Day 1: Santa's Homeland - Rovaniemi
Your
guide will pick you up from the airport or train station upon your arrival in
Rovaniemi and bring you to our office in the city center to get you dressed up
in winter clothes and boots. When
we are ready to go, set off to Santa Claus Village, located in the
Arctic Circle, where you can actually cross it yourself. Greet Santa Claus in
his office, send a greeting postcard to your family and friends, and explore
Santa Claus Village with a lot of Christmas and Lappish products to take back
with you. At
lunch time, you will try a traditional Finnish buffet.
You
will also be visiting the husky and reindeer farms in the Santa Claus village.
Don't forget to take a selfie with these cute animals during your sleigh ride!
After
the visit at the Santa Calus Village, join a guided tour with our professional
tour guide at the Arktikum Museum, to learn all about the northern nature,
culture, and history up close.
At night, head out for the first ever hunting
experience of the northern lights with our professional photographers! You will
receive pictures the next day of you and the northern lights together if we
capture them!
Day 2: Amethyst Mine in Luosto &
Saariselkä
After
breakfast at your hotel, set off to the Amethyst mine, hopping on a
snowcat, a large treaded snow vehicle, to reach the tophill.
You
will be provdied with the tools and guidance to dig out your very own rare,
hidden amethyst! Our professional guide will explain the story behind it and
A light lunch will be provided as well in the
woods with campfire BBQ snacks. When you are warmed up and ready to continue
the journey, we will drive you up to the further north - Saariselkä. Saariselkä
village is one of the most popular locations among nature lovers and aurora
hunters for hunting the Northern Lights. Let's see if we all get lucky tonight!
Day
3: Sami Culture - Inari & Gold Mining
Start your day with breakfast at the hotel and
hop on the real husky adventure! We will arrive at a local farm and
learn all about these fluffy animals from the farm staffs before we jump on the
sleigh ride into the forest.
After saying goodbye to our husky friends, let’s
enjoy the gold rushers’ feeling of gold mining in the wilderness. The gate of
Lapland’s gold fields is located directly at the road E75, 30 km south of
Saariselkä and 230 km north of Rovaniemi. Gold prospectors have taught visitors
to pan for gold for more than 40 years in Tankavaara. At lunch, try out the
local dishes and see if you like them.
Learn more about the Sami people and their
unique culture in the Sami museum "Siida", and in Inari,
the small and lively village on the edge of Inari Lake. Inari is considered as
the center of Sami culture and Arctic nature.
Day 4: King Crab & Fjords &
North Cape
Today
is all about the King Crab Safari. Learn from the expert divers how to catch
and cook the delicious king crab.
On your way to North Cape, take a delight in
inimitable landscapes and fjord-sightseeing. Later on, enjoy a breathtaking view
of the North Cape and the Northern Lights above if the sky is clear enough.
Day 5: Alta
Alta
is the most populated town in the county of Finmark, in northern Norway. It is
home to more than 6,000 carvings on rocks, some of them dating as early as 4200
BC. Some areas have been turned into open-air museums, and we will have the
chance to visit the main one!
Afterward, we will visit the Northern Lights
Church. Then we will taste a local delicatessen, for lunch. Alta also has an
Ice Castle Hotel, where we will be amazed by the architecture and ice
sculptures.
Day 6: Lakeside Sauna Relaxing Day
Today
we will return to Finland. Sit back and relax to enjoy the stunning views and
scenery along the way back to Rovaniemi. Afterward, put on a survival swimming
suit and head to the Lappish lake to float in the water. There's no better way
than stepping into the traditional Finnish Sauna after a long day jorney in the
car. The best way to relax your muscles is to chill in the steaming sauna bath.
Sauna is a strong part of the Finnish lifestyle, normally, Finns go to the
sauna naked, and this is natural. Although in public mixed saunas, bathing
suits are required. The sauna facility we provide is exclusive to you and your
group only. Have a quick shower before going in. Sit for a moment to get used
to the temperature of the room and throw water on the rocks—löyly (in Finnish
we called it)—which will create steam and heat even more. When it gets too
warm, remember to take breaks in between. You can go outside to cool down or
try ice swimming if you want. Stay hydrated too, as you will be sweating a lot!
And
to end this perfect, relaxing day, enjoy the most cozy and comfortable stay in
the arctic igloo—Aurora Nest Eco Glass Igloo by the frozen lake.
Day
7: Ranua Zoo & Departure Day
On
our last day, we will visit Ranua´s Arctic Wildlife Zoo. A natural sanctuary
for the Arctic animals, where we will meet more than 50 species of arctic
animals, including, of course, the polar bear. After the visit, we will head to
the forest for a light snack on the barbecue before heading back to Rovaniemi.
This
will be the last activity of the trip, you will be dropped off at the train
station or airport for your return journey.