvi-lake stands Pikku-Malla (Lesser Malla Fell) and Iso-Malla (Greater Malla Fell) with surrounding highlands. The Malla area has a variety of rare species - both flora and fauna. Malla Natural Park is the eldest of Finnish Natural Parks. It was founded in 1916, year before our independence. The park consists of 30 square kilometres of land. At the grounds of Malla Park over 300 different types of chervils, parsnips and hemlocks are found. Rare flowers typical to these heights can be spotted as well - like in the picture below:

Kitsiputous-waterfall is one of the best sights in Malla Park. You will get to the waterfall by following the natural park trail. There are 15 kilometres on marked trails. Because of the fragility of this park, strolling outside the marked trails, picking flowers, berries or swamps are not allowed.

The Three Border Point can be found at the corner of Malla Natural Park. The trail to take you there - starts from the road.

FOTO: Kitsi-waterfall © Hilkka Vanhapiha

KITSI-RIVER WATERFALL
Kitsi-river waterfall can be found in Malla natural park. Another name for it is "tears of Malla". The whole story of these tears.

NATURE SPOTS WORTH VISITING

TSAHKAL-RIVER WATERFALL
The Tshahkal-river waterfall is the closest of the local waterfalls to the village. It is only 2 kilometres towards Tshahkaljärvi-lake - to the east.

FOTO: Pitsus-waterfall © Pete Mandelin

PIHTSUS-WATERFALL
The mighty Pihtsus-waterfall is located alongside Nordkalottleden Trail, closer to 45 kilometres from Kilpisjärvi.

FOTO: Ropinsalmi - 50 kilometres south from Kilpisjärvi offers nice Lappish scenes. Similar lake vistas can be found at Peera, closer to Kilpisjärvi and Kelottijärvi - north from Kaaresuvanto. All of these places are on the way to Kilpisjärvi, by the roadside. This part of Lapland has a lot of lakes.

KILPISJÄRVI-LAKE
Kilpisjärvi is the name of the village, but originally it is just the name of the lake. Kilpisjärvi is among the deepest lakes in Finland. The lake surface is 473 meters above sea level.

It is roughly 20 kilometres from the furthest tip of this pool of water to another distant corner. Kilpisjärvi consists of two lakes, Lower and Upper Kilpisjärvi. They connect in a strait behind Salmivaara-fell. Strangely enough, this lake is connected to both the Arctic Ocean and thru Könkämäeno and Tornio River to the Baltic Sea.

The lake is covered with ice, on average 220 days a year. Rest of the year, the waters are really cold, rarely rising above 10 degrees. These cold waters hide many worthy catches for fishermen. Whitefish is the most common, since stocks of them were planted in the '60s. But if you get lucky, you may get some grayling, arctic charr, brown trout and burbot.

You need a fishing permit to fish. Safari companies and Kilpisjärvi Visitor Centre sell these permits.

REINDEER

One reindeer farm is situated in Kilpisjärvi. But it is very likely that you will meet some on the way to Kilpisjärvi. FOTO © Arctic Experience / Lapin Tunturiseikkailut

LINK SUGGESTIONS:
- Nature targets
- Kilpisjärvi link bank

BOTTOM FOTO: Down birches. Down birch is not to be mixed with dwarf birches. Dwarf birches look like a very small bushes, not like a tree. Down birches are all around Kilpisjärvi and they give a distinctive feeling to the surroundings.