Tankavaara touches the western side of Urho Kekkonen National Park, and several short trails begin close to the village. They are the practical way to taste the park without committing to a long wilderness route.
The landscape is classic northern Finland: spruce and birch forest, boggy ground, open views where the land rises, and a sense of space that starts almost immediately beyond the buildings. For longer treks, plan carefully; Tankavaara is useful, but it is not the park's main deep-wilderness gateway.