MEET UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS OR IN THE SUNNY SNOW LAND WINTER-SPRING

TRANSFERS

Ivalo Airport-Saariselkä-Ivalo Airport Your guide meets and greets you welcome at Ivalo Airport and the land of reindeer! Bus transfer to your hotel.

ACTIVITIES WHEN NEED A BREAK AND SNOW FUN!

ON SNOWMOBILES FROM AIRPORT TO HOTEL
This safari could be a surprise and a special start! Get dressed in the special thermal clothing in the terminal of Ivalo Airport. After a short but thorough instruction by the safari guides you start your snowmobile safari right from the airport to Saariselkä, some 40-km southwards. Your luggage is transported directly to your hotel. It is amazingly easy to ride on a snowmobile along the trail that follows ancient routes of Sámi people over snow-covered fells. A snack of sandwiches and hot drink on the way. Duration 3-4 hours.
Optional lunch or dinner on the way.

WITH HUSKY-TEAM IN PANORAMIC SCENERY
Dressed in thermal outfit you will be transferred to the starting point of a husky-safari. The excited husky-teams, each consisting of 5 to 7 dogs, are harnessed in front of a sledge. After short driving instructions by the guides you speed off through the silent forest and over the majestic panorama of the fells. The only sound is the soft sliding of the sledge in its snowy track. Two persons are sharing the sledge of a husky-team, one sitting the other steering. During the safari places will be swapped. Coffee or lunch is served around open fire in a wooden hut. Duration 2 hours (incl. coffee) or 4 hours including soup lunch.

SNOWMOBILING & HUSKY SLEDGING
This is a safari combining two experiences in winter Lapland –snowmobiles and husky-teams. Half of your group begins with a snowmobile safari on the trail through narrow valleys and over the treeless tops of the fells while the other half of the group is having safari in sleighs pulled by husky-dogs. A lunch with coffee and sweet bun is served around open fire in a "kota", a traditional hut of Lapland. After lunch the groups change their mode of transportation and return to Saariselkä on snowmobiles and in dog-pulled sleighs.
Duration 3-5 hours depending on the group size (min. 12 persons).

SNOWSHOEING & SLIDING DOWN A HILL
Your group is divided into 2 teams. In addition to the thermal outfit every team member gets a pair of snowshoes. Equipped with a map of the area and accompanied by a wilderness guide each team starts off for a snow-shoe-hiking trek as shown on the map. During the challenging trek there will be several survival skill tests: build up a fire, using GPS etc. The trail will end up to the top of the Kaunispää fell with beautiful view over the fells in the area. Finally everybody will get a toboggan and it is time for exhilarating fun-slide along the more than a kilometre long slope! After the speedy slide hot berry juice is served at the foot of the hill. Duration 3-4 hours. Note, normal snowshoeing and tobogganing can be also done and also separate.

HIGHLIGHTS OF SÁMILAND
During this day you will learn about the Sámi culture by visiting Inari village, the Sámi centre of Finland and Siida - the Sami Museum and Northern Lapland Nature centre and the exhibitions with a guide. The tour continues to Lemmenjoki, where we will visit a Sámi family and the felt maker’s studio in an old Sámi setting on the bank of River Lemmenjoki. You will hear how felted items have been made of lamb wool for various purposes in the course of thousands of years. You will also see how the felt maker creates pictures of surrounding nature and Sámi culture from wool fibres. After representation, we will have tasty lunch.
On the way back we will visit a local reindeer home farm, where we can feed reindeer and try “Lappish lassoing”, a traditional reindeer herders’ skill. We’ll also hear stories about reindeer herding and Sámi Culture. Coffee / tea is served in the cosy Lappish hut by open fire. Before departure the host will ”joik” us welcome to Sámiland! Before return to Saariselkä, we’ll visit local artesan studios and shops in Inari and learn about Sámi and modern handicrafts made of reindeer bone, wood, wool and silver etc.
Duration 8-9 hours. Shorter Sámi tour also possible.

VISIT A UNIQUE IGLOO VILLAGE

NIGHT IN AN IGLOO
You can spend a unique night in a snow igloo or in a glass igloo! Feel the arctic spirit sleeping comfortable at the same time – believe it or not. From the glass igloo you can also watch the Northern Lights dancing on the sky…

ICE GALLERY VISIT
You may also visit the special Ice Gallery in the Igloo Village and admire the art of the arctic world. Or have a silent moment in the unique ice chapel…

HAVE A MEAL AT A SNOW RESTAURANT!
What about having a meal on ice! Enjoy with your group a tasty hot 3 course meal in a snow restaurant where table and seats are made of ice. Tasty Lappish menus to be chosen.

Note, igloo village services available late December – mid April.

SMOKE SAUNA AND ICE DIPPING
A special experience in the Igloo village! You will enjoy the gentle heat of the world biggest smoke sauna (for 100 persons!). Also possibility for ice dipping. After relaxing sauna a tasty dinner in a traditional log restaurant. Duration 2-3 hours and 4-5 hours with dinner.