SAARISELKÄ WORKSHOP FIELD GUIDE
Panning Through Time: Tankavaara’s 150-Year Gold Heritage
A four-hour, hands-on workshop at Tankavaara Gold Village where expert guides teach traditional gold-panning techniques, provide all equipment, and you keep whatever gold you find.
Panning Through Time: Tankavaara’s 150-Year Gold Heritage.
Set in Tankavaara Gold Village near Saariselkä, this compact workshop brings 150 years of Lapland’s gold-prospecting tradition into the present: expert instructors demonstrate prospecting techniques, participants use provided tools to pan for gold, enjoy a shared lunch, and take home any finds in a glass vial.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
A Living Gold-Prospecting Tradition
Tankavaara distills 150 years of Lapland gold history into a hands-on experience—where the region’s prospecting culture is actively taught to visitors.
Expert Guidance and Practical Skill-Building
Guides demonstrate the art of prospecting and supervise your panning, turning technique demonstrations into immediate practice at the sluice or pan.
Bring Home Your Finds
All necessary equipment is provided, and any gold you discover is yours to keep—collected and given to you in a small glass vial as a tangible souvenir.
What the day feels like
What Four Hours at Tankavaara Feels Like
The program is a focused, four-hour workshop in which instructors introduce you to Lapland’s gold story, demonstrate prospecting methods, loan you the panning equipment, and guide you through hands-on searching—culminating in a communal lunch and the ritual of storing discovered gold in a glass vial to take home.
THE HISTORY
A Living Gold-Prospecting Tradition
Tankavaara distills 150 years of Lapland gold history into a hands-on experience—where the region’s prospecting culture is actively taught to visitors.
THE WORKSHOP
Expert Guidance and Practical Skill-Building
Guides demonstrate the art of prospecting and supervise your panning, turning technique demonstrations into immediate practice at the sluice or pan.
THE TAKEAWAY
Bring Home Your Finds
All necessary equipment is provided, and any gold you discover is yours to keep—collected and given to you in a small glass vial as a tangible souvenir.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this workshop suits—and what to consider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The workshop lasts approximately four hours.
All necessary gold-panning equipment is provided by the operator; you’ll receive any gold you find in a glass vial. Bring appropriate outerwear for local weather.
The activity takes place at Tankavaara Gold Village near Saariselkä and is operated by Northern Lights Village Saariselkä.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Tankavaara gold-panning workshop?
The workshop runs for approximately four hours.
Do I need to bring any special equipment?
No—operators provide all necessary gold-panning equipment for the workshop.
Can I keep any gold I find?
Yes—any gold you discover during the session is yours to keep and is given to you in a glass vial.
Is food provided during the activity?
A lunch is included as part of the workshop.
Who runs the Tankavaara gold-panning experience?
The activity is operated by Northern Lights Village Saariselkä at Tankavaara Gold Village.
What will I learn during the workshop?
Participants learn traditional gold-prospecting techniques from expert guides and get practical experience panning for gold.