Wilderness Hotel Juutua – Northern Lights Winter Week
- Details
Details
Spend an unforgettable week at the Wilderness Hotel Juutua in Inari to experience the magic of Finnish Lapland. During your stay, youll snowmobile through the frozen landscape, try ice fishing, visit a reindeer farm, learn about the Finnish culture, and explore the snowy surroundings on a dog sledding adventure. At night, youll take part in four dedicated Northern Lights activities in this prime Aurora viewing location.
Escape to northern Finland for a week-long adventure filled with unforgettable winter activities and exciting Aurora chases.
Your hotel is ideally situated in Inari - a small village with huge cultural significance to the Finnish Sámi people. Youll learn all about this during your guided winter walk to the beautiful Jäniskoski river rapid, an activity completely unique to this hotel.
Thanks to its wilderness surroundings, Inari is also one of Finlands top Northern Lights locations. This trip includes four dedicated activities where youll go out with a local guide to prime Aurora viewing positions in the surrounding wilderness. During two of your nights, youll visit specially designed Aurora camps, complete with a campfire to keep you warm. Another night will see you strap on a pair of snowshoes and walk through the stunning snowy surroundings, and finally, youll take part in an exciting Aurora chase by car. This location also means youll have the opportunity to search for the Northern Lights every single night as you can simply walk down to the nearby lake and look at the dark night sky.
Throughout the trip, weve included superb winter activities to ensure you make the most of your surroundings in the daylight hours too. Youll get an introduction to snowmobiling to cruise through the snow-laden landscape and try the Finnish pastime of ice fishing. Next, youll visit a reindeer farm to learn about the significance of Laplands iconic animal. Finally, youll experience a dog sledding safari through the wilderness - a must-do experience in Finland!
Itinerary
After your flight, you’ll be met by your local guide and transferred to the Wilderness Hotel Juutua.
Enjoy a welcome dinner in the hotel and collect your winter clothing and for the duration of your stay. We suggest you having a good, rested night for the upcoming week full of incredible adventures.
Included Meals: Dinner
Today, following breakfast, you’ll get your first taste of the Finnish wilderness as you learn how to snowmobile.
Meeting with your local guide, you’ll get a driving lesson to get comfortable with the snowmobile. Following your lesson, you’ll then move into the never ending wilderness to enjoy the beautiful scenery. You’ll be out for approximately 4 hours and will be served lunch by the open fire.
Please note, you must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driver’s license to drive a snowmobile.
This afternoon, you’ll have time to unwind and enjoy dinner before your Aurora camp tonight. You’ll meet with your local guide who will pull you along on their snowmobile as you sit comfortably in a sleigh behind. You’ll keep your eye on the sky all the way to the camp where a cosy campfire awaits. You’ll enjoy a hot drink while your guide tells you all about the Northern Lights. If conditions are right, you’ll see the green lights start to dance above you.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, following breakfast, you’ll experience the unforgettable activity of dog sledding. You’ll meet with your local guide who will introduce you to your excitable team of dogs. They may be making a lot of noise but as soon as you’ve received your instruction and the dogs start to run, you’ll be met with the silence of your serene surroundings. Riding in a pair, one of you will stand on the back of the sled, with the other sitting in front. There will be an opportunity to switch over halfway through. You’ll be out for approximately 3 hours.
After lunch and dinner back at the hotel, you’ll prepare for your next Aurora activity. This time, you’ll be heading out on a car trip to help you cover more ground and reach a camp spot further into the wilderness and in search of clear skies. You’ll enjoy warm drinks and snacks as you keep your eyes out for the Northern Lights. You will be out for approximately 3 hours.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you’ll get to meet the famous animals of Lapland. You’ll be transferred by car to a traditional reindeer farm where you’ll meet a local reindeer herder who will tell you all about his animals, the life of a reindeer herder, and Sámi culture. You will be out for approximately 2 hours.
Following lunch and dinner, you’ll head back out via snowmobile-pulled sleigh to one of the prime viewing positions of the Aurora camp. Here, you’ll sit around the fire and keep your eye on the sky for the chance to see the Aurora.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you’ll spend a relaxing day in the wilderness trying the popular Finnish activity of ice fishing. You’ll meet with your local guide who will take you in a snowmobile sleigh to a picturesque fishing spot. You’ll learn how to make holes through the ice and then see who the best fisher is as you hear interesting facts about life in the north. You’ll also enjoy a tasty lunch by the open fire.
After dinner, you’ll have a free evening to relax.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Following breakfast, you’ll learn more about the area and Finnish culture as you meet with your local expert guide and make your way to the beautiful Jänisköski rapid. The walk to the camp spot is approximately 1km and is suitable for all levels. Along the way, you’ll learn all about the river Juutua and why it is such an essential part of Sámi culture. At the camp, you’ll enjoy warm drinks and grill sausages together to give you plenty of time to admire the stunning rapid. You will be out for approximately 1.5 hours.
Tonight, you will enjoy a special five-course meal in the hotel restaurant and have a free evening to spend as you please.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you have the day completely free to enjoy however you would like.
Following dinner tonight, you will take part in your final Aurora activity. Meeting with your local guide, you’ll be shown how to use a pair of snowshoes as you strap in and make your way into the dark night. As you travel silently through the wilderness, you’ll reach a campfire where you’ll enjoy warm drinks and hopefully, a show of the Northern Lights will begin.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you have the day completely free to enjoy however you would like.
Following dinner tonight, you will take part in your final Aurora activity. Meeting with your local guide, you’ll be shown how to use a pair of snowshoes as you strap in and make your way into the dark night. As you travel silently through the wilderness, you’ll reach a campfire where you’ll enjoy warm drinks and hopefully, a show of the Northern Lights will begin.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
What's included?
- Return from London to Ivalo (via Helsinki).? Flight routes are subject to change
- Return scheduled group shuttle airport transfers
- 7 nights in a twin/double hotel room
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners (1 dinner will be a 5-course meal)
- Snowmobile Safari
- Husky Safari
- Reindeer Farm Visit
- ice fishing with snowmobile sleigh
- Winter walk to Jänisköski river rapid
- Aurora Hunt By Car or Minibus
- Two Aurora camps
- Aurora snowshoeing
- Aurora hunt by car
- 24/7 assistance from our UK-based operations team and in-destination support from our local partners
- Cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay
Accommodation
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The newly refurbished Wilderness Hotel Juutua is situated right in the heart of Inari village. This village has huge cultural significance to the Finnish Sámi population both historically and today, which is reflected in the ownership of this hotel. The hotel became part of the Wilderness Hotel family in October 2022 and whilst they have put their own signature Scandi-chic design style on the hotel they have designed the interior to be sympathetic to its Sámi heritage. The main building houses the reception, lounge and bar area and the locally renowned Restaurant Aanaar on the ground floor with the standard double/twin wilderness rooms upstairs. A short walk from the hotel, you will find the Riverside Suites located on the shore of the frozen Juutua River. Restaurant Aanaar is a highly regarded fine dining restaurant which is popular with visitors and locals alike in the Inari region. The menu here reflects local dishes unique to Lapland and uses as many fresh, local ingredients as possible which are all sourced through a network of small, independent local suppliers. Please note: the images used are an artist’s impression which have been developed with the hotel owners to reflect the intended room style once renovations are complete. Interiors may differ slightly and we will update once the renovations are complete. |
Tour Map
Key Facts
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