Northern Lights Village Saariselkä – Aurora Cabins and Finding Father Christmas
- Details
Details
Itinerary
Upon arrival at the airport, your transfer will be waiting to take you directly to your Aurora accommodation in the incredible Northern Lights Village, around 25 minutes away.
Depending on your arrival time, you may want to book an evening activity for after dinner – especially now you’ve entered Northern Lights territory! See our ‘Personalise’ section to choose an activity to suit your family.
Included Meals: Dinner
Following breakfast, let Father Christmas’s elves lead the way as the whole family goes on an adventure to find the man himself.
You’ll start by baking gingerbread (Father Christmas’s favourite!) with a friendly elf before meeting some reindeer and enjoying a short sleigh ride (approx. 10 minutes).
Now you’re all ready to go, it’s time to begin the search. You’ll travel in a cosy sleigh pulled by a snowmobile and your elf will help you look for Father Christmas’s cabin deep in the forest. Watch your children’s faces light up as they spot the cabin for themselves and you all enjoy a private meeting with Father Christmas – you’ll even receive a small gift to take home with you!?Your family will spend approximately 10 minutes with Father Christmas.
To make the visit even more personal, children can write a letter to Father Christmas in advance so that he will have it when they arrive for their meeting.?He is a busy man at this time of year, but he will try to read all the letters.
The magic continues this afternoon with an enchanting sleigh ride through the snow pulled by Finland’s arguably most majestic creature – the reindeer. Snuggle together in the sled and enjoy this special moment with your loved ones. The sleigh ride will last approximately 25 minutes.
Why not design your ultimate holiday by including an evening chasing the Northern Lights? Visit the ‘Personalise’ tab to discover a range of additional activities.
Dinner will be served in the restaurant this evening.
Included Meals:??Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a hearty breakfast before embarking on your next adventure. A husky safari is a favourite here with everyone at Activities Abroad. The excited yelping of the dogs as the sled is being prepared is infectious and you’ll doubtless find that your family are just as eager to get going. Once the dogs get down to business and you glide over the snow-covered landscapes the yelping is replaced by the gentle pattering of paws as they focus on the road ahead. It is quite surreal when you take a moment to process what you are actually doing compared to your daily life. Driving a team of dogs (2 people per sled) in a Lappish wilderness is such a contrast, that is unless you happen to be a professional musher!
Prepare for a thrilling afternoon on a two-hour snowmobiling excursion. You will be given expert tuition on how to handle your snowmobile and you can test your skills as you drive across the snow. Travelling two adults per snowmobile, you will stop for hot drinks along the way.
Children will enjoy the winter wonderland from the comfort of a sled.
Please note:?the driver of a snowmobile must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driving licence. As a general rule, children (13 years and under) will travel in a sled pulled by the guide’s snowmobile. Children 4 years and under must be accompanied in the sleigh by one parent. Older children (14 years and over) may be able to travel as pillion on the snowmobile but this is at the discretion of the guide and the child must be at least 140 cm tall.?Children will pay the adult price if riding on the snowmobile.
After dinner, you have a free evening with your family. Why not spend the last night in style and arrange a Northern Lights trip such as the Aurora camp by the lake to maximise your chances of ticking the Northern Lights off your bucket list too!
Included Meals:??Breakfast, Dinner
Unfortunately, it’s time for your festive family short break to come to an end. If you don’t have time to enjoy breakfast in the restaurant, we’ll box it up for you before transferring you to the airport.
Included Meals: Breakfast
What's included?
- Return flights from London to Ivalo (either direct or via Helsinki). Flight routes subject to change.
- Return group airport transfers
- 3 nights in a glass-roofed Aurora Cabin
- Full board meals
- Searching for Father Christmas,
- 5km Husky Safari
- Reindeer Sleigh Ride
- 2 hour Snowmobiling
- Cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay
- Fully qualified guides and instructors during activities
- 24/7 assistance from our UK based operations team and in destination support from our local partners
- Aurora alert service which you can set to alert you throughout the night or end at a specific time
Our Expert Opinion
The Northern Lights Village was the perfect mix of convenience and wilderness surroundings for our family. Not only we were able to take part in incredible winter activities, but we also loved being able to stare up at the night sky from the warmth of our private cabin. The whole trip was perfect from start to finish and with the snow-covered landscape leading you to Father Christmas’s house, even I felt like I was meeting a childhood hero!
Accommodation
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Located in North East Finland, the Northern Lights Village sits on the outskirts of the ski resort of Saariselkä. Tucked away from the town and separated from it by dense forest, the location is ideal for viewing the Northern Lights but is still within walking distance (around 1000m) of the town’s amenities. The ski slopes can be accessed via a shuttle (small charge applies) or a pleasant walk of around 40-50 minutes. The Northern Lights Village offers accommodation in Aurora Cabins which are half-roofed with glass. The twin or double beds are situated beneath the panoramic roof and provide the chance to view the Northern Lights from your bed! It’s not often that folk prefer a sleepless night but here it’s not considered to be a huge inconvenience as it provides the chance to potentially witness Mother Nature’s greatest light show! There are 80 cabins in total, all of which are within a 5-10 minutes’ walk of the Village’s central facilities which include the restaurant where you’ll enjoy breakfast and dinner. Facilities
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Personalise This Tour
Local expertise and mobility are two of the key elements required for Aurora hunting success and this activity delivers on both fronts.
In the company of an expert local guide, you will travel by minibus to the shore of Lake Inari, a vast expanse of frozen water situated to the north of Saariselkä. The size of the lake means it provides an open view of the northern skies and is known locally as being an excellent spot for viewing the Northern Lights.
In a remote spot, your guide will lead you to a wilderness shelter. A fire will be lit and warm drinks and snacks will be served to ensure that you are as warm and comfortable as possible while you wait to see if the Aurora will appear.
Why not take one of the reindeer rugs, lie back on the snow, sip your hot drink and immerse yourself in the near-perfect Arctic silence?
Group numbers: 1-24 (approximately)
Duration: 3 hours (approximately)
This snowmobile-pulled sleigh journey is one of the most innovative ways we have found to search for the Northern Lights. The sleigh is enclosed and heated, insulating you from the sub-zero temperatures outside. With approximately 8 passengers per sled, the guide will lead the way on his or her snowmobile, pulling the sled up to the top of a local fell and far from any light pollution.
Fells provide uninterrupted views of the night sky and provide excellent Aurora viewing should conditions be favourable.
Your guide will get a fire burning and warm your cockles with hot drinks and snacks as you wait for a first glimpse of the Northern Lights. Displays can emerge very slowly from the inky blackness of the Lappish sky or suddenly appear out of nowhere so be sure to keep your eyes fixed firmly skywards.
All of the Aurora guides from the Northern Lights Village have expert knowledge about how to capture the Aurora on camera and they’ll help you compose your shots.
Duration: 3 hours (approximately)
| Tour Loaction: | Saariselka,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Saariselka,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Saariselka,Finland |
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Tour Map
Additional Info
– Up to balance due date (this is normally 16 weeks prior to departure however some holidays differ. If this applies to your holiday you will be advised at the time of booking) – Loss of deposit (including the full cost of flights or other services where paid at the time of booking)
– Between balance due date and 43 days prior to departure – 60%
– 42 to 16 days prior to departure – 85%
– 15 or less days – 100%
Key Facts
For your best chance to see the Northern Lights, contact the UK’s only Aurora specialists
