Finnish Lapland family holiday, tailor made
| country: | Finland |
| location: | Finnish Lapland |
| departures: | Tailor made departures between 15 Nov 2009 and 18 Apr 2010 |
| price: | From £1045 (7 days) per adult and £575 per child (under 12 yrs) including flights from UK. This trip can also be booked without flights |
| more info: | Price includes: return flights London Heathrow to Kittila or Ivalo, return airport transfers, 7 nights en-suite accommodation (half board), activities, all equipment including warm clothing, fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors Supplements – Price per Person Adult Child Apartment Supplement – Per Week £105 £55 Overnight in a glass Igloo at Kakslauttanen £295 £245 Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol Departures £40 £40 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Finnish Lapland family holiday, tailor made
The words 'genuine' and 'unspoilt' are used all too freely to describe travel destinations. In Nellim's case they are wholly appropriate.
You will this tiny "one street" town in the far North-East corner of Finnish Lapland on the shores of Lake Inari and just a short distance from the Russian Border. The terrain here is hillier and more rugged than in other parts of Finland and the spectacular winter scenery is all the more dramatic for that.
And, to add to the magic, this far north there is an excellent chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Indeed, three of us here saw the Aurora for the first time while visiting Nellim so it holds a special place in our hearts.
There's so much here that is different. For example, if you walk close to the Finland/Russian border fence then motion-sensitive cameras follow your movements. It's spooky and exciting at the same time!
Depsite Nellim's remote wilderness location you are assured of a warm and genuine Lappish family welcome from your hosts Jouko and Mari. In our opinion, Jouko is probably the hardest working man in the world. Among his many projects last year has been the construction of some fabulous new apartments across the courtyard from the main building.
If you haven't had enough exercise then grab a sledge and race down the slope to the lake. Take a reindeer skin with you and you can lie back, insulated against the frozen ice, and gaze skywards at probably the best free entertainment anywhere in the world.
Nellim offers a fantastic range of activities designed to show off the vast wilderness that surrounds the village!. We've put together an overview of each activity and listed the options below. All activities include tuition, supervision from qualified instructors and all equipment.
Snowmobile Safaris
A truly exhilarating way to experience the winter wilderness. You must be at least 16 years old and possess a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile in Finland. All of our snowmobile safaris whether 1 or 6 hours long include a full safety briefing and instruction and are based on 2 people sharing. We also offer 20kms introductory snowmobile safari.
Northern Lights snowmobile safari
With your headlights on full you will head off into the silent landscape on a 3 hour search for the amazing Northern Lights. Approx 20kms covered. Coffee and snack around a campfire are included.
Snowmobile safari to a reindeer farm
Heading out through the winter landscape you travel through forests and along snowy tracks before reaching the isolated reindeer farm. You will have a 3km reindeer-pulled sleigh ride followed by lunch around an open fire - you can guess what will be on the menu (vegetarians well catered for!). Approximately 6 hours.
Cross-Country Skiing
Children in Scandinavia can ski as soon as they can walk – gliding along the glistening trails is a truly authentic way to explore the snowy landscape. Approximately 2 hours.
Snowshoeing
The importance of snowshoes becomes obvious when you try and take a walk through the countryside of Lapland without them and end up digging yourself out of waist deep snow! Trekking with the snowshoes on is immensely enjoyable (and much easier!). Approximately 3 hours.
Ice Fishing
You may wonder what the appeal of sitting by a hole in a frozen lake is – well this can easily be explained by the excitement of your first catch! Add in some stunning scenery and great company and you have a great arctic outing! This is without doubt the most popular safari at Harriniva. Approximately 5 hours.
Reindeer and Lappish Culture
The Sami people have herded reindeer for centuries and they remain integral to their lives to this day. Learning about the lives of the herders and their animals is vital to gaining a deeper understanding of the region on its culture. A reindeer sleigh ride is also highly recommended.
Half or full Day Husky Safari
The ultimate Lappish activity and adventure day! You will spend a full day out on the trail with a stop to cook a delicious lunch on the campfire. During the day you and your team of faithful hounds will cover around 30kms. Approximately 7 hours.
Reindeer and Lappish Culture
The Sami people have herded reindeer for centuries and they remain integral to their lives to this day. Learning about the lives of the herders and their animals is vital to gaining a deeper understanding of the region on its culture. A reindeer sleigh ride is also highly recommended.
If you want a cosy option amidst your wilderness surroundings then the newly built apartments are a warm and welcoming retreat from the sub-zero temperatures outside. Situated on the opposite side of the courtyard from the hotel the apartments feature all the modern conveniences in almost startling contrast to the snowy wilds beyond their doors. They vary in size with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms and extra sleeping space on a sofa bed in the lounge area if required.
Two of these apartments have their own private sauna and another two have a fireplace. They are distributed on a strictly first come, first served basis.
Where better to return after a day driving your husky team than to a snugly heated apartment, for a
warm shower and a snooze before crossing the courtyard to the restaurant for dinner?
Nellim Wilderness Hotel
Built in traditional Finnish style, this one-storey hotel was formerly the village school. It offers cosy, clean and very comfortable accommodation in just 18 double and three single en-suite bedrooms. There are also a few larger bedrooms which are suitable for families. These rooms are all housed in the main building which is the hub of the hotel's activity.
Nightlife is not high on the agenda here so you may want to take a few books or games as additional entertainment. However, after exploring the amazing Lapland vistas, a drink and sheer relaxation are more likely to be the preferred option. Either that or a stroll down to the lake to peer skywards.
The facilities
All the food is home-cooked and, as far as possible in this far-flung corner, locally sourced and produced. Suppliers include local reindeer herders and fishermen. Generally speakng the dishes will be pretty much what the family would eat on a daily basis. Good, wholesome and nutritious.
There are two saunas and a well-stocked bar but make sure you keep your coat on the pegs near the main entrance. That way you can grab it quickly for the dash outside when the Aurora Borealis starts dancing across the night sky
You will this tiny "one street" town in the far North-East corner of Finnish Lapland on the shores of Lake Inari and just a short distance from the Russian Border. The terrain here is hillier and more rugged than in other parts of Finland and the spectacular winter scenery is all the more dramatic for that.
And, to add to the magic, this far north there is an excellent chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Indeed, three of us here saw the Aurora for the first time while visiting Nellim so it holds a special place in our hearts.
There's so much here that is different. For example, if you walk close to the Finland/Russian border fence then motion-sensitive cameras follow your movements. It's spooky and exciting at the same time!
Depsite Nellim's remote wilderness location you are assured of a warm and genuine Lappish family welcome from your hosts Jouko and Mari. In our opinion, Jouko is probably the hardest working man in the world. Among his many projects last year has been the construction of some fabulous new apartments across the courtyard from the main building.
If you haven't had enough exercise then grab a sledge and race down the slope to the lake. Take a reindeer skin with you and you can lie back, insulated against the frozen ice, and gaze skywards at probably the best free entertainment anywhere in the world.
special things to do and see
Our tailor-made programmes allow you to design your own holiday. Simply decide when you want to travel and then match your stay to the activities available below. Nellim offers a fantastic range of activities designed to show off the vast wilderness that surrounds the village!. We've put together an overview of each activity and listed the options below. All activities include tuition, supervision from qualified instructors and all equipment.
Snowmobile Safaris
A truly exhilarating way to experience the winter wilderness. You must be at least 16 years old and possess a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile in Finland. All of our snowmobile safaris whether 1 or 6 hours long include a full safety briefing and instruction and are based on 2 people sharing. We also offer 20kms introductory snowmobile safari.
Northern Lights snowmobile safari
With your headlights on full you will head off into the silent landscape on a 3 hour search for the amazing Northern Lights. Approx 20kms covered. Coffee and snack around a campfire are included.
Snowmobile safari to a reindeer farm
Heading out through the winter landscape you travel through forests and along snowy tracks before reaching the isolated reindeer farm. You will have a 3km reindeer-pulled sleigh ride followed by lunch around an open fire - you can guess what will be on the menu (vegetarians well catered for!). Approximately 6 hours.
Cross-Country Skiing
Children in Scandinavia can ski as soon as they can walk – gliding along the glistening trails is a truly authentic way to explore the snowy landscape. Approximately 2 hours.
Snowshoeing
The importance of snowshoes becomes obvious when you try and take a walk through the countryside of Lapland without them and end up digging yourself out of waist deep snow! Trekking with the snowshoes on is immensely enjoyable (and much easier!). Approximately 3 hours.
Ice Fishing
You may wonder what the appeal of sitting by a hole in a frozen lake is – well this can easily be explained by the excitement of your first catch! Add in some stunning scenery and great company and you have a great arctic outing! This is without doubt the most popular safari at Harriniva. Approximately 5 hours.
Reindeer and Lappish Culture
The Sami people have herded reindeer for centuries and they remain integral to their lives to this day. Learning about the lives of the herders and their animals is vital to gaining a deeper understanding of the region on its culture. A reindeer sleigh ride is also highly recommended.
Half or full Day Husky Safari
The ultimate Lappish activity and adventure day! You will spend a full day out on the trail with a stop to cook a delicious lunch on the campfire. During the day you and your team of faithful hounds will cover around 30kms. Approximately 7 hours.
Reindeer and Lappish Culture
The Sami people have herded reindeer for centuries and they remain integral to their lives to this day. Learning about the lives of the herders and their animals is vital to gaining a deeper understanding of the region on its culture. A reindeer sleigh ride is also highly recommended.
accommodation
Nellim Apartments If you want a cosy option amidst your wilderness surroundings then the newly built apartments are a warm and welcoming retreat from the sub-zero temperatures outside. Situated on the opposite side of the courtyard from the hotel the apartments feature all the modern conveniences in almost startling contrast to the snowy wilds beyond their doors. They vary in size with 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms and extra sleeping space on a sofa bed in the lounge area if required. Two of these apartments have their own private sauna and another two have a fireplace. They are distributed on a strictly first come, first served basis.
Where better to return after a day driving your husky team than to a snugly heated apartment, for a
warm shower and a snooze before crossing the courtyard to the restaurant for dinner?
Nellim Wilderness Hotel
Built in traditional Finnish style, this one-storey hotel was formerly the village school. It offers cosy, clean and very comfortable accommodation in just 18 double and three single en-suite bedrooms. There are also a few larger bedrooms which are suitable for families. These rooms are all housed in the main building which is the hub of the hotel's activity.
Nightlife is not high on the agenda here so you may want to take a few books or games as additional entertainment. However, after exploring the amazing Lapland vistas, a drink and sheer relaxation are more likely to be the preferred option. Either that or a stroll down to the lake to peer skywards.
The facilities
All the food is home-cooked and, as far as possible in this far-flung corner, locally sourced and produced. Suppliers include local reindeer herders and fishermen. Generally speakng the dishes will be pretty much what the family would eat on a daily basis. Good, wholesome and nutritious.
There are two saunas and a well-stocked bar but make sure you keep your coat on the pegs near the main entrance. That way you can grab it quickly for the dash outside when the Aurora Borealis starts dancing across the night sky
how this holiday makes a difference
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Tourism in Finnish Lapland has become the main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Working within this growth industry in rural and remote areas means that we must take a great deal of responsibility; socially, environmentally and economically. We fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect.
Community The wilderness hotel in Nellim is owned and run by the Lappalainen family, whose Sámi routes have been in this area for centuries. They have a strong sense of tradition and we encourage all of our clients to respect and embrace the lives and culture of all Nellim’s local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. We have also included activities with a cultural base. In addition, we always encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities which help to sustain traditional values and customs. In all of our destinations we ensure that we use local accommodation, transport and activity providers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. The hotel in Nellim also serves as much local produce as possible and stocks locally made souvenirs. Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas such as towns and cities. In a small and remote village such as Nellim the effects of such a drift could be devastating. The use of small family run hotels and businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence stays where it should, in the local economy. We firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world. Environment Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas, and they don’t come more un-spoilt than Nellim. Naturally we wish to maintain the natural settings in which we work, not just for the future of our company, but also for future generations. We will always insist that our local providers are equally conscious of this need. We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Nellim they are a way of life. They are the only means of keeping in contact with remote reindeer herders and communities as the road infrastructure is not extensive. All trails are well managed. The alternatives to snowmobiles would in most cases be large, gas-guzzling off road vehicles. All snowmobiles are regularly serviced and kept as fuel efficient as possible. The snowmobile service industry is also another vital source of employment in these remote areas. We always ensure that all litter is removed from any of our activity sites, we strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment. We always offset our air travel emissions and would encourage you to do the same. |
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 led 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. |
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