Ähtäri’s pandas left behind beautiful spaces for their new animal residents

In Ähtäri, nature, animals and people meet in the most beautiful environment.

The tourist area that has grown up around Ähtäri Zoo has a lot to offer in addition to the animal park, such as the ecological climbing park Flowpark, the Sauna Restaurant Kiulu, the 18-hole Ähtärin Golf, the Loiske swimming pool that opened last year, Ähtäri Zoo Camping and of course the animal park’s own hotel, Hotel Mesikämmen.

The role of environmental education is growing

This summer, many things will change at the familiar zoo: the direction of the park tour will change, and it will now end at the new environmental education center and the Zoo Shop and nature school that have moved there. The biggest change at the zoo, however, is the large and beautiful spaces that have been vacated by pandas and the arrival of new, energetic residents. The large building will also house other endangered species in the future, but this summer, the spectacled bear, originally from South America, will be making its home there.

Spectacled bears arrive in the park in June

Ähtäri Animal Park is home to over 50 different animal species, the most well-known of which are bears, snow leopards, red pandas and lynxes. In addition to these, there are also more domestic animals, such as otters and moose, and the lambs and cows waiting to be scratched at the Farm, which are a favorite of many. A new endangered species moving to the animal park this summer, the spectacled bear, will arrive in early June.

Symbolic bears are active animals that do not hibernate like the brown bears familiar to Finns, so there is plenty to marvel at in these bears all year round. The new residents will move into the renovated environmental education center, the former panda house, which has been modified during the spring into a suitable, comfortable and safe space for the new species. The spectacled bear will therefore be easily visible both in its spacious indoor spaces and in its outdoor enclosure.

Take a train trip and arrive directly at the animal park’s own stop

Ähtäri is a small town by Finnish standards, but in the summer the population doubles, the town comes alive and the tourist area has plenty of services and happy holidaymakers. Due to its location, Ähtäri is on the route of many tourists: it is an hour’s drive from Seinäjoki, one and a half hours from Jyväskylä, two hours from Tampere and three from Helsinki. In addition to the car, Ähtäri can also be easily reached by train, the animal park has its own train stop a kilometer from the animal park and hotel.

The zoo’s own hotel and the brand new Loiske

The zoo’s own hotel, Hotel Mesikämmen, is located right opposite the zoo. The hotel has 101 rooms, all of which have a magnificent lake view from their own balcony. The lake landscape surrounded by nature even creates a cottage-like feel to the hotel accommodation. Hotel Mesikämmen is a unique destination in any case, as it was designed by the same architect brothers as the famous Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The brothers’ handiwork is particularly visible in the over 9-meter-deep rock corridors carved into the rock, along which the hotel’s residents walk to their rooms.

The hotel has an 8-lane bowling alley, where you can bowl every day, so there are also things to do indoors on rainy days and summer evenings. Next to the hotel is the Loiske swimming hall, built in the summer of 2024, which has wonderful modern facilities for swimming, relaxing and children’s water games. Loiske has a 3-lane main pool, a children’s pool, a warm jacuzzi, a therapy pool, a cold pool and a sauna with a view. The beautiful and serene spaces in the natural landscape provide a wonderful end to a busy day of vacation. Loiske’s concrete walls and large windows continue the stylish architecture familiar from Hotel Mesikämmeni.

The hotel’s own restaurant Mesikämmen serves a breakfast buffet as well as a la carte dishes every day. In the summer, you can enjoy breakfast or dinner on the restaurant’s terrace while admiring the lake views, and on summer Fridays, there is atmospheric live music on the terrace.

Experience accommodation at Villa Ursus

If you are looking for an experience accommodation, then the unique Villa Ursus is located in connection with the hotel and the animal park. The cottage has a direct view of the animal park’s bear den, so in the evening you can watch the twilight-active brown bears from your room after the park closes. The accommodation includes an evening swim in Loiske, breakfast at Hotel Mesikämmeni and animal park tickets.

Relaxed campsite accommodation by the lake

Ähtäri Zoo Camping is located between the animal park and the hotel, on the shore of a beautiful lake. The cozy and family-oriented campsite offers accommodation options in camping cabins, caravan and car parking spaces, and a tent area. The reception building has a café and a pizza restaurant with terraces. The beach is sandy. The campsite has its own entrance in the middle of the animal park tour, so those staying there avoid hunting for a parking space and ticket queues at the main gate. It is also convenient to return to your own cabin or caravan from your own gate, even during the day, to rest for a while, and continue the park tour in the evening. Surrounded by nature and animals, it is easy to relax, the hustle and bustle of everyday life is forgotten, and children’s screen time decreases almost without noticing, when there are so many different things to wonder about.