Northern Lights family holiday in Finland
Highlights
Northern Lights | Finnish Lapland winter adventures | Husky sledding | Kick sledding | Snowmobiles | Cross country skiing | Northern Lights snowshoeing expedition | Meals included | Use of cold weather clothing | New Year celebrations in Lapland | Half term Northern Lights holiday optionsDescription of Northern Lights family holiday in Finland
This Northern Lights family holiday is a small group tour, based in the small town of Menesjärvi where you will stay in a family friendly hotel, experiencing all sorts of snowy adventures while also ringing in the New Year. With the Northern Lights, hopefully, as the firework show! Based in a traditional Sami community, you will also have a chance to learn all about reindeer farming and other traditions in this remote, northern beauty spot.Outdoor activities on this family holiday include snowmobiling, kick sledding, dog sledding and cross country skiing. You are staying in the heart of the Aurora Zone in Finnish Lapland and so your adventures are not only by day but also by night.
The accommodation is a locally run, traditional Scandinavian hotel, with delicious food, also at the heart of Menesjärvi’s warm and welcoming community. There are saunas, a great selection of equipment to enjoy the snow (free of charge) and plenty of books and games. All 27 rooms are different with ensuite double and twin rooms as well as family rooms sleeping six people.
As well as including New Year festivities in the price of your holiday, we also include return flights from London to Ivalo, airport transfers, cold weather clothing, meals and the following activities: Snowshoeing, winter walking, kick sledding, cross country skiing, Aurora workshop, Northern Lights snowshoeing trip, morning with a reindeer herder, wilderness skills, winter fishing on Lake Menesjärvi, husky sledding, Sámi Siida Museum and New Year party.
Please note that we also run a similar programme for February half term.
PLEASE NOTE: 2020/21 prices are provisional and subject to change.
Image credits: Ville Heimonen, Timo Halonen, Chris Boardman
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.comCheck dates, prices & availability
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We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Menesjärvi 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 adopt a ‘no trace’ policy and always ensure that all litter is removed from any of our activity sites. We also strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment.
The Impacts of this Trip
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.
The wilderness hotel in Menesjärvi 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 Menesjärvi’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 Menesjärvi 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 Menesjärvi 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.
Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas, and they don’t come more un-spoilt than Menesjarvi. 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 Menesjärvi 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 adopt a ‘no trace’ policy and always ensure that all litter is removed from any of our activity sites. We also strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment.
The Impacts of this Trip
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.
The wilderness hotel in Menesjärvi 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 Menesjärvi’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 Menesjärvi 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 Menesjärvi 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.
Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas, and they don’t come more un-spoilt than Menesjarvi. 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.
1 Reviews of Northern Lights family holiday in Finland
Reviewed on 08 Jan 2017 by Jeannette Middleton
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the most awesome display of the Aurora Borealis on New Year's Eve! How lucky were we? This was the icing on the cake, following four days of exhilarating activities.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It's a fair walk from the lake and hotel to the larger cabins and some activities can be slightly tiring, so make sure you are comfortable in what you are wearing and have some energy! If you wear glasses, take contact lenses.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, apart from the snowmobile engines
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Wonderful experience, never to be forgotten
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