Kuusamo: the gateway to Oulanka National Park

The Ruka resort, among Finland's most celebrated, hosts the season's first Alpine and cross-country skiing competitions every November.

A few minutes away, the Oulanka National Park, crossed by the celebrated Karhunkierros trail, offers canyons, waterfalls, and suspended bridges along the Oulanka River.

Continuing into the forest, you can organize excursions to observe wild brown bears, still present in significant numbers in the region.

On clear winter nights, the northern lights remain frequently visible above Kuusamo's skies.

The Karhunkierros trail, stretching over eighty kilometers through Oulanka National Park, remains considered one of the most spectacular hiking routes in all of Finland, walkable in shorter single-day stages.

The region around Kuusamo hosts one of Europe's densest brown bear populations, with observation cabins that permit viewings in complete safety during summer nights, when daylight never fully fades.