Mäntyjärvi: Lakes, Water Routes and the Livojoki

Water shapes the different aspects of Mäntyjärvi described here: the village is home to one of the largest lakes in the Livojoki catchment area, a water route bears Mäntyjärvi’s name, and fishing is connected with a local fishing association. There is also an on-demand call bus service on the Mäntyjärvi–Lauhkea–Posio route. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can choose your destination based on whether the lake, fishing or the wider river basin is the main focus of your holiday plans.

A lake in the Livojoki catchment area

Mäntyjärvi is one of the largest lakes in the Livojoki catchment area. The lakes in this catchment area are located in the Posio region. This means you can consider the village not only in terms of the individual lake, but also in connection with a larger river basin. The Livojoki is 135 kilometres long. It rises from Lake Livojärvi in Posio and flows into the Iijoki near the village of Aittojärvi.

The fisheries management area also extends beyond a single locality: the Livojoki catchment area belongs to the Iijoki area and spans the municipalities of Posio and Pudasjärvi. So if you are choosing accommodation based on a particular water-related focus, you can consider whether Mäntyjärvi itself or the Livojoki river landscape better suits your travel interests. These two connections relate to different geographical levels and need not be treated as a single excursion.

Water route and river landscape

A printable PDF map is available for the Raistakan alaosa–Kouva–Mäntyjärvi water route. The route is also listed among the maps for the Posio region. Its name provides a specific point of reference for anyone interested in this water route; the map can be printed and used in your trip planning.

In the Livojoki area, rapids alternate with calmer stretches of river. They offer a nature experience for experienced paddlers as well as inexperienced boaters. This is a different water-related attraction from the named route to Mäntyjärvi: here, the focus is on the river’s character and its varied stretches. When planning their trip, families can consider whether they are mainly interested in local water and fishing or would also like to include the river experience in the wider travel area.

A project on Mäntyjärvi and the lower reaches of the Laukunjoki aimed to make boating, fishing and other leisure activities possible. Following a sand removal project, boat travel was made easier on the waters of Mäntyjärvi and along the lower reaches of the Laukunjoki. These details connect the lake and the lower reaches of the Laukunjoki with a specific project, while the paddling stretches of the Livojoki offer a separate perspective on the river basin.

Fishing and local information

Mäntyjärven kalastuskunta is listed among the fishing associations in Posio. Its chair is Olavi Ollila; the contact details provided are 040 749 0913 and posionluontolomat (at) gmail.com. For travellers interested in fishing, this is a specific local point of reference, although it does not imply any particular activity or offering for your stay.

On 12 April 2026, a public ice-fishing tournament was held in Mäntyjärvi. It was organised by Posion Kalamiehet and Mäntyjärven kalastuskunta. The tournament is a dated example of a public fishing event in the area and can be viewed as part of the recent local fishing history; the date refers to this event, not to a recurring date.

Getting around the municipality

The on-demand call bus organised by the municipality of Posio operates on the Mäntyjärvi–Lauhkea–Posio route. The service is open to everyone; passengers pay the bus fare. The place names indicate the route served by the call bus, not the distances between individual attractions.

More destinations: Tornio, Utsjoki, Rautuskylä, Pohjaslahti, Kaamanen, Sinettä, Luosto and Pello.

Back to the main travel guide: Lapland.