Short break winter holiday in Finnish Lapland
| country: | Finland |
| location: | Finnish Lapland |
| departures: | This trip can depart anytime between 1st Dec 2009 and 17th Apr 2010 |
| price: | From £1795 (5 days) including flights from the UK, based on 2 people sharing |
| more info: | Price includes: flights from Heathrow to Ivalo (via Helsinki), return airport transfers, 3 nights hotel & 1 night glass igloo accommodation, 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, activities, cold weather clothing, fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors. Minimum age 18 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
We've included the very best of Saariselka in this short winter break. Huskies, snowmobiles and reindeer are complemented by the opportunity to pan for gold, sleep in a glass igloo and race down a 1.2km toboggan run.
Situated almost 250km north of the Arctic Circle, Saariselka is one of the largest settlements in Finnish Lapland. So big in fact, we'd go so far as to call it a small town. To get here you have to fly to the most northerly airport in Finland which makes your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis very reasonable indeed.
Saariselka hosts all the usual Nordic activities as well as 13 ski slopes, an ice driving centre and even an indoor curling rink. There's a decent range of privately owned bars and restaurants as well as those in the town's hotel's to keep you busy in the evenings. Our local activity provider is a family run concern and the longest established safari company in town.
Situated almost 250km north of the Arctic Circle, Saariselka is one of the largest settlements in Finnish Lapland. So big in fact, we'd go so far as to call it a small town. To get here you have to fly to the most northerly airport in Finland which makes your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis very reasonable indeed.
Saariselka hosts all the usual Nordic activities as well as 13 ski slopes, an ice driving centre and even an indoor curling rink. There's a decent range of privately owned bars and restaurants as well as those in the town's hotel's to keep you busy in the evenings. Our local activity provider is a family run concern and the longest established safari company in town.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Flights, arrival and introduction: Finnair's scheduled service flies you from Heathrow to Helsinki and on to Ivalo (the most northerly airport in Finland). On arrival, you will be met by our local guide and transferred to the hotel where you will be provided with your cold weather clothing and have the chance to discuss the agenda. Don't stay up too late gazing at the Arctic sky in search of the Aurora, you've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow. |
| Day 2: | Gold rush snowmobile safari: The quickest way to fully appreciate this pristine environment is to follow the well managed trails on a snowmobile. Before departing you'll receive instruction and a safety briefing and then you're off through 'the candel' spruce forest to pan for gold at Tankavaara. It's a round journey of approximately 100km and after a spot of prospecting, a 'gold pan' lunch and visiting the gold mining museum and village, you'll have been out and about for six hours or more. |
| Day 3: | Husky safari and Aurora foxtail snowmobile safari: Another long and fulfilling day. In the morning you'll be driven to a local husky farm where you'll be welcomed by a cacophony of noise from the dogs who are always eager to be doing what they love most - running. You'll take the reins at the head of your team of four to six huskies and head off into the snowy wilds. Lunch is included in a cabin, teepee or out in the open if the weather permits. Your safari will last about 4 hours which should give you some time to relax before this evening's snowmobile safari in search of the Aurora Borealis. The way to reach the best Aurora viewing points is undoubtedly by snowmobile and your guide will choose trails that lead well away from any light pollution. Snowmobiling at night is a thrill in itself, the speed seems to be hugely enhanced and the snow covered trees, illuminated by your headlights appear out of the gloom like phantoms or ghosts. The Northern Lights will hopefully be an added bonus. |
| Day 4: | Reindeer, toboggans and glass igloos: You'll be transferred to a reindeer farm for a serene safari through the forest to a traditional Finnish kota where a warm drink awaits. Suitably fortified, you drive the reindeer back to the farm from where you'll be driven to the summit of Kaunispaa - the local ski fell where you'll have lunch before descending for 1.2 km on toboggans. It's just like being a kid again. From the foot of the Fell it is a short transfer to Kakslauttanen and your final accommodation. The Glass igloos at Kakslauttanen have been built from a very special thermo glass which ensures that the interior always remains at a comfortable room temperature. It also prevents the glass from frosting over hence maintaining a clear view of the night sky (unfortunately, we can't accept any responsibility for cloud cover or snow storms). To increase your comfort the igloos have a toilet and luxury beds. Dinner is included before you turn in for the night. |
| Day 5: | Return airport transfers and flights: Depending on your flight times you may have some time to explore Kakslauttanen or simply relax in the sauna after breakfast. You'll be taken back to Ivalo Airport in good time for your homeward flights. |
accommodation
Gielas Hotel 
The Gielas opened as recently as November 2008 and we were fortunate enough to be among the very first guests. The owners and management are justifiably proud of their achievement and have created one of the very best hotels in Finnish Lapland.
There are 84 very spacious bedrooms: 77 superior rooms, six junior suites and one Geilas suite. Each one has been splendidly decorated and furnished to include sofa, television and Internet access. The en suite bathrooms all have a bath/shower, hairdryer and, best of all, your own personal sauna.
Downstairs is the combined bar, restaurant and lounge area. Just like the bedrooms, space is the order of the day and it's all nicely set off with a huge roaring fire.
This holiday is based on bed and breakfast allowing you to try various restaurants in Saariselka. Nevertheless, we would strongly recommend dining here at Gielas. The menu is not extensive but the food is beautifully prepared and should please the most demanding of palates.
The Igloo Village
The Igloo Village enjoys a thoroughly well deserved reputation for the sheer
uniqueness of its accommodation, most notably the glass igloos, which allow you to sleep under the Lapp sky admiring the Northern Lights. And, it's all at a comfortable room temperature. The experience is equally unforgettable when there is a snowstorm.
The Glass igloos have been built from a very special thermo glass which guarantees that inside the igloo it is always a normal room temperature. It also prevents the glass from not frosting over hence keeping the view clear even when the temperature drops under -30c. To increase your comfort each igloo has a luxury bed and a discreet toilet.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Community
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. 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. 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 Saariselka the effects of such a drift could be devastating. The hotel in Saariselka follows a strict recycling programme which is vitally important in such a remote community. They are one of the largest employers of local people and support a wide variety of producers in the region. They try and use local produce wherever possible in their delicious cuisine. . The use of small family businesses such as our activity providers 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. 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 Saariselka 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. |