Aurora Camp Kurravaara

The best part was dinner, moose cooked in one of the lodges, which was absolutely delicious and a real highlight. The staff were also lovely and helpful. The camp’s setting is gorgeous, with beautiful scenery and wonderful silence. With so little light pollution, we were lucky enough to see incredible Northern Lights just above us. We stayed in the Basic Budget Lodge (sleeps 4) at Aurora Camp Kurravaara, about 15km outside town. It stayed warm and cosy despite the extreme cold. A few practical things made the stay harder: the electrical switches tripped every 10-15 seconds, so cooking was difficult, and the water froze on our last day, though that was somewhat understandable in those temperatures. There’s a sauna, which is a nice extra, but it isn’t very hot if you’re expecting an intense sauna. Guests are asked to clean before checkout, but no cleaning supplies are provided and it wasn’t clear where rubbish should go. A couple of upgrades and clearer arrangements would improve the experience. Still, it’s a beautiful, peaceful place with unforgettable surroundings.

It’s a beautiful, cosy place and I’d still recommend it. Storage was limited and the bathroom felt quite small, so I’ve given it four stars.

The transfer arranged by the camp cost double and was unreliable. Our taxi went to the wrong camp, and what was meant to be a 15-minute wait turned into an hour in the cold at the parking lot. When we asked fairly for a price reduction, all we got was “sorry.” Arrange your own ride. The camp is spread out, with sanitary facilities only in the center, which is inconvenient. Meals were poor value too. Dinner in the dining room was hit or miss, sometimes there was salad, sometimes not. Breakfast was a random mix that made little sense and could easily be skipped. In the end, you’re left living on bread. The staff seemed to be a rotating group of travelers without a clue about service. This place is a rip-off and absolutely not recommended.

We had a very happy night in the wilderness suite. The room was cosy, and its wood-fired stove warmed it nicely after a little while. The private sauna is wood-fired too. There are also several free saunas around camp, plus an outdoor Jacuzzi you can book for an extra charge. The location is great for northern lights, with very little light pollution, and we enjoyed walking on the frozen lake right by the camp and in the surrounding woods. Check-in was easy and contact-free, with staff reachable by phone. A couple of things were awkward. The toilet, built as a wooden-panel addition to the main room with no insulation, was as freezing as outdoors. The checkout rules ask you to wash dishes, which was fine, but the bathroom sink is tiny and there’s no drying towel, so cleaning and putting everything away was tricky. The kitchen is more a shelf with plates and an oven/stovetop combination than a proper kitchen. That worked for us, but preparing a three-course meal could be difficult. We were also told to take out the trash, but the note didn’t say where, so we ended up carrying it with us. Still, we were very pleased with our stay. I’ve added some pictures of the aurora we saw from camp.