Ivalo (Sami: Avvil) is a town in Finnish Lapland. It is the administrative centre for the municipality of Inari, with half the population and e.g. the health care centre. The municipality, at, 5 % of the country, is the largest in Finland.
Although quite large, Ivalo is not that well-known by tourists. The village was destroyed during the Lapland War 1944–1945. Most tourist businesses offer services for outdoor activities and visiting the nearby areas.
The northern limit for spruce is near the town. Here are still some big spruces, while few non-planted ones grow much to the north.
There is a Metsähallitus Customer Service in Ivalo, which has information on state-owned lands in the municipalities of Inari and Utsjoki, especially about hiking possibilities. They also sell maps, fishing and hunting permits and take reservations for rental cabins in wilderness areas. Address Ivalontie 10, phone +358 205 64 7701, e-mail: ivalo@metsa.fi
The Ivalo River (Ivalojoki) nearby was the site of a gold rush in the 1870s, and some gold panners still try their luck. The former "Crown Station" Ivalojoen Kultala has been restored and is open for visitors (without fee). There is also an open wilderness hut and a rental hut at the site. Kultala is at Ivalojoki in Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, about 14 km from the nearest road (which is in bad condition). The recommended route (via the road to Kuttura) passes the gold panning area at the river Sotajoki, which is quite a sight, with unorganized caravan camping and machine dug holes in the stony river banks. There are historic gold villages also here, with huts and some other facilities for visitors. Farther from the road the route passes through nice landscapes (it might be worthwhile to deviate from the route for some hilltop views). The Ivalojoki canyon and the rope bridge over it at Kultala are sights in themselves.
Ivalojoki is a very nice canoeing route from Kuttura to Ivalo.
There are snowmobile routes passing by the village.
- Saariselkä, 30 km south from Ivalo. Winter sports resort, gateway to Urho Kekkonen National Park.
- Inari, 40 km north from Ivalo, centre for Sámi culture, by the large lake Inari with a mosaic of islands.