Polar Safari Adventure
Day 1: Sensational Lapland
(D, private car)
As your flight from Helsinki lands at the airport of Rovaniemi, you will find the arctic town folded in her snow-white winter attire. Transfer from the airport to Hotel Sky Ounasvaara or similar for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: The Land of Santa Claus and Reindeer
(B, L, D, private car)Finnish Lapland is home to Santa Claus, and today you will have a chance to tell your Christmas wishes to the jolly old man in person. You will first travel by snowmobile to a local reindeer farm. Your safari guides will instruct you on how to ride a snowmobile and then, appropriately dressed in warm clothing, you set out driving two persons to a snowmobile. At the reindeer farm you will take part in a mysterious Arctic Circle Crossing Ceremony. You will learn about the Lapp culture and reindeer husbandry, and experience a ride in a reindeer-pulled sledge. After the visit a car will take you to a local restaurant to enjoy a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, visit Santa Claus Village where you can say hello to Santa himself, do some shopping and mail a card or two from his post office.
Dinner and overnight at Hotel Sky Ounasvaara or similar.
Day 3: At the Head of the Gulf of Bothnia
(B, L, D, private car)
After breakfast, you driver will take you from Rovaniemi to Kemi, located at the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia. Leave your luggage at your hotel in Kemi and continue to the home harbour of the Arctic Icebreaker Sampo. Throughout the winter, the shipping lanes to the northern ports are kept open by massive icebreakers. Now you have a unique opportunity to visit one of them and take part in its journey through the ice, so thick that you can drive a car on it. After lunch on board and exploration of the ship from the bridge down to the engine room, it is time to take a dip in the sea amidst freshly broken ice. You will find the experience very comfortable, though, as you wear a thermal suit that covers you from top to toe keeping you warm, dry and floating. After four hours on and among rocks, you will return by car to your hotel in Kemi.
Dinner and overnight at Hotel Cumulus or Hotel Merihovi in Kemi.
Day 4: Good-bye to Lapland
(B, private car)
After breakfast transfer to Kemi airport by private car.
Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Day 1: Helsinki-Rovaniemi
- Day 2: Rovaniemi
- Day 3: Rovaniemi-Kemi
- Day 4: Kemi-Helsinki
Tour Includes
- accommodation in twin-bedded rooms with bath/shower
- 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
- airport transfers in Rovaniemi and Kemi by private car with English speaking driver
- four-hour cruise on icebreaker with lunch
- transfer from Rovaniemi to Kemi before, and from Kemi harbour to hotel after the icebreaker cruise
- Safari to the Arctic Circle including lunch, 2 persons per snowmobile
- service charges and taxes on included items
- N0TE! This is a non-escorted tour to Lapland. Services of a guide and domestic air fares Helsinki-Rovaniemi and Kemi-Helsinki are not included
- A minimum of two (2) passengers are required for the tour to be operated.