Moomin Ice Cave is now a year-round attraction

The Moomin Ice Cave in Leppävirta, Finland, has again opened its doors to showcase remarkable ice sculptures based on Tove Jansson’s comics. The cave is now a year-round experience, welcoming visitors until 8.12.2024, with a newly extended activity area, Vesileppis Winterpark.

30 meters below the ground, you can experience a magical world of ice sculptures and fun activities.

The renewed Moomin Ice Cave in Leppävirta continues scenes from Tove Jansson‘s comic strip Moominvalley Turns Jungle (1956). Visitors can explore the jungle-themed wonderland, complete with carnivorous plants, wild jungle animals, the Hobgoblin and other traditional Moomin characters.

“We have expanded the jungle theme of the previous summer season because of its spectacular and sculpturally challenging nature. The scenes are from different stories, but the jungle plays a big role this year, linking all twenty or so sculptural pieces together in the promenade area of the exhibition”, says Esa Salmiheimo, Managing Director of Leppäkerttu Oy. 

 

 

“The international team of sculptors led by Anssi Kuosa from Ice Magic Oy welcomed our theme because it was so challenging”, explains Salmiheimo.

Moomin Ice Cave now an exciting tourist attraction together with Vesileppis Winterpark

A major new feature for the just-opened season is the activity area Vesileppis Winterpark, which has been expanded in the cave.

The second tunnel of the arena is now home to Europe’s longest indoor ice slide. You’ll also find other slides of different sizes, the pole sledge familiar to last year’s visitors, a snowbike pump ride and a tube slide on-site.

“We wanted something bigger. We moved the tube slide on the other side of the arena, which created space to build an 80-metre-long ice slide”, says Salmiheimo. “In addition, we will again combine the Vesileppis skiing season with the exhibition for a few months in the autumn by sharing opening hours.”

The Moomin Ice Cave has a temperature of around -3C all year round. In the summer, the entry ticket includes the hire of winter overalls to make the visit more comfortable. Vesileppis is about half an hour’s drive from Kuopio.

Photos by HannaK Photo.