Who we are?
About us
Read more about us & this mythic place
Read more about us & this mythic place
Half-century of human adventure in Muotkan Ruoktu
In the northern part of the Inari region, in northern Lapland, on the banks of the Peltojoki River, lies a beautiful village in the midst of nature called “Tunturikylä Muotkan Ruoktu,” the Tunturis Mountain House, managed since 1967 by the charismatic reindeer herder Hans Niittyvuopio and his Saami family.
For over 50 years, it has served as a true oasis for travelers in the Muotkatunturi region seeking a remote and off-the-beaten-path location.
Since autumn 2023, this mythical place has been officially handed over to us by Hans, now 92 years old, who chose us for our values, travel philosophy, and our desire to preserve the authenticity of the legendary place.
“I chose you because your philosophy and your desire to preserve the history and authenticity of the place captivated us. Hans will remain by your side to assist you in launching this beautiful adventure, which will now be Yours.”
As owners, we are passionate about providing excellent service and hospitality to our clients. We care for every detail of their stay and love welcoming them into Muotkan Ruoktu. Our clients can sense our genuine desire to make their stay enjoyable. We take pride in our work and it shows in the satisfaction of our clients.
Kinga & Kevin
Kinga
I’m Kinga, Polish, a passionate adventurer, Arctic guide, life coach, and an absolute lover of outdoor activities. I believe that being close to true nature and experiencing human synergy make life a fascinating journey. Living in Muotkan Ruoktu and organizing unique activities allows me to realize this belief!
Living in Lapland makes every single day an adventure – you never know what the next sunrise will bring. Sometimes it offers absolutely unimaginable views with incredible colors, opportunities to meet inspiring people, but it can also be a great lesson in resilience and humility. Here, you are part of a community where everybody can rely on each other.
Welcoming our guests in Muotka, sharing its soul and history, is a privilege for us. Crafting lifelong experiences for our guests as part of the Munay Experience is my best reward, worth all the efforts and creativity required to make every single journey unique.
Kevin
I’m Kevin, explorer, passionate about adventures in the wilderness and … flying the helicopters. I’ve fallen in love with Lapland during my first travel here. I decided to settle after traveling the world for 10 years and visiting 50 countries. I’ve created my own travel across the wildest areas in the North Lapland and promote sustainable tourism as a part of Scandlap-Explorer. Today am living in Muotkan and together with Kinga sharing my passions and my experiences with our guests coming from local areas and from all over the world and local.
Experiences in Muotkan Ruoktu
About our village
About our village
A Paradise for Adventurers
Our village is a unique place, nestled in the heart of the Muotkan Tunturi nature reserve, amidst the Tunturi mountains, rivers, and endless lakes. Here, time stands still, making room for adventures in untouched nature, with its pristine forests, wild animals, and crystal-clear drinkable water.
Our guests often share: “Here, one feels alone in the world, in another world,” and every moment allows us to venture off the beaten path to explore landscapes so different from those one might see elsewhere in Lapland or at home! It’s like being on another planet.
But Muotkan Ruoktu and its activities are also about “human stories,” where one feels more like among friends than strangers. Our priority is the passion for adventure and the history of the place.
Here, it’s not a 5-star hotel, but rather a place with 1000 stars. Every moment offers a unique experience, whether it’s being mesmerized by majestic Northern Lights or breathtaking landscapes!
In addition to accommodation and dining services, Muotkan Ruoktu offers splendid winter scenery with arctic ski and snwomobile trails during the winter months and beautiful hiking trails for both short and long excursions in the Muotkatunturi area during the summer.
The nearby Peltojoki River and other rivers and lakes in the vicinity provide excellent fishing opportunities, and the hosts arrange authentic activities and expeditions according to the customers’ preferences. Alongside their outdoor adventures, guests also learn about life in the North, arctic ecosystem nature, and reindeer herding almost without realizing it.
Friends of Muotka!
Over the years, many visitors have grown so fond of this place that they regularly return multiple times a year to enjoy Hans’s hospitality in the authentic Lapland landscapes. Naturally, guests also forge friendships with each other when meeting at Muotka.
In the spring of 1990, the loyal customers decided to establish an association, which they named “Muotka Ruovttu Ustibat – Friends of Muotkan Ruoktu.” The association’s mission includes supporting maintaining this mountain village as genuine and authentic as it has always been, regardless of contemporary pressures. In the year 2000, the association has over 100 members from various parts of Finland, and the group continues to grow.
Sustainable
Sustainable
Sustainable Spirit of our Camp & Travels
Muotkna Ruoktu is a special place with a great natural and cultural value. Together with local people and international travellers, we grow sustainably, protecting the wilderness and cultivating its culture.
We welcome local people daily to share their history and challenges. Their stories enhance our travelers’ understanding of arctic life, cultural events, and reindeer herding.
Our activities, including Muotka, Scandlap Explorer (Sustainable Travel Finland and Biosphere certified) and Munay Experience, highlight local culture and environment fragility. We operate in small groups, off the beaten path, respecting agreements with the National Parks Organisation, Metsähallitus, and partner with local companies.
Muotkan Tunturi Wilderness Area, with its drinkable lake and river water, is home to diverse wildlife. We prioritize eco-friendly practices, such as saving water and reducing waste, and educate visitors on local concerns.
All our efforts for sustainable tourism are also on the way to get the Finnish recognised label, Sustainable Travel Finland and Bioshere!
If you have any questions please see our FAQ list.
New Owners of Muotkan Ruoktu
Published in Inarilainen-magazine "We know that people love this place" - For the new owners of Muotkan Ruoktu, tourism in Northern Lapland is now their entire life, watch the video from the fell village The triangular-shaped cabins stand in their places, and the restaurant serves award-winning reindeer stew, acclaimed as [...]
Guestbook
Guestbook
Our guestbook
On top of the world, we welcome travelers from the four corners of the globe! Their satisfaction and unique experiences while staying at Muotkan Ruoktu or sharing adventures with us are our main reward.
Below are some words from our ‘Guest Book’ or signatures left on our wooden board at our beloved Muotkan Ruoktu!
“Wow! Where to begin… This surprise trip… What a surprise! From start to finish. Thank you for playing along to make this experience unique, authentic, magical. Meeting people like you, like you, what happiness! Generosity, happiness, sharing, professionalism. These landscapes, as sublime as they may be, are nothing without you and your desire to share them with us! A thousand thanks for trusting us in all these expeditions. What happiness! A little piece of lavy for my 40 years and a magnificent blue-orange sky almost caught by my hands during the sunset on a tunturi in Lapland… I don’t even believe I dreamt of a better gift. Bravo for this place and for everything else. Thank you thank you thank you. Forever engraved in our hearts! Long live Muotkan Ruoktu by Kevin & Kinga! ”
Fanny, France“What an intense experience! The unexpected is here! You make us cry with happiness. You share this beautiful and magical piece of the planet with us. One word is not strong enough to express the intensity of all the emotions that pierce us. It’s our turn to wish you unlimited happiness in everything you undertake. Stay yourselves. Infinitely… Thank you!”
Myriam and Eric, France“Few words can express the emotion felt throughout the past week. In life, there are moments that are lived but impossible to recount. I spent an extraordinary and timeless week. All thanks to you both. We will tell you often, but like the motorcycle fall, I want to be the first to write it, don’t change! Thank you, thank you, thank you and I hope to see you very soon to discover new lavu together. With all my friendship.”
Cyril, France“It is difficult to summarize this week in a few words as it was extraordinary in every way. Coming to Muotka to find light after a dark period, we not only found light but also the little spark that warms the hearts, restores faith in humanity, and thirsts for adventure! Thank you Kevin and Kinga for sharing your little piece of paradise with us, always with a smile despite the little setbacks of this new chapter that opens for you. We keep a very special memory of this stay and already look forward to coming back to see Lapland in other seasons and especially the evolution of Camp Muotkan Ruoktu! We wish you the best, thank you for your generosity!”
“This place is my dream come true about Finland, or rather about Narnia. Life rarely fulfills dreams, and here’s Muotkan… I wish you success and see you soon! I will definitely come back!”
Dagmara, Poland“An unforgettable journey. A beautiful discovery, a beautiful adventure by your side. Thank you and see you soon.”
Hani, Tahiti“When you want something you’ve never had, you have to be ready to do things you’ve never done before! Live the adventure in Lapland at Muotkan Ruoktu!”
