Multi Activity Holidays in Saariselkä
8 Days | 7 Nights
Europe’s northernmost outdoor activity resort, Saariselkä, is situated 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. Here, the tranquility of the wilderness is only a few steps from the city center. Saariselkä offers nearly 200 km of well maintained cross-country ski tracks, an alpine ski resort and Finland’s largest toboggan run. Saariselkä is the perfect place to go searching for the Northern Lights while learning about adorable reindeer, happy husky dogs and the Sámi culture!
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This programme can be shortened to four, five or six nights. Recommended minimum age: 7 years.
| Day 1 | Arrival at Ivalo airport – Transfer to your hotel in Saariselkä | More information |
| Day 2 | Morning: Husky safari – 20 kilometres | More information |
| Day 3 | Morning: Ice fishing by snowmobile
Evening: Evening safari by reindeer searching for the Northern lights |
More information |
| Day 4 | Morning: Day excursion to the museum of Sami culture Siida in Inari | More information |
| Day 5 | Morning: Reindeer safari
Evening: Searching for the Northern lights by snowmobile |
More information |
| Day 6 | Morning: Day excursion to Nellim
Evening: Searching for the Northern lights by snowshoes |
More information |
| Day 7 | Evening: Excursion to Aurora Borealis camp by bus | More information |
| Day 8 | Transfer to Ivalo airport | More information |
INCLUDED
Transfer from Ivalo Airport to your hotel in Saariselkä
Seven nights in a standard room at Holiday Club Saariselkä
Half-board (breakfast and dinner)
Daily access to spa during the entire stay
Husky Safari – 20 kilometres
Ice fishing by snowmobile
Evening safari by reindeer searching for the Northern lights
Reindeer safari
Searching for the Northern lights by snowmobile
Day excursion to Nellim
Searching for the Northern lights by snowshoes
Excursion to Aurora Borealis camp by bus
Transfer from the hotel to Ivalo airport
Activities with English-speaking guides
Warm clothing during the entire stay in Saariselkä
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OPTIONAL
Cross country ski equipment
Supplement for single use of snowmobile: 45 EUR/adult/excursion
Stop-over programme in Helsinki (airport transfers, accommodation in the city centre and city walk with your private guide)
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NOT INCLUDED
Airline tickets to Ivalo
Any activity not mentioned as “included”
Holiday Club Saariselkä
Two adults in a standard room
2595 EUR per adult (15 years and older)
Two adults and one child in a standard room with extra bed
2295 EUR per adult (15 years and older)
1890 EUR per child (7-14 years)
Two adults and two children in a standard room with two extra beds
1995 EUR per adult (15 years and older)
1690 EUR per child (7-14 years)
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All prices are subject to availability.
Possibility to book an appartment or chalet – Contact us for more information!
Possibility to shorten the programme to four, five or six nights.
English
7 January – 31 March 2024
DAY 1
Arrival at Ivalo Airport
Transfer from Ivalo Airport to your hotel in Saariselkä
Seven nights in a standard room at Holiday Club Saariselkä
Half-board (breakfast and dinner)
Daily access to spa during the entire stay
.
Possibility to book an appartment or a chalet – Contact us for more information
.
Possibility to adapt the programme to four, five or six nights
DAY 2
Morning: Husky Safari – 20 kilometres (10:30-15:30 – lunch included)
Once you arrive at a husky farm the friendly arctic dogs bark an enthusiastic welcome for you. Before departing on the safari, you are instructed how to control the sleds. This safari allows you to experience something unique: the ties between the musher and the dogs formed on a joint expedition into the wilderness. You soon learn that behind its icy-blue gaze, the husky is a friendly canine character who works closely with people. During the day, you can relax by enjoying a delicious lunch by an open fire and chat away with the musher about these amazing northern animals. The husky ride is approximately two hours.
DAY 3
Morning: Ice fishing by snowmobile (09:00-13:00 – snack included)
The trail on this snowmobile safari takes you to the north of Saariselkä to a remote lake. Here you will have a chance to drill a hole through the ice and try out your fishing skills! The catch may even be the jewel of Lapland’s crystal waters; the Arctic char. Later on, you can enjoy a snack by the campfire and have the opportunity to fry the fresh fish you just caught.
Evening: Evening safari by reindeer searching for the Northern lights (20:00-22:00)
Sit back in a sleigh pulled by a reindeer and start your journey into the quiet night forest. With some luck, you might even see the Northern Lights dancing in the sky! Enjoy the warmth of the campfire while sipping a warm drink, listen to the sounds of the forest and the open fire, and realise how silent and light the darkness of the north truly is.
DAY 4
Optional: Day excursion to the Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida in Inari (10:00-16:00 – lunch included)
We will leave Saariselkä by minibus and drive quietly through the village of Ivalo towards Inari. We will make a photo stop on the way to capture the beautiful landscape on the shores of Lake Inari. In Inari we will visit the Sámi Museum and Nature Centre Siida. A guided tour of the museum will give you a good idea of the history and way of life of the Sámi, the indigenous people of Lapland. We will visit a handicraft shop, where you can buy beautiful local souvenirs. Lunch will served in the warm embrace of a campfire. Before heading back to Saariselkä, we will take a short walk to the snow-capped Juutuanjoki River, where rapids carve ornamental patterns into the surrounding ice. This optional excursion can be organized as from 15 November 2022.
DAY 5
Morning: Reindeer safari (10:00-12:00)
This safari introduces you to the ancient Lappish mode of transport: the reindeer sleigh. In the old days, the only means of winter transportation for the people of Lapland was on sleighs pulled by reindeer. Often there could be as many as 25 – 30 reindeer in a long caravan. You will experience this traditional, peaceful way of moving through snowscapes where the only sound you will hear is the light ringing of reindeer bells. A warm drink will be served by the fire
Evening: Searching for the Northern lights by snowmobile (20:00-23:00)
This evening safari takes you on a search for the Northern Lights and to experience the exoticism of an arctic night! Leaving an illuminated village behind, the dark wilderness will soon envelop you. The snow, glittering under the moonlight, paints the scenery with its magical shine. Your guide leads you towards the best spots to find the Northern Lights. With a little luck, you can witness the sky dancing in the fiery shades of green! In the lightness of the Arctic night, a stop is made to enjoy hot sausages and drinks by the open fire and share stories on the Arctic way of life.
DAY 6
Morning: Day excursion to Nellim (10:00-16:00 – lunch included)
We will depart by minibus from Saariselkä to the northernmost border post between Finland and Russia. We will stop for a while at the border station and then continue to the Paatsjoki River Bridge, which offers a direct view of Russia. Next we will visit the Trinity Church in the small village of Nellim, where the log walls and beautiful icons turn the shrine into a unique work of art, exhibiting the centuries-old Orthodox history. The atmosphere of the Trinity Church is an inimitable combination of Lapland log cabins, the ornate luxury of Eastern churches, closeness to nature and silent holiness.
Evening: Searching for the Northern lights by snowshoes (21:00-23:00)
Capture the true feeling of a winter night in the northern woods! Your guide will take you to learn the wintry way of travelling with snowshoes. While walking on snow, you will experience how the milky light of the moon and stars cast their enchanting shadows through the snowfields. After the trek, take a break and enjoy some warm berry juice while hearing only the sound of the forest and fells around you. And if you are lucky, you may even witness the Northern Lights! This adventure requires basic physical fitness and is recommended for children of 12 years or older.
DAY 7
Evening: Excursion to Aurora Borealis camp by bus (20:00-23:00)
This excursion takes you deep into the northern evening, approximately 20 km away from the city lights, with a great view of the northern sky. At the camp, you will find the Aurora Borealis theatre built inside a snow igloo. Here, a film and spectacular photos about the myths and facts of this natural phenomenon are presented. Later on, you will get to enjoy delicious traditional reindeer burgers in the wooden Kammi cabin by the open fire. You will also have time to roam around the camp and take pictures. With a little luck, the sky will be clear and the moon, stars, and even the Northern Lights may show up!
DAY 8
Transfer to Ivalo airport
Transfer from the hotel to Ivalo airport
End of programme
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Possibility to include a stop-over programme in Helsinki (airport transfers, accommodation in the city centre and city walk with your own private guide)
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