Packrafting under the Midnight Sun, 2 hours
A light, stable boat, clear water and the never-setting sun.
- 2 hours
- Easy, for everyone
From €60 / person
Lapland in Summer at Muotka
The sun does not set, the river is warm enough for a swim and the wilderness starts at our door. A guide to Lapland in summer, from the people who live here.
What is Lapland like in summer?
Summer in Inari is the season of light. The midnight sun shines at the village from about 20 May to 23 July, July days reach a pleasant 19 °C on average and the nights stay cool and bright. Late August and September bring the autumn colours, called ruska, and the first northern lights.
It is also the quiet season. The fells are empty, the lakes are still and you can paddle, hike or fish at any hour. The one downside is mosquitoes, which are worst from late June to July, and we tell you below what helps. Getting here takes a flight to Ivalo and about 1 h 15 by road.
If you want the midnight sun, come between early June and mid-July (the month-by-month guide covers the other seasons). If you want colours, berries and a first aurora, come in the first half of September.
The midnight sun, 20 May to 23 July
At the village, about 69° north, the sun stays above the horizon all night from about 20 May to 23 July (give or take a few days). In June and July the day is 24 hours long. By mid-August the sun sets again, but the day is still nearly 18 hours long. In mid-September it is a comfortable 13 hours.
The temperatures are those of a mild northern summer. The long-term averages for Ivalo airport (1991–2020, Finnish Meteorological Institute) give a daily high of 15 °C in June, 19 °C in July, 16 °C in August and 11 °C in September, with lows of 6 °C, 10 °C, 8 °C and 4 °C. A hot spell of 25 °C or more is not unusual, and the record is 31.8 °C. Bring a warm layer for the evenings and a rain jacket, whatever the forecast says.
The light changes the rhythm of the day. Guests walk at 11 pm, fish at midnight and sleep with the curtains closed. We take our time over dinner, because nobody needs to catch the last of the day. It is the best way to understand what we mean by travelling without haste.
Ruska and the first northern lights, late August to September
Ruska is the Finnish word for the autumn colours, when the dwarf birch turns red and the birch leaves turn gold. Up here it usually peaks in the first half of September, earlier than in southern Finland, and it lasts only about two weeks. The weather decides the exact days, so ask us a few days before you come and we tell you how it looks.
The nights get dark again from late August, and the first auroras appear. The sky is dark enough for the lights from late August to early April, with the best odds from September on clear nights. They are never a promise, so plan at least three nights. Seeing them over a still lake, after a day of ruska colours, is a rare thing.
September is also a calm month for hiking: cool, clear and almost free of mosquitoes, with the autumn light low and golden.
Arctic summer and the harvest
The Arctic summer is short, so everything grows fast. By July the birch forest is bright green, the tundra on the fells is in flower and the reindeer are up on the high ground, away from the insects. Birds are everywhere: look and listen for cranes, whooper swans and waders on the marshes and along the Peltojoki river.
From late July the forest turns into a pantry. Cloudberries ripen first, followed by blueberries and lingonberries in August and early September, and mushrooms from August. You do not need a licence or a guide: in Finland everyone may pick wild berries and mushrooms, a right known as everyman's right. We show you the places and the rules, and our restaurant cooks what you bring back.
Everyman's right also means respecting the place. Keep away from people's yards, take your litter home, do not light fires on other people's land and give the reindeer space. Inside the Muotkatunturi wilderness area the Metsähallitus rules apply, and we are glad to tell you the ones that matter.
Summer at our door
Our summer picks
Hiking, packrafting, stand-up paddle and fishing, always with local guides and in small groups. Every adventure starts from the village, and the midnight sun gives you the whole evening.
Midnight Sun stand-up paddle
Float across crystal-clear water in the endless light of the Arctic summer.
- 2 hours
- Easy, for everyone
From €60 / person
Yes, there are mosquitoes. Here is what helps.
Yes, there are mosquitoes in Lapland, and we will not pretend otherwise. They appear around mid June, are at their worst from late June to the end of July and fade in August. Wind, a cool day or a spot by the open river keeps them away, and on a still day in the forest you will notice them.
What helps is simple. Wear long, light sleeves and trousers, and a hat. Use a repellent that works for you, and a head net for a walk in the forest or on the marsh. We lend you head nets, and the guides choose the route: open fells, windy ridges and the middle of a lake are almost free of insects. The sauna, the kota fire and the restaurant are good places to spend a still evening.
If mosquitoes are your biggest worry, come in August or September, or in early June before the peak.
What to wear in summer
Light layers that dry fast, and always a warm one for the evening. Bring a rain jacket, sturdy shoes for the fells, a hat and sunglasses. Long, light sleeves and trousers help against the mosquitoes, and something for the sauna.
Questions ? Your Little Guide to Lapland
Free, with local tips from those who call Lapland home.
When to visit Finnish Lapland, what to wear, how to get here and what is myth or reality: the questions we hear most, answered from our own local experience to help you prepare, travel better and enjoy the real Lapland.
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Summer holidays in the Muotkatunturi wilderness
A week of light, or an expedition into the wilderness. Tell us your dates and we plan the rest; nothing is charged until you confirm.
Freedom summer, 8 days
Eight days of light: paddle the river, hike the fells, fish in the Midnight Sun and live in the village.
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Easy, for everyone
- 20 Jun 2027
From €1,600 / person
Camping, caravans and the other stays
In summer, the village has a stay for every way of travelling. Sleep in a hut or a cottage, or park your caravan by the river.
Questions about summer
When is the midnight sun in Inari?
At our village, the sun stays above the horizon all night from about 20 May to 23 July. The exact dates shift by a few days. Just outside those dates the sun dips only briefly, and the nights are still bright.
How warm is Lapland in summer?
In July the average daily high is about 19 °C and the low about 10 °C. June is cooler (15 °C and 6 °C) and August is in between (16 °C and 8 °C). The nights are cool, so pack a warm layer, even in July. Hot days of 25 °C or more happen from time to time.
When are the mosquitoes worst, and what helps?
From late June to the end of July. Long, light clothes, repellent and a head net (we lend them) help a lot, and wind or open ground helps even more. August and September are almost free of mosquitoes.
Can I see the northern lights in summer?
No. In the midnight-sun months, from late May to late July, the sky is never dark enough. Auroras return in late August.
When is ruska, the autumn colour season?
Usually in the first half of September in our area, and it lasts about two weeks. The weather decides the exact days, so ask us shortly before your trip.
Do I need a guide to hike here?
The Muotkatunturi wilderness area has no marked trails and only a few open huts, so a guide is the best way for most people. Our guided hikes run from half a day to a full day, and we plan the route for your group.
Can I pick berries and mushrooms?
Yes. Under everyman's right anyone may pick wild berries and mushrooms in Finland, except in private yards and gardens. We show you where and when, and what is safe to eat.
News from the fell
A short letter when there is something worth telling, never more than once a month.
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Keep planning
Not sure about the month, or how to get here? Start here, or simply ask us.
Responsible travel
Small groups, local guides and respect for the wilderness and Sami culture, recognised by three sustainability labels.
How we protect the place
