Things to do in Kemijarvi
Explore top experiences
Top 10 attractions in Kemijarvi
Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Village is located 8 km north of Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle. Every year, a steady stream of visitors flocks from all over the world to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus. Santa Claus Village is a group of wooden buildings, including a pointed main gate, restaurants, flower gardens, Santa's office, residence, post office, gift shops, and a reindeer park. The tents and antlers used by the Laplanders for their stay are also quite interesting souvenirs. Here you can also get a certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle. The Santa Claus post office offers various fairy-tale stamps, greeting cards and gifts. All letters sent from here will bear a special postmark from the Arctic Santa Claus post office. Here you can also book a letter signed by Santa Claus at the post office, which will be sent to your friends and family during Christmas, bringing them a delightful surprise. By the woods stands a reindeer park enclosed with wooden fences, home to many beautiful reindeer. In summer, they lounge lazily on the grass to rest; come winter, especially during Christmas, they work hard for Santa and travelers, pulling sleighs across the snow at full speed. This lets travelers enjoy the thrill of snowflakes brushing their faces and experience the joy and warmth of Christmas, turning scenes from holiday cards into reality.Rovaniemi · 72.3 km from Kemijarvi
Joutsijärvi bunker
Kemijarvi · 24.6 km from downtown
Korouoma Canyon
Kemijarvi · 31.3 km from downtown
Icebreaker Sampo check-in
Icebreaker Sampo check-in is an icebreaker from Finland built in the 1960s. It spent nearly 30 years clearing paths for merchant ships in the northern Gulf of Bothnia, was purchased by the city of Kemi in 1987, and has been used for tourism since the following year. Today, it is a core experience of winter tourism in Kemi. During the frozen winter season, this old ship sets sail again: it does not ram the ice with its bow; instead, it rides its reinforced bow onto the ice and uses its own weight to slowly crack ice around 1 m thick. Standing on the deck, you can feel the muffled sound of ice cracking beneath the ship through your feet, and the ship vibrates slightly. This moment of experiencing steel crushing ice up close is something ordinary cruise ships cannot offer. During the voyage, you can follow a guide from the engine room to the bridge to learn about the power and operation of this old ship. Once the icebreaker has cleared an open area in the icy sea, the signature activity begins—donning an orange-red waterproof survival suit and floating on your back in the water between the ice floes. This rubber suit, jokingly called a lobster suit by tourists, keeps you steadily afloat on the freezing sea, surrounded by broken ice, making you feel as if you are in a polar expedition.Finland · Kemi
Dog Sledding Park
The park is located in the heart of the Puja-Losto region, a 10-minute drive from the Puja Ski Resort or the Losto Ski Resort. It is sparsely populated and the natural landscape is magnificent and impressive. There are more than 100 cheerful sled dogs, 25 gentle and lovely reindeer, and more than 100 reindeer in winter. The Winter Park offers one-day or week-long guided tours; the Summer Park offers daily guided tours and canoe expeditions.Pelkosenniemi · 35.8 km from Kemijarvi
Mäntyvaara Battle Monument
Eastern Lapland · 19.3 km from Kemijarvi
Pyhätunturi
Eastern Lapland · 35.6 km from Kemijarvi
Lake Inari
Lake Inari is the largest lake in Finland's Lapland region and the third-largest in Finland, covering an area of approx. 1,040 km². The lake is dotted with approx. 3,000 islands of various sizes, and its shoreline is winding and extensive. Located north of the Arctic Circle, the lake area is surrounded by vast, pristine Lapland forests and tundra, offering a magnificent and expansive landscape. The lake is home to various fish species, such as Arctic char, and serves as an important geographical space for traditional Sami culture. The town of Inari is the core settlement for Sami culture in Finland, where Sami festivals are held annually to preserve indigenous languages and traditions. The lake freezes in winter, allowing for activities such as ice fishing and snowmobiling, while summer features endless white nights.Finland · Inari
Aanaar Reindeer Family and Reindeer Farm Petri Mattus
Reindeer Farm Petri Mattus (on RESERVATION only) is located in Menesjärvi village in Lapland, Finland, adjacent to Lemmenjoki National Park. It is a genuine reindeer farm run for generations by a Sami reindeer herding family. Rather than staged tourist shows, it invites visitors to enter the daily nomadic life of the Sami people in a near-authentic way. In winter, guests can ride a snowmobile-pulled sleigh with the herders to the herds, feed free-range reindeer by hand, and learn the survival wisdom northern nomads have preserved for hundreds of years. In May, during calf season, visitors can take part in a Sami calf branding ceremony and witness an authentic moment of cultural transmission. The farm is reservation-only, prioritizes the herd's condition above all, and offers a quiet, sincere atmosphere, making it a rare opportunity to deeply experience Sami culture within Finland's Arctic Circle.Finland · Inari
Saariselka
Located approx. 250 km north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, Saariselka is a tourist destination characterized by its fell landscapes and serves as the main gateway to Urho Kekkonen National Park. The rolling terrain offers hiking and mountain biking trails in summer, and becomes a popular spot for cross-country and downhill skiing once covered in snow in winter. The Saariselka region is known for its vast Arctic wilderness and pristine starry skies, where long polar nights in winter intertwine with the northern lights, and summer features several weeks of white nights, making it one of the iconic destinations for experiencing the natural environment of Finland's far north.Finland · Saariselka
Experiences you can't miss in Kemijarvi
Featured Cultural experiences in Kemijarvi
View all Cultural experiences
Free cancellation
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromCAD 45.30CAD 47.69
5.0/5
· 2 reviewsFree cancellation
179 travellers saved
FromCAD 332.01
FromCAD 423.05
![Rovaniemi Mother Church + Arktikum + Ounasvaara Ski Centre [Flexible itinerary]](https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/0352712000fpzh446A8D3_C_568_320.jpg?_fr=wc)
FromCAD 1,802.19
FromCAD 396.73
![Departing from Rovaniemi, Finland: Santa Claus Village tour [including lunch + Arctic Circle certificate]](https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/0354d12000u3hewvgC071_C_568_320.png?_fr=wc)
FromCAD 208.99
Featured Day tours in Kemijarvi
View all Day tours
FromCAD 289.63
32 booked
Book now for tomorrow
67 travellers saved
FromCAD 181.49
FromCAD 197.80
Featured Food & drink in Kemijarvi
View all Food & drink
FromCAD 134.22
FromCAD 136.44
FromCAD 600.44
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromCAD 330.67CAD 348.08
Free cancellation
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromCAD 103.77CAD 109.24
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromCAD 104.97CAD 110.5
Free things to do in Kemijarvi
Santa Claus Village
Rovaniemi · 72.3 km from KemijarviJoutsijärvi bunker
Kemijarvi · 24.6 km from downtownKorouoma Canyon
Kemijarvi · 31.3 km from downtownIcebreaker Sampo check-in
Finland · KemiDog Sledding Park
Pelkosenniemi · 35.8 km from KemijarviMäntyvaara Battle Monument
Eastern Lapland · 19.3 km from KemijarviPyhätunturi
Eastern Lapland · 35.6 km from KemijarviLake Inari
Finland · InariAanaar Reindeer Family and Reindeer Farm Petri Mattus
Finland · InariSaariselka
Finland · Saariselka
More ways to travel from Kemijarvi
What travellers say about Kemijarvi
YoYo_0T9A3B0LMay 1, 2026
5.0
The tree in the center of the square gets its decorations changed every year, and the lighting is quite cozy. There's a Santa Claus office in the village where you can take photos, and a post office where you can send postcards with an Arctic Circle postmark. The tree itself isn't particularly special, but the surrounding wooden houses and reindeer sleighs, combined with the lights in the snow, create a nice atmosphere. It's a good place to bring children to experience Christmas culture.
Santa Claus Village
33K世界环游记February 19, 2020
5.0
Kemi Icebreaker. Icebreaker trip on the Arctic Circle
The Sampu icebreaker, founded in 1960, is no longer used by scientific expedition teams, but is now used by tourists for sightseeing. The experience of an icebreaker moving on the Arctic Circle is truly unforgettable. If you come to Rovaniemi, you must come to Kemi to experience the icebreaker. The whole trip takes about 4 hours. It is best to join in the morning. If you join in the afternoon, it may be darker when you return. You must feel the moment when the ice breaks at the bow.
Icebreaker Sampo check-in
魔女锦鲤June 6, 2020
4.0
This is a professional dog farm, and these sled dogs are the symbol of the wildness of the snow. There are hundreds of dogs in the dog farm, of many different breeds, and the main ones are the three stupid sled dogs: Husky, Alaskan dog and Samoyed. The dogs are all professionally trained, and some are specially used for competitions. They all have their own special fences and cabins. When they see someone coming, they are super excited, and the barking sounds come and go. They know that there is an opportunity to run and exercise, and they are shouting loudly: Choose me, choose me.
Dog Sledding Park
MissfoodiesDecember 31, 2022
5.0
Went to the northernmost Inari, and had an interesting experience that night, sleeping on the frozen Inari lake! Inari lake is great for snowmobiling, and since there is no light pollution, it’s also great for stargazing and waiting for the Northern Lights. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Lake Inari
B.MeOctober 12, 2022
5.0
snow and forest and nature. lovely deer all over the road. super cold but amazing place to go and visit. good food and friendly people
Saariselka
