Nattavaara

Nattavaara combines a long settlement history with extensive natural and cultural landscapes. Traces of human activity near Nattavaara by date back to the 8th century. During the historic ore transports, Nattavaara by was the only settlement along Malmens väg and an important transport hub. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Nattavaara today will find a place where historic routes, rural building culture and Nordic nature are closely linked to various travel ideas.

Historic landscapes and the history of the village

The Pellokielas Nature Reserve is located in the vicinity of Nattavaara by. Pine trees up to 550 years old grow there, and there is also a dry pine heath that is easy for visitors to walk through. The cultivated land of Nattavaara by slopes down towards the Venetjoki, a tributary of the Råneälven. This landscape is particularly well understood as an interplay of forest, watercourse and former land use.

Traces of rural life can also be found in the village itself. Nattavaara by has a mixed building style with several older, well-preserved parstugor and several one-room cottages, particularly in the upper part of the village. To the north and northwest, around fifteen hay barns stand on former marshland cultivation areas. The school built in 1886 is now the Nattavaara local heritage farm complex. For your travel planning, it therefore makes sense to combine nature observation with a tour of the village’s historic culture.

Nature reserves for varied excursions

Several protected areas with different access routes lie around Nattavaara. You can reach the Ainavarto Nature Reserve by driving about 14 kilometres north from Nattavaara by and then turning east onto a forest road that runs through the protected area. Granlandet is reached via länsväg 810 from Nattavaara by towards Murjek and Vuoddas; south of Siekavaara, several suitable access roads lead to the protected area in the east.

The Pellokielas Nature Reserve lies about 25 kilometres southeast of Nattavaara in the southern part of Gällivare Municipality. The road between Polcirkeln and Nattavaara by runs through the protected area. Naulajärvi-Kirvesvuoma is located about 5 kilometres northeast of Nattavaara by. Road 818 to Purnu runs along its northern boundary, while Road 817 to Sarvisvaara follows its southern boundary. The Päivävuoma Nature Reserve lies about 15 kilometres southeast of Nattavaara; the road between Polcirkeln and Nattavaara by passes the protected area. When choosing your accommodation, check which of these excursion routes best suits the days you have planned.

Winter trails, fishing and vast wilderness areas

Malmens väg is now used as a cross-country skiing and snowmobile trail. Along the route there are shelters and picnic huts with indoor fireplaces, as well as prepared outdoor barbecue areas. The trail is about 200 kilometres long and connects a system of ski and snowmobile trails with rest shelters, fishing lakes, viewpoints and wind shelters, including in the Nattavaara area. This allows you to tailor your stay more towards winter activities, longer excursions or individual experiences in nature.

In the area around Nattavaara by, the Råneälven flows through Nattavarabygden and offers sport fishing for salmon, grayling and trout. The Nattavaaraby Viltvårdsområde covers a hunting area of more than 44,000 hectares and has a moose shooting range near Lombolovaara. These different focuses make it clear that travel planning in Nattavaara can range from peaceful cultural exploration to activities in vast natural areas. It is best to choose a holiday apartment or holiday house to suit the routes, protected areas and experiences you actually want to place at the centre of your trip.

Other places to consider for your trip

If you would like to compare other places besides Nattavaara, you can also include Malmberget, Ritsem, Koskullskulle, Puoltikasvaara, Skaulo and Gällivare in your selection.

Return to the main travel overview: Gällivare.