When travelling by snowmobile, you can cover quite a lot of terrain in a relatively short time and at this Northerly latitude, that means that you can traverse a number of eco-zones relatively quickly. The following tours capture the best of the trails accessible within a day of Hetta. All give access to the tundra landscape although the longest trail actually ventures up onto the high tundra, high above both the northern spruce and pine line. It is a truly Arctic tundra landscape – an endless desert of snow.
Näkkälän Trails | Arctic Tundra snowmobile Tour | Galdotievo - Tundra Return by Snowmobile Sleigh: | |
Distance | 70-90km | 80km | 40km |
Overall Product Length | 4-6 hours | c. 5 hours | 3 hours |
Price per adult: Shared Snowmobile | €225 | €250 | €160 |
Price per adult Solo Snowmobile, High Season | €300 | €350 | - |
Price per adult Solo Snowmobile, Low Season | €250 | €300 | - |
Adult / child price when pulled in a Snowmobile Sleigh | €150 | €150 | €80 |
Näkkälän Tails
When travelling by snowmobile, you can cover quite a lot of terrain in a relatively short time and at this Northerly latitude, that means that you can traverse a number of eco-zones relatively quickly. Enontekio is above the spruce line and at the Northern end of the pine line. North of Hetta, trees disappear almost completely, so you may find yourself driving through a landscape in which there is nothing but whiteness all around you, as far as the eye can see. It is a truly Arctic tundra landscape – an endless desert of snow.
Distance and c. Duration: 70-90km, 4-6hrs
Shared snowmobile: €225 per person
One person / snowmobile: €300
Children / Adults pulled in a Snowmobile Sleigh: €150
Price includes: a snowmobile suit and boots upon prior request, a helmet and the snowmobile / snowmobile sleigh as appropriate.
Arctic Tundra with - possibly - a stop at the Struve Stone
The longest snowmobile product we offer is our Arctic Tundra Safari which goes out to a tiny wilderness cabin on the high treeless fells very close to the norwegian border.
This tour takes c. 5 hours and can be quite challenging physically. The route can either be an out and back (if people are getting cold / the trails are challenging) or a circular route via Näkkälä.
Once we are near the tundra, we will see if we have the time or competence within the group to make a short detour to visit Enontekiö's Struve Stone (STUOR-OIVI Stuorrahanoaivi Enontekiö). The stone is part of the Struve Geodetic Arc: a chain of 34 survey triangulation stations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820km, which have World Heritage Status.
This was part of a chain of points established and used by the German-born Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve in the years 1816 to 1855 to establish the exact size and shape of the earth. This vital project (which originally included an arc of 258 survey points) represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian and helped to establish both the exact size and shape of the planet and the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping.
The station points / stones with different markings are not necessarily spectacular in and of themselves, (eg, a drilled hole in rock, iron cross, cairns, or built obelisks) but their geographic interest / world heritage status makes the small detour to visit the local stone (inaccessible other than by ski or snowmobile) worth the effort.
Distance and c. Duration: 70-90km, 4-6hrs
Price: Shared snowmobile: €250 per person
One person / snowmobile: €350
Children / Adults pulled in a Snowmobile Sleigh: €150
Price includes: a snowmobile suit and boots upon prior request, a helmet and the snowmobile / snowmobile sleigh as appropriate.
Galdotievo - Tundra Return by Snowmobile Sleigh
We have often offered this trip frequently to family and friends of all ages since, by missing out the long sections of snowmobiling to and from Hetta and Galdotievo, it is the most direct and enjoyable way to access to the stunning scenery of the tundra.
If people need a transfer to Galdotievo from Hetta first, this can be arranged. Otherwise, we gather in Galdotievo whilst guides will drive the snowmobiles and sleighs up from Hetta. From there, we head to the high point on the tundra and spend time photographying and reveling in the spectacular scenery before returning back to Galdotievo..the last outpost before the Norwegian border.
Distance and c. Duration: 40km, 2-4hrs
Price: €80 / person sitting in snowmobile-pulled sleigh.
Price includes: a snowmobile suit and boots upon prior request, a helmet and the snowmobile / snowmobile sleigh as appropriate.