The real lapland

[Biggles398]

Has anyone done a real lapland trip in the past year or so?.If so, anyone to avoid or recommend? I'm trying to find a two day/ one night stay but can only find day trips (hubby only has one night off in December we can do!)

I'd go another year. One night is seriously not long enough. We did 3 nights and that was very rushed. Even with a 6:30am flight it's still after 2pm by the time you get resort and then 3pm by the time you get kitted out in all the gear. I think day trips only get 5 hours in Lapland. Most companies fly out around 10:30-12pm the following morning so even if you stayed one night you'll only really get the same time as those on day trips.

I only know of Canterbury travel who do one night trips but they're very expensive.

Not trying to be negative honestly but if you can't go for longer I really wouldn't bother...even for 3 nights my 7&5 year olds were completely exhausted. It's a very tiring trip, especially as you'll likely have to get up at 3am to make the first leg of the journey and then go straight into a whole day of activities...in the darkness which is tiring enough!

If you can go longer, I recommend thomsons as great value for money.

Buttercups, what kind of thing did you get up to? Would you recommend it?

I have idly looked at these, but the buildings look like corrugated iron shacks? I have an image of cosy ski lodges...

Hi I think a lot depends on which area of Lapland you go to.

There are a few different resorts available

Levi busy ski resort but gets great reviews
Saariselka (where I went) remote village 20 miles from Russian border
Rovaniemi city so has all the busy features of a main city
Yllas Quieter ski resort.

Glogirl. My four day trip with thomsons went like this....

Day one. Fly with thomsons. Check in desk full of staff with Santa hats etc. all airline staff also wearing Santa hats, breakfast included for free ...all Santa themed with chocolate elves etc. kids sing carols down the intercom on the plane, competitions etc. all the kids get a free Santa pack with Santa hat, colouring book etc for the flight out. I believe this is all exclusive to thomsons.

Arrive at 2pm and get kitted out in thermal gear (all provided). Rest of the day free to go on the mile long tobaggon run! It's fab. There's sledges dotted around resort for anyone to use, saariselka only has four hotels so very quiet.

Day 2 - pick up at 9am travel 10 mins to santas resort (Google). Given vouchers for free excursion and left to explore on your own. Here you can try driving mini skidoos, go on husky, reindeer and snow mobile rides ....all free. Then have lunch in Santas house, meet the blacksmith elf, take part in a Lappish ceremony. Then go by snowmobile sled to search for santas cabin in the woods where it is a log cabin with a private meeting. Present included.

Free time for the rest of the day from 2:30pm.

Day 3: free day with free gala meal included - this is a big Xmas dinner, Xmas crackers etc with dancing etc followed by a firework display.

Fly home day four.

On day 3 you can pay for optional excursions, we did a 2.5 hour husky ride which is without doubt one of the best things I've ever done in my life! Me and dh each drove huskys with a child each in a sled stopping at a remote cabin in the woods for reindeer pita sandwiches and hot berry juice over the fire. It was breathtaking. Just like narnia!

It was an Amazing holiday.we paid £2200 four four days inc everything but the added excursion (that was about £300). Even though B&B, Lapland trips inc lunch on activity day and gala meal so not strictly only B&B.

Whole thing is Worth every penny!

I went quite a while ago now but was with a company called emagine. The trip was fantastic and not over commercialised . We did lots of outdoor activities and the staff were amazing.

We went to Saariselka with Esprit. I agree that one night isn't enough. We went with Esprit partly due to excellent reviews and partly because they flew to the small regional airport just 20min drive from the resort. The others flew into Kitilla? I think we flew to Ivalo. Double check spelling on those. Anyway, all 3 kids loved it. Stayed in a log cabin in the grounds of the hotel that has the swimming pool. I'd recommend opting for this as its dark very early and it gives you something to do in the evenings. The meeting with FC was amazing; very authentic. Little cabin in the woods taken there one family at a time so no lining up for your turn.

I took my oldest when she was 8 on a day trip. Flew from Glasgow at stupid o'clock, got there about half ten and we had sleigh rides with reindeer, snowmobile, went to Santa's house, lunch in a cabin in the woods, sledging, dog sleigh and Obviously just playing in the snow. Was magical.

That was in 2005 though, just 10 weeks after having dd 2 by c section. I was so tired as we got home at midnight.

We flew to ivalo with thomsons but I di know inghams and other ski type operators go to kittilia which is hours away,