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From Modest Beginnings to a Reindeer Farm Open for Visitors
From Modest Beginnings to a Reindeer Farm Open for Visitors

Since 1949

Jaakkola’s Reindeer Farm – with its stables, barns and carpentry workshop – was built in 1949, just after the war years. The founders, Martta and Väinö Jaakkola, lived from reindeer herding, forestry, wooden boat building, milling and small-scale farming. Life was hard but full of purpose, and reindeer were always at the heart of it.

A Family Legacy of Reindeer Herding

The couple had five children, and their eldest, Reino, chose to stay on the farm with his own family. He helped his parents with daily work and raised his children in the same log house. By the 1980s, Reino began offering reindeer sled rides to visitors on the Luosto ski slopes. Soon he decided to build a large, modern Kota (traditional Sámi hut) on the farm, opening the door to reindeer activities right where the animals lived.

Passing on Knowledge to the Next Generation

Reino’s son, Jani, grew up learning reindeer herding and sleigh training from a very young age. After Reino’s passing in 2006, Jani carried forward his father’s life’s work – not only inheriting the reindeer farm but also priceless knowledge about working with and caring for reindeer. Many long-time guests still fondly recall Reino’s warm personality and the sparkle in his eyes.

Today: Tradition and Sámi Culture Alive

Today, Jani continues to run the farm together with his Sámi life partner, Anu. Their everyday life is a blend of reindeer herding, tourism, raising children and keeping Sámi traditions alive. Anu’s joyful, welcoming spirit and the family’s genuine hospitality leave a deep impression on visitors. Many guests return year after year – not only for the reindeer, but also for the people behind them.

Welcome to Experience Local Life

At Jaakkola’s Reindeer Farm you are welcomed not just as a visitor, but as a guest in our home. Here, reindeer, Sámi culture and family traditions meet. We warmly invite you to join us, learn about local life and create memories that will last a lifetime.