Short break family holiday to Lapland
| country: | Sweden |
| location: | Swedish Lapland |
| departures: | Departures any time from December to April. This trip can be tailor made to suit your budget and requirements |
| price: | From £895 (4 days) per adult and £625 per child (under 12) including flights from the UK. Activities from £20 (2hrs) - £420 (overnight husky safari). This trip can also be booked without flights. Extra nights available. Minimum age 4 years |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Short break family holiday to Lapland
If the ice hotel isn’t enough, the fells around Kiruna create some of Sweden’s most spectacular scenery. It’s no surprise then that they also provide some of the best snowmobile and dog sledding trails in Northern Europe.
Our tailor made programmes allow you to design your own holiday. Simply decide when you want to travel and for how long then match your stay to the activities available below. Tailor made holidays in Kiruna are based on a minimum stay of three nights in en-suite hotel rooms.
Also included are: flights, transfers, bed & breakfast and cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay.
Accommodation:
The first hotel option is a very welcome addition to Kiruna’s portfolio of hotels. The recent renovations (it was formerly a school house) have resulted in a hotel with all the modern trappings but which reflects traditional Sami heritage in it’s decor. With just 28 rooms and 4 suites, the hotel also provides a very intimate and relaxing retreat after a day spent in the Arctic. All the bedrooms have en-suite facilities. The wooden floors and minimalist Sami style decor combine remarkably well with the modern conveniences such as wide screen TV and sound system. The restaurant, bar and sauna provide the spots for a relaxing evening.
This second hotel option is a modern and very comfortable hotel in the centre of Kiruna offers high quality, newly renovated rooms and a good range of food, locally sourced where possible. It has a large sauna area available to all guests free of charge - the perfect way to relax. All rooms are en-suite, have cable television and are comfortably furnished. The central location is ideal for exploring the town. Scandic also pride themselves on their very sound environmental policy.
The Third hotel option offers inimitable ambience in a unique environment, friendly staff and beautiful accommodation and is a prefect place to reside for an exciting and relaxing stay. Each room is uniquely furnished with a cosy blend of old and new to make your stay as comfortable as possible. There is a small combined cafe come restaurant and pub in the hotel, specialized in food from the northern latitude serving delicious cuisine for you to enjoy. During your free time you can relax in the sauna or try the outdoor hot tub on a dark evening and with a bit of luck you can enjoy an amazing display of the Northern Lights.
Reindeer and Sami Culture: It takes a hardy soul to herd reindeer in sub-zero Arctic temperatures but Sami have lived this way for centuries driving their herds between their winter and summer camps. The Sami way of life is changing but they retain a strong sense of tradition which they are more than happy to share with visitors. Visit a traditional reindeer herding village and you will learn about the Sami people, their history as well as the importance of reindeer in their culture and daily life. You can feed the reindeer and will get the opportunity to try your hand at lassoing. Lunch will be served in a lavvo allowing you to experience the Sami cuisine in one of their traditional shelters. We offer three Sami Culture trips, two of which include short reindeer-pulled sleigh rides and the third goes in search of the Northern Lights.
Snowshoeing: Trying to explore the wilderness on foot is pretty difficult without snowshoes. The "with and without snowshoes" images may slightly exagerate the point but not by much. With them, it is the perfect way to experience deeper areas of the forest. Snowshoes also allow you to move amongst the trees very quietly enhancing the possibility of spotting the local wildlife. We would only recommend the longer snowshoe safari if you have a good level of fitness.
Cross country skiing: We offer two cross country skiing trips both with tuition before you set out. Beginners may prefer to try the shorter tour as this extremely popular Nordic activity can be exhausting until you really get into the swing of things.
Husky safaris: A dog sled safari is an absolute must for anybody visiting Lapland. The excitement of being pulled by a team of eager huskies through the winter landscape is something you will remember for ever. Kiruna offers possibly the most diverse range of husky safaris anywhere in Scandinavia. You can do just about anything including searching for the Northern Lights and overnight safaris staying in a wilderness cabin. We can even arrange airport transfers by husky!
Snowmobile Safaris: The thrill of driving across vast frozen lakes and rivers and then steering your course along the snowy forest trails is something you just have to experience. The fell landscapes and wilderness that surround Kiruna make this a snowmobiling paradise. As with the husky safaris, our range of snowmobile trips is extensive from short safaris suitable for beginners to exhilarating overnight expeditions staying in remote wilderness cabins. Two particular favourites here at our office are the safari to the ice hotel and the Northern Lights Snowmobile Safari. You just seem to go much faster in the darkness!
Horse Riding in the Snow: Although small in size, Icelandic horses are a strong, powerful riding horse, bred to carry all people of all ages in comfort and safety. Imagine the excitement of riding out into the snowy countryside that surrounds Kiruna on a 50km circuit.
Mushroom Mine: Remarkably, a gallery at Kiirunavaara, the world’s largest iron ore mine, has been adapted for the cultivation of shii-take mushrooms. The mine environment suits shii-take perfectly, giving the exclusive mushroom an extra delicate flavour and texture. You can even have shii-take soup for lunch in the underground café. Bizarre!
Ice hotel: This is the original and possibly the best ice hotel in the world. Since 1990 the ice hotel has been constructed using the pure ice from the Torne River on which it is built. A trip to this part of Swedish Lapland is not complete without, at very least, a tour of this remarkable spectacle. You will be transferred to the ice hotel, given a guided introduction and tour of the building and then will have plenty of time to explore on your own. Alternatively, why not arrive in real style by snowmobile? For a genuinely unique experience, we can also arrange for you to spend a night in an ice room or suite – surprisingly cosy at -5ºC!The ice hotel is immensely popular and we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
Our tailor made programmes allow you to design your own holiday. Simply decide when you want to travel and for how long then match your stay to the activities available below. Tailor made holidays in Kiruna are based on a minimum stay of three nights in en-suite hotel rooms.
Also included are: flights, transfers, bed & breakfast and cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay.
Accommodation:
The first hotel option is a very welcome addition to Kiruna’s portfolio of hotels. The recent renovations (it was formerly a school house) have resulted in a hotel with all the modern trappings but which reflects traditional Sami heritage in it’s decor. With just 28 rooms and 4 suites, the hotel also provides a very intimate and relaxing retreat after a day spent in the Arctic. All the bedrooms have en-suite facilities. The wooden floors and minimalist Sami style decor combine remarkably well with the modern conveniences such as wide screen TV and sound system. The restaurant, bar and sauna provide the spots for a relaxing evening.
This second hotel option is a modern and very comfortable hotel in the centre of Kiruna offers high quality, newly renovated rooms and a good range of food, locally sourced where possible. It has a large sauna area available to all guests free of charge - the perfect way to relax. All rooms are en-suite, have cable television and are comfortably furnished. The central location is ideal for exploring the town. Scandic also pride themselves on their very sound environmental policy.
The Third hotel option offers inimitable ambience in a unique environment, friendly staff and beautiful accommodation and is a prefect place to reside for an exciting and relaxing stay. Each room is uniquely furnished with a cosy blend of old and new to make your stay as comfortable as possible. There is a small combined cafe come restaurant and pub in the hotel, specialized in food from the northern latitude serving delicious cuisine for you to enjoy. During your free time you can relax in the sauna or try the outdoor hot tub on a dark evening and with a bit of luck you can enjoy an amazing display of the Northern Lights.
activities
You could spend a lot of time doing all the activities available from Kiruna. If the sheer volume of available trips is confusing please contact our reservations staff who will be delighted to discuss your best options. As ever, many of our staff have visited Kiruna and done the activities so you will get first hand advice rather than information gleaned from a crib sheet. Here’s a brief description of the many activities. Reindeer and Sami Culture: It takes a hardy soul to herd reindeer in sub-zero Arctic temperatures but Sami have lived this way for centuries driving their herds between their winter and summer camps. The Sami way of life is changing but they retain a strong sense of tradition which they are more than happy to share with visitors. Visit a traditional reindeer herding village and you will learn about the Sami people, their history as well as the importance of reindeer in their culture and daily life. You can feed the reindeer and will get the opportunity to try your hand at lassoing. Lunch will be served in a lavvo allowing you to experience the Sami cuisine in one of their traditional shelters. We offer three Sami Culture trips, two of which include short reindeer-pulled sleigh rides and the third goes in search of the Northern Lights.
Snowshoeing: Trying to explore the wilderness on foot is pretty difficult without snowshoes. The "with and without snowshoes" images may slightly exagerate the point but not by much. With them, it is the perfect way to experience deeper areas of the forest. Snowshoes also allow you to move amongst the trees very quietly enhancing the possibility of spotting the local wildlife. We would only recommend the longer snowshoe safari if you have a good level of fitness.
Cross country skiing: We offer two cross country skiing trips both with tuition before you set out. Beginners may prefer to try the shorter tour as this extremely popular Nordic activity can be exhausting until you really get into the swing of things.
Husky safaris: A dog sled safari is an absolute must for anybody visiting Lapland. The excitement of being pulled by a team of eager huskies through the winter landscape is something you will remember for ever. Kiruna offers possibly the most diverse range of husky safaris anywhere in Scandinavia. You can do just about anything including searching for the Northern Lights and overnight safaris staying in a wilderness cabin. We can even arrange airport transfers by husky!
Snowmobile Safaris: The thrill of driving across vast frozen lakes and rivers and then steering your course along the snowy forest trails is something you just have to experience. The fell landscapes and wilderness that surround Kiruna make this a snowmobiling paradise. As with the husky safaris, our range of snowmobile trips is extensive from short safaris suitable for beginners to exhilarating overnight expeditions staying in remote wilderness cabins. Two particular favourites here at our office are the safari to the ice hotel and the Northern Lights Snowmobile Safari. You just seem to go much faster in the darkness!
Horse Riding in the Snow: Although small in size, Icelandic horses are a strong, powerful riding horse, bred to carry all people of all ages in comfort and safety. Imagine the excitement of riding out into the snowy countryside that surrounds Kiruna on a 50km circuit.
Mushroom Mine: Remarkably, a gallery at Kiirunavaara, the world’s largest iron ore mine, has been adapted for the cultivation of shii-take mushrooms. The mine environment suits shii-take perfectly, giving the exclusive mushroom an extra delicate flavour and texture. You can even have shii-take soup for lunch in the underground café. Bizarre!
Ice hotel: This is the original and possibly the best ice hotel in the world. Since 1990 the ice hotel has been constructed using the pure ice from the Torne River on which it is built. A trip to this part of Swedish Lapland is not complete without, at very least, a tour of this remarkable spectacle. You will be transferred to the ice hotel, given a guided introduction and tour of the building and then will have plenty of time to explore on your own. Alternatively, why not arrive in real style by snowmobile? For a genuinely unique experience, we can also arrange for you to spend a night in an ice room or suite – surprisingly cosy at -5ºC!The ice hotel is immensely popular and we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
traveller reviews for Short break family holiday to Lapland
A wonderful experience. Relaxed atmosphere. Fun group of people...Husky driving was the most memorable part. (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
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Tourism in Swedish Lapland has become the main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry and mining. 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.
We always encourage our clients to respect and embrace the lives and cultures of local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. We also include activities with a cultural base, such as visiting traditional Sámi reindeer herders and learning about the realities of their lives. 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 locally owned accommodation, transport and activity providers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas. With the loss of jobs from the increasingly mechanized Iron Ore mine that formed the basis for Kiruna’s previous growth, diversifying into tourism has been a lifeline to the local inhabitants and economy. In a small and remote town such as Kiruna further drops in employment would be devastating. The use of locally owned businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence stays where it should, in the local economy and firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world. Our accommodation is based at a Scandic hotel and whilst Scandic are a larger chain of hotels they provide vital employment throughout Lapland and have one of the most comprehensive environmental, social and economic responsibility policies of any hotel chain in the world. Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas. 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 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 Kiruna they are a way of life. They are the only means of keeping in contact with remote communities as the road infrastructure is not extensive. 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 and our activity providers are using more efficient 4-stroke engines and all snowmobile trails are well managed. 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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