Winter holidays in Lapland
Our Winter Holidays
Husky safari in Finland
Sled with huskies through spectacular Finnish scenery
Lapland holiday, husky safari & log cottage
Luxurious log suite,northern lights & overnight husky safari
Northern Lights family holiday, tailor made
A mix of Lapland family activities and a relaxing spa hotel
Winter cottage holiday in Finnish Lapland
Log fires, lakeside trails and a range of winter activities
Family winter adventure in Finland
Great range of activities in Lapland's winter wilderness.
Tailor made holiday in Lapland
Tailor-made week in Finnish Lapland
Winter holiday in Finnish Lapland, tailor made
Combine unbeatable comfort with winter adventure
Lapland New Year holiday, Northern Lights
New Year celebrations, Tromsø & the Northern Lights Route
Northern Lights short break in Nellim, Finland
Short Northern Lights break in Finland.
Christmas or New Year 2020 in Lapland
Magical snow holiday in northern Lapland at reasonable cost
New year Northern Lights & wildlife holiday, Sweden
Winter glamping, wildlife, dogsledding and Northern Lights!
Lapland Autumn Northern Lights holiday
Few better ways to witness an autumn Aurora
Winter tailor-made holiday in Finland
Adventure in Finnish Lapland, huskies, northern lights & more
Winter adventure in Finland
Experiences which stay with you
Northern Lights Family Christmas in Lapland
Winter 'Santa free' Lapland adventure for families
Arctic treehouse winter short break
A tailor made Lappish winter adventure
Northern Lights holiday in Finnish Lapland, Harriniva
Hunt for the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland
Helsinki and Rovaniemi Christmas holiday with Santa
Atmospheric Christmas with Santa Claus in Lapland
Lapland Northern Lights and moose tracking holiday
Winter glamping, wildlife, dogsledding and Northern Lights!
Family huski safari in Swedish Lapland
Winter wonderland adventure with husky sledding in Lapland
Lapland holidays with glass igloo stay & Northern Lights
Discover Finland in Winter holiday
Family multi activity holiday in Finland with Santa
Winter activities and a visit to Father Christmas
Weekend break in Lapland with santa
A life-time winter weekend in Santa Claus hometown!
Lapland holiday by rail
Finland south to north with the best snow activities
Northern lights holiday in Swedish Lapland
A magical short break in Abisko National Park
Swedish Lapland new year holiday, northern lights and activities
New Year activities & Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland
What do Lapland winter holidays involve?
When you book a winter holiday in Lapland, your travel company will issue you with a list of suggested clothing to bring. Layering your clothes is important for warmth, of course, and you’ll need thermals. But bulky outerwear such as thick overalls, gloves and boots is provided for you on arrival from a well-maintained stock to save you the need of bringing it yourself.This arrangement is testament not only to Lapland’s enduring popularity for winter activity holidays, but how conscientious your hosts are. Even in a region where much of the landscape must be travelled by snowmobile most of the year, and which in January receives only a few hours of sunlight every day, trips run like clockwork. Forget the fly-in fly-out Santa visits. Come here for exceptionally well-organised activity holidays that plunge you enthusiastically into the wilderness and culture of the Sámi people that inhabit it with a smorgasbord of memorable experiences.
“One of my favourite dishes is fish soup,” says Riita. “The salmon and white fish from Lake Inari is excellent. ‘Blazing salmon’, where it’s smoked around the campfire, is also really popular around the region. There’s a lot of elk meat and game. And king crabs, which are common now in the Arctic Sea after being introduced there by Soviet soldiers. Many people consider them a delicacy, and of course you’re helping get rid of an invasive species.”
When to take a winter holiday in Lapland
“We have eight seasons in Lapland,” continues Riitta. “And what’s wonderful about that is that we have a constant sense of change: nature, light, colours and animal behaviours.” Winter holidays in Lapland run from November to April, but the best time to go is between January and March. You’ll miss the overcrowded and overpriced Santa-seeking period, and the scenery should be fully snowbound by then, allowing for a full range of activities. Clear skies around this time are ideal for observing the Northern Lights, and from early February onwards you’ll have six-plus hours of daylight. Our Lapland travel guide goes into more detail on what to expect at different times of year.Where to go on winter holidays in Lapland
Our Lapland holidays take place for the most part in the northern regions of Finland or Sweden, and there is a huge range of destinations available. In Swedish Lapland you might head for the frozen Lulea archipelago, far from the tourist throngs and reachable by overnight train from Stockholm as well as by air. It’s an ideal location for classic Lapland activities, from dog sledding to snowshoeing, as well as exploring traditional Sámi communities.Kiruna is Sweden’s northernmost town and the gateway to Abisko National Park, which you can enter via the Arctic Circle train. The park is reckoned to be one of the best places in the world from which to view the aurora borealis. Jokkmokk, a tiny outpost just north of the Arctic Circle, is the Sámi capital, where small group tours take in wildlife photography, tented camps and thundering rapids. Visit in early February for the famous winter market, when you can pick up a variety of authentic Sámi handicrafts, including knives, wooden cups and baskets woven from birch.
Our top Winter Holiday
Husky safari in Finland
Sled with huskies through spectacular Finnish scenery
2021: 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec
2022: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 16 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr
Winter holiday activities in Lapland
There’s not a great deal of difference between Finnish and Swedish Lapland in the type of activities that you’ll be doing. One thing you can be sure of: however many hours of daylight you get, you’ll be spending much of your time outdoors, roaming snowbound scenery in the company of expert guides.It’s natural to wonder whether you’ll see the Northern Lights when in Lapland, but don’t let the thought consume you – they’re as unpredictable as they are beautiful. Your chances grow, however, the further north and the deeper into winter you get. You might spot them from just outside your hotel, but many Lapland winter holidays will also include an evening in a remote cabin, a snow igloo or even a dome specially designed for aurora watching.
Snowshoeing – no more difficult than hiking on the flat – is very popular, as is cross country skiing. You’ll have equipment at your disposal throughout your stay. While you might head out on a guided group walk, in many places there will be trails leading from your accommodation so that you can go for a wander on your own as well.