Amethyst Mine is open from Monday to Saturday until mid April. There are two guided fatbike tours per day and during the visit you will hear the stories of geology and history in addition to the properties of the gems and the uses of amethyst.
You will ride to the Amethyst mine with a powerful, electrically assisted fatbike. Bliss' guide will take you to the top of Lampivaara fell (small mountain) where you can enjoy the very top view of the area, over the Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Then you will be seated in wooden shelter, sipping warm berry beverages and listening the facts and beliefs
of this fascinating purple gem stone.
After the story moment you will be heading to the digging area. A part of the open digging area is covered by roof, so amethyst searching is possible also during the winter time. Each visitor will be able to dig for their own personal lucky amethyst. In the end of the visit there is some time to drop by a small “Amethyst Shop” on site. The amethyst of the area is refined into jewellery and other productions.
We offer pick-up for this experience from the following locations:
Note: Pick up from Pyhä starts 45 minutes before departure. If there are many customers at different pickup points, it is important to arrive on time and wait patiently for your own ride.
Suitable personal clothing for winter weather including warm boots and gloves or mittens. Please also bring a balaclava or a simple woolen hat without bobble / pompom that will fit under cycling helmet.
Minimum height of 155 cm for the smallest electric fatbike (size S).
In good snow conditions, physical difficulty level for the electric fatbike tour is regarded as "Easy". However, do not expect the e-fatbike tour to the mine to be like a snowmobile ride (i.e. no physical effort of any level involved). Especially after heavy snowfall during the previous night, "Moderate" pedalling and some basic body coordination will come necessary. Occasionally, you might also need to push the bike to get past the steepest parts, if the snow is very soft.
From Rovaniemi, the closest airport and Santa Claus’ headquarters, it takes 1,5 hours by car or by Skibus to reach us in Luosto (Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi).
The amethyst on Lampivaara fell was born 2000 million years ago in the bowels of the ancient mountains. There is now a gem mine on the top of the hill that will sustain for hundreds of years.
No large excavators are used for digging, only shovels and pickaxes. No amethyst from the rich deposal is sold as raw-material. The stones are refined into jewellery and other products as well as experiences.
Kindly note that 10% of the price of your tour is non-refundable. The 10% will be used to cover fees connected to your booking such as credit card transactions and other administrative charges. Refunds will only be issued to the card used to purchase the tour.