Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort: Glass Igloos, Cabins and Winter Tours

Where Kakslauttanen sits in Finnish Lapland and how to reach it

The resort lies along the main road north of Saariselkä village, with bus stops serving both directions: one to Ivalo just outside East Village and one to Rovaniemi across the main road from East Village. Finland's official bus service sells tickets and publishes timetables, so you can plan an arrival without a rental car.

Travelers flying in typically use Ivalo Airport to the north, the closest jet hub for the Saariselkä area, or Rovaniemi further south if they want a longer transfer and more flight choice. The resort also has an electric car charging point, which matters if you are driving up from Rovaniemi in winter conditions.

Because the two villages are separated by road, where you sleep decides how much walking or shuttling your evenings involve. Read the layout before reserving, since the signature safaris and Santa's Home visits are concentrated on one side.

When the aurora season runs at Kakslauttanen

Kakslauttanen states that its glass igloos are available through the northern lights season, which begins around the third week of August and finishes around the end of April. That window is your planning anchor for igloo stays, and it lines up with the long dark nights of Arctic autumn, winter and early spring.

Within that window, conditions change a lot: August and September bring milder nights and still-dark skies, midwinter brings the deepest darkness and short daylight, and March into April restores longer days for daytime activities. Cloud cover is the variable you cannot book around, so build flexibility into the trip instead of pinning everything on one night.

On an aurora night you do not need a tour to look up, but a guided chase can move you away from cloud and resort lighting. The Igloo Tower, a 30-metre glass observation deck with 360-degree views, gives a higher vantage point on clear evenings.

East Village and West Village: how the resort is laid out

The resort is split into two villages, and the resort describes West Village as about 4 km from East Village. Most signature activities, including the husky safari, reindeer safari and visits to Santa's Home, take place on the West Village side.

West Village also holds Kakslauttanen Cosmos with its planetarium dome theatre, the Igloo Tower, a design shop, an art gallery, a brewery, the Aurora Restaurant and the Celebration House. East Village is where the original glass igloos and the large smoke sauna sit, along with the East Village Restaurant and a lake sauna.

For a short stay focused on safaris, sleeping on the West side cuts out daily transfers; for a quieter igloo night with sauna access, the East side works well. Either way, decide which restaurants and activities you want before choosing a room category, because the two villages function as separate bases.

Glass igloos: sizes, beds and what the glass roof delivers

The Small Glass Igloos measure 25 square metres, sleep up to three guests on two single beds, and include a toilet, shower and private sauna; they come in both East and West Village versions. The Large Glass Igloo in West Village is 38 square metres, sleeps up to five on four single beds, and also has a shower, toilet and private sauna.

What the glass roof buys you is an open view of the sky from bed, in a heated room, with the aurora possible overhead on the right night. It does not filter clouds, cancel moonlight glare or increase solar activity, so treat the igloo as a comfortable front-row seat rather than a forecast.

Couples should note that the standard igloo layout is twin single beds rather than a double, which suits friends and families better than honeymooners expecting a hotel-style room. Travelers wanting more space, a fireplace and log walls should look at the hybrid categories instead.

Kelo-Glass Igloos and the Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloo for groups

Kelo-Glass Igloos combine a log chalet with a glass-roofed bedroom, sleeping up to six guests, with a private sauna, fireplace and kitchenette built from Lapland's Kelo pine. This is the option for travelers who want the sky view but also log walls, a fire and cooking space for a multi-night stay.

At the top end, the Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloo covers 310 square metres with three log chalet bedrooms, three glass igloos, a large living area and a private sauna, sleeping up to twelve. It works for extended families or groups who want one shared base with several sky-viewing spots.

The trade-off is straightforward: a Kelo-Glass unit gives you warmth and living space at a higher cost than a plain glass igloo, while the classic igloo keeps you focused on the sky for less. Groups should compare the total per person before assuming the large unit is worse value.

Log cabins, Gold Digger cabins and the Traditional House

The resort's log cabins are built from Kelo pine with a fireplace and private sauna; small cabins are 45 square metres for up to four guests with a double bed, bunk bed and kitchenette, while large cabins reach 82 square metres for up to six. A Large Cabin for 2 in East Village offers 51 square metres for two, and the Large Cabin in East Village sleeps five.

Gold Digger's Cabins sit along the gold riverbank, sleep up to four and trade modern distractions for a fireplace and private sauna. The Traditional House is a century-old log building with a fireplace and private sauna, and the Queen Suite is built from Kelo pine with a private sauna and an outdoor Jacuzzi.

Cabins suit travelers who value space, silence and a real fire over a glass ceiling, and they are the sensible choice if you plan to spend evenings out on safaris rather than watching from bed. If you want both, book a Kelo-Glass rather than splitting across two room types.

Smoke saunas, the ice pool and the Igloo Tower

East Village has three smoke saunas, including a lake sauna, a large smoke sauna with capacity for 200 guests and a small one, with an ice pool nearby for the traditional hot-cold dip. Sauna and ice pool are bookable activities, so plan them into an afternoon rather than expecting walk-in access.

The Sauna Restaurant is available by reservation and pairs Lappish food with a smoke sauna session, which makes a good bad-weather alternative to a cancelled tour. The 30-metre Igloo Tower adds a 360-degree glass observation deck for wide views over the surrounding wilderness.

The resort also runs a planetarium in West Village, described as the largest in the Nordic countries, with shows on the northern lights. It is a useful primer on the aurora before a night outside, though it is no substitute for clear skies.

Husky safaris and reindeer safaris

The two-hour husky safari runs from West Village with pickup from the resort, thermal outfits provided at the farm, and a guide briefing before you head out on the sledges. The resort lists it from 80 euros per person for the 9:15am departure. The reindeer safari is a slower, seated affair: pickup from Kakslauttanen with thermal overalls at the farm, a photo stop with the reindeer, then a sledge ride under blankets into the forest. It takes about two hours from pickup to return, suits all ages, and includes a hot drink and a Finnish treat, listed from 94.34 euros per person.

Choose husky if you want to stand and mush with a team of dogs; choose reindeer if you want to sit, stay warm and take photos. Both leave from the West Village side, which is worth remembering if you booked an East Village igloo.

Snowmobile and Northern Lights tours

The resort's winter activity menu groups snowmobile safaris, northern lights tours and other options such as the planetarium and Santa's Home visits in one bookable list. Because departures, group sizes and inclusions vary by product, compare the activity descriptions rather than expecting a standard format.

For aurora chasing specifically, a guided night tour can move you toward clearer sky and away from resort lighting, which is the main practical advantage over watching from your igloo. Self-guided watchers can use the resort's dark surroundings and the Igloo Tower viewpoint, accepting that cloud may close in on any given night.

Book aurora nights for the middle of your stay rather than the first or last, so a cloudy evening can be swapped for another attempt. That single scheduling choice does more for your odds than any particular room category.

Eating at the resort: Aurora Restaurant and East Village Restaurant

The Aurora Restaurant sits at Main Reception in West Village, handcrafted décor included, with a souvenir shop on the same site; West Village also has the Korsu Restaurant, open on request for private events, and the planetarium bar and café. East Village Restaurant serves as the main dining room for guests staying on that side, set in a traditional Kelo-log chalet.

Some winter packages include full board or half board, which changes the practical cost of eating on site versus driving into Saariselkä. Compare the board basis in each offer before deciding a room rate is cheaper than it looks.

Winter rates: what the packages include

The resort publishes several winter packages: a three-night "Explore Winter Wonderland under Northern Lights" offer from 4,428 euros per stay with full board, a two-night "Discover the Magic of Winter Wilderness" package from 1,824 euros per stay with full board, and a honeymoon-oriented "Experience Arctic Romance in Lapland" offer from 2,562 euros per stay with full board.

Shorter stays are priced differently: a one-night winter offer with breakfast and dinner starts from 983 euros per stay, and winter accommodation with breakfast and dinner is listed from 501 euros per night, with a flexible autumn rate with breakfast and dinner from 278 euros per night. These are "from" rates, so the final price depends on dates and room type.

Because the packages bundle meals and often activities, compare the per-night figure against booking a cabin and paying for safaris separately. Group travelers should also weigh the Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloo against several smaller units, since the per-person maths can flip once meals are included.

How many nights to plan for a fair chance of clear skies

Cloud cover, not distance north, is usually what blocks a sighting, so give yourself several nights in the same place rather than one expensive igloo night. Three to four nights at Kakslauttanen gives you repeated chances and room to reschedule a tour if the sky closes in.

Use the daylight hours for cross-country skiing: the resort notes 200 km of tracks starting in front of Kakslauttanen, with marked trails from East Village toward Kiilopää and Urho Kekkonen National Park. That gives you a self-guided daytime plan that does not depend on the aurora at all.

If you want a second base nearby for comparison, look at how the alternatives are laid out before booking a split stay; the trade-off is transfer time against variety. For wider context on how this region compares, the northern lights in Finnish Lapland guide covers other bases across the north.

Is Kakslauttanen worth it, and who it suits

Kakslauttanen suits travelers who want the glass-igloo experience with restaurants, saunas, a planetarium and a full safari menu on one site, and who value not driving between activities at night. It is less suited to travelers on a tight budget or those who want a compact village where everything is walkable.

The 4 km gap between villages is the main practical wrinkle, so match your room to the activities you actually booked. Couples wanting a double bed should favour the Kelo-Glass or cabin categories, while families and groups get the most from the larger Kelo-Glass and cabin layouts.

Other bases near Saariselkä and Urho Kekkonen National Park

Saariselkä village itself offers a compact alternative with shops and restaurants within walking distance, and the national park trails begin nearby for daytime skiing and snowshoeing. Travelers wanting a different design-led stay can compare the Star Arctic Hotel in Saariselkä, which sits above the village.

Further afield, Ivalo and its aurora-focused village give another base with airport proximity, while the broader Saariselkä area guide covers how to weigh village versus wilderness stays. Whichever base you choose, the aurora still depends on solar activity and clear sky on the night.

Plan Your Kakslauttanen Stay

Decide first whether you want the glass roof, the log walls or both, then pick East or West Village around the safaris and restaurants you plan to use. That order of decisions avoids paying for an igloo you watch from a distance while your activities run 4 km away.

Book three or more nights inside the aurora season, keep one evening flexible for a rescheduled tour, and treat every clear night as a bonus rather than a promised event. Confirm current rates, package inclusions and departure times with Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort when you book, since availability shifts across the season.