Before visiting the park

How to get there

Oulanka National Park is located 60 km north of  the town of Kuusamo and 40 km south of the municipality of Salla. The closest villages are Käylä, Juuma and Hautajärvi. Contact our customer service personnel and they will gladly assist you in planning your trip to Oulanka.
More information is available on: www.outdoors.fi/oulankanp

By air
The fastest way is to fly from Helsinki to Kuusamo. Once in Kuusamo, there is a 60-kilometer-trip to the park.

By bus
Coaches run from Kuusamo to Juuma and the Hautajärvi Visitor Centre. In summer, you can do the trip by bus (schedules tend to change from year to year, the most up-to-date information is available from Kuusamo tourist info - Tel:+358 (0)306 502 540

By train
The towns of Oulu, Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi can be reached by train. The closest railway station is in Kemijärvi, 130 km from Oulanka National Park. You can check the timetables on the following website: www.vr.fi

By car
For those who prefer travelling by car, the roads are excellent to Kuusamo, even though often slippery in winter. The last 13 kilometers to Oulanka visitor center is unpaved, but still a decent road. Passing right through the national park, the Käylä-Liikasenvaara road (no. 8693) can be reached from Kemijärvi via main road no. E63 (Kemijärvi-Vallioniemi), from which there is a road to Käylä.  Käylä can also be reached from the Kuusamo direction along main road no. E63 by turning off on to the no. 950 at Takkusalmi.

Kiutaköngäs Rapids and Oulanka Visitor Centre in the centre of the National Park can be reached by car. From Kuusamo take no. E63) for 38 km towards Kemijärvi and turn right onto road 950 towards Salla. Drive 7 km and turn onto Liikasenvaaran tie (road 8693) at Käylä. It is 13 km from the intersection to the Visitor Centre. There are signposts to the Visitor Centre from Road no. E63.

Entrance/access points
Oulanka Visitor Centre,  Hautajärvi Visitor Centre, Ristikallio parking area on Sallantie road, Oulanka camping ground, Juuma village

Visitor Centre

Oulanka Visitor Centre at Kiutaköngäs
Internet: http://www.outdoors.fi/Customerservicepoints/visitorcentres/oulanka/Pages/Default.aspx
Address: Liikasenvaarantie 132, 93999 Kuusamo, Finland
Tel:       +358 205 64 6850      
Telefax: +358 205 64 6851
e-mail: oulanka [at] metsa [dot] fi
Oulanka Visitor Centre, the main information point in Oulanka National Park is located in the park’s centre, offering  the following:

• Guided tours, exhibitions, information on hiking in the National Park and in the surrounding areas.
• Maps and brochures.
• The Visitor Centre has a cafe,  selling food as well as souvenirs. The cafe can also arrange meals for groups if reserved in advance.

Visitor Centre in Hautajärvi (open from March to October)
Internet: http://www.outdoors.fi/Customerservicepoints/othercustomerservicepoints/hautajarvi/Pages/Default.aspx
Address: Hautajärventie 414, 98995 Hautajärvi, Finland
Tel:       +358 205 64 6870      
Telefax: +358 205 64 6871
e-mail: oulanka [at] metsa [dot] fi
Hautajärvi Visitor Centre is the starting point for the Karhunkierros Hiking Trail and the customer service point for the park’s northern end. They offer the following:

• Guided tours and information on hiking.
• Exhibition on the northern mires of Oulanka.
• Cafe, souvenirs and maps on sale.

Park Facilities

Education Facilities:

• Exhibitions of the area's wildlife and history at Oulanka Visitor Centre and Hautajärvi Visitor Centre
• Three nature trails: Hiidenlampi, Rytisuo and Plant Story nature trail.
• Customer Service Point Karhuntassu at Kuusamo

Trails in the park
A network of trails offers abundant opportunities, while rivers offer a great chance to go canoeing.

• Natural sights such as Jyrävä, Kiutaköngäs, Taivalköngäs, in addition to the practical visitor centre  lie alongside the Karhunkierros (Bear's Trail) winding through the national park (linking up with the UKK hiking trail). Its total length is 80 km, with 64 km inside the park.
• Those interested in peatland habitats will do best to follow the fascinating 17 km long Keroharju trail.

Oulanka National Park’s Trails: http://www.outdoors.fi/destinations/nationalparks/oulanka/trails/Pages/Default.aspx
Karhunkierros Hiking Trail: http://www.outdoors.fi/destinations/trails/karhunkierros80km/Pages/Default.aspx
Pieni Karhunkierros Hiking Trail: http://www.outdoors.fi/destinations/trails/pienikarhunkierros12km/Documents/pieni_karhunkierros_opaskartta.pdf

Admission Fee
No admission fees. Recreation services are mostly free of charge.

Equipment rental
Oulanka Visitor Centre loans out infant backpacks to carry the family’s young ones in.

Rescue service
In a case of emergency call 112.
More information on Oulanka NP’s rescue services is offered in Oulanka NP’s customer service points.

Services for disabled
Oulanka Visitor Centre and Hautajärvi Visitor Centre and both their exhibitions and cafes are accessible by wheelchair and baby’s pushchair. Both buildings have toilets for the disabled.

Useful links and downloads
Oulanka visitor centre
http://www.outdoors.fi/Customerservicepoints/visitorcentres/oulanka/Pages/Default.aspx
Hautajärvi Visitor Centre
http://www.outdoors.fi/Customerservicepoints/othercustomerservicepoints/hautajarvi/Pages/Default.aspx
Customer Service Point Karhuntassu
http://www.outdoors.fi/Customerservicepoints/othercustomerservicepoints/karhuntassu/Pages/Default.aspx
For information on publications in English visit: http://www.outdoors.fi/destinations/nationalparks/oulanka/moreinformation/Pages/Default.aspx
More information on tourists services in Kuusamo area on website http://www.ruka.fi/summer_eng/services/

Overnight stays in the park

Camping in tents and lean-to shelters
There are several lean-to shelters and dozens of camp sites around River Kitkajoki. The pitching of tents is also permitted in the vicinity of wilderness huts.

Open Wilderness Huts
There are 8 open wilderness huts in Oulanka National Park.

• Savilampi Wilderness Hut is by the River Savinajoki on Karhunkierros Hiking Trail.
• Taivalköngäs Wilderness Hut is by the River Oulankajoki on Karhunkierros Hiking Trail.
• Puikkokämppä and Ristikallio Wilderness Huts are by the River Aventojoki. 
• Uusi Ansakämppä Wilderness Hut is by the River Oulankajoki.  
• Jussinkämppä Wilderness Hut is on the shore of Lake Kulmakkojärvi on the Karhunkierros Hiking Trail. 
• Siilastupa Wilderness Hut is near the River Kitkajoki at Jyrävä on the Pieni Karhunkierros Hiking Trail. 
• Kerojärvi Wilderness Hut is on the Keroharju Trail on the shore of Lake Kerojärvi

No booking, free of charge, usually full in high season

Camping Grounds

• The Oulanka National Park Camping Ground is located on the Karhunkierros Hiking Trail in the centre of the park.
• There are several Camp Grounds in Juuma Village. For more information go to the Ruka-Kuusamo website for tourists services (www.ruka.fi).

Campfires and Cooking
Oulanka National Park has:

• 50 campfire places, which are mainly located along the Karhunkierros Hiking Trail
• 8 open wilderness huts with cooking spots and gas cookers

Any kind of fire is strictly forbidden outdoors during any given forest fire warning, even at designated campfire sites.

Rules

In the National Park, the following is
Allowed

• Hiking, skiing, row boating and canoeing except restricted areas in Korvasvaara, Juuma and Pesosjärvi.
• Picking berries and mushrooms.
• Making campfires and camping in the open. This is only permitted at sites marked for these purposes.

Forbidden

• Lighting campfires if the forest fire warning is in effect.
• Pets running free.
• Taking or damaging trees, bushes, other plants or their parts, or mushrooms other than edible ones.
• Damaging soil or rocks, and extraction of earth material or minerals.
• Killing, catching or disturbing wild vertebrates, or damaging their nests.
• Catching or collecting invertebrates.
• Driving motor vehicles, except on roads designated for motor vehicles.
• Leaving waste in the area, or damaging constructions.

More information on Oulanka NP’s rules and regulations: http://www.outdoors.fi/destinations/nationalparks/oulanka/instructionsandrules/Pages/Default.aspx