What to do in Levi?

Levi in Finland is a small ski resort in Finnish Lapland, located just a few kilometers from Kittilä Airport. Situated 170 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, Levi is a popular destination not only for Finns but also for tourists from all over the world. Levi is an attractive place to stay because the ski resort is only 16 kilometers away from Kittilä Airport. And here’s some good news – there are direct flights from the UK.

Why Levi should be your next Lapland destination?

The ski resort of Levi itself is not very large compared to the major resorts of the French Alps for example, but it’s still the largest ski resort in Finland. In total, there are 45 slopes and a pretty cute resort center with shops, restaurants, and bars. In terms of tourism, there are a lot of Finns who come here on the weekends to ski (either alpine or Nordic skiing) and to party (hence the bars and nightclubs!).

There’s also quite a bit of international tourism as tour operators frequently offer this destination since it’s very accessible. Consequently, the range of accommodations is quite extensive compared to the rest of Lapland (except in Rovaniemi). I think it’s a good destination for a first trip to Lapland if you want to prioritize convenience or if you don’t want to rent a car.

In Levi, you can find everything on site: beautiful cottages for accommodation, numerous activities (sled dogs, snowmobile safari, ice hotel, spa, restaurants, etc). There’s really everything, which greatly simplifies the organization of your trip.

My goal is to help you in your choice and to let you discover Levi through my experience and knowledge: what to do in Levi in terms of activities? Where to stay? Where to eat? etc. I am regularly in contact with the tourist office, so the information on this page is regularly updated.

What to do in Levi?

There are really a lot of things to do in Lapland in the winter, and Levi has the advantage of having everything on site: you can go skiing (alpine or Nordic), walk on the hiking trails open in winter, walk on a frozen lake and try ice fishing, go on a husky tour, chase the Northern Lights, and so on… a whole bunch of activities! It’s up to you to decide 🙂

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Experience a husky sled ride

Just like anywhere in Lapland, you can treat yourself to a husky sled safari. In my opinion, there’s no better experience to be had in the far north. I’ve never been on a husky sled tour in Levi, so it’s hard for me to recommend a place. What I do know is that there are many offers for a simple introduction (5 kilometers). For a more in-depth experience (which I recommend), opt for 15 or 20 kilometers. It’s a bit of a budget stretch, but it goes by so quickly! If you’re going on the outing with young children, stick to a short safari (5, 10 km) as they will likely get too cold in the sled over a long distance.

Husky Safaris options
>> 1,5 -2h husky safari
>> 15km husky safari

Go on a Snowmobile Safari

Levi has an advantage: you can go snowmobiling on a guided safari or rent a snowmobile. If you’ve never been on a snowmobile, I recommend opting for the guided safari. Even though it’s not very difficult to drive a snowmobile, there are still basics to know. You can easily get stuck in the snow and then… good luck getting your snowmobile out. Plus, in Levi, it’s possible to go up the hill and on a trail that’s not flat, where one can easily get stuck.

If you feel like going alone, then you can rent a snowmobile. Just go to a rental place (there’s no shortage of these in Levi). They will ask for your license and provide you with the necessary equipment. Be aware that in Finland, it is mandatory to use the snowmobile trails, you can’t miss them. Be careful as in Levi there are often police checks, especially for speed.

Snowmobile safaris options
>> 4 Hour Snowmobile Safari to the Fells in Levi
>> 3 Hour Snowmobile Safari Around Levi with Coffee Break
>> 2 Hours Snowmobile Safari to the Levi Nature
>> 1 Hour Easy Snowmobile
>> 2-Hour Arctic Exploration Electric Snowmobile Tour – Sustainable activity
>> Lapland Family Snowmobile Safari

Chase the Northern Lights

It’s impossible to miss the Northern Lights during a trip to Lapland, and Levi is quite well situated for observing them. You can either go out on your own to try to see them or take part in a night outing with a guide who will do everything to find them.

Northern lights tours options
>> Northern Lights Tour by Minivan
>> Northern Lights Hunting – Photography Tour
>> Northern Lights Hunting in Sonkamuotka

Visit a reindeer farm and discover Sami culture

Reindeer are the iconic animals of Lapland. In theory, they all belong to someone but they live in semi-freedom. In Levi, there are a few companies that offer reindeer farm visits with the possibility of a sleigh ride. Today, the Sami no longer really use reindeer to pull sleighs (they’ve been replaced by snowmobiles), so it’s more of a purely tourist activity. The advantage of visiting a reindeer farm is being able to approach the reindeer closely (they’re quite shy in the wild). You can therefore feed them and pet them. The bonus of this kind of visit is that in principle you will discover Sami culture, which is very interesting (there’s even a Samiland museum to learn more).

Reindeer farm activities options
>>Traditional Reindeer Farm Visit & Sled Ride
>> Reindeer Sleigh Ride Tour in Snowy Forest
>> Traditional Reindeer Husbandry Experience – Top experience!

Skiing

Levi is the biggest alpine ski place in Finland. But it’s not like our large ski places, it’s more like a small family place in the Alps. You will find everything you need to ski. If you love skiing and already have your own ski things, you can bring them. Finnair can carry them without any problems. Many people from Finland come here to ski and bring their skis in the hold. But you need to tell the company before to make sure there is room.

About the cost, it’s not cheap. You need to think about paying around 50€ for a day ticket.

You can also try Nordic skiing. It’s the national sport of Finland and Levi has a really nice area with 230 kilometers of trails and 28km of trails lit up at night. In the spring, it’s really nice to go out this way. You will also find little cafes along your route (open in the spring, meaning March and April). There are trails for all levels.

For ski equipment (alpine or Nordic), you should expect to pay 35-40€ per day for the full gear. You can rent equipment in Levi, there are several rental places there.

Ski options
>> Cross-country Skiing for Beginners
>> Backcountry Skiing Adventure

Hiking (or snowshoes)

To enjoy nature at its best, there’s nothing better than going for a walk on the marked trails: on foot, with snowshoes, and even by bike (you can rent fatbikes).

Don’t hesitate to stop by the tourist office in the center of the resort to check the information and get maps

Rental price
For snowshoe rental, you should expect to pay around 20€ per day.
For fatbike rental, about 40€ per day.

Of course, you can also go hiking with a guide if you prefer to have someone leading. There are several companies that offer excursions at Levi.

Don’t hesitate to stop in a kota (wooden hut) where you can make a fire, grill some sausages, and warm up 🙂

Activities options
>> Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park Snowshoeing Tour
>> Explore the Wilderness
>> Snowshoe Adventure in the Wilderness

Going to the top of the resort By car (or snowmobile)

You can go up to Mount Levi and from there, you will have a great view when the weather is clear. This is where I sometimes go to admire the view. You’re guaranteed to see polar landscapes!

Try ice fishing

A classic during a stay in Lapland: trying ice fishing. It’s a very popular activity among Finns, but not at any time. We wait for March to go fishing because the days are less cold, the sun warms up and most importantly, the fish are more active. In the middle of the polar night, only tourists are seen fishing in the hole. It’s still a fun experience to do, but you might not eat fish that day!

Ice fishing activities
>> Ice Fishing by Snowmobile
>> Finnish Ice Fishing Tour by Car

Visit an ice hotel

Every winter, the Snow Village 30 minutes from Levi offers an ice hotel with a theme. The theme in 2023/2024 in Nordic Mythology. It is one of the most beautiful ice hotels I’ve seen so far. To get there, you need a car as there is no bus from Levi.

Entrance fee is 17€ per person.
If you don’t have a car, you can book a visit to the Snow Village
>> Trip to Lapland Snow Village with Entry Tickets

Discover the sauna ritual

The sauna is a big deal in Finland! In fact, there are 2 to 3 million saunas for 5 million Finns. Basically, if you don’t have a sauna at home, something is wrong 🙂 Did you know that the word “sauna” is a Finnish word? It’s one of the few Finnish words used as it is all over the world.

During your stay, if you’ve rented a cottage, there will probably be a sauna and you can fully enjoy it. If this is not the case or if you want to experience something typical, I recommend going to the Arctic Sauna World to have a complete experience like the Finns!

Staying in Levi: hotels, cottages, and apartments

There are many places to stay in Levi, but you have to book in advance to get the best place. Of course, you can find a place to stay if you book at the last minute, but the cheapest places will already be all booked up. That’s why it’s important to plan! In Levi, there’s a lot of choice. So you can choose to stay in a hotel or rent a cottage or an apartment. When I look for a place to stay in Lapland, I usually use Booking.com because it’s convenient (lots of choices, deals, and the possibility to cancel without a fee at the last minute for some offers).

Here are some suggestions for places to stay. I haven’t tried all of them, but from my research, they seem good. You’ll see that the prices are quite high, but that’s the price to pay for the closeness. Lapland is still an expensive destination, don’t forget that. Below, I’m adding some other accommodations around Levi that are a bit cheaper.

One more thing! If you dream of staying in an unusual accommodation, there’s plenty to do in Levi (or around) with several offers. It does come with a cost, of course, but in terms of experience, you might remember it for the rest of your life:

Where to eat in Levi?

There are quite a few restaurants in Levi. It’s a chance to discover the local cuisine and the famous reindeer stew (poronkäristys), the must-have dish in Lapland. You should know that reindeer meat is expensive (double the price of beef) so it’s quite normal to find high prices. Expect to pay around 25€ for a plate of reindeer stew, just to give you an idea (but you won’t be hungry afterwards!)

Here are some places to try:

• Nili-Poro (Torikuja 4, 99130 Levi / open from 2pm to 9:30pm), a small cozy restaurant (24 seats) where you can eat good local food. You’ll find several reindeer dishes: reindeer stew (which I recommend), reindeer burger, and even reindeer liver (I don’t usually like liver, but I’ve tried it and it’s really good). For dessert, there are two cloudberry-based desserts (arctic berries that grow in Lapland), it’s worth a try!
• Myllyn Aija (Myllyjoentie 2, 99130 Sirkka / open from 12pm to 9pm), a restaurant that also offers local cuisine as well as pizzas.
• King Crab House: a rather chic restaurant where you can eat king crab (a specialty more from northern Norway). It’s excellent but not cheap if you get the crab. However, they also offer burgers, reindeer, and pasta at a fair price. Anyway, we really liked the place when we went there for my birthday.

Should you rent a car or not?

If you want to be free to explore the area, I recommend renting a car at Kittila airport. This will allow you to discover the surroundings and also to go on your own to chase the Northern Lights at night.

As for driving, you need to be careful, especially on days when the weather conditions can be bad (it’s not every day, but when it happens, it can get tricky). All vehicles are equipped with snow tires and usually with studs. Honestly, people drive well here and there’s nothing to be afraid of!

To rent a car, I recommend comparing prices directly with RentalCars, there are often good deals and it’s usually cheaper than going directly through the rental company. I’ve personally been using this site for my rentals for several years.

How much does a trip to Levi Cost?

I’m often asked how much a week in Lapland might cost or the prices of excursions. Depending on your way of travelling and the timing of your booking, prices can vary quite a bit (especially when it comes to the plane ticket, accommodation, and car rental). I’ve tried to budget a typical trip to give you an idea. Of course, this is not to be taken literally but to be adapted. For example, you could very well do a small dog sled safari rather than a large one. So it needs to be adapted, it’s more to give you an idea.

Example of a budget for a one-week vacation in Levi for 2 people

• Roundtrip airfare from London to Kittilä, with a layover in Helsinki: Approximately 362£ per person for a Saturday flight with Finnair.
• Accommodation for 7 nights for 2 people in a private lodging: You can find places for around 470£ for the week in the center of Levi.
• Car rental (for those who want freedom to explore): For a compact car, you can expect to pay 300£ depending on when you book and the car category. You can find deals if you book last minute, such as 1 or 2 months in advance.
• Dog sledding safari: For a 15km ride (which includes a farm visit and snack), it’s about 226£ per person (2 people per sled).
• Snowmobile safari: For a 2-hour, it’s about 102£ per person (if you share the same snowmobile).
• Reindeer visit and sleigh ride: About 106£ per person
• A ice fishing excursion: 80£ per person

Remember, these prices are just estimations and actual prices may vary. It’s always good to check directly with the service providers for the most up-to-date prices.

If you add everything together, you roughly arrive at 1260£ per person (splitting the costs between 2 people) based on a Saturday to Saturday stay Of course, you’ll have additional expenses: winter weather gear (thermal clothes, boots, etc.), gasoline, food, souvenirs, restaurants, etc…

>> If you want to rent Winter Clothes, just follow this link. It is a good option if you don’t want to buy everything.

Don’t hesitate to tell me if there’s anything missing that could be useful to you, I’ll add accordingly to help as best I can 🙂

Levi Webcam

And to keep you entertained until your trip or simply to give you the feeling of being there, don’t hesitate to bookmark this article and come view the live webcam of the ski slopes.