Imagine having 300+ hectares of private wilderness within the Arctic Circle to yourself, no light pollution and the mighty Northern Lights are dancing in the sky; imagine breathing the world’s cleanest air and drinking the purest water. Imagine leaving the cares and stresses of your world behind and immersing yourself in nature, whilst having the luxury of total privacy and personalized services to cater to your every need.
This is what Janne Honkanen has created with Octola Private Wilderness, a 10 Suite log cabin recently completed within the Finnish Arctic Circle where the Northern Lights can be witnessed over the period of September to April.
Janne, the CEO of Arctic Region Travel Operator, Luxury Action, is a pioneer of experiential travel within the Arctic Circle. Having searched for the perfect accommodation to offer his most discerning clients wishing to experience the Arctic Circle, he finally decided to build it himself.
The concept initially sounds somewhat contradictory, isolation and seclusion but with every luxury provided, but in fact, it provides the perfect escape for those who are looking for something different, something meaningful and providing total immersion in nature.
The result is a 10-suite log cabin in the middle of the Arctic wilderness. Outside the cabin, 300+ hectares of wilderness, reindeer and wildlife; pure nature with only custom-built snowmobiles to help you manoeuvre your way around, whilst inside, every luxury one could possibly ask for.
Whether you book the entire cabin of 10 suites, or take a wing of 6 or 4 suites, the rates are all inclusive and allow you to be taken care of by a team of discreet local staff trained to meet your every need, including a private butler and a wilderness guide. A private gym and fitness centre, unique hand carved wood-burning sauna and the freshest food cooked to your liking.
The food is all sourced locally according to the 8 Arctic seasons of Lapland and consisting mainly of game, wild plants, berries, mushrooms and fish, all local, pure and ecologically gathered from nature to your table by your own Michelin star Chef complemented by wines chosen by one of the top sommeliers in Finland.
All arrangements are tailormade to suit the individual guest and Janne had Middle East guests in mind when designing the cabin. “I am extremely grateful and happy for our returning Middle East guests, because without them, we would not have built Octola. The entire Private Wilderness is designed to meet the needs of our most discerning guests who require the utmost privacy”, said Janne.
Joonas Halla from Visit Finland added “Our Finnish wilderness, within the Arctic Circle, provides an escape from everyday life, an oasis of peace and tranquility and an opportunity to connect with nature in a very special way; a passion we share with the Arab way of connecting to the desert.”
Janne Honkanen’s vision is to create a destination that will give you the best return on investment on today’s most valuable asset; your time; and for Octola to give you back something that money cannot buy; an experience that touches your heart.
This is perhaps Janne’s foremost objective and one which he is well on the way to achieving, already attracting high profile guests including members of European Royal families, in the short time Octola has been completed. With two years of advance bookings and a rigourous “guest selection” process in place, it is indeed a rare privilege to experience Octola Private Wilderness.
About Octola Private Wilderness
Octola is a private eco-luxury 10-bedroom wilderness chalet located within the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, approximately 20 minutes from Rovaniemi International Airport. Situated in the heart of a private 300-hectare wilderness reserve, Octola offers ultimate privacy and tailored luxury services. It is a fully catered and hosted destination with exclusive private activities including guided snowshoe excursions in search of the Northern Lights, cross-country skiing, tobogganing, husky sledding, snowmobiling, winter ice driving and private visits to Santa Claus.
About Visit Finland
Visit Finland works to develop Finland’s travel destination brand, marketing Finland to travellers abroad and help companies in the travel industry go global. We cooperate with travel destinations regions, businesses in the travel industry and other export promoters and embassies, Visit Finland is part of Business Finland.
Founder Jonne Honkaken