Kittilä is famous for being the location of the lowest recorded temperature in Finnish history: −51.5 °C (−60.7 °F), measured in January 1999 in Pokka.

Kittilä has a subarctic climate (Dfc) as a result of its northerly location and being far inland, which renders strong seasonal shifts.

The village of Lainio became a hotbed for tourism innovation and included the planned construction of glass-roofed cabins for viewing of the aurora and luxury accommodations built around Neitokainen, a Finland-shaped lake.

The resort hosts a slalom event early each season on the Alpine World Cup circuit and offers both downhill and cross-country skiing to the public, as well as snow shoeing, including to the next nearest fell, Kätkätunturi, located west of Levitunturi.

Experts say that the deposits hold at least three million ounces of gold, by current market price worth 1.8 billion U.S. dollars.