Sport and nature move together throughout the year

Sports and active holidays

– Champions are made in here

With world-class training environments and year-round sports facilities, Arctic Lakeland has long been a training ground for elite athletes as well as active travellers seeking their own personal best. In Vuokatti, internationally recognised sports institutes and training centres operate alongside a versatile ski resort offering excellent downhill slopes and one of Finland’s most reliable early-season cross-country skiing tunnels.

Further north, Ukkohalla provides scenic downhill skiing with forested fell landscapes and uncrowded slopes — perfect for families and active skiers alike.

In winter, the region transforms into a snowy arena. Hundreds of kilometres of well-maintained cross-country ski tracks, winter trails and frozen lakes create ideal conditions for skiing, snowshoeing, winter biking and ice fishing. Snow conditions and professional infrastructure make the area attractive for both competitive athletes and recreational visitors.

In summer, the same landscapes become a vast outdoor training ground. Forest ridges and lakeside routes offer hundreds of kilometres for mountain biking, gravel cycling, hiking and trail running. The lakes and rivers open endless possibilities for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, rapid floating, stand-up paddleboarding and cable wakeboarding under the bright northern sky.

Arctic Lakeland is also known for its energetic and sometimes delightfully quirky sporting events across all seasons. From the Swamp Soccer and Snow Soccer World Championships to endurance challenges like Lost in Kainuu, Vuokatti Hiihto and Kainuu Orienteering Week, the calendar is filled with opportunities to test limits and celebrate movement in nature.

What makes Arctic Lakeland unique is the combination of pristine wilderness, professional sports infrastructure and a deeply rooted culture of active living. The terrain never rests — it simply changes character with the seasons.

In Arctic Lakeland, every season builds strength.