Sauna culture is part of Finnish outdoor life
Many national parks and hiking destinations offer traditional saunas that can be accessed for a small fee or rented for private use. These saunas are maintained by municipalities, associations, or Metsähallitus (the Finnish Forest Administration). All you need to bring is a towel and a pefletti – a small mat for sitting on the sauna bench. Often, the sauna experience begins with preparing and heating the sauna yourself, so remember to bring fire-starting tools.
Most saunas in hiking destinations are:
- Wood-heated – offering gentle steam and a traditional sauna experience
- Off-grid and modestly equipped
- Located in nature, often by a lake or river
- Attached to a hut or in separate buildings, suitable for both day trips and overnight stays
Saunas are booked through the Eräluvat.fi online service. The booking calendar shows available times and prices. Many saunas can be combined with overnight stays by booking a nearby rental hut – and some huts even have their own sauna.
Public saunas: a communal experience along the trail
Public saunas are especially common along popular hiking routes. The sauna fee is paid per day, allowing flexibility in timing. However, you’ll share the sauna with others. There may be designated times for men, women, or mixed groups – or sauna-goers may agree on turns themselves. In mixed sessions, wearing a towel or swimsuit may be required. These saunas cannot be reserved for private use.
Everyone is responsible for keeping the sauna clean and ensuring there’s enough heat for the next users.
At Metsähallitus sites, you can pay the public sauna fee afterwards via the Eräluvat.fi online store. The payment cannot be retroactively assigned to a specific date, but that’s okay – you can “book” your sauna session for the day you pay.
Rental saunas and sauna-equipped huts: enjoy in peace
Rental saunas and huts with saunas offer privacy and a quiet sauna moment with your group. These private-use saunas must be reserved and paid in advance. Usually, you’ll heat and clean the sauna yourself, so allow enough time for the experience. Heating the sauna is part of the ritual and helps you slow down and prepare for the bath.
Most wood-heated saunas take about an hour to warm up – less in summer. Firewood is collected from a nearby shed. Bathwater is carried from a lake or well and heated in a sauna cauldron.
Rental saunas are often located away from other services, but full privacy cannot be guaranteed. Consider whether you need a swimsuit or a larger towel to feel comfortable sitting on the sauna terrace.
Tips for a sauna outing
- Bring a towel, a small sauna sitting mat (called a pefletti in Finnish), and drinking water. If you’re heating the stove yourself, you’ll need matches and kindling – or a knife to make some kindling.
- Use biodegradable soaps. Wash in the sauna or designated washing area – never in natural water bodies.
- The last sauna user of the day empties the water cauldron and turns the water containers upside down. In winter, leftover water may freeze and damage the containers or the cauldron tap. In summer, stagnant water can become slimy or cause a danger to animals, which may drown or become trapped in the containers.
- Check the sauna’s location and accessibility in advance. Some saunas are remote, so it’s best to include them in a longer hike or trek.
Camping rules also apply to kota tents and sauna tents. Read more about sauna tents and kota tents.
