IPA House Ylläs, Lapland, Finland
The IPA House Ylläs is situated in Äkäslompolo, which is also known as “the seven fells village”, in the municipality of Kolari in the Finnish part of Lapland. It is located next to a lake of the same name, north-west of the town of Kolari.
Äkäslompolo, along with Ylläsjärvi, is the primary town for the ski resort of Yllästunturi, or known as Ylläs for short. The Ylläs ski area has a total of 330 km of cross-country ski tracks, as well as 61 Alpine ski slopes with 29 ski lifts. In summer, Äkäslompolo is popular among hikers, anglers, canoeists, and other outdoor enthusiasts. There are several hotels and many holiday homes in the area.
IPA House Ylläs, the Flagship of IPA Section Finland, is the northernmost official IPA House in the world. The house, or should we say IPA mansion, is located in western Lapland about 150 km above The Arctic Circle.
The natural beauty of Lapland is stunning, and it is said that Ylläs region has eight seasons: mid-winter, spring-winter, spring, nightless nights, harvest season, colours of the fall, first snow, twilight time and the northern lights (Aurora Borealis), providing a huge variety of experiences.
The IPA House is a log mansion with 10 mini-apartments available to all IPA members. Each mini-apartment is fully equipped with beds for a maximum of 4 persons.
A mini-kitchen, including a fridge and micro-wave oven, as well as a toilet, shower, radio and TV can be found in each apartment.
In addition, as it is a Finnish IPA house, there are of course saunas: two to be precise. There is also a room with a washing machine and tumble dryers.
Other Information
Bed linen and towels are not provided, pets are not allowed, and the house is a non-smoking property. There is a secure parking area.
Outdoor Activities – Winter Season
The closest ski lifts (Ylläs Fell) are only around 1.5 km away. There are some 280 km of well-maintained trails for cross-country skiing. All other winter season activities are also available such as snowmobiles, huskies and reindeers, snowshoeing, fishing on ice to name but a few.
‘Unfrozen’ Season
The IPA House Ylläs is surrounded by countless routes and paths for hiking and biking. Lakes, rivers and brooks with crystal clear water are ideal for fishing. Hunting is also an option during the autumnal season.
How to travel to the IPA House in Finland?
Kittilä airport is about 40 km from the IPA House. There are direct flights from Helsinki to Kittilä. During the high season there are also direct flights from London to Kittilä. In addition, there will be direct flights from Düsseldorf and Munich to Kittilä airport twice a week.
The nearest railway station is located in Kolari, about 40 km from the IPA House, and express bus connections to Ylläs are available from Helsinki, Kemi and Rovaniemi. Driving by car through the wilderness is an unforgettable experience!
Contact Details & Bookings:
- House Manager: Kauko Kuismin – kuismin@poliisi.fi
- Address: Rykimätie 2, FI – 95970, Äkäslompolo
- Reservations: Carola Timper-Karhuviita
- Tel: +358 40 5313702
- Email: ipa-house@ipa-finland.org
- Website: http://www.ipa-finland.org and yllas.fi
- Prices 2016: Weeks 8-15: 280 € per week/room (weekly stay only), weeks 1-2, 16-17, 33-37 and 1-2 (2017): 35 € per night/room. Other weeks: 25 € per night/room.