Family winter activity holiday in Finland
Children (4-11 yrs) from £1933
Description of Family winter activity holiday in Finland
Winter departures dates available in February 2023.
This family winter activity holiday in Finland is based in Jeris, in the far north of Finnish Lapland. Here you will get a chance to try out lots of traditional and exciting activities such as husky sledding, snowshoeing in the snow-blanketed forests and Northern Lights hunting by Aurora Snow Train.
The husky sledding takes you on a wilderness journey over 15km, but you also get a chance to do a 35km snowmobile safari. All around your accommodation, where you will be staying in cosy winter cabins, it will, of course, be frozen and white. So, donning your winter clothing, which we provide for the duration of the trip, you can also toboggan, or just have some great family time playing in the snow. The reindeer sleigh ride through the forest is a favourite with many of our families.
If you are lucky, you may also spot the Northern Lights and on one of our evenings, we head off to a remote Aurora camp, where we sit by the fire, have warm drinks and snacks, and learn all about the Aurora Borealis. Returning to sleep in your cosy cottage of course.
The price of this holiday includes: return flights from London to Kittilä, airport transfers, winter cottage accommodation, seven breakfasts, seven lunches, seven dinners and activities listed in the itinerary. As mentioned above, we also provide winter clothing for your stay so you don’t need to buy lots of new gear for your family holiday.
Photography credits: Antti Pietakainen
Price information
Children (4-11 yrs) from £1933
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Travel guides
Reviews
2 Reviews of Family winter activity holiday in Finland
Reviewed on 03 Mar 2019 by Catherine Ridler
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The experience of the beautiful landscape. We particularly enjoyed the 'day in the wild'.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
A buff/face cover is essential. Get the aurora alarm (I think it should be included in the holiday).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We enjoyed a talk from 2 Sami women about their culture.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great!
Reviewed on 12 Dec 2017 by Louise Cox-O
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Horse drawn sleigh ride to see Northern Lights. It was too cloudy to
see lights but the sleigh ride was magical. Kids really enjoyed it. Loved cooking Frankfurter's over open fire, washed down with freshly brewed coffee.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't pay out for heavy snow clothes. All outdoor gear supplied. Don't pack loads to heavy jumpers. We brought far too many clothes and didn't end up wearing half of them.Pack thermal underwear and 1 or 2 thick or fleece jumpers.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The excursions I booked were run by local people so I think we did help tourist economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We all had excellent holiday and definitely recommend it to others. The extra excursions we picked were brilliant and kid's really enjoyed them. Only complaint would be food. Menu very limited. Kids given same meal choice as adults, reindeer didn't rate highly with them. A beef steak one night was given to them with blood oozing out and a steak knife on their plate! When they did do chicken nuggets for them they were still frozen on inside!
Responsible Travel
Planet
Multiple elements of this holiday operate with full consideration of the environment.We insist on sending holidaymakers on group departures, minimizing the use of multiple planes. We also make sure that any transfers they take during their stay are group transfers. In both cases, overall transportation-based pollution is reduced.
In the case of snowmobiles, which are not pollution-free vehicles, we are happy to say that four-stroke engine varieties of machine are most commonly used. These produce less noise and are more efficient. Huskies and reindeer are environmentally-friendly alternatives of getting about, and we encourage their use on this holiday. Whenever clients are wandering around the wilderness near Jeris – whether by snowmobile, husky, or snowshoe – they are led on non-disruptive trails by knowledgeable guides who have full awareness and understanding of the area.
A specifically local example of environmental accordance is Torassieppi Winter Village, which is constructed from snow and ice derived from the area and is allowed to melt back into the land from which it came.
People
As always, our holidays make use of local guides, ensuring financial benefits for the regional economy. This also means that clients will be given a native experience of life at Jeris, rather than having an unfamiliar outside view pressed upon them.Torassieppi Reindeer Farm has been maintained since 1847 and showcases a longstanding cultural practice which is central to both everyday life in the region and to the wider heritage of Finland. As pointed out in a 2011 National Geographic article by Jessica Benko on Scandinavian reindeer herding, in the Northern Sami language, ‘eallu’ means ‘herd’, while ‘eallin’ means ‘life’.
Reindeer are raised following methods which have been used and maintained over many decades, keeping history alive. The on-site museum plays a further role in this process of maintenance, preserving local artefacts like farming equipment. We take great pride in contributing to the upkeep of such a location.
On the subject of local traditions, it is worth mentioning that the kota lunch included in the itinerary is an excellent means of sharing Finland’s culinary heritage with holidaymakers – an atmospheric and highly memorable experience. Above all, it is a practical experience, allowing holidaymakers to directly interact, rather than just observe. In each activity, from ice-fishing to snowmobile safaris, there is an insistence on sharing practical knowledge, which ensures that classic activities and traditions are physically passed on to a wider international community.
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