Services in Oulanka Visitor Centre

Outdoor Advice, Metsähallitus

• Information on the natural features and outdoor activities in the Oulanka and Riisitunturi National Parks, Karhunkierros Trail, Korouoma Canyon and in the other nature reserves in the Kuusamo region (e.g. Valtavaara and Pyhävaara, Iivaara, Näränkä).
• Information on the tourist services in the Kuusamo region, such as accommodation and public transport, is provided by Karhuntassu Tourism Centre (kuusamo.fi) and Ruka Info (ruka.fi).
• Fishing permits for nearby areas, e.g. the fisheries management fee (eraluvat.fi) and the permits for permit areas Oulankajoki 5572 (eraluvat.fi), the Kitkajoki-Oulankajoki joint permit (in Finnish, kalakortti.com) and the upper part of River Kitkajoki (in Finnish, kalakortti.com).
• For hire: child carrier backpacks, hiking poles, non-slip ice grippers and snowshoes. In cooperation with the Kuusamon eräkauppa shop (in Finnish, kuusamonerakauppa.com).
• The auditorium is available for hire, having room for approximately 30 people. The price 50 €/hour or part of an hour (incl. VAT 10%). Outside normal opening hours, fees will be doubled.
• Free-of-charge video presentations at the auditorium – ask more at the customer service and we will show videos!
• A WLAN available for customers.
• An outside drinking water tap on the exterior wall, by the door of the café, is available for hikers for filling water bottles around the clock.
• First aid kit: a defibrillator in the hallway of the visitor centre, close to the main door (available during the visitor centre’s opening hours). There is a patient trolley in the outdoor storage building, next to the main door.

Restaurant services

At the visitor centre, a local business, Restaurant Ravintola Talonpöytä (talonpoyta.fi), provides its services in the summer season. The selection of the restaurant includes lunch, café products and snacks. The restaurant is licensed to serve alcohol. Local souvenirs can also be bought from the restaurant.

Oulanka Shop

• A shop in connection with the outdoor advice desk, maintained by Metsähallitus.
• The shop sells maps for nearby areas, outdoor gear, books on the area, as well as souvenirs, such as domestic and local handicrafts. The selection of the shop also includes national park products (Oulanka, Riisitunturi, Karhunkierros Trail). Some of our products are only available in Oulanka.

Accessible Services

• The visitor centre is accessible by wheelchair and pushchair from the parking area, which is located at a distance of 30–100 metres from the building.
• The exhibition space can be toured by wheelchair and pushchair.
• An accessible toilet and a baby care room.
• The café accommodates 30 wheelchairs at a time, with special arrangements.
• At a distance of 1.5 kilometres from the visitor centre runs an accessible route titled the Könkään kuohu Trail (100 m / each way). Along the trail, you will see surges of the lowest set of Kiutaköngäs Rapids. There is an accessible dry toilet at the start of the trail, by the parking area. The Könkään kuohu Trail can be travelled when the ground is unfrozen, from June to September.
• Read more about Oulanka’s accessible services on the website of the national park.

Pets

• Pets are welcome to the visitor centre. Always keep your pet on a leash at the visitor centre and in the national park.
• Please pick up your dog’s poop on the trail and collect it in a bag. There are no waste bins along the hiking trails, so take the dog poop bags with you from the terrain.
• In the summer, there are reindeer in the yard of the visitor centre and on trails. Please note that a reindeer that is startled by a dog may defend itself aggressively.

Camper Vans

• There is parking space for camper vans in the parking area of the visitor centre. As the parking area is small and often becomes crowded, overnight stays in camper vans in the parking area are only allowed from November to January. There are dry toilets, open around the clock, in the parking area.
• It is not possible to empty a chemical toilet at the visitor centre. The Kuusamo energy and water cooperative (in Finnish, kuusamonevo.fi) has a chemical toilet emptying facility in the centre of Kuusamo. Further information is available on the website of the Town of Kuusamo (kuusamo.fi).
• At a distance of one kilometre from the visitor centre, Oulanka Camping Ground (in Finnish, oulankacamping.fi) provides a wide range of services for those travelling with a camper van. The camping ground is open from June to mid-September.

Welcome to the Oulanka Visitor Centre!