Departure from the Inari Boat Harbour
Pahtaniemi Day-trip Route
The excursion is roughly six kilometres long when you canoe the tailwind section straight and the headwind section close to the shores. The route is quite open to winds.
On top of the steep cliffs of Pahtaniemi is a view opening far out across Lake Inarijärvi. On the return trip, the parish village of Inari will be in front of you and, behind the village, you will see the mighty Otsamotunturi Fell.
There are no services at Pahtaniemi or along the route.
Maps
Electronic Maps
The Ukko Route
There are no accommodation services along the route so you must take your own tent with you.
Right after setting off from the Inari boat harbour, you are faced with the Juutuanvuono Fjord. It is a stretch of open waters and the lake is often rough when the wind blows from the east. The islands do not offer much shelter. Canoe along the fjord's northern shore and you will arrive at the first destination, the Pielpavuono campfire hut. The distance to the hut is 7 kilometres.
There is a marked trail from Pielpavuono to the Pielpajärvi wilderness church. More information is available on the wilderness church's history and services. The bottom of Pielpavuono Fjord is suitable for overnight stays. Please note that the fjord's western side (starting right from the bottom of the bay) is private land.
From Pielpavuono, the trip continues towards the Hautuumaasaaret Islands, of which there are two. First, you will see Vanha Hautuumaasaari Island by the side of Pielpaniemi, the distance to which is 3.5 kilometres. The trip continues east–northeast to Hautuumaasaari Island, a distance of 4 kilometres. On the island, there are reddish beaches and behind the beaches is a dark and ancient forest.
You are allowed to land on these islands and walk there, but lighting a campfire, camping, collecting grave memorials and digging are prohibited, just as it is at other graveyards.
It is a distance of only 1 kilometre from Hautausmaasaari Island to Ukonsaari Island. The high rocky island is visible from all directions, so it has become one of the Lake Inarijärvi symbols for the municipality of Inari. There is a jetty on the island and steep steps to its rocky hill. From the top, there are excellent views opening out onto Lake Inarijärvi. The island vegetation is vulnerable to erosion, so visitors must keep to the designated areas. There are no campfire sites or any other rest-spot services on the island.
Ukonsaari Island marks the trip's turning point; from here, you can return to Inari's boat harbour; the return trip is 12 kilometres as the crow flies.
The Archipelago Route
When continuing to the east of Ukonsaari Island, the next target is the boating base on Suovasaari Island. The distance to the boating base is 7 kilometres and the route proposed runs between numerous islands.
From Suovasaari Island, the distance to the boating base on Petäjäsaari Island is roughly 11 kilometres when canoeing clockwise around Leviä Petäjäsaari Island. The trip passes through an archipelago that is often heralded as the most beautiful archipelago on Lake Inarijärvi.
After canoeing for 9 kilometres, the proposed route runs back to Suovasaari Island along the southern route. When continuing southwards from the island, choose the shore route marked on the nautical chart that runs along the southern side of Korkiasaari Island. On this route, the distance to Inari's boat harbour is about 17 kilometres.
The entire route is roughly 60 kilometres long. Allow four days for the trip. Actually, it is a good idea to allow five days for the trip as you may have to pause and wait for the wind to calm down.
Maps
Electronic Maps
Inari Village–Partakko
This route runs to Suovasaari Island in the same way as the Archipelago Route. The stretch to be canoed on the first day will be 17 kilometres. This stretch is very open to winds.
From Suovasaari Island, the trip goes on to the northeast to the boating base on Kahkusaari Island. The numerous islands provide some shelter from the winds. Bypass the Pääsaaret Islands and Viimassaari Island either from the western or eastern side, depending on the winds. The stretch for one day is 16–20 kilometres long depending on the route chosen.
After Kahkusaari Island, it is possible to head to Kotalahti Bay and end the trip there. The distance to Kotalahti is only 9 kilometres. The longer alternative is to carry on to Partakko along the lake's northern shore. Please note that this section is very open to southerly winds. You can end the trip at Käyräniemi, where there is a boat ramp. At its shortest, the length of this stretch is 21 kilometres.
The entire trip is at least 54 kilometres long, so allow at least three days for the trip.