7-Day Nordic Christmas Experience Tour in Finland & Norway
7-Day Nordic Christmas Experience Tour in Finland & Norway
7 Days Starting and ending in Helsinki
Visiting: Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Kirkenes, Saariselkä
Tour operator:
Recommended For:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 8
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
0-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Vegans, Meat
Tour operated in:
English , French , German , SpanishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Art Galleries & Museums, Fishing, Sightseeing, Snow and Ski Activities
Private Available:
Request A Private Tour
Tour Overview
An unforgettable Christmas in the Arctic where you will experience many surprises. Christmas is the best time of the year to create new and unforgettable memories with your family. Join this trip and experience the Arctic activities to the fullest.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Helsinki - Christmas City
Location: Helsinki
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
In the Finnish capital, the first real snow is usually coming on Christmas, it will cover the entire city in a pure white atmosphere, and create a Christmas feeling through the Christmas decorations of Aleksanterinkatu. Our first stop will be Helsinki´s cathedral, the most famous white cathedral in Northern Europe. Shortly after we will visit Uspenski Cathedral, on our way to Tuomaan Markkinat (St. Thomas Christmas Market). Feel the true Scandinavian Christmas atmosphere in this lively street market. For lunch, we will enjoy a traditional Finnish Christmas lunch, before we continue to the Sibelius Monument. The Sibelius Park is a park erected to honor Jean Sibelius, a remarkable Finnish composer.
For dinner, we will have something not so conventional but certainly tasty: Arctic Seafood Sashimi. Once we are ready, we will begin our trip to Rovaniemi in Santa´s comfortable night train, equipped with double rooms.
Day 2 : Rovaniemi
Location: Rovaniemi
Accommodation: Aurora Nest
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rovaniemi is the first stop in the Arctic Circle! The area is mysterious and beautiful. In addition to the world's only Santa Claus, there is a magical summer midnight sun and a stunning winter aurora borealis! Santa Claus Village is probably the most exciting place in the world. Santa Claus will listen carefully to your wishes. Are you ready to meet Santa?During your visit to Santa´s Post Office, you can purchase a variety of Christmas cards. Cross the Arctic Circle and get a Certificate.
After meeting Santa, we will visit a snow castle, experience the amazing architecture and ice sculptures and have fun with the high speed sledding in the snow toboggans. Afterwards, we will try a reindeer meat meal, before we go to Santa´s Park! During this visit, we will meet Santa´s elves!
For dinner, we will try Arctic Salmon dinner cooked straight on a fire, following the pure Lappish barbecue style and, once we are full, we will go to an amazing experience in our Aurora Nest! A small mobile house pulled by snowmobiles, in which you will have a chance to see the Northern lights!
Day 3 : Crafts And Snow Castles
Location: Rovaniemi
Accommodation: Snow Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We will begin this most exciting day with a snowmobile ride through the arctic forest. Very close from there, we can find a husky farm where we will enjoy a 10 km Husky ride, a taster of the most traditional means of transportation in the arctic regions. For lunch we will enjoy a sample of the traditional local cuisine, arctic whitefish, and afterwards we will visit a Sámi art workshop. In the workshop we will go through the crafting process used by a Sámi family of artisans, who will show us their techniques and their way of living.
In the evening, we will enjoy dinner in a restaurant inside a Snow Castle. And after being stunned by this breathtaking construction, we will be shown our rooms, also in the snow hotel!
Day 4 : King Crabs!
Location: Kirkenes
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the fourth day of our trip, we will go on a trip! After breakfast we will travel to Norway in search of king crabs. Norway's sea is a paradise for king crab catching all year round, the only difference is winter crab meat is harder! We will embark on a hunting King Crab Cruise and sail into the arctic fjord. The fishermen will dive into the crystal clear Arctic Fjord, hunting underwater crabs and Arctic sea urchins and scallops. Everything we hunt, we will bring it with us for instant cooking, you will be involved in the whole process and enjoy a fresh meal!
Later on the day, we will have a traditional dinner: Norwegian deep sea trout dishes, and you will be able to choose where you want to stay for the night, a four-star hotel by the sea or a forest Chalet Hotel.
Day 5 : Sámi Day
Location: Saariselkä
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will explore in depth the Sámi culture. We will travel to Saariselkä, a small but attractive town surrounded by the wilderness. We will visit a Sámi farm and a Sami Museum and, once we know everything about the Sámi, we will enjoy a traditional lunch. After the food, we will climb to the top of Saariselkä´s hill, and enjoy the astonishing views of Lapland from there. To add more history to our day, we will visit the gold rush museum, where we will improve our gold panning skills.
For dinner we will eat a delicious arctic char meal, and with our bellies full, we will go on the hunt for Northern Lights. There is nothing better after an exhausting day that a night in a 4-star SPA hotel double room!
Day 6 : Wild Land Experience
Location: Rovaniemi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Back in Rovaniemi, we will try some more adventurous activities. We will go snowshoeing through a wild forest all the way down to a lake, where we will try some ice fishing! We will prepare a barbecue in the snow where we will have a chance to grill our catch of the day. We will then return to civilization, with a stroll around Rovaniemi´s Christmas Market, where you will find a lot of souvenirs and lovely memories.
For dinner, we will take you to savor the arctic duck and, once you are full, we will go on an exciting Northern lights hunt by snowmobile. You will spend the night in an astonishing Ice Hotel or Forest Chalet, at your own choice.
Day 7 : End Of The Tour
Location: Rovaniemi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
In the last day of the tour, we will climb to the top of Ounasvaara Hill, from where we will see all Rovaniemi under the beautiful sunrise. We will also visit the Ranua Wildlife Zoo and its 50 different species.
After the lunch, you will have some free time until the evening, when we will fly to Helsinki.
What's Included
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Pick-up from and drop-off to your hotel/accommodation
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Winter clothes (overall, boots and gloves)
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Guide in English (other languages available on request: Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese)
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4 nights 4 star hotel / 2 nights glass igloo
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All the activities and Northern Lights tour
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Breakfast / lunch
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
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Are flights included in this tour?
No, there are not.
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What currencies are required for this tour?
EUR.
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Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
Yes, but please kindly note that the availability is not guaranteed.
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes, we can provide transfer with the airports or train station. Arrival and departure information will have to be provided beforehand.
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What happens if a group doesn’t make its minimum required number of passengers?
We will confirm bookings only when it reached the minimum departure which is two adults.
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
Yes.
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What is the maximum group size?
8 people.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes, children are permitted. However, please take care of young children since the temperature might sometimes be too cold for them.
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What is the tipping policy?
It's not obligatory, but of course please feel free to tip if you are satisfied with our services.
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Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes.
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Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?
Yes.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, but other languages can be provided on request.
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes, all entrance fees are included.
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
The minimum departure will be full payments for two adults.
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Where are we located?
Nordic Unique Travels LTD located in the door to the Arctic: Rovaniemi, Lapland. Our office is approachable by walking distance from the major hotels in the city area (Maakuntakatu 29-31 96200 Rovaniemi Finland). We are in the middle of the city centre, next to Subway and in front of Sale Market. Come make us a visit!
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When to travel to Lapland?
There are four distinctly different seasons as far up north as Rovaniemi. However, locals think the conditions are in a constant state of change and say there are up to eight seasons in the year: midwinter, snowy spring, spring, summer, harvest season, autumn leaf colour, first snowfall, and Christmas. Please bear in mind that there is annual fluctuation in weather. Lapland is in the continental climate zone. The winters are cold and rich in snow, but thanks to the Gulf Stream, the summers are relatively warm. Rovaniemi is part of the arctic region; its climate, however, is subarctic and temperate, characterised by strong seasonal contrasts of dark versus bright and cold versus warm.
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Summer in Lapland
The Midnight Sun and white nights in June and July The Midnight Sun period officially lasts from early June until early July, but nights are white throughout the summer in Rovaniemi. The summer in Lapland can offer an interesting variety of weather conditions, with a longer warm spell expected in July. The warmest time of year brings people out in masses, and various events take place in summery Rovaniemi. Prepare to celebrate until the wee hours, as the sun never goes down. There are plenty of things to do in Rovaniemi in the summer, and with 24 hours of light, there’s no limits to time of action.
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Spring in Lapland
The snow melts, the ice breaks and nature is reborn in April and May April is still considered a snowy month in Rovaniemi and Lapland, but the snow gradually disappears as May approaches. The ice on rivers and lakes starts melting, and big chunks of ice can be seen flowing downstream. In early April, the last of the Northern Lights displays can be seen. Towards the end of April, nights are too light for the Auroras to be spotted. In May, northern nature starts getting ready to blossom once again after a harsh winter. At the end of May, nights are white. In Rovaniemi, winter activities still run in early April, after which it’s time for non-snow stuff.
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Winter in Lapland
Christmas, the Polar Night and snowy spring from December to March December and January are snowy months shrouded in the darkness of the Polar Night. The sun comes out in February and marks the start of the snowy, light-filled spring. March is often terrific for Northern Lights viewing. In Rovaniemi, the Official Hometown of Santa Claus, Christmas is a special time, as many flock to the arctic town to meet Santa in person and experience the festive season in magical wintery surroundings. The winter is a great time for a number of activities both in the snow outside and experiencing local culture inside.
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Autumn in Lapland
First Auroras and first snowfall from August to November Early August is still considered summer by many, but by the end of the month, it’s definitely autumn. The Northern Lights start appearing in late August, and September and October are ideal Aurora viewing months. Temperatures start dropping below zero in October, and first snow usually falls at around the same time period. A permanent snow cover is expected in late November. Autumn leaf colour paints the landscapes in earthy shades, and days are perfect for hiking and other nature related activities, as nights are best reserved for Aurora spotting.
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Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Nordic Unique Travels requires a minimum deposit of 30% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of nordic unique travels charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 45% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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