Lapland family holiday
| country: | Arctic Circle, Finland |
| location: | Finnish Lapland |
| departures: | 2008: 12 Dec, 18 Dec, 26 Dec 2009: 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 3 Apr, 10 Apr |
| price: | From £879 - £1049 (6 days) per adult & £799 - £879 per child inc flights from UK, from £599 - £699 ex flights. Local payment €100 |
the amazing things you'll be doing
An active winter break in the wilderness of snowy Lapland
Winter Wonderland
Finnish Lapland, well inside the Arctic Circle, is coated in powdery snow from mid-November right through the long winter. This magical environment is the perfect location for all sorts of snow-based activities. You can try your hand at kick-sledding, snowshoeing, skating and tobogganing, all of which allow you time to marvel at the surrounding wilderness. You can learn cross-country skiing the fun way with expert tuition at our special school and throughout the trip there will be the opportunity to see the majestic Northern Lights sparkle across the night sky.
Land of the Sami & Reindeer
Your base in Inari is picture postcard stuff - a delightful snowy village that should only really exist in feel-good Christmas movies; it’s a great location to spend the week. Located just south of the area where traditional Sami reindeer herders live, the time spent here helping a traditional reindeer herder feed and herd the animals on snowmobiles will be a highlight for children and adults alike. The nearby SIIDA museum – regarded as one of the best of its kind – is a fantastic introduction to the lives of these hardy people. There’s also time to enjoy some warming cookie baking and an optional visit to a husky farm. Please note: before Christmas, the itinerary varies with a surprise visit by Father Christmas to the smaller members of the group.
Reindeer Cup Championship
In April a very special Lapland competition takes place on Lake Inari. Each year, reindeers (pulling skiers) race to become the champion, cheered on by other herders and Sami villagers. If you want to join in find the dates of our Reindeer Cup Championship departures at the top of the page.
Winter Wonderland
Finnish Lapland, well inside the Arctic Circle, is coated in powdery snow from mid-November right through the long winter. This magical environment is the perfect location for all sorts of snow-based activities. You can try your hand at kick-sledding, snowshoeing, skating and tobogganing, all of which allow you time to marvel at the surrounding wilderness. You can learn cross-country skiing the fun way with expert tuition at our special school and throughout the trip there will be the opportunity to see the majestic Northern Lights sparkle across the night sky.
Land of the Sami & Reindeer
Your base in Inari is picture postcard stuff - a delightful snowy village that should only really exist in feel-good Christmas movies; it’s a great location to spend the week. Located just south of the area where traditional Sami reindeer herders live, the time spent here helping a traditional reindeer herder feed and herd the animals on snowmobiles will be a highlight for children and adults alike. The nearby SIIDA museum – regarded as one of the best of its kind – is a fantastic introduction to the lives of these hardy people. There’s also time to enjoy some warming cookie baking and an optional visit to a husky farm. Please note: before Christmas, the itinerary varies with a surprise visit by Father Christmas to the smaller members of the group.
Reindeer Cup Championship
In April a very special Lapland competition takes place on Lake Inari. Each year, reindeers (pulling skiers) race to become the champion, cheered on by other herders and Sami villagers. If you want to join in find the dates of our Reindeer Cup Championship departures at the top of the page.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Ivalo via Helsinki. |
| Day 2: | Snow-based activities: kick-sledging, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, skating & tobogganing usually available; afternoon cookie baking. |
| Day 3: | Reindeer herder’s day; visit SIIDA Sami Museum. |
| Day 4: | Cross-country ski school; free practice afternoon. |
| Day 5: | Snow activities (unsupervised); optional snowmobiling & ice fishing. |
| Day 6: | Free morning - optional husky centre visit; fly to London. |
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
|
Our Finnish local agent books our accommodation and provides us with our transportation, local group leader and guides. You also stay in a small family-run hotel. Our small groups have minimum impact on the environment and the activities will educate the kids on local Finnish culture, for example the visit to the SIIDA Sami Museum.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |