Pyhä

Pyhä or Pyhätunturi is a holiday resort and skiing centre mostly in the Pelkosenniemi municipality in Finnish Lapland. Small part extends to Kemijärvi. Being located next to one of the most popular national parks in Finland, the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, Pyhä offers activities around the year. The nearest major town is Kemijärvi 57 km away.

Formerly there was a Pyhätunturi ski resort in Salla as well. Now that one is known as Sallatunturi

The after ski is moderate; Pyhä isn't as heavy party grounds as Levi.

Understand

The very prominent Pyhätunturi fell has been a sieidi, a sacred place, to the Sami people for ages. When Christianity arrived here, the Pyhänkasteenlähde (Holy Baptism Spring) pond was used for baptism, from 1620 until 1680. The exceptional nature values of the area were officially acknowledged in 1938 when Pyhätunturi National Park was established.

To be exact Pyhätunturi is not a single mountain but a group of five separate peaks. From east to west these are Kultakero, Ukonhattu, Noitatunturi, Laakakero and Peurakero. Noitatunturi is the highest top while all the pistes are on Kultakero. The ravines between the peaks are steep and impressive but during winter avalanches are common.

Pyhä has been popular grounds for cross-country skiing since the 1930s even though there weren't even roads to the area then. The first piste with a lift was opened in 1964 and a small hotel with a restaurant was opened in 1966. All the founders were locals. Since 1987 Pyhä has operated under the same company that runs Ruka resort in Kuusamo. During the 1990s Pyhä got a lot of fame as a party place for people in their twenties.

In 2005 the national park was extended to the Luosto fells in the north, forming the current Pyhä-Luosto National Park. There were 174,000 visitors to the park in 2018. Thanks to the national park, Pyhä is attractive also during the summer and there is strong will to develop the area, keeping the environment the first consideration and avoiding mass tourism.

During the 2010s there's been huge financial investments to the resort. Today Pyhä has 14 pistes. The Huttu-Ukko piste is the steepest maintained piste in Finland. FIS-class Piste Palander is also used for training professional alpine skiers. The resort has 5,300 beds, most of them in cottages and holiday apartments.

Get in

By car

If you arrive by car via E63, turn to road number 962 at the village Vuostimo. If you arrive via E75, turn to road 962 at the village Torvinen. The resort is well signposted. You can also take an overnight train to Rovaniemi or Kemijärvi and unload your car there for driving only the remaining distance. The price for an overnight journey, including cabins with bunk beds for four persons and car transport (check dimensions, including any add-ons), is about 2·€250+€150.

By bus

There are daily coach connections called SkiBus from Rovaniemi via the resort Luosto. The SkiBus calls at the railway station, bus station, city centre and airport before it heads to Luosto and Pyhä. A bus ticket from Rovaniemi costs €31/adult, €21/young person, €15/child or Finnish student. The trip takes about 2½ hr.

Daily coaches from Kemijärvi railway station or Kemijärvi ABC to Pyhä cost about €12/adult; the trip takes about an hour.

Check Matkahuolto for details. Use "Pyhätunturi" as your destination.

By train

Sleeper trains go from the south to Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi. If you use "Pyhä" as the destination, you might (in peak season?) get tickets that include a direct bus connection from the station to the resort.

A one-way train ticket from Helsinki to Rovaniemi or Kemijärvi costs around €200–250 for two adults sharing a sleeper cabin with bunk beds, cheaper when bought well in advance.

By plane

The nearest airport is in Rovaniemi, which has good national and some international connections. The SkiBus runs daily between the Pyhä resort and Rovaniemi airport via Luosto. The SkiBus waits for delayed flight for one hour. If your flight is delayed more than that contact Kutilan Liikenne Oy and inform them about your situation. The SkiBus costs €31/adult, €21/young person, €15/child or student.

Get around

Area is relatively small so things are mostly reachable by walking or skiing. Notice however that the resort is on the slope of the fell and there is notable elevation differences in the area.

From January to April the Pyhä shuttle drives a circular route around the resort. The shuttle is free of charge. Otherwise you need to use taxi or the long distance coaches. Check Matkahuolto for details. A SkiBus trip between Pyhä and Luosto costs €7.

See
  • 🌍 Pyhä-Luosto visitor centre Naava, Luontotie 1, ☏ +358 20-639-7302, . Year round daily 09:00/10:00–17:00. Municipal tourist information. Exhibition about the Pyhä-Luosto fell area, its geology and nature, and about the history of the forest Samis. Restaurant. Maps and other information about nature destinations in eastern Lapland. Keys for the rental huts in the wilderness. Free. 
  • 🌍 Isokuru ravine, holy baptism spring and waterfall (by a nature trail about 3 km from the resort). Isokuru-Pyhäkuru ravine is a very impressive place and has many fascinating geological features. The Samis were baptised to Christianity at Pyhänkasteenlähde ("Holy Baptism Spring"). The pond is very deep and the site has been holy to the Sami people for ages. There is a 17-m waterfall next to the pond. Free. 
  • 🌍 Noitatunturi fell. Noitatunturi means the Witch Fell. The highest top of the Pyhätunturi fells offers incredible sights over the surrounding landscape. A circular marked trail from the resort to the top is 14.7 km long. The trail is occasionally rocky and the climb during the trail is over 300 meters. Free. 

Do
  • The pistes open in November and the winter sports season usually ends in late April.
  • 🌍 Pyhä-Luosto National Park. 24 hours daily. Pyhä-Luosto National Park covers old-growth forests, large mires and treeless fells. Several marked hiking and skiing trails from a 4-km circular route to an extensive 35-km trail all the way to Luosto. The MTB routes are 12–35 km. More information from the visitor centre Naava. Free. 
  • 🌍 Pyhä Unplugged. Semi-acoustic music festival in early August. The main stage is the totally unique Aittakuru stage at the bottom of the Aittakuru ravine. Free. 

Buy
  • 🌍 K-market Pyhäntähti, Kultakeronkatu 4, ☏ +358 16 882-810. M–F 09:00–18:00, Sa–Su 10:00–18:00. Groceries and souvenirs. Mail service. Gasoline. Prescription-free drugs. Alko pick-up point, delivery within 4 days from order. 
  • 🌍 Lettovilla, Kultakeronkatu 2, ☏ +358 400-200-306, . Tu,Th,F 11:00–16:00, Sa 11:00–15:00, M,W,Su closed. Gifts and souvenirs. 
  • The nearest pharmacy is in Pelkosenniemi village (25 km) and Alko in Kemijärvi (57 km).

Eat and drink

Sleep

The most accommodations at Pyhä resort are cottages.

Stay safe

There are two private medical stations at Pyhä: 🌍 Bene Finlandia at Hotel Pyhätunturi and 🌍 Pyhä Medical Services at the shopping centre. Check your insurance. The public healthcare station is at Pelkosenniemi village.

If going off-piste check carefully the situation for avalanches. The steep, treeless ravines on the area are risky.

Go next
Routes through Pyhä
Ends at ← Luosto ←  N  S  → Ends at


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