As leaves fall and sauna fires crackle, Finland is already wrapped up in autumn colours. In a press statement, Visit Finland says that fall foliage makes cultural significance of saunas in the Nordic nation abundantly clear, providing warmth and relaxation amid the seasonal chill. In view of the upcoming festive season, the national tourist board has collated a list of exciting experiences in the Nordic Lapland that is sure to appeal to most travellers.
Snowmobiling
For travellers who love to snowmobiling in winter scenery, there are silent electric snowmobiles safaris in Rovaniemi and Luosto. Tours include crossing the Arctic Circle, riding through the wilderness and discovering the phenomena of the northern lights with new electric snowmobiles. The board adds that electric snowmobile experiences are designed for short-distance guided tours, ranging from 2 to 3 hours. Additionally, the tours also extend to a reindeer farm or a husky kennel in Rovaniemi, or a tour to the Amethyst Mine or an ice fishing tour in Luosto. The first electric snowmobile safaris will be organised in January 2024.
Husky Safari
By lakes and rivers, away from light pollution and busy city life, some resorts in Nellim have launched Husky Safari in Finland. Travellers will be taught how to handle the sled before heading out for the Husky Safari, where the huskies will pull the sled through the beautiful winter scenery, passing through the frozen Lake Inari in Nellim. From onto the high tundra plateaus before returning to the spectacular taiga landscapes, Husky Safari in Finland sleds through the uncharted wilderness amidst pure white landscapes, across frozen lakes, snow-laden trees and more.
Aurora camp
This activity takes travellers Aurora hunting on Lake Inari. Seated in a sledge that is pulled by the guide’s snowmobile, visitors will be able to enjoy the northern sky all the way to the camp place. While observing the night sky, they can cherish the blazing campfire and the atmosphere by the campfire, which, the board adds, is an experience in itself. The Aurora Camps are located 3-6 km from Nellim, facing the northern sky. Lake Inari is one of the best places in the world for Aurora viewing since there is no light pollution at all.
Snowshoeing
The board adds that snowshoeing is a great way to go off the beaten path and get to places that cannot be reached with cars or on foot. During the excursion, visitors can explore Lapland wilderness by night, walking on deep snow to reach some beautiful nature area and may even spot reindeers or arctic hares.
Arctic snowhotels and glass igloos
To absorb the Arctic nights and fall asleep under the starry skies is an unmissable experience, made more magical with the glass-roofed igloos to provide an unmatched view of the Northern Lights. Sleeping under a 360º glass roof multiplies the chances of seeing the renowned Aurora Borealis. The roof of the igloo is made from electrically heated glass, which means the glass will not cool the space, rather it maintains evenly distributed warmth while melting the snow and ice off the roof to give an excellent view to the sky. The first 15 glass igloos were built next to Arctic SnowHotel in the village of Sinettä in Rovaniemi in 2014. After that the number of the igloos in Lapland has increased during several building processes and at the moment the total capacity is 39 glass igloos with 127 beds.