There is a wide range of activities and tourist attractions available here in the north all year round. If you can travel during the midseason between the more traditional Lapland holiday seasons, you can enjoy your own space and time on the slopes, ski trails and hiking trails as well as in restaurants and accommodation.
When to travel?
When to travel to Ruka-Kuusamo? The answer is easy: always!
Four seasons – and plenty more!
Kuusamo has four distinctive seasons. However, in addition to these, there are also interesting shorter seasons that are easily identified. We all are familiar with the spring, summer, autumn and winter, but we also have the midseasons in May and October, splendid autumn colours, the polar night during midwinter when the sun barely rises and the Midnight sun during the summer.
Lush summer greenery charms visitors to Kuusamo
Spending the winter holiday in Ruka is a favourite of Finnish families, but exploring Kuusamo’s nature in the summer is also an unforgettable experience. Kuusamo has rapidly grown into a top destination in Finland also during the summer. The development of summer tourism has also been an important step in our sustainability work towards genuinely all-year-round tourism operations.
Summer temperatures in Kuusamo:
June 15–20 °C
July 20–25 °C
August 10–20 °C
Midnight sun magic
From mid- to late-June, you can enjoy nature under the Midnight sun around the clock. There are spectacular adventures and experiences on offer in the Northern nightless nights.
Autumn is for exploring nature
September is for admiring the autumn colours, and October is for finding your skis: the slopes are opening. During the autumn holiday, you can experience the best of both worlds: summer and winter! In the evening, you can watch how the northern lights fill the sky.
Average autumn temperatures:
September 5–15 °C
October 0–10 °C
Nature painted in autumn colours
In early September, the autumn colours paint the ground in lovely hues, and in mid-September, the colours reach the trees, adding a final touch to the autumn scenery. You can admire the autumn colours while hiking, cycling, paddling or even while rafting down a river.
Team up for Christmassy parties
November–December is the perfect time for a small getaway in the snowy Kuusamo scenery, where you can soak up the holiday spirit with friends and family. One of November favourites is river floating – an exotic experience that is suitable for everyone. Topping off an action-packed day is a sauna experience with delicious wild food.
Winter: 200 days of snow
One of Ruka-Kuusamo’s strengths in the winter is guaranteed snow. Skiers enjoy Ruka Slopes on more than 200 days every winter, and the cross-country skiing and snowmobiling seasons also last for a long time.
Typical winter temperatures:
November -10 to -5 °C
December -20 to -10 °C
January -30 to -15 °C
February -20 to -15 °C
March -15 to -5 °C
The delicate shades of the polar night
The polar night refers to the midwinter period when the sun does not rise at all. However, it never gets pitch black because the snow cover reflects light beautifully, and the slopes in the Ruka area are also excellently lit.
Springtime – the sun wakes the wanderlust
In April and May, cross country skiing on the crisp snow cover is a great experience when you can see how the nature is coming back to life.
Typical spring temperatures:
April 5–10 °C
May 10–20 °C
What on earth is midseason?
Midseason refers to the snowless periods in May and October, which locals call "rospuutto". It is a shorter period of time between the more commonly known seasons. Midseason is a surprisingly good time to travel: there are always plenty of activities available, and no rush or big crowds!
