Gravel Roads at the Edge of the Arctic: A New Cycling Journey Through Finland’s Lapland

ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours has announced a seven-day guided gravel ride through Finland’s northeastern Lapland, pairing boreal forests, quiet lakes, and reindeer country with family-run lodges, smoke saunas, and the long light of the Arctic summer.

There are not many corners of Europe where a cyclist can ride for hours on quiet gravel, pass more reindeer than cars, and end the day with a smoke sauna and a plunge into a cold, clear lake. Finland’s northeastern Lapland is one of them, and it is the setting for a new guided cycling journey announced this month by ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, the family-run company that has been designing bicycle vacations since 1972.

The seven-day tour, Beyond: Finland’s Arctic Lapland, is part of the company’s new Beyond collection of longer-range adventures, which also includes journeys in Tanzania and Patagonia, with a Jordan itinerary on the way. The Finland route threads gravel roads through boreal forest, open marshland, and lake country just below the Arctic Circle, linking small hamlets, family-run lodges, and wilderness accommodations along the way.

Beyond is about choosing routes that reveal a destination’s true character and creating journeys that stay with you long after the ride is over. Finland’s Arctic Lapland is exactly the kind of place that inspires this collection.
Maria Elena Price, co-owner, ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, in the company’s announcement

From the Arctic Circle Into the Forest

The journey begins in Rovaniemi, the Lapland capital that sits on the Arctic Circle and markets itself as the official hometown of Santa Claus. From there a shuttle carries riders south toward Kuusamo and the lakeside resort of Isokenkäisten Klubi, a tranquil, family-run base where the trip opens with a bike fitting, a traditional Finnish smoke sauna, a cold plunge, and a welcome dinner.

The first full riding day covers 34 miles (55 km) of quiet forest gravel, with a lunch stop at a countryside estate that has been held by the same family for nine generations, before continuing through forest, marshland, and lakes to the lakeside resort of Ruka Safaris. A loop ride the following day travels 31 miles (50 km) through open farmland and includes a visit to a reindeer farm, where riders learn about the long relationship between reindeer and the herders of this region.

From there the route pushes deeper into the wilderness: 46 miles (74 km) from Iisakki to Posio, ending with a night in a luxury igloo at Livo Arctic, then another 44 miles (71 km) to Hotel Iso-Syöte, the base for the final two nights. The last riding day is a 28-mile (45 km) loop into Syöte National Park, where gravel roads run between spruce and birch, reindeer sightings are common, and lunch is served at a wilderness camp beside a traditional Finnish hut known as a kota.

Riding Under the Midnight Light

Both 2027 departures are timed for the extraordinary daylight of the northern summer. According to the company, the July group will see roughly 19 hours of daylight, while the August departure still enjoys about 16 hours of sun each day, leaving long, bright evenings for riding, walking, or simply sitting by a lake in the stillness of the Arctic.

Cycling through Lapland during these long summer days feels like riding through another world. There is something incredibly special about being surrounded by forests, lakes, and Arctic landscapes, then ending the day with a sauna and the feeling that you have truly arrived somewhere far away.
Maria Elena Price, in the announcement

The itinerary is built to keep travelers on the remote gravel as much as possible: shuttle transfers bookend the trip, and each day balances riding with cultural encounters, from the nine-generation family estate to the reindeer farm and the region’s sauna traditions. It is designed for cyclists who want to go beyond the familiar European routes without giving up comfort at the end of the day.

All images in this article by ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours

This article is adapted from an announcement by ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, released July 9, 2026. Trip details, dates, and pricing are as stated by the company and may change; see ExperiencePlus.com for current information.