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Northern Lights in Lapland

New Year's Adventure in Finnish Lapland

(4 days / 3 nights)

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Welcome the new year in magical Lapland!

Make it a New Year to remember with an adventure in the Arctic! This break in Finnish Lapland offers unique cultural insights, fun-filled group activities in nature and chances to see the northern lights. Feel the thrill of a dog sled ride, learn about local traditions at a reindeer farm, observe arctic wildlife and visit Santa at the famous Santa Claus Village. To top it off, enjoy a double New Year’s countdown at a special celebration on the Finnish-Swedish border.

Contact us for availability

Travel style

Partially Guided i

Interest

Active i, Culture and History i, Dog Sled i, Family i, New Year’s i, Reindeers and Sami Culture i, Santa Claus i, Soft Activities i

Season

New Year

Departure

29 Dec

Interest

Active i, Culture and History i, Dog Sled i, Family i, New Year’s i, Reindeers and Sami Culture i, Santa Claus i, Soft Activities i

Itinerary

A day-by-day plan to guide your northern adventure.

  • Day 1: ARRIVAL IN KEMI

    Arrive at Kemi Airport where you will be met by a driver and transferred to your hotel in Kemi. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the town or relax in a traditional Finnish sauna at the hotel. In the evening, you will meet your travel companions and tour leader for a welcome dinner at the hotel.

    Up for a little adventure this evening? If so, you can take part in a guided snowmobile excursion to experience the tranquil beauty of Lapland’s wilderness and, if conditions are favourable, the northern lights (optional; not included).

    Spend the night in Kemi.

    Helpful notes:
    • Transfer from Kemi Airport is included in this package. We can also arrange a transfer from Oulu Airport for an additional fee. See ‘Not Included List’ for details.
    • Please note that the northern lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed.

    Attractions Attractions Attractions Attractions See Activities for this day
  • Day 2: SANTA CLAUS & REINDEER

    Today you’ll enjoy a day-long excursion to Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland. The first stop will be at the famous Santa Claus Village. There you’ll get to meet Santa himself at his workshop and do a bit of souvenir shopping if you wish. Then you’ll return to Kemi to visit a reindeer farm and learn about reindeer herding and Sami culture from the farmers. You’ll enjoy a delicious Lappish lunch in a traditional Kota before going on a fun 1.5-kilometre reindeer sleigh ride through the woods, which will earn you a special “reindeer driver license”!

    Later, you’ll have some time to relax and enjoy a stint in the sauna before having dinner in the hotel restaurant.

    Spend the night in Kemi.

    Helpful note:
    • The ride to Rovaniemi is about 1.5 hours each way. Transportation is by comfortable coach bus.

    Attractions Attractions
  • Day 3: HUSKIES, ARCTIC WILDLIFE & NEW YEAR’S PARTY

    Make this last day of the year memorable with an action-packed itinerary. Start your day with a visit to a husky kennel. Here you’ll enjoy a short (1.5 kilometre) but thrilling dog sled ride, followed by a chance to take photos with the huskies. Then you’ll enjoy a hot beverage and snacks in a traditional Sami tent.

    Then your group will continue onwards to Ranua Wildlife Park, where you’ll go on a guided walking tour through the park to observe arctic wildlife such as polar bears, lynx and wolves. You’ll then enjoy a lunch buffet of local specialties in the park’s restaurant. Before the ride back to Kemi, you’ll have a chance for some souvenir shopping at the park’s gift and candy shops.

    Back at the hotel, dress up in your warm outdoor party outfit before the ride to tonight’s enchanting venue in the middle of a forest. This will be a New Year’s to remember, with a festive dinner in a wooden hut followed by unique local traditions. Among the activities, you’ll get to partake in the old Finnish custom of tin casting, a form of fortune telling, and be baptised by a Sami shaman. Before the countdown to midnight, you’ll be taken to Victoriatorget on the Finnish-Swedish border where, thanks to the time zone difference, you’ll be able to catch the midnight fireworks in Finland and then do it all over again one hour later in Sweden! After the celebrations you’ll be returned to your hotel and, if you’re up to it, you can explore the nightlife in Kemi.

    Spend the night in Kemi.

    Helpful notes:

    • Two people will share one dog sled and take turn driving.
    • The ride to the husky kennel is 30 minutes, the ride to the wildlife park is 1.5 hours, and the ride to the forest venue is about 20 minutes. All transportation is by comfortable coach bus.

    Attractions Attractions
  • Day 4: DEPARTURE

    After this exciting New Year’s getaway in Finnish Lapland you will be transferred back to Kemi Airport for your departure flight.

    Helpful notes:
    • Transfer to Kemi Airport is included in this package. We can also arrange a transfer to Oulu Airport for an additional fee. See ‘Not Included List’ for details.

Optional extras

Customise your adventure with these Optional Extras.

We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.

Map

Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.

Accommodation

Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.

Comfort Plus

Hotel Merihovi is located in the centre of Kemi, steps from shops, cafes and other convenient town amenities. Each room offers a c..

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Tour Information

If you would like to book this tour with an arrival date 4 weeks or less from today, please contact us for assistance.

  • All tour packages in Lapland are subject to availability, so we advise not booking flights until we have confirmed your booking. In the event that accommodations are fully booked on your preferred dates, your travel consultant will be in touch with information about the next available dates.
  • Extra nights can be added on request.
  • You will be travelling in a bus with a group of other guests to all scheduled activities. All activities are with English-speaking guides.
  • Please note that the activities for each day may be done in a different order than stated in the itinerary and will be confirmed closer to arrival.
  • Due to safety reasons this package has a minimum age limit of 4 years old.

For more information about travelling in Lapland, such as what to pack and what to expect with the weather, check out our Lapland Travel Guide.

Adventure Packages
All of Nordic Visitor’s Lapland travel packages should be considered adventure travel on account of being operated in the Arctic during sometimes extreme weather conditions and with the use of live animals for many excursions. For this reason, those booking a travel package in Lapland (except for those considered family travel packages) should consider themselves at least moderately physically fit and comfortable engaging in activities that are considered adventurous or strenuous.

Some things to keep in mind:

  • Please be advised that in peak winter months, daylight is limited to a few hours — usually between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. However, the light reflecting off the snow can make the days seem brighter.
  • There will be snow and ice on the ground, sometimes making it difficult to walk.
  • No luggage handling services will be available. You must be prepared and able to carry your own luggage in snowy conditions.
  • Accommodations will be simple in comparison to what you’d find in major urban centres.
  • WC facilities encountered during excursions may be unheated outhouses without running water.
  • During husky safaris where you share one team of huskies with another person, the person standing to drive the sled will need to kick to assist the dogs and may be required to run when sledding uphill.
  • Reindeer and huskies can run moderately fast and the terrain may be uneven in some spots, so the sled rides can be bumpy at times.

The safety of our travellers is our top priority at Nordic Visitor. We reserve the right to change or cancel departures if we feel the conditions will jeopardize the safety of our customers.

Meals
Starting with dinner on 29th December and ending with breakfast on 1st January, all meals are included in this tour. The meals are a mix of traditional Finnish foods, Sami foods and international dishes. The dinners are either 3-course set menus or buffets. A typical 3-course dinner consists of: a starter of salad or soup, a main course such as meat or fish and a dessert such as cake and ice cream.

If you have any food allergies, please let your travel consultant know as soon as possible so we can inform the local suppliers and hotels.

Northern Lights
The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Evening excursions will operate according to the tour schedule, even in unfavourable viewing conditions, and our guides will do their utmost to determine the best possible location for sightings.

After booking with Nordic Visitor
After booking your package with Nordic Visitor, you will be contacted within two working days by one of our travel consultants, who will serve as your dedicated contact person for all of your travel needs before, during and even after your holiday. Before you travel, Nordic Visitor will provide you with a detailed personal itinerary and vouchers for all services and activities booked for your travel package. You will also be provided with Nordic Visitor’s 24/7 helpline phone number where you can always reach a Nordic Visitor representative during your time in Lapland.

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