If you’ve ever had daydreams about watching the Northern Lights dance in the sky above a glass-roofed igloo, or swooshing through a snowy forest on a sled pulled by reindeer, or perhaps experiencing a sauna beside a silent Finnish lake… then you need to know about Apukka Resort.
Located not far from the town of Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, Apukka Resort is most well-known for its glass igloo suites. But it’s so much more than just igloos. Apukka is a full-service wilderness resort that offers guests everything they could need in one place, from husky sledding to lakeside saunas to cozy dining and so much more.
I’ve been dreaming about visiting a spot like Apukka for years, and finally decided to plan it last winter with a friend of mine. Is Apukka Resort pricey? Yes, it definitely it. But it’s also unique and such a special place to spend a few nights!
Staying at Apukka Resort: Everything you need to know
Here’s everything you need to know about planning a trip to and staying at Apukka Resort. My friend Kat from World Wide Honeymoon and I stayed for 3 nights in late February, booking one of Apukka’s packages that included a glass igloo cabin plus some wintry activities.
Where is Apukka Resort?
Apukka Resort is located just above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, roughly 15 kilometers outside of the town of Rovaniemi. The property sits on a large lake and is surrounded by native forest, making it feel like you’re deep in the wilderness despite being just 15 minutes away from an airport.
The property is large, but not too large; even if you’re staying in the cabin furthest away from the main lodge building, you probably only need to walk for about 5-7 minutes to get there.
What time of year should you visit Apukka?
Apukka Resort really shines in the winter, with tons of winter activities on offer — plus those glass-roofed cabins designed for watching the Northern Lights. So the winter months of December-March are the most popular times to visit.
But you can also visit Apukka in the fall, too, with packages also available from Augusut-November.
And while you certainly can visit Lapland in the spring and summer, Apukka itself is not open during these months; the resort closes each year from early April through the end of July. So if your dream is to travel to Finnish Lapland to see the Midnight Sun, you’ll have to find another place to stay.
As for the absolute best time to stay at Apukka? For me personally I would say late February through mid-March. You will more or less be guaranteed snowy scenes during these months, and the days will be getting progressively longer, meaning lots of time for outdoor adventures during the day, but still plenty of opportunities to chase the aurora at night.
RELATED: A Perfect 10 Day Finland Itinerary in Winter (Helsinki + Lapland)
What all does Apukka offer?
Apukka Resort is one part hotel and one part outdoor adventure center, so staying here means you can experience it all in one place. Along with the cozy igloo cabins, Apukka also has two restaurants, private saunas, and an adventure center where you can book everything from dogsledding to reindeer sleighing, or even borrow snowshoes.
They also offer winter clothing rentals to all their guests for free, which include super warm snowsuits and boots.
You can book a stay at Apukka directly (save 10% when you book this way), or you can book on a site like Booking.com or Expedia. And you can read more reviews on TripAdvisor.
Getting to Apukka
Appuka Resort is located about 15 minutes outside of Rovaniemi, which is probably where you’ll arrive (we took the train from Helsinki, but many people also fly). Apukka does offer private transfers from town or to/from the small Rovaniemi airport, and you can also book a taxi that will drive you out to the resort.
If you’re already going to be in Rovaniemi (like we were), the most cost-effective option is to take the Apukka Shuttle Bus, which makes stops in central Rovaniemi, at Santa Claus Village, and at Apukka Resort. Shuttle tickets cost €8 one-way.
Accommodation options at Apukka
Apukka Resort is known for its glass igloo cabins, which are built with glass-paneled roofs that offer up Northern Lights viewing when the conditions are right. The vast majority of the accommodation options at Apukka are in these modern and comfortable cabins.
Every cabin at Apukka has its own private bathroom, along with a mudroom to keep all your boots and snow gear, wifi, an electric fireplace, blackout curtains, air conditioning, and a tea and coffee station. Breakfast is also included for all room types.
The different accommodation options are:
- Aurora Cabin Glass Igloos – The basic (and original) igloo cabins at Apukka, these are still extremely comfy with two twin beds and a couch. These are located closest to the main resort buildings.
- Aurora Cabin Queen Glass Igloos – Slightly larger than the original Aurora Cabins, the Queen igloo cabins have a queen-sized bed and a pull-out couch.
- Aurora Cabin King Glass Igloos – Bigger still, the King Aurora Cabins have king-sized beds and larger living areas.
- Aurora Cabin Family Glass Igloos – Designed with families in mind, these are the largest of the single-level Aurora Cabins. These have one king bed, one double bed, and a pull-out couch. The family igloo cabins are furthest away from the main lodge, but all have private views over the river or Lake Olkka.
- Komsio Glass Igloo Suites – These igloo suites are spread over two levels, with a queen bed under a full glass ceiling with 360-degree views upstairs and a seating area with a pull-out couch downstairs.
- Kammi Glass Igloo Suites – These are the largest glass igloos at Apukka, and are also on 2 levels. The bed is once again upstairs beneath a 360-degree sky view. Downstairs, the Kammi suites have a larger seating area alongside a full kitchenette.
- Apukka Lakeview Suites – Note: these are NOT igloo cabins! These lakeside suites are great for larger families or groups, and can sleep up to 6 guests. They have two bedrooms, a living room, and a full kitchen, and overlook Lake Olkkajärvi.
- Villa Apukka – Traveling with a really large group? Then this villa might be right for you. There’s only one, and it can accommodate up to 14 guests.
How expensive is Apukka?
There’s not sugarcoating it: staying at Apukka Resort is pretty pricey! The igloo suites here are fairly luxurious, and the prices reflect that and the resort’s relatively remote location.
If you travel in the summer/fall, you’re looking at prices starting at €200 per night for the smallest igloo cabins. In the winter, however, prices start closer to €715 per night for those same cabins. When we visited in February, we booked a Queen Aurora Cabin and paid more than €1100 per night (though we booked a package that also had some activities included).
Prices are the most expensive in December (like, twice as expensive as the other winter months), when lots of people want to visit Finnish Lapland in order to see Santa. If you want the best rates in winter, definitely avoid December!
And then all the activities come with separate fees, though those are in-line with what you’d pay for similar tours elsewhere in Rovaniemi. (For example, most guided activities at Apukka run €90-€200 per person.)
Are the glass igloos worth it?
When you’re potentially paying upwards of $1000 per night, you want to know if it’s actually worth it, right? Not every glass igloo resort is created equal, but I do think that Apukka offers some of the better ones in this part of the world.
What I loved about the Apukka igloos:
- They are thoughtfully designed, with layouts that make sense. Our Queen cabin had plenty of space for us and all our luggage/gear, and I loved the heated mud room where you can keep your boots and winter gear.
- The glass part of all the igloos have heaters you can turn on in case they get covered in any snow or ice — so smart! They also have black-out curtains that work well.
- Electric fireplaces in every cabin? Yes, please! Ours was small, but very cozy to turn on at night.
- An excellent buffet breakfast is included every morning in the main restaurant — and the main building is only maybe a 5-minute walk from most cabins.
Things you might not love about the igloos:
- The igloos in some areas are pretty close together. You won’t *hear* your neighbors, but depending on which way the glass part of your cabin faces, you definitely might see them. You’ll have to use your blackout curtains if you want complete privacy.
- The cabins have wifi but no TVs or other entertainment options. We honestly loved this and spent plenty of time reading and just relaxing in between activities, but I realize this might be a negative thing for some people.
Again, you can book a stay at Apukka directly (save 10% when you book this way), or you can book on a site like Booking.com or Expedia. And you can read more reviews on TripAdvisor.
Activities at Apukka
From August-early November, you can enjoy summer-like activities at Apukka Resort that include things like kayaking and canoeing, hiking (either guided or on your own), fishing, fat biking, going for walks with huskies or reindeer, and going out to look for Northern Lights at night (better chance for aurora starting in late September as the nights get longer).
There are lots more activities in the winter at Apukka, including:
- Dogsledding
- Reindeer sleigh rides (both during the day and at night)
- Snowmobiling
- Ice fishing
- Snow shoeing
- Winter fat biking
- Northern Lights tours (including taking the “snow train” out to a wilderness camp)
- Various sauna experiences
They also offer tours that will take you to the nearby Santa Claus Village where you can meet the man himself, and you can also book independent tours (like Northern Lights chasing tours) that will come pick you up at Apukka.
Kat and I actually booked a packaged called “It’s All About Aurora,” which included our igloo cabin for 3 nights as well as nighttime reindeer sleighing and the aurora snow train. We added on additional activities during our stay, including dogsledding, a snowshoe tour, a private Lakeside Sauna experience, as well as some special dining. We basically did 2 wintry activities per day, which was perfect!
We sadly did NOT see the Northern Lights from our glass igloo cabin because the skies remained completely cloudy the whole time we were there! But that’s just how it goes with the Northern Lights sometimes.
(If you want a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights, I recommend booking a chasing tour independently so they can take you to the clearest skies! We went on this tour, which can pick you up at Apukka.)
Dining at Apukka
Apukka Resort has two restaurants on site.
Restaurant Aitta is the main restaurant in the main building at Apukka, and it serves all 3 meals. Breakfast is always a buffet; you can order from a bistro menu for lunch; and for dinner you can either book a table in the a la carte portion of the restaurant, or you can opt for a half-board seating time, which includes a 3-course meal. (Dinner at Apukka used to be a buffet, but they’ve changed this as of early 2026!)
The other restaurant is called Restaurant Kota, a small and cozy restaurant built to resemble a traditional Sami lavvu tent complete with an open fire in the center. There’s a set 3-course menu here, and it’s worth doing at least one night while you’re at Apukka. (You usually need to pre-book this one!)
Food at Apukka (especially for dinner) is on the pricier side, but eating on-site is the only convenient option for most guests. Yes, you can of course leave and eat in Rovaniemi, but you’ll have to pay for taxis both ways, which can get pretty pricey in this part of the world!
There’s also a bar inside the main building at Apukka where you can enjoy cocktails in the evening.
Do you have to stay at Apukka overnight?
The short answer is no. You don’t *have* to stay at Apukka to enjoy some of its adventure activities..
The longer answer is no, you don’t have to stay at Apukka. But while you can book things here like dogsledding and reindeer walks and even sauna experiences without being an overnight guest, you won’t be able to experience or appreciate the glass igloo cabins unless you stay overnight. And that’s really the main draw of this place!
So what’s the verdict?
The verdict is that I absolutely loved my stay at Apukka Resort, but I will acknowledge that it’s not going to be a good fit for everyone because of the price point.
If it’s in your budget, however, then I absolutely recommend staying here for at least a few nights!
Is Apukka Resort a place you’d like to stay in Finland?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she’s actually traveled!
