The series of forested hills (or ‘vaara’ in Finnish) in Vuokatti, is a winter’s paradise for skiers and snowboarders alike. In summer, you can climb Naapurinvaara, or hike in the Hiidenportti National Park.
Vuokatti is a village in the municipality of Sotkamo. It is well-known as a versatile tourist resort, especially popular with visitors in winter. The Vuokatti Ski Resort boasts slopes for skiers of all skills, as well as Finland’s only snowboarding tunnel. In summer, there is plenty going on here, including golfing, fishing and trekking. Vuokatti caters fully for travellers, but you can stay overnight, eat and see the sights of nearby Sotkamo or Kajaani.
There are 13 hills in Vuokatti. The highest point is the top of Porttivaara, at 345 metres above sea-level. You can ski down the 13 slopes, whose suitability vary according to levels of skill – the easiest suited to the smallest members of the family, and the toughest, to Olympic-level skiers. The Super Pipe and Slope Style are challenging black slopes for experienced skiers, while Länsirinteet and Caravankatti are gentler. Tiny skiers can safely sail down Tenavarinteet.
Vuokatti’s speciality is its snowboarding tunnel, which is used a lot throughout the year. The spacious tunnel enables enthusiasts to practise jumps, or take a snow tube down a halfpipe. You can rent the right skiing or snowboarding gear at the foot of the slopes, or at the equipment hire shop next to the tunnel. You can spend a skiing holiday in Vuokatti with no previous experience of the sport, as there is also a reputable ski school on site.
Besides snow sports, there is a lot to do in Vuokatti at any time of year. In summer and in winter, for example, you can go riding with husky dogs, either on a sledge or on wheels. If you want something for the family to do indoors, you can head for the Angry Birds Activity Park. There you can let off steam on the adventure tracks or drive around in go-karts.
You can also use Vuokatti as a base for exploring the surrounding area. Those interested in the history of Sotkamo should visit the Makasiinimuseo (Warehouse Museum), whose hundreds of exhibits tell their own tale, starting in prehistoric times. In Kajaani, you will have the chance to familiarise yourself with the lives of many famous Finns at the Eino Leino House, such as Urho Kekkonen, Elias Lönnrot and Eino Leino. It is easiest to plan any trip to Vuokatti via Kajaani, which has an airport and railway station, with onward bus services directly to the resort.
Besides Vuokatti’s spectacular hilly landscapes, there is also Hiidenportti National Park. Here you can enjoy the natural wonders of the Kainuu region in all their glory. The park’s best known attraction is its gorge, where dark ponds lurk in its perpendicular walls. Travel the National Park, following the Hiidenkierros or Kitulankierros trails, both of which make very suitable routes for day hikers. The park also contains traces of bygone times, and there are still a few remnants of tar-burning pits.
Sotkamo’s celebrated line of hills is a tourist destination all year round, whether as an all-inclusive ski resort, or somewhere inexpensive to go to admire Vuokatti’s stunning scenery. Have fun on the slopes, or wind down in Kainuu’s magnificently wild surroundings.
