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Arrival to Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and the largest population hub near the Arctic Circle. It’s no wonder that Santa Claus himself has chosen the city as the location of his post office. Beyond Mr. Claus and reindeer, Rovaniemi contains several other noteworthy cultural treasures.
Transfer from the airport or railway station to your hotel 4* in the city center.
Check-in. Free time.
Breakfast in the hotel. Meet your guide in the lobby and departure to the group tour
09:30 – 13:30 Santa Village visit & meeting with Santa Claus
Every child knows that Santa Claus, or Joulupukki in Finnish, lives right here, in Lapland! He can be found in his office every day of the year and You can visit him! Every day a huge number of letters arrive at Santa’s Main Post Office. In 1994 Santa received 200,000 letters and just four years later, 800,000 letters! Santa’s elves sort all the letters and help Santa to read every single one of them. Then at Christmas or on New Year’s Day, under their Christmas tree, excited children all over the world delight in finding the exact toy or game they have for from asked Santa Claus!
Santa Claus Village is the most magical place all year round, for both children and adults alike! There is something for everyone here. After posting letters at Santa’s Post Office, you can buy gifts and souvenirs. In winter you can experience the excitement of a short safari in a sleigh pulled by reindeer or huskies, ride a sled downhill and taste hot glöggi (mulled wine) in the Ice Bar. Of course, you will meet Santa Claus and share with him your dreams and wishes. There are so many things to do. Don’t forget to cross the Arctic Circle. Take a photograph of this important event and remember to get your certificate to prove it!
INCLUDES: Hotel pickup and drop-off, Guiding service, Visit Santa`s office and post office, Guaranteed meeting with Santa Claus, Arctic circle crossing diploma, Santa’s House of Snowmobiles visit, unforgettable memories and selfies.
Free time
16:30 – 20:30 Snow Hotel Visit & Dinner at Ice Restaurant
After taking a 30-minute transfer (Pick up in front of Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus), you arrive at Arctic SnowHotel. Before dinner, the guide will tell you about the construction, operation and special features of the SnowHotel during the memorable guided tour through beautiful rooms of the hotel and Arctic specialties, such as the Snow Sauna. At the end of the tour, there is a possibility to order a shot from the Ice Bar for an additional fee, served in a glass made from ice. The Ice Restaurant built of snow and ice provides a unique setting for an unforgettable dinner; serving up hot Lappish delicacies savoured around ice tables. Culinary enjoyment commences with a rich tomato soup served with fresh French bread and is finished off with the delicious SnowHotel´s soft chocolate delight, which in line with the theme, is served on a magnificent ice platter. We guarantee it tastes as good as it looks!
INCLUDES: transportation from the Rovaniemi town centre and back, dinner in Ice restaurant, unforgettable memories and selfies.
STARTER: Turnip-vichyssoise soup with chives
MAIN COURSE OPTIONS (please choose one and inform of your main course choice at the time of booking):
(1) Mouth-watering roast elk served with velvety smooth parsnip purée, roasted root vegetables and accompanied with a cranberry-game sauce. (2) Braised Arctic Ocean salmon served with citrus-dill potato purée, Finnish roasted root vegetables and accompanied with Hollandaise sauce. (3) Glazed chicken breast with goat cheese sauce, fried barley, and vegetables. (3) Fried barley and vegetables with minced beetroot steak, mushrooms baked in herb butter (a vegan option also available)
DESSERT: Snow Hotel’s soft chocolate delight
Breakfast in the hotel. Meet your guide in the lobby and departure to the group tour
12:45 – 15:15 Husky farm visit and Husky Safari, 6-10 km
or 09:30-11:30 Reindeer farm visit and self safari
ONLY one tour included in the package. You could take both activities for extra special cost.
Please choose one and inform us of your tour choice at the time of booking.
12:45 – 15:15 Husky farm visit and Husky Safari, 6-10 km
Start your tour with a pickup from Rovaniemi. Hop aboard your car, minivan or bus with your guide and admire the snow-blanketed countryside as you head for a local husky farm. A trip from the city will not take more than 20 minutes.
Husky tour with a 45-minute husky safari (travel distance approx 6-10 km) will take around 2,5 hour. A perfect way to enjoy the thrill of mushing a dog team with your family. Meet dogs, learn how to drive your sled and then head off for a thrilling dash through the magical snowy forest. Afterwards, there will be time to mingle with the dogs, have a snack with juice and cookies around the fire.
Transfers from/to Rovaniemi, safety- and driving instructions, 45-minute tour with a husky sled (max 2 adults and 2 children per sled), hot juice, cookies and snack, arctic outer clothing and informative talk about huskies, unforgettable memories and selfies.
09:30-11:30 Reindeer farm visit and Sledge Ride
This safari will guide you through the snowy forest with one of the oldest way of travelling here in Lapland. Reindeer sledges in caravans were traditionally used to move the Sámi camps from one place to another, but it sure is a nice way to see nature and get a feel for the olden times. And who knows, maybe you see some other arctic animals too. When you come back to the farm, a warm cup of coffee or tea and a traditional snack is waiting for you.
INCLUDES: hotel pickup and drop-off, professional English speaking guide, safety instructions, reindeer ride, guided tour on the reindeer farm, coffee/tea and snack, unforgettable memories and selfies, Informative talk about reindeers.
Breakfast in the hotel. Free day or optional activities (for an extra cost)
09:30 – 14:30 Ranua – Northernmost ZOO in the world, with lunch
Our adventure begins with a meeting at the reception of your hotel. The zoo is approximately one hour south of Rovaniemi by car. Upon arrival, you will take a stroll through the zoo, where you can see the interesting animals and birds that live at the “top of the world!”. You will be able to dine in the cosy restaurant or by an open fire, visit all kinds of souvenir shops including the Fazer chocolate shop and the wine shop, where they sell unique wines made from wild berries found locally, such as cloudberries, lingo berries, and bilberries. The Ranua Wildlife Park, established in 1983, specializes in arctic and northern animal species. The spacious animal fencings are located in the midst of northern conifer forests, the natural habitat of most of the animals. You can see the only polar bears living in Finland, as well as 50 other arctic and northern animal species, in all and all 200 individuals, at the Ranua Wildlife Park. The animals live in spacious fencings in the midst of northern wide forests, in their as authentic natural environment as possible.
INCLUDES: hotel pickup and drop-off, explore the woodland park and its domestic animal park with an expert guide, entrance tickets, guiding service in English, buffet lunch, unforgettable memories and selfies.
10:00 – 14:00 Family snowmobile safari, mini-snowmobiles for kids
Fun for all the family! During the snowmobile safari, the children are comfortably seated in the sledge. After the safari, we gather around some fun winter games and hot berry juice served by a campfire!
We start with a snowmobile safari with adults on the snowmobile and children travelling safely in sledges. After the traditional snowmobile safari, it is time for children’s snowmobile driving. The smallest family members (app 2-4 yrs.) get to drive mini Skidoos on a safe track under supervision. The midi Skidoos (app 5-13 yrs.) also have a dedicated track and are just what young girls and boys dream of – a replica of an adult snowmobile, but lighter.
Children of all ages love to play in the snow. Tobogganing slope, snow-sculpting or building snowmen, depending on weather and snow conditions. There is time to relax by a camp fire also, have a cup of berry juice and fry a sausage as a snack.
INCLUDES: return transfers from Rovaniemi city center, all described activities, services and equipment, guidance is in English, use of thermal clothing during the safari (thermal overall, boots, gloves, woolen socks, a scarf and helmets), unforgettable selfies
SPECIAL TERMS: Safari participants are held liable for damages caused to snowmobiles. The driver of a snowmobile has to be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driver license – A1, T, A or B category.
20:00 – 23:00 Northern Lights hunting by car
Here, in Lapland, you can watch the Northern Lights 200 nights a year on average. Aurora borealis lights adorn the sky throughout the year. However, to this phenomenon has been seen, the sky must be dark enough. The best time to observe the northern lights – September to April. During programme, you will learn a lot about this natural phenomenon, and also you can learn how to take pictures of it!
By car, we will go to a location far away from city lights, with a magnificent view of the starry sky. After a short walk, we will go to the grill and eat Lappish sausages, cooked on the open fire. Tea and coffee will also be available. Sitting by the fire, the guide will tell us about the facts, myths, and beliefs associated with the northern lights. And, if we are lucky, we will see the northern lights, shimmering in the dark blue sky.
At least once in a lifetime must-see myriads of lights and colours of the Northern Lights in Lapland sky. People say that the aurora borealis occurs when “firefox” touch the trees by a tail.
INCLUDES: Hotel pickup and drop-off, three hours Aurora hunting program, tasty sausages sizzled up over the fire, along with a hot drink, professional English speaking guide, venture into the countryside to escape the glow of Rovaniemi’s lights, learn about the science and legends of the lights from an informative local guide, unforgettable memories and selfies.
Breakfast in the hotel. Check out till 12:00.
Transfer to the airport or train station.
INCLUDES IN THE PACKAGE