8 Days | Meet reindeers, search for the Northern Lights and soak up the beauty of a Lapland winter
Make the most of the cold season and take a trip to Lapland in winter – this is Northern Scandinavia blanketed in white! Over eight days, you’ll travel through Finland, Sweden and Norway to see a hotel carved from ice, bake bread the traditional Swedish way, visit the UNESCO-listed church town of Gammelstad and search for the Northern Lights. Take a tour at night with a local expert in Abysko National Park and give yourself the best opportunity to see the sky light up, then meet the local Sami people and soak up their history, way of life and resident reindeer. Wander around beautiful cities and small towns, like Rovaniemi (Santa's official hometown), Lulea, Narvik and Tromso – all with a local leader by your side to give you all the insights.
Trip overview
- Start
- Rovaniemi, Finland
- Finish
- Tromso, Norway
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Sweden, Finland, Norway
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- BMSL
- Journey through Lapland – the home of Santa Claus – in winter. During this harsh but incredibly beautiful season, there are far less tourists and you’ll be treated to a new perspective of Northern Scandinavia.
- Learn the traditional break-baking techniques and surrounding folklore during a fun workshop in Lulea. Then, walk through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gammelstad Church Town by lantern light with a local guide.
- Discover the fascinating culture and traditions of the Sami people – Europe's only Indigenous people – and meet a local reindeer herder in the village.
- Take a Northern Lights tour as nightfall descends in the scenic Abysko National Park – this is one of the best places in the world to spot the colourful displays of the Aurora Borealis!
- Travel to new cities you’ve never seen blanketed in snow – like Narvik, where you can visit the war museum, and Tromso, where you can walk along the picturesque streets packed with colourful houses.
- Lapland can be extremely cold in winter. Please bring appropriate clothing for adverse weather conditions and see the ‘Packing’ section in the ‘Essential Trip Information’ for more details.
- Your leader may have to alter the itinerary and activities due to the weather. In this case, alternatives will be offered. Even though it will be cold, there may not always be snow cover, so snow dependent activities will be replaced.
- The Northern Lights (also known as the Aurora Borealis) are a natural display of coloured lights in the night sky of the northern hemisphere. While sightings can never be guaranteed, you do have a higher chance of seeing them in locations at high latitudes, such as Northern Finland. Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies!
- Accommodation on this trip is twin share and hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart. Single travellers will share a room with another traveller of the same gender. If you’d prefer not to share, a single room supplement is available at an additional charge.
- Rooms in Finland can be small, and at times you may be accommodated a short walk away from the main building. Many guesthouses will also have shared bathrooms, rather than ensuite facilities.
- Finland can be an expensive destination, so budget accordingly if you plan to take optional activities and eat out.
- It’s advised to pack lightly, with a maximum of 15 kg, as you’ll be expected to carry your own bag between destinations and on and off public transport. You'll also need a day pack to carry water and a camera for daytrips.
Itinerary
Inclusions
7 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle
Hotel (5 nights), Guesthouse (2 nights)
- Rovaniemi - Welcome meeting
- Rovaniemi – Rovaniemi Leader led orientation walk
- Rovaniemi - Snow Hotel Entrance
- Lulea - Gammelstadt Lantern Tour and Bread baking
- Kiruna - Orientation Walk
- Abysko NP - Northern Light Hunting Trip
- Lapland - Trip to Sami village with lunch
- Tromso - Orientation Walk
- Rovaniemi - Arktikum - EUR18
- Rovaniemi - Santa Claus Village - Free
- Kemi - Sampo Icebreaker from - EUR300
- Rovaniemi - Fatbike rentals - EUR50
- Rovaniemi - Ounasvaara Winter Walking Trail and Observation Tower - Free
- Lulea - Norrbottens museum - Free
- Lulea - Dog sledding - SEK1600
- Lulea - Northern lights tour - SEK900
- Kiruna - LKAB’s Visitor Center - SEK495
- Kiruna - Aurora Spa Visit - Free
- Kiruna - Husky Northern Light tou - SEK2100
- Narvik - War Museum - NOK110
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. Please also note that due to the small properties we use in Europe there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Scandinavia can be extremely cold at this time of year. Please bring appropriate clothing for adverse weather conditions. Please see the Packing section in the Essential Trip Information document for what we recommend you should bring along.
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