Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras

Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Our bestselling Finland holiday is run by true pioneering northern lights-seekers. With family-run lodges as your base, your hosts and guides are part of the Sami community and can arrange days out with local herders, husky-sledders and aurora experts.
Inari Menesjarvi Arctic Circle Northern Lights Cross country skiing through Finnish Lapland wilderness Winter fishing Aurora Workshop Northern Lights snowshoe hike Morning with a reindeer herder Snowmobiling Husky Safari Sami Siida Museum Aurora dinner
Price
£1997To£2444 including UK flights
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Duration
5 Days
Type
Small group
Group size
8-24 people
Reviews
80
More info
Included in the price: flights from London, transfers, accommodation, full board, activities detailed in the itinerary, cold weather clothing, fully qualified wilderness guides, instructors, free use of snowshoes & cross-country skis.
Min age 15+
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Finland multi activity holidays Northern Lights watching holidays Finnish Lapland holidays Finland holidays Winter activity holidays

Description of Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras

Departure dates from November to March.

With no light pollution and unobstructed views of the night sky from the eponymous lake, Northern Lights holidays in the village of Menesjärvi offer visitors a high chance of witnessing the Aurora at their most spectacular. In Finnish Lapland, this holiday has a wonderful base at Hotel Korpikartano, a charming hotel which was once a boarding school, but which now proffers the perfect wilderness accommodation for those seeking the Northern Lights.

As we wait to see if the Northern Lights appear, we offer plenty of winter activities so that you can enjoy your Lapland holiday in a traditional way. Such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in wilderness areas, as well as spending time with a local reindeer herder, still a very important aspect of the local culture and economy. We also enjoy dinner under the stars at a traditional wooden kota building, where we can also light fires and enjoy the remote tranquillity of this wonderful region. Of course, there is also the sauna. These traditional activities are all part of waiting to see if the Northern Lights appear, as well as immersing yourself in the Finnish wilderness. And if the Lights do appear, there is nowhere better to experience them than out on the frozen lake just beside where we are staying.

Accommodation
Once a remote boarding school, it is now run by a superb team, who have created the most welcoming accommodation for people who want to enjoy this wild part of Finnish Lapland. They specialise in traditional home cooking, with plenty of goodness to keep your energies up for all those outdoor activities. Local ingredients are a speciality, especially the fresh fish caught especially for you, or reindeer from local herders. There are 28 rooms, designed in a simple, local style, and all ensuite. There is also a communal lounge, with windows facing north of course, so it is the perfect place to hang out by the stove for waiting and watching. There are two indoor saunas as well as a wood-burning outdoor one, with ease of access to the lake for that traditional post-sauna dip.

Price information

£1997To£2444 including UK flights
Convert currency:
Included in the price: flights from London, transfers, accommodation, full board, activities detailed in the itinerary, cold weather clothing, fully qualified wilderness guides, instructors, free use of snowshoes & cross-country skis.
Min age 15+
Make enquiry

Check dates, prices & availability

Travel guides

Finland winter
2 minute summaryBest time to go
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Finnish Lapland
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Holiday information

Our top tip:
Try everything - the guides are expert and you don
Trip type:
Small group, 2-16 adults (min. age 18).
Activity level:
Moderate.
Accomm:
4 nights comfortable hotel.
Solos:
Solo travellers welcome. Single rooms available for a surcharge.
Meals:
5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners.
Included:
Flights, transfers, accommodation, listed activities, cold weather clothing, guides, instructors.

Reviews

80 Reviews of Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras

5 out of 5 stars
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Reviewed on 23 Feb 2023 by

Unforgettable! Well-organised itinerary, many special moments. Strong and positive memories. Spectacular Northern Lights! (We were lucky.) Read full review

Reviewed on 18 Feb 2023 by

Oh my goodness, the hotel was lovely, the activities were well organised and appropriate but it was the people who made it - thank you... Very very good as always from Rosie!! Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Feb 2023 by

Excellent. Northern Lights can be quite fickle of course and it is all weather dependent. But in Levi the lights were fantastic. Also worth saying all the bookings and transfers worked like clockwork. Read full review

Reviewed on 30 Jan 2023 by

All the activities were great in their own way so difficult to single out one as better than the others. If pushed I would say equal first for the snowmobile drives and the dog sleigh... Five Star! If you fancy it, go, you wont be disappointed. Read full review

Reviewed on 16 Jan 2023 by

All the activities were fantastic, the husky sledging, the snow mobiles, the Reindeer farm and the museum. Read full review

Reviewed on 31 Mar 2023 by

Excellent...The sledge run with the huskies and the visit to the reindeer farm. Going out on the snowmobiles. Read full review

Reviewed on 18 Feb 2023 by

The activities. Dogsledding. Reindeer herding morning. Northern lights.Henna and the all staff at the school hotel were lovely Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Mar 2022 by

10/10 - the whole holiday was fantastic. Highly recommended. Read full review

Reviewed on 13 Mar 2022 by

Brilliant - it exceeded our expectations. Everything worked well. Read full review

Reviewed on 11 Mar 2022 by

Excellent Read full review

Reviewed on 07 Mar 2022 by

Fantastic we loved everything about the trip and wished we could have stayed for longer, we were very sad to leave such a beautiful peaceful place Read full review

Reviewed on 25 Feb 2022 by

To be honest all the activities were amazing but we enjoyed the most talking with the locals as the reindeer herder Read full review

Reviewed on 24 Feb 2022 by

It was an amazing and quite magical holiday. A very special experience. Read full review

Reviewed on 29 Jan 2022 by

Perfect in every way. The hotel was excellent with delicious wholesome food. All the staff were friendly and helpful. The guides for all the activities were knowledgeable and we always felt safe in their hands. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Jan 2022 by

For us it was the holiday experience of a lifetime with stunning views of the sky untainted by any artificial light. We took in enough activities in the 4 days to make it well worth while. We will never forget this. Read full review

Reviewed on 11 Jan 2022 by

Definitely 5 stars or more if possible. There was an excellent range of activities and the guides were so helpful. Read full review

Reviewed on 02 Jan 2022 by

Fantastic!…It was all great but we were fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights so that has to be the highlight. Read full review

Reviewed on 02 Jan 2022 by

Fantastic family holiday. Read full review

Reviewed on 01 Mar 2022 by

Brilliant - my 18 and 16 year old sons said it was one of the best holidays they had ever had. Read full review

Reviewed on 17 Feb 2022 by

Really good holiday but would have been much improved if we had been able to see the Northern Lights. Read full review

Reviewed on 11 Dec 2021 by

The whole experience was memorable as I chose the holiday because I wanted it to be completely different to anything I had done before..... I loved the activities, the hotel staff and the whole holiday! Read full review

Reviewed on 16 Mar 2020 by

It was a fantastic experience. I would go again in a heartbeat. Read full review

Reviewed on 13 Mar 2020 by

We loved every minute. Such a wonderful experience. Read full review

Reviewed on 12 Mar 2020 by

Perfect...The most memorable part was the Dog sledding and meeting some great people. Read full review

Reviewed on 10 Mar 2020 by

Such a lot packed into such a short space of time, yet at no time did we feel rushed as everything was so beautifully organised Read full review

Reviewed on 10 Mar 2020 by

100% would go back tomorrow. But seriously will be looking to return. Read full review

Reviewed on 05 Mar 2020 by

Excellent! Such a warm welcome and everyone keen to make our trip special. From explaining local customs, being understanding of food sensitivities and even coming to collect me when my injured back decided it couldn't take the bumpy snowmobile... Such lovely people, highly recommended. Read full review

Reviewed on 01 Mar 2020 by

The whole trip surpassed our expectations with the husky experience being our number one. Read full review

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2020 by

It was a trip of a lifetime! We even got to see the Northern Lights! Read full review

Reviewed on 24 Feb 2020 by

A brilliant week, with extremely friendly and helpful staff. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Feb 2020 by

Ten out of ten. Would highly recommend this trip! We loved every single minute and would gladly do it all over again! Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Feb 2020 by

Amazing, fabulous and memorable Five star Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Feb 2020 by

Wonderful insight to a beautiful Country. The wilderness is something for all to experience, no matter what age, tranquility at its best. Read full review

Reviewed on 14 Feb 2020 by

I would love to repeat it again and take my family with me. Read full review

Reviewed on 13 Feb 2020 by

I have totally fallen in love with the country and the Northern Lights Village Read full review

Reviewed on 13 Feb 2020 by

All of it was super memorable, but the icing on the cake was witnessing the Northern Lights on the evening of day 3. Read full review

Reviewed on 24 Jan 2020 by

It was fantastic! I honestly can't fault it. The activities are awesome and were so different from anything else we've done before. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Jan 2020 by

An amazing place to go and experience and do things you have not done before-It was magical Read full review

Reviewed on 17 Jan 2020 by

I shall never forget the exhilaration of the husky safari, the magic of the reindeer appearing through the snowy forest or the wonderland joy of seeing northern lights dancing in the sky. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Feb 2020 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was seeing the Northern lights 3 nights in a row! Read full review

Reviewed on 26 Dec 2019 by

Fabulous and a wonderful experience. Did things we have never done before. Read full review

Reviewed on 19 Dec 2019 by

all experiences were great , just arrived from my trip exhausted but happy , it was a holiday of a life time , the people made you feel welcome , the food was good , going on the snowmobile in the dark on a frozen lake was excited Read full review

Reviewed on 19 Dec 2019 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was the Dog sledging and aroura Read full review

Reviewed on 07 Dec 2019 by

Fantastic value for money and just a genuinely exciting and original authentic holiday, off the beaten track. Read full review

Reviewed on 31 Oct 2019 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was seeing the Northern Lights 2, out of the 4 nights of my stay. Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Mar 2019 by

The holiday met or exceeded our expectations on all levels. However a small caveat - we have done this sort of holiday before so knew what to expect. I am going to give it 5 stars but that does not mean 5 star luxury!! Read full review

Reviewed on 23 Feb 2019 by

Seeing the Northern Lights, husky sledging, snowshoeing were the most memorable parts of the holiday. Read full review

Reviewed on 09 Feb 2019 by

Difficult to go for one thing as it was all very memorable and exciting... If pushed I would say that one of the most memorable single events was being in the forest with Petri and his reindeer. Read full review

Reviewed on 31 Jan 2019 by

The whole holiday was amazing the best I’ve ever been on! The home cooked food, the staff, the planned activities, transfer all was top notch ten out of ten! Read full review

Reviewed on 30 Jan 2019 by

It was a fantastic holiday to me from 20th until 24th Jan 2019, our group witnessed the Auroras on 21st & 22nd night. It was amazing. Read full review

Reviewed on 27 Jan 2019 by

The Northern Lights displays over the frozen lake... On the final one, the show was high overhead and when my camera battery finally died, I just lay down in the snow and watched the aurora flicker and coil like a Chinese dragon dance. Read full review

Reviewed on 29 May 2018 by

The highlight was everything! from start to finish. Read full review

Reviewed on 02 Apr 2018 by

Obviously seeing the Aurora was the best part of the holiday however the Husky safari was a big tick off the bucket list. This was indeed a once in a lifetime experience! Our holiday was the best and something we will never forget. Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Mar 2018 by

The highlight was the Northern lights - though husky sledging pretty good and reindeer herding exceeded expectations. Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Mar 2018 by

Snowmobiling across a frozen lake lit by the most starry sky I have ever seen. Snowmobiling, dog sledding and snow shoeing were all brilliant ways to experience this pristine wilderness and we saw the most amazing aurora display! Read full review

Reviewed on 01 Mar 2018 by

Now that’s a tricky one as the whole holiday was fab. But, if I had to choose something on pain of death I would say the husky ride, it was amazing. The dogs are so friendly and very well looked after and the enthusiasm they show when you arrive for your trip is infectious. Read full review

Reviewed on 01 Mar 2018 by

The day we spent with the Reindeer herder, sitting around the fire drinking coffee outside in the snow covered forest clearing with all the reindeer milling around us. It was so interesting hearing all about Petri's lifestyle, and the Sami culture, a real privilege. Read full review

Reviewed on 23 Feb 2018 by

Seeing the northern lights every night and husky experience. Absolutely fantastic trip. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Feb 2018 by

The scenery was outstanding and the friendliness and knowledge of the staff was superb. We really enjoyed the husky safari, but all of the activities (i.e. reindeer safari, snowshoe walks, Kota dinner and snowmobile trips) we excellent. Read full review

Reviewed on 22 Jan 2018 by

Fabulous....The spectacular wilderness of Lapland, exciting activities which involved seeing more of that wilderness and interacting with some of the animals. The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff at Northern Lights village, Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Jan 2018 by

So many amazing sifts and experiences. We did everything and more than expected. Northern lights were amazing but so were the night time bonfires under the stars, dog sledding, skidooing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing photos on the bridge by the Russian border... Read full review

Reviewed on 19 Jan 2018 by

All of it but the aurora was obviously the highlight. Read full review

Reviewed on 25 Mar 2018 by

The highlight was auroras which we saw from the hotel lake 3 nights out of 4. Read full review

Reviewed on 23 Feb 2018 by

The morning with Petri and his reindeer was a real authentic Sami/Finnish experience and a real privilege to be with him and be invited into his home. If you fancy getting close up and personal with reindeer there really can't be a better opportunity... Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Dec 2017 by

The husky safari was the most memorable. Seeing the Northern Lights was amazing, but all the activities we did exceeded my expectations. Read full review

Reviewed on 20 Feb 2017 by

The reindeer farm was a great day out. Then seeing the northern lights which lasted for hours and just got better and better. Read full review

Reviewed on 12 Dec 2017 by

Seeing the lights & huskies was my most memorable moment. Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Mar 2017 by

This was a very special trip. Every day was well balanced, with plenty of activities but enough time to relax and do our own thing. Everyone involved was delightful. Read full review

Reviewed on 17 Mar 2017 by

The highlight for me was the Aurora. This was made even more special by our night drive on the snowmobiles across the frozen lake to get the best viewing. Read full review

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2017 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was standing on the middle of a frozen lake watching the northern lights dancing in the sky, magical and breathtaking at the same time. We had a fantastic time, a great group of people there at the same time to share the experiences made it even more enjoyable. Read full review

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2017 by

Even if we hadn't been able to see a wonderful display of the Northern Lights on our last night the variety of the activities and the friendliness of all the people we met, the cold, the setting of the accommodation made this a memorable holiday. Read full review

Reviewed on 10 Apr 2016 by

10 OUT OF 10 Read full review

Reviewed on 07 Mar 2016 by

Every minute I spent in Finland was truly memory making! To walk in snowy woods along paths through the trees, to hear nothing but the sound of my breath was so soul restoring. Read full review

Reviewed on 09 Jan 2016 by

One of the best holidays we have ever had, we loved it all. Read full review

Reviewed on 02 Jan 2016 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was catching the northern lights twice! This was just before Christmas night when the moon was shining bright and to be able to capture it all on digital camera despite the freezing -20c temperature on that night. Read full review

Reviewed on 23 Feb 2016 by

The morning with the reindeer herder. Read full review

Reviewed on 15 Feb 2016 by

Don't hesitate to opt in for the activities as the search for the Northern Lights then becomes secondary. Don't rely on seeing them and don't spend hours in a car trying to find them - do the activities and hopefully see them whilst enjoying yourself! Read full review

Reviewed on 08 Feb 2016 by

It was fabulous. 10 out of 10!! Read full review

Reviewed on 03 Jan 2016 by

The most memorable part of the holiday was the sheer scale of Lapland and being able to get a feel of how the Sami live (reindeer farming, sledging with huskies, ice fishing). Wonderful. Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Jan 2015 by

The entire trip was a great experience! From the moment you land to the last day was very enjoyable. And the itinerary was very well planned even for single traveller like me. Read full review

Responsible Travel

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.

Planet

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 strongly encourage group transfers to reduce traffic volumes and we make our clients aware of their obligation to the environment.

People

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. The wilderness hotel in Menesjärvi is owned and run by the Lappalainen family, whose Sámi routes have been in this area for centuries. 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. 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.

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.

We firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world.

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