Helsinki kick-starts your hunt for the mystical Northern Lights. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel. There's time to freshen up before joining your Local Specialist for a city sightseeing tour and Welcome Reception.
Today, take to the skies as you fly north from Helsinki, crossing the Arctic Circle to the wilderness of Finnish Lapland. From Ivalo, a short drive brings you to Saariselkä, your snowy base for the next two nights. Later, uncover the traditions and heritage of Europe’s only Indigenous people during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Siida Sámi Museum, set by the edge of Lake Inari. Through thoughtful exhibitions, you’ll learn how Sámi culture, languages and customs have evolved, and how communities continue to live in connection with this remote northern landscape. As night falls, don’t miss the chance to participate in another Optional Experience—a magical Northern Lights hunt.
Enjoy a relaxing day in the picturesque Arctic village of Saariselkä. For those looking for adventure, consider joining an Optional Experience to go snowshoeing along the scenic Aurora Path, and later opt in to feel the thrill of a snowmobiling excursion across the frozen Ivalo River.
Journey from Saariselkä to a reindeer farm for your Be My Guest experience, where your hosts welcome you with lunch and stories of Sámi traditions and Arctic life. Meet the reindeer, learn how the farm runs through long winters and short summer seasons, and share fika together. If conditions allow, glide across the snow on a traditional reindeer sleigh ride. Continue to Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus, where you’ll cross the Arctic Circle and stop at Santa’s post office to send festive greetings stamped from Lapland.
Bid farewell to Finland, bound for Sweden. Your first stop is the historic church village of Gammelstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its 424 wooden houses surrounding an early 15th-century stone church. Explore the village with a Local Specialist who will bring its fascinating history to life. Afterward, continue on to Luleå, the largest city in Swedish Lapland.
Travel from Luleå to Kiruna, deep into Sweden’s Arctic north, where wide forests, lakes and mining landscapes shape the journey. This afternoon, explore Kiruna at your own pace, perhaps visiting the striking wooden church, browsing local shops or taking in the town’s Arctic setting. Or join an Optional Experience with a Local Specialist to learn how Kiruna is being reshaped and relocated, then pause for a traditional fika.
Today is yours to explore Kiruna, a fascinating town undergoing one of the most ambitious urban relocations in modern history. In a remarkable feat of engineering, much of the town — including its historic buildings — is being methodically moved 3 kilometers east to accommodate the growth of the world’s largest underground iron ore mine. You might choose to explore at your own pace, or perhaps join one of our enriching Optional Experiences. Take a husky safari through the snow, or if conditions don’t allow, visit a working sled dog kennel to learn about life with these remarkable animals. Explore the Icehotel, built entirely from natural ice and snow. End the day with an evening Optional Experience to Aurora Camp, where a two-course dinner is served beside the frozen river as you watch for the northern lights.
This morning leave the Arctic behind to fly to Stockholm. Enjoy an orientation tour led by a Local Specialist, exploring the city known as 'beauty on the water.' Walk the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and visit the impressive Stockholm City Hall. Tonight, your journey in search of the Northern Lights concludes with a memorable dinner.
As our journey in the snowy Arctic lands of reindeer and Father Christmas comes to an end, the memories of ancient Sámi culture and Nordic traditions in our hearts, we bid a fond farewell to newfound friends.
