Snowshoeing Adventure to the Amethyst Mine

• Participants must arrive suitably dressed for cold winter weather. We recommend wearing warm clothing, comfortable hiking shoes or winter boots, gloves, and beanies. Dressing in layers will help you stay comfortable throughout the tour.
• The food and drinks listed in the tour inclusions are provided. We recommend eating a good meal before departure and bringing extra snacks and a bottle of water.

No. Lampivaara is an open-air mine, and the digging area is located on the surface of the fell. The winter digging area is sheltered from snow and wind, but its temperature remains similar to the outdoor temperature, so warm clothing is essential. During the guided visit, you can search for your own amethyst. Your entrance includes one stone that fits inside your closed fist, which you may keep as a personal souvenir.

The snowshoe hike to the Amethyst Mine is moderately demanding and is best suited to participants with a good general level of fitness. You do not need to be an athlete or have previous snowshoeing experience, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours in winter conditions and on uneven, snowy terrain. The total snowshoeing distance is usually around 6–8 km.

When conditions and the group’s ability allow, we try to take the route over the top of the fells, as this offers some of the most beautiful views in Pyhä-Luosto National Park. This option is more physically demanding, particularly in deep or soft snow, and requires a reasonably good physical condition.

There is also an easier route that stays lower around the base of the fells. Ideally, we use the upper and lower routes to create a varied loop, but we cannot guarantee this in advance. Snow conditions, weather, visibility and the overall fitness level of the group all influence the route chosen on the day.

Because this is a small-group activity, the group needs to stay together. Our guide will therefore choose the most suitable route for everyone rather than separating participants into different ability levels.

If you are unsure whether the hike is suitable for your fitness level, we recommend contacting us before booking so our team can advise you. We can also arrange a private version of the Amethyst Mine snowshoeing tour, which gives us more flexibility to adapt the pace, route and difficulty to your group. The tour is not recommended for people with limited mobility, certain heart conditions or during pregnancy.

On the standard snowshoe tour, the Pendolino is only used for the final section between the café and the Amethyst Mine, because this last part of the route cannot be accessed with snowshoes.

The main journey to and from the area is therefore still done on snowshoes. It is important to know that the Pendolino cannot normally be used for the return journey if you become too tired to snowshoe back. Seats are limited and must be reserved in advance, so we cannot rely on it as a backup option during the tour.

If you are unsure whether the snowshoeing distance is suitable for you, we recommend contacting us before booking.

For a private tour, we can also arrange the experience with the Pendolino for the full access to and from the mine instead of snowshoeing. Contact our team in advance if you would prefer this option, so we can check availability and organize the appropriate arrangement.

No previous experience is required. Before the tour, your guide will help you adjust the snowshoes and explain how to walk, turn, and move safely on uphill and downhill sections. Walking through deep snow and uneven natural terrain is more physically demanding than walking on a cleared path. A moderate level of fitness and good general mobility are recommended.

This tour takes place at Lampivaara Amethyst Mine in Pyhä-Luosto National Park, Finnish Lapland. The one-way vehicle transfer from Rovaniemi to the activity starting point takes approximately 90 minutes. Round-trip transportation from Rovaniemi is included. This estimate refers only to the one-way journey by vehicle to the point where the activity begins. It does not include the activity itself.