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Village in Sodankylä, Finland
Photo: Max Peronius (1907-1946), Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Tankavaara is a village in Sodankylä, Finnish Lapland. It features a gold prospecting museum and a company called Gold Village offering services for travellers and locals. The former national park visitor centre is now part of the Gold Village: Tankavaara Wild conference centre, offering nature activities and services.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
conference centre
Exhibitions, films, activities, information on the park and the wilderness area (former visitor centre). Available for conferences and for a private or public events. Guided exhibition tours are available on request. Accessible with wheelchair.
A museum dedicated to gold prospection in Lapland and internationally. Large collection of geological samples. Also outdoors museum with several historic buildings.
Remnants of military post from the Lapland War (fought during World War II). There are repaired constructions along the "Urpiaispolku" nature trail and by the village. There is a dedicated 2×1.5 km war history trail with replica structures and an old artillery weapon; be careful by the original structures as they may collapse.
From short family adventures to week-long backwood camps.
Hiking, canoeing in the summertime and Northern light tours and snowshoeing in the wintertime.
The second largest national park in Finland, with mires, deep forests and ranges of treeless fells. A few shorter trails start at Tankavaara.
Sompion luonnonpuisto
Habitats similar to those in the national park, in a smaller scale. Trails have to be followed. The trail from Tankavaara has been closed.
7-km trail in the national park, can be combined with the Tankavaara nature trail to a slightly longer route. Check whether the information posters are in English also.
Nature trails in the national park (1km/3km/6km; as snowshoe routes in winter), with bird and landscape observation towers. The short trail is accessible with wheelchair in summer, if assisted.
From Sompiojärventie through Sompio Strict Nature Reserve to the Pyhä-Nattanen fell and back to a point 1 km farther along the road.
Ancient trail leading to the Barents Sea. The 35-km leg from Sompiojärvi to Kiilopää and Laanila has been made into a modern trail, but some of the old markings can still be seen. Leads over the Nattaset fells (Nattasduottar) and through the forests of the national park (where you are allowed to choose your own routes).
Wanhan Waskoolimiehen Ravintola
Gold Village
"Corundum" rooms with modern standard, cottages "in the spirit of gold rush times" with shared kitchen and showers in separate building, and camping. The "Kultaränni" standard hotel twin rooms with shower built in 2018 (12 twin rooms).
Small grocery store.
Tankavaara is near E75, 90 km north of Sodankylä centre, 30 km south from the Saariselkä resort, and 60 km south of the airport in Ivalo. The railhead in Rovaniemi is 230 km away.
Read in the guideThe village is small, use your feet. If you are in wheelchair, check what facilities are accessible. One of the nature trails in the national park is accessible with wheelchair, if assisted.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
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