***Winter 2008/9 dates tbc*** So you've come back to work in the new year and now what? A trip to the Nordic country of course! Time to pack your best winter get-up and experience the real Arctic lifestyle in Lapland!
Earlybird Price - Save £50 - for early bookings! Normal price £499.
True to the type of folk we are here at Busabout we want to take you right off the tourist trail and on one of the most amazing adventures you're bound to have. Welcome to a world of beer drinking in sauna's next to frozen lakes, riding reindeer and husky sleighs and sleeping in snow hotels...Welcome to Finland. Come and experience with us a frozen Arctic landscape whilst taking in true Finnish hospitality!
Passenger feedback from Feb 2008 departure:
"This was the most awesome tour I've done. Well exceeded my expectations and I loved every second."
"Very well organised. Guides were more than happy to accommodate everyone + went great lengths to ensure we were all happy. Love the experience!"
"All the guides were extremely passionate about this tour and it reflected on the group. It was a pleasure to have a tour with them."
"The trip kept getting better each day"
"Definitely great tour. The passion and and I will recommend this tour to all my friends. Thanks for an amazing time."
"The sauna at the farmstayand cross country skiing was a real highlight"
Trip Details
Departs: Helsinki
Accommodation: 1 night hostel, 1 night farmstay, 1 night snow hotel, 1 night wood cabin,1 night Rovaniemi guest house, 2 nights overnight train
Includes: Sauna party in a secluded forest with dinner & drinks followed by a traditional sauna and 'Avanto' (a dip in a frozen lake!)
Also includes visits to the Kemi Snow Castle and the Santa Claus Village + free entry to an Arctic sledge dog center, Amethyst mine and Arctic vineyard.
Day 1 Sunday
Today your Nordic adventure begins in the stunning Finnish capital city of Helsinki – a city unlike any other Nordic city due to its mixture of Russian and Swedish culture and gorgeous 19th century architecture. In the evening there will be a pre-tour meeting and a chance to meet your fellow travelers and ponder the events of the next 7 days!
Overnight: Helsinki hostel (Breakfast included)
Day 2 Monday
Today you'll have the morning to yourself to relax into the tour. At midday we'll be taking you on a breathtaking Highlights of Helsinki tour where your guide will point out all the fascinating history of this truly Finnish city. After the tour we make our way into the forest for dinner and drinks at an authentic Finnish Sauna party! This extreme experience will see you swim in a frozen lake (clothing optional!) before settling into a great evening of Finnish food and beer whilst soaking up the forest surroundings and relaxing in a traditional Finnish sauna!
Overnight: Train to Rovaniemi (Breakfast included)
Day 3 Tuesday
After a night spent making our way towards the Artic circle we end up in the city of Rovaniemi - one of the largest cities in the world by land mass (although you'd never know as it's almost entirely covered in trees!).After arriving at 11am there is an optional lunch at the monster themed Lordi's Rockaurant before we see what's under the tree (and who's been naughty or nice!) at the Santa Claus Village. Truly the playground of dreams for the child in us all!
Optional Excursions:Visit the Arktikum Museum or jump onboard a Skidoo for a two hour safari!
Overnight: Guesthouse (Breakfast included)
Day 4 Wednesday
This morning we continue on our Artic journey to Luosto where we visit the Amethyst Mine - one of the only gem mines in the world that welcomes visitors and allows you to search for your own piece of Amethyst. Afterwards, sit and relax in a cosy Lappish hut whilst being told about the mystical powers of amethyst. After the mine the city of Sodankyla awaits you where we will stay overnight at an authentic Finnish farm stay!
Optional Excursions: Visit the Alariesto Art Gallery or a reindeer farm and have a sleigh ride!
Overnight: Farm stay (Breakfast included)
Day 5 Thursday
Spend the morning taking in the scenery as we head toward Yllas where we visit an Arctic Vineyard. After the vineyard you'll have some time to yourself to explore and grab some lunch or take part in a Snow Shoe safari! The afternoon will be spent on the road as we make our way to one of the most unique hotels you'll ever stay in...a hotel made entirely of snow!
Optional Excursions: An evening with a Sami Shaman (spiritual elder)
Overnight: Snow Village Hotel (Breakfast included)
Day 6 Friday
After an amazing night spent in a Snow hotel the tour continues towards the Kiela Naturim nature center. In the centre you'll be told all about the constellations according to Sami folklore and the origins of the spellbinding celestial lights - a phenomenon of bands, curtains or streamers of colored lights that appear in the Arctic.
This afternoon you have the option of embarking on a real Husky safari when we visit an Arctic sledge dog center or try your hand at a spot of fly fishing.
Optional Excursions: One hour Husky Safari or fly fishing/Jewelry making
Overnight: Cabins (Breakfast included)
Day 7 Saturday
Today we have an early start as we head for Kemi - home of the largest snow castle in the world! Found on the Northern coast of the gulf of Bothnia, the snow castle of Kemi is a true testament to the skills and talent of the people of this unique part of the globe...an absolutely unforgettable experience that surely will be a highlight of your time in Lapland. In the snow castle you will have the option of having a meal and something to drink
in the Snow Restaurant where the tables and seats are made entirely from ice! For those of you who don't fancy a trip to the snow castle you have the option of jumping onboard the Sampo - the world's only tourist Icebreaker. The trip will last about four hours and gives you a chance to throw on a dry suit and swim in the freezing waters of the Arctic. After another amazing day in the Nordic country there will be a chance to have a final drink with all your new found friends and reflect on the trip of a lifetime!
Optional Excursions: Sampo Ice Breaker Tour or Snow Castle experience.
Overnight: Night train to Helsinki (Breakfast included)
Day 8 Sunday
Final day of the tour which concludes upon our arrival into Helsinki at approximately 8:30am
Rudolf's Travel Experiences
Our ground-breaking new Lapland Adventure is operated by our friends in Helsinki, Rudolf's Travel Experiences.