FINLAND · LAPLAND & HELSINKI
Chase the lights across the Finnish Arctic.
Aurora hunts and husky sleds in Lapland, Santa Claus on the Arctic Circle, snowmobile safaris and ice floating, plus Helsinki on the Baltic and the lakeland in between.
The big three
What you actually come north for.
Plenty of countries have snow and cold. Far fewer give you the aurora directly overhead, a team of huskies in your own hands, and the Arctic Circle marked on the ground at Santa’s village. Build the trip around these.
After dark
Hunting the Northern Lights
From late August to early April the sky over Lapland flickers green and violet on clear nights. Rovaniemi guides drive you out past the town lights, read the cloud and the solar forecast, and chase a clear patch of sky until the aurora shows. Heated cabins, hot berry juice, and a camera already set up to catch it.
- 1 Rovaniemi: Northern Lights Tour with Guaranteed Sightings
- 2 Northern Lights Rovaniemi: Guaranteed Viewing & Unlimited Mileage
- 3 Rovaniemi: Lapland Northern Lights Tour with BBQ
On the trail
Driving Your Own Husky Team
Stand on the runners, lift the snow hook, and a team of huskies pulls you out into the silent forest. The good farms in Lapland let you drive your own sled rather than ride along as a passenger. It is faster and quieter than it looks, and the dogs live for it.
- 1 Rovaniemi: Apukka Husky Adventure
- 2 Rovaniemi: Snowmobile Safari, Reindeer & Husky Sleigh Ride
- 3 Rovaniemi: Daytime Husky Safari
On the Arctic Circle
Crossing the Arctic Circle at Santa's Village
Just north of Rovaniemi a painted line on the ground marks the Arctic Circle, and beside it sits the village that calls itself the official home of Santa Claus. You can meet him any day of the year, post a card from the Arctic Circle post office, and stamp your own crossing certificate.
- 1 Rovaniemi: Snowman World Entrance Ticket
- 2 Rovaniemi: Santa Claus Village and Arctic Circle
- 3 Rovaniemi: Santa’s Village & Snowmobiling to Reindeer Farm
Where to start
If you only book one, make it this.
The experience most travellers reach for first when they start planning their nights up in Lapland.
The classics
Finland's Most Popular Tours
Aurora hunts, husky sleds, snowmobile safaris and Santa. The experiences that fill up first across Lapland.
By region
Pick where to base yourself.
Rovaniemi for Santa and the aurora. Levi and the fells for skiing. Saariselka for the far-north wilderness. Helsinki for the Baltic and the design.
By activity
Or start with what you want to do.
Aurora tours if you came for the lights. Huskies or reindeer if you want the sleds. Snowmobiles for speed, ice fishing for the quiet, plus cruises, hikes and city walks for the daylight hours.
Engines on the snow
Snowmobiling across the fells.
Throttle across frozen lakes and open fells with a guide breaking trail ahead. Short loops near Rovaniemi or all-day rides deeper into the wilderness. Three we would line up first.
The Sami way
Reindeer sleighs and herders' stories.
Glide through the snow behind a reindeer the way the Sami have for centuries, then warm up by the fire with the people who herd them. Our three favourites for a slower afternoon.
Out on the frozen lake
Drill a hole, drop a line, float on the ice.
Auger through half a metre of ice and fish the way Finns have all winter, or zip into a survival suit and bob in the open water between the floes. Three to try on a clear, cold afternoon.
Down south
Helsinki, the Baltic and a hop to Tallinn.
There is more to Finland than the snow up north. Design and saunas in Helsinki, a boat out into the archipelago, forest trails at Nuuksio, and a fast ferry across to Tallinn. The best of the south in three.
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