Lapland family retreat, tailormade
| country: | Sweden |
| location: | Swedish Lapland, Arctic Circle |
| departures: | Tailor made itineraries available from Dec 2008 - Apr 2009 |
| price: | From £715 (4 days) per adult and £545 per child (under 12 years sharing with adult(s)) including flights from the UK. Activities from £24 - £130 per adult and £12 - £90 per child. Extra nights available. Min age 3 years |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Lapland family retreat, tailormade
The ethos at Aurora is all about caring for nature and community and recognising the delicate balance between man and the environment. There’s no better place for developing your holistic wellbeing - an essential part of the ‘Aurora Experience’. Aurora is located in the village of Junosuando 100km north of the Arctic Circle. Far removed from established touristic centres this is a region abundant in lakes, rivers and forests rather than visitors.
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 below. Tailor made holidays are based on a minimum stay of three nights in en-suite hotel rooms. Also included are: flights, transfers, full board and cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay.
Accommodation:
The accommodation is located in the village of Junosuando 100km north of the Arctic Circle. Far removed from established touristic centres this is a region abundant in lakes, rivers and forests rather than visitors.
You will stay in a traditional timber-built guesthouse which was recently renovated using only natural and recycled materials and is designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. In a previous existence the building was originally the village vicarage and bakery. It represents tourism on a miniature scale comprising only four comfortable bedrooms with a shared bathroom and separate eco-toilet.
On the ground floor you will find a dining area, meeting room and purpose built studio where it is possible to enjoy yoga, breathing and relaxation sessions. Naturally there is also a wood fired sauna. The decor and furnishings are a combination of modern, traditional and antique and there are plenty of quiet corners for inner reflection.
The atmosphere at Aurora has been lovingly and thoughtfully created by your hosts, Maya and Mikael, to provide an atmosphere of wellness and relaxation whilst offering a selection of activities in keeping with their environmental principles. It is a great escape from the rigours of daily life!
Food: Where possible all meals are produced using only local and organic ingredients and the emphasis is on vegetarian food (including eggs and dairy products). The food is designed to balance both body and spirit. Wild game or fish may be offered during activities as options.
activities
Cross-Country Skiing: There can be few better ways of exploring a still and silent winter landscape than on traditional broad wooden skis. Your guide will lead you through the forest, along rivers and across lakes. Watch out for animal tracks. We offer a short trek for families with younger children and two longer excursions for anybody aged 12 and over. Christmas Celebrations: Any clients staying at Aurora over Christmas will take part in a range of traditional Scandinavian activities bringing an extra magical touch to your holiday. These activities include a forest Christmas tree hunt, baking gingerbread, decoration making, Christmas dinner and a visit from Santa Claus who will also bring a small gift for the younger children. Most of these activities are also available on request at times other than Christmas (please contact us for prices).
Husky Safari: Some would say that this is the only way to travel, just you and your faithful team of huskies against the Arctic elements. This is how the original pioneers must have felt when they ventured into the uncharted territories of North America. We offer both half day and full day safaris.
Sami Reindeer Experiences: Learn about the indigenous Sami people. Meet a reindeer herder who will tell you about their way of life and let you try some of the traditional Sami skills handed down over centuries from generation to generation.
Northern Lights Excursions: Journey into the night on cross country skis or kick sleds in pursuit of the magical Northern Lights. You will rest by a campfire to enjoy a warm snack under the Arctic night sky.......make a wish and it may come true! To witness the shimmering dance of the Aurora Borealis across a star filled winter sky is a memory to treasure forever.
Moose Park: During your airport transfer to or from the accommodation we can arrange a slight detour to the local moose park (there’s not many places where you say that).
Snowshoeing: A unique and eco-friendly way to experience the pristine and unspoilt nature that surrounds Aurora. Breathe in the crisp, fresh air as you trek across a deep bed of white snow. When you stand still the silence is almost overwhelming. Where possible, your guide will point out animal tracks and tell you about the local fauna and flora. A warm drink and a snack are included.
Snow Fun: Designed to bring out the child in everybody. Under the guidance of an experienced leader you will discover the childhood pleasure of playing in the snow with a series of games and tobogganing. It may also be possible to try some hands-on activities such as igloo building and snow sculpture. Hot chocolate is served to keep you warm.
Felt Making: Learn the ancient art of felt making. The basics are remarkably simple to grasp. It’s quite a thrill to see your carded wool transform itself into a beautiful felted material. You will learn how to make the felt and create a souvenir to remind you of your holiday.
Optional Activities: A stay here is designed to be active but at the same time there is always a focus on rest and recuperation, a chance to recharge in a location far removed from everyday life. In addition to the winter sports, the accommodation offers a range of meditative activities including hatha yoga and meditation.
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. 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.
In all of our destinations we ensure that we use local suppliers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. Maya and Mikhael at the retreat have converted what was once an abandoned bakery and vicarage and renovated the building into a new venture coupling environmental and holistic living with traditional activities. Food served in the restaurant is vegetarian, locally and organically grown where possible and they have a strict recycling policy. The building itself is heated by wooden pellets, a renewable energy source and the guesthouse has dry compost toilets and a water recycling system. They are providing vital employment in a very remote area and through the attraction of tourists to that area they have implemented 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 small and remote villages the effects of such a drift could be devastating. We always encourage all of our clients to respect and embrace the lives and culture of local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. In addition, we always encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities which help to sustain traditional values and customs. The retreat offers low impact and traditional activities such as felt making and cross-country skiing on traditional wooden skis which help to encourage participation in traditional pastimes and ensure that skills are not forgotten. Snow mobiles are not included in any activity. Our use of small suppliers such as this retreat 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.  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 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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