Attractions

Paistunturi Wilderness Area

Paistunturi Wilderness Area

Paistunturi is a large continuous wilderness area in the Northern Lapland. The landscape typical for the wilderness area consists of fell heaths and mountain birch forests. There are also aapa mires and palsa mires in the area. Kevo Strict Nature Reserve, which is the largest strict nature reserve in Finland, divides Paistunturi Wilderness Area into two parts. The area is suitable for day trips as well as longer hiking trips. Paistunturi area is also ideal for hikers who like fishing.

Gentle rolling fells are characteristic of the highlands in the middle and the northern parts of the Wilderness Area, which are crossed by deep carved river valleys. The wild, beautiful and lush mountain birch forests contrast with the bare treeless fell fields. Hiking is easy on the heaths, but especially during the rainy seasons crossing numerous rivers will take time.

In the middle of the area, surrounded by palsa mires, the rounded tops of Paistunturit Fells reach the height of 600 metres. The highest tops of the wilderness area are Gáimmoivi (646 m) and Guivi (642 m). In the middle and the southern parts of the Wilderness Area, there are large areas where caterpillars of the Autumnal Moth (Epirrita autumnata) have eaten the birchleaves, and the slopes of the fells look a bit ghostly with just the skeletons of the trees without their leaf crowns.

Location