A winter wonderland of pink skies, husky sled rides, frosty fir trees, steaming hot chocolate - Finnish Lapland is where all your snow-filled fantasies come to life.
The two big questions I had about visiting Lapland in winter were: How cold is it going to be? And will it be dark all the time?
We arrived at Enontekio Airport and it was minus 26 degrees!!!! Although that sounds scarily chilly, it's a crisp, icy cold that doesn't penetrate in quite the same way as damp does. So if you're covered up in a good set of winter clothing and head inside to warm up every now and then, it's bearable.
And it wasn't pitch black all day. It was twilight between 9.15 and 10.15 a.m. with full sunlight until 3 p.m. followed by another hour of twilight so you can still see to get around, and there were beautiful long sunrises and sunsets plus with a full moon it was easy to walk around outside without a torch.
Our home for 3 nights was the Davvi Arctic Lodge in Karesuando, approximately 25 miles from the airport, which is not unlike a giant ski chalet. Four of us stayed in one of the fell houses, a 4 minute beautiful walk in the snow to the hotel. The house was basic but the beds were comfortable and we were able to congregate in the living area for champagne on arrival.
We were thermal suited and booted as soon as we arrived and the staff were excellent at guessing our sizes.
The food was lovely. We were provided with three hot meals each day at a buffet. We'd been expecting the hotel to serve some of the local delicacies, like reindeer meat, moose bourguignon or freshly-caught local river trout, but after days spent out and about in freezing temperatures, cottage pie and chicken curry hit the mark.
The Northern Lights - or Aurora Borealis - are one of the big reasons people come to Lapland. But it's also the one thing you can't guarantee you're going to see. You need the right atmospheric conditions for the Northern Lights to be visible, which happens around every other night or 150 days a year on average - but unfortunately not while we were there (I guess it gives me a reason to go back). On our first night we strolled up the nearby hill and saw a "pear drop size" flash of the Aurora Borealis. We waited about 30 minutes but nothing happened so back we trudged, heavy-hearted, to our accommodation. Only to be greeted by news the next morning from one of our fellow Aurora hunters that the lights had been spotted later that evening.
We downloaded an app which alerted us if there was a good chance of seeing the aurora to save us from waiting in the cold. Sadly we had missed our chance.
After breakfast the next morning we set out for a Husky Safari. Hopping out of the bus and landing in the softest, freshest snow I've ever experienced in my life was electrifying. The thermal suits worked perfectly.
The farm is home to hundreds of huskies. Each has a name. The staff members learn all their names and know each one of them individually - all their personalities and peculiarities. The dogs spend all year outdoors and love people, so are always ready for a cuddle or scratch behind the ears.
But there's nothing huskies love more than running at full stride through the forest. As we got closer to the team who was going to pull our sled they started to howl and fidget impatiently. The excitement was tangible.
Phil was the driver and I stepped into the wooden sled, while he stood on the back. He would be helping push the sled when the dogs needed it, along with the occasional braking, but there wasn't any real steering concept so not much else to do.
The take-off was swift. The huskies were busting to run and as soon as they were given an opportunity, they were off and racing, accelerating rapidly. Smarter huskies had been placed at the front of the pack to lead the other dogs. The strongest were at the back to carry the weight of the sled.
The forest was pure white. Snow clung firmly to branches, looking like a winter scene out of the movies. The ground was littered in fresh, fluffy snow. We were rocketing through the forest. All I could hear were gleeful giggles from Phil on the back.
Words fail me. This had to be one of my most incredible experiences in my decades of travel.
It was over all too soon and we were back at our starting point, disembarking to give the dogs a cuddle in appreciation for the riveting journey.
Our next adventure that evening was on a snowmobile. You need a driving licence and they gave us a helmet for safety reasons. After some instructions on how to drive a snowmobile, off we went into the middle of the forest. I won't lie, I was a bit hesitant at first but Phil was driving so I knew I would be safe. Once I got comfortable on it, I was raring to drive myself as he had heated handlebars and heated footrest. But what we did have was a one-hour white-knuckle ride through the countryside, which felt like taking part in a James Bond film, dashing across the icy tundra, through forests and over frozen lakes.
And stopping at one of the frozen lakes for a hot cloudberry juice was truly magical.
The following morning, after breakfast we left to visit the Ice Hotel at Kiruna. Two hours each way by coach. The scenery on the journey was fantastic. The most beautiful sunrise and we also saw herds of wild deer and a Moose by the side of the road. We joined a tour and the guide explained there are two hotels. The 30s melt away each year but ice hotel 365 is built in a concrete frame and is there all year. An incredible experience beyond our expectations. I think this day visit was the best option - very cool to see but not worth the price tag for an overnight and some of the rooms only have a curtain for a door! The artwork is amazing.
Each year since 1989, the Icehotel has been built and rebuilt using snow and ice in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle next to the shores of the Torne River. For this year's winter Icehotel - No 34 - artists from all over the world spent six weeks creating the suites. The artists whittled their creations using 10 Olympic swimming pools of 'snice'- a mixture of snow and ice. The journey began in spring, as ice blocks were harvested from the Torne River and stored in an ice warehouse in Jukkasjarvi, awaiting their transformation into a magical experience. On December 15th, 2023 the enchanting doors of Icehotel 34 swung open, unveiling a breath taking fusion of art. Each room within this unique art gallery is a masterpiece in itself, with suites, sculptures and halls entirely sculpted from the frozen embrace of ice and snow, all brought to life by the imaginative touch of global artists. This year's creation showcases the collaborative efforts of talent from Sweden, Poland, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, France, Singapore, Slovakia and the UK. Carefully chosen by a discerning jury, these artists have transformed the hotel into an immersive gallery where every corner tells a story.
The entire hotel is constructed using snow, ice and snice. In total, 20 million snowballs complete the structure and the air in between the small ice crystals not only provides insultation but it also makes the building look as white as snow. The equipment used for building the Ice Hotel includes chainsaws, sharp chisels and tractors.
Every April, the seasonal hotel melts back into the river, except for the Icehotel 365, which stays open all year round by maintaining sub-zero temperatures using solar power.
The Icehotel was the source of inspiration for the Ice Palace in the James Bond movie, Die Another Day.
All the beds in the cold rooms are made out of ice blocks with a wooden base and a mattress covered with reindeer hides. You don't have to stay in a room at the Ice Hotel to see what it is all about. The hotel is open to the public during the day so you can visit every type of room they have without having to book a room for the night. While it is a fun experience to spend one night in a cold room I would worry about wanting to go to the toilet in the middle of the night!!!!!
In winter there are 53 ice rooms and in summer 18.
Beaver Lodge by Drian Mcarthur and Dawn Detarando . Beaver lodge is the humble home of a hardworking pair of beavers. Incredibly industrious, these creatures are critical for a healthy ecosystem from which many other benefits. With their dams, they stabilize water levels and protect against drought, floods and erosion as well as improve water quality. This unique environmental superhero increases biodiversity by creating this wetland habitat. Walking into this quiet and secure den of chewed logs, mud and grass you are welcomed by a beaver happily chewing near the headboard while its partner is entering with a freshly cut leafy twig. Let's hope the chewing does not keep you awake through the long dark night of this winter oasis.
We all enjoyed the Ice Bar drinking Moet and Vodka and Whisky from goblets made of ice. Whilst sitting here we could also see the ice sculpting classes going on. The whole day was truly magical.
We returned to our lovely warm bedroom at the Davvi Artic Lodge and after dinner joined a group on a quest to seek the magical Northern Lights. We climbed to a vantage viewpoint atop a snow-capped fell but unfortunately no sightings again.
On our last morning we visited a Reindeer Farm. An ancient Sami way of travel, going for a reindeer sled ride is something you must do if you visit Lapland in winter. Reindeer are basically an icon in Lapland. Nowadays reindeer in Finland are free range, wandering in the wild until they are herded up twice a year. There are more than 1000 types of notches to mark their ears because each one belongs to someone.
After an interesting talk sitting around the warm fire in the traditional Lappish Kota (teepee), we piled into the back of one of the sleds and snuggled into the hides. Totally peaceful and serene, we glided along the new snow in utter silence. Magical. Literally sit back and enjoy Lapland.
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