Lapland

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Anyone going to Lapland this year? Anyone been previously that can give us some tips?

We're going this year. Where are you going and when?

I haven't been previously so no first hand tips but I follow a couple of FB groups where I see lots of tips and advice being shared.

We went, it was fab!
Tips, don't waste money on cold weather gear if it's provided. The clothing and footwear they provide was far superior.
If you have young children don't organise trips where they are out in the cold for too long. We did a snowmobile trip of about 3 hours, the younger children were in a sledge being pulled by a snowmobile and after 30 mins they were all cold and miserable. The parents and teens who could sit on the snowmobiles were fine but the little ones hated it. We stopped for hot chocolate in the Forest which was fab but the younger ones didn't really have fun as they were cold.
Don't bother snow shoeing! I felt exhausted after 20 minutes!
Husky safari was a hi light, absolutely brilliant but again don't go out too long if you have young children.

I echo the thing about long trips - it's really, really fucking cold!!!! We're skiers, so have plenty of cold weather gear and are used to layering up, but OMG Lapland is something else. Don't ever do a trip that's longer than an hour, is my best advice, particularly if you will be sitting still. One of my DC was borderline hypothermic after a reindeer ride of 11km. He couldn't feel his feet at all. It's very pretty and husky mushing is a lot of fun, but I wouldn't go again. Too cold for me.

I went back in 2012 on one organised by Thomson (now TUI) and we had a great time. I would not take under 5s as its too cold, was -27C when we were there over the Christmas holidays. It was useful to take some food and drink in our suitcases as its expensive out there and we had big luggage allowances. We stayed at the Santa Sport hotel, room was fairly basic but fine but good as it had a swimming pool with spa parts and children's playcentre (small charge) there as well as food. Daylight hours are very short think about 4 hours a day so if organising yourself check when its light.

The included trips on ours were great but we were not outside for more than 2 hours at a time and even when it was 2 hours you could go inside to warm up if needed. I would go every year if I had the money / no covid. We had included reindeer sleigh rides at 2 places, husky rides at 2 places, snowmobile, elf workshop, meal with fireworks where santa arrived on a sleigh with reindeer, artic circle crossing, gingerbread making etc and combined with swimming pool and kids playcentre it was 3 long days. On the organised trips you are provided with gloves, snowsuit and snowboots but useful to have layers as very warm inside and freezing outside and thermals if likely to be very cold when there, we found it useful to have own cheap snowboots as you have to walk through the snow to and from where you collect /give back boots and snowsuits etc. Food is pricey and not the greatest in winter, we went back in summer as we loved it and wanted to see the brown bears in the wild and then food was cheaper and much better. My kids loved it and talked about it for years after, they were nearly 6 and 8 then. Some of the under 5s were crying with the cold, my 5 year old was borderline but he is a very thin child. We took him into the restaurants whilst waiting for things, queues were not very long esp if you went in different order to others. I would avoid the longer trips were you are outside with no shelter for a long time if it is very cold when you are there, it varies. Magical to do over Christmas day.

We are going to Saariselka with Tui early December for 4 nights - I appear to be more excited than the kids. The webcams on Windy.com are addictive, it's been snowy since mid October!

I have just read this morning that the taster sessions (reindeer, husky, snowmobile) last 1-2 minutes each. I get it, they will have a lot of people to go through but those on a daytrip might be disappointed having done a 4 hour flight (and then have another one soon after).
For those who have been to Lapland - did you book excursions before you left or did you just do it whilst you were there? I've found a couple of local operators online, and I'd rather book direct which you can do, but wondering if it's worth just doing so in situ? @Mallowmarshmallow which Facebook groups are you following?

@PavoReal We booked all our excursions in advance with the local tourist office.

Pavo went to saariselka a few years ago. We went independently so booked everything ourselves and there was no need to book in advance, there are lots of local operators and we just explored a little bit and booked stuff in person. Skiing etc the same, we went up to the ski village and sorted lessons for the kids, lift pass etc. Lots to do there too as they had an ice drink and snow tubing there plus of course the huge toboggan run.

I was going to say so try snowshoeing. We did it a lot when my kids were small, they went in backpacks.

Brilliant thread! We're going to Ylläs with Tui in mid-Dec.
@PavoReal where did you read that the tasters are only 1-2 minutes? The info I have says 15 mins. Less than that you wouldn't do any more than sit on the sled!
@Silkieschickens can you explain more about the snowsuits? I'd understood that they gave them to you on the bus from the airport and they're then yours to keep until the bus back to the airport. Do you have to keep giving them back?

@ElfYourself21 it’s in the Tui Lapland FAQ, I found the page via google so wondering/hoping it’s not actually correct now you have said that.

www.tui.co.uk/destinations/faq/how-long-are-the-taster-sessions-for-huskies,-reindeer-and-snowmobiles?catId=265&subcatId=412&docId=1361

Gah that hasn’t worked, sorry!

Oh shit. I now of course can't find where I saw 15 mins. I spoke to someone on the phone so I wonder if they said it but of course that's meaningless. I'm gutted now as it appears we won't be able to do any of the activities as the main ones will be too long for the kids to be warm and the taster isn't a taster at all .

When we went with Thomson back in 2012 (now TUI) we were on a bus from airport to hotel and stopped at a place to pick up snowsuits, boots, gloves etc so you had to get off, walk through snow and into the building, similar on way back. Its maybe 30 metre walk in snow so not that much but we found it helpful to have our own cheap snowboots for doing that walk. They have a variety of sizes in the place you get them. You don't need own snowsuit as its quick but useful to have layers and thermals if temp is likely to be very cold when there. It was -27C when we were there. Inside the hotels is very warm, its so hot in them you could go round them in t-shirts and shorts fine. It felt like 27C inside and -27C outside. One place they had an inside and outside temp and it was that.

Has anyone stayed at the Snow Elf Ylläs (proper name Akashotelli Ylläs)? I need to check out alternative excursions. Currently looking at snow village and Konijankka animal park.

@Silkieschickens thanks for the info. I'm going to take proper snow gear for my youngest and then wear theirs on top as he does get cold. I also have a proper cold weather coat if only I could slim into it in time...

The -27 to +27 is mind boggling!!

The tasters with huskies etc are generally one lap, maybe 400 metres or so but they are quite magical and there's about 3 of them for huskies and 3 for reindeer on the 3 day trips. For children up to about 10 I would say its fine - mine loved them and there are other activities to do. The longer ones you may find you freeze and its not pleasant. The trips out were about 2 hours outside plus travel plus food and that was plenty long enough due to cold and lack of daylight hours. You could also go inside if you needed to keep warm.

Brilliant, that is reassuring! DC are 5 and 7 so definitely not wanting to spend hours out in the cold not moving.

Hope you have a lovely time. Mine were that age and loved it so much. My then 5 year old DS, who is very thin and with the courage of a mouse, did find it a bit cold outside (we hit a very cold time) but was fine on the normal trips as one of us took him inside and one of us waited in the queues for the rides. You could also go round in different order to others with minimal queues. We were at Santa Sport hotel and flew into Rovaniemi so may be slightly different set up for you.

Thank you!! I am secretly really excited but feel like covid could ruin our plans so I daren't get too carried away!

Hopefully we're going to Lapland this year, after rearranging it twice already!
We've got flights booked from Gatwick to Rovaniemi. Not exactly sure what we'll do when we get there 😄.

I have a couple of places booked with free cancellation on booking.com. I'm leaning towards holiday village gulo gulo. They provide all the snow gear, which is a big bonus for us! All the trips are from there and it's next to a zoo. Our kids are a bit older so they're not too interested in Santa.

@PavoReal, I follow Lapland for everyone, Lapland holiday chat and Lapland on a budget. The latter is probably most useful if you're doing a DIY trip but all three are pretty active and increasingly so as we get nearer to people starting to depart.

We're travelling with Canterbury travels to Luosto at the start of December.

Can I get really boring? I'm trying to work out the Covid / Finland riddle. Have I got this correct? I haven't flown for nearly 2 years so am stumbling around:

Before travel:

1. Order antigen tests for everyone including children older than 4. Whilst you don’t need to do tests until your return home, you need numbers from your order
2. Print out proof of vaccination
3. Create a Passenger Locator Form account on gov.uk in advance – not necessary but less to do in Finland. You can include children on your form so no need to create separate accounts for them.

Whilst in Finland:
Complete a passenger locator form (I think you have to show it at the Finnish airport) in the 48 hour window before flying.

Back home:
Do antigen tests on everyone under 4 within 48 hours of returning home

@PavoReal that's my understanding although I wasn't planning on creating the PLF prior to flying as you can only get so far and it isn't complex to complete anyway.....

Brilliant thank you @Mallowmarshmallow, much appreciated.