Explore Finnish Lapland: from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, ride a snowmobile, visit Santa Claus’s office, and experience the unique thrill of floating in the water while admiring the Northern Lights. An experience like this, you’ve only seen in movies.

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Party and nightlife
Relax
Nature and adventure
City and cultures
Monuments and history
Physical effort
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Itinerary

Six days in Finnish Lapland, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle. We start with Kauppatori market square and the rock-carved Temppeliaukio Church, then board the overnight Santa Express 700 km north. Up there? Huskies, reindeer, snowshoeing, floating in a frozen lake, snowmobiles and Santa Claus Village, with free afternoons and nightly Northern Lights hunts.

A travel route map showing a route starting from Helsinki and ending in Rovaniemi, Finland.
An aerial view of a large white cathedral with green domes overlooking a bustling city square and a bright blue sea with islands.

Helsinki, Europe's northernmost capital

Roundtrip flights and transport to the destination are not included, so we choose when and where to leave.

We land in Europe's northernmost capital, and the atmosphere already feels distinctly northern!

  • Check-in and welcome meeting: Hotel check-in in Helsinki, then the welcome meeting.

  • A first taste of Finland: The first evening goes on local specialities: a bowl of hernekeitto, the traditional pea soup, or lohikeitto, the creamy salmon soup Finns are loyal to.

An aerial view of a bustling city harbor with ferries, waterfront buildings, and a prominent white cathedral with green domes in the background.

Northbound

Morning in the capital, afternoon at the station, and by night the city hands us over to the Arctic.

  • Kauppatori market square: We walk the heart of Helsinki through Kauppatori, the lively market square by the sea.

  • A church in the rock: Then on to Temppeliaukio Church, carved entirely into solid rock.

  • All aboard the Santa Express: In the late afternoon we board the Santa Express, the overnight train running 700 km north to Rovaniemi, gateway to the Arctic and home of Santa Claus.

A person in a red survival suit floats on their back in a calm lake, with the green northern lights reflecting on the water at dusk.

Adventures in the Arctic Circle

We wake up in the capital of Finnish Lapland, 6 kilometres from the Arctic Circle, where the air already feels crisper. The day is ours to plan:

  • Reindeer or huskies? Get to know the reindeer or huskies and how they survive such an extreme climate.

  • Fancy floating on ice? Float in a frozen lake in a suit.

  • Snowshoes on? Snowshoe through snowy pine forests.

  • Or a museum? Arktikum is the museum and science centre on northern nature, culture, history and a changing Arctic.

At dinner we keep watching the sky for the Northern Lights.

A person wearing a WeRoad backpack looks at a large, snow-covered Christmas tree illuminated with lights in a village square at night.

Husky safari!

This is the fixed adventure of the trip, and the reason plenty of people come this far north in winter!

  • Husky sled safari: A husky sled excursion across snowy landscapes in absolute silence, the dogs setting the pace as the sled glides through forests and white expanses.

  • Looking for the Northern Lights: The afternoon is left for settling into life at these latitudes, and in the evening we walk out to look for the Northern Lights.

A team of husky dogs pulls a sled on a snowy trail through a forest of frost-covered trees, seen from the rider's perspective.

Where it's always Christmas

It is officially always Christmas around here, so we lean into it properly.

  • Santa Claus Village: We start at Santa Claus Village and its post office, where letters go out with the Arctic Circle stamp and where we meet Santa himself.

  • Ice Hotel, season permitting: Depending on the season we carry on about thirty kilometres to the Ice Hotel, where the rooms, statues and bar are made entirely of ice and snow.

A WeRoad group trip in winter clothing posing for a photo in a vast, snowy landscape under a clear sky.

Check out and goodbyes!

Last morning in Rovaniemi, and the only thing left on the itinerary is the goodbye.

  • Check-out: We check out and go our separate ways.

  • See you soon: Then it is goodbye until the next WeRoad adventure!

Flights home are on our own schedule, exactly as on the way in, never part of the package.

What's included

What's not included

Roundtrip flight to/from destination
  • Gas/petrol, parking, toll fees 

  • Food and beverages when not specified

  • All extras you want to fit in your backpack

  • Anything not mentioned in the "What's included" section

Optional activities

Please see below extra optional activities that you can experience during your trip. Your Group Leader will be happy to assist with organizing these activities for the group. Availability may vary depending on location and group preferences.

Please note these activities are provided by third party suppliers and liability rests exclusively with these third party suppliers.

  • Extra snowmobile safari during the day - approx. USD150

  • Ice fishing - approx. USD110

  • Entrance ticket to Ranua's Arctic Wildlife Park - approx. USD165

  • Reindeer Safari - approx. USD165

  • Snowshoe excursion - approx. USD120

  • Ice floating experience - approx. USD160

  • Organised northern lights hunt - approx. USD120

Additional info

Learn more about accommodation, transport, and other useful travel information.
  • Accommodation

    Private room option is not available for this trip

  • Multi-destination Trip

    You've already noticed, right?
    This is a multi-destination trip: we will depart from Helsinki but return from Rovaniemi, so keep that in mind when booking your flight!

  • Info on private roomsShow all details

Why WeRoad

  • Small groups, on average 11 people

  • Move or change your trip for free up to 31 days before departure

  • Book with $ 0. Pay the $ 100 deposit only once the trip is confirmed

The Group Leaders

Our Group Leaders are chosen because they’re people just like you: passionate travelers who share the experience authentically, while having the skills to take care of the organisation, and help you get the most out of every moment of the trip.

Find your flight

For this trip, we recommend arriving and departing from these airports.

ArrivalHelsinki (HEL)
ReturnRovaniemi (RVN)
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FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

About this trip

About WeRoad

About Finnish Lapland

From
$ 2,492
Book with $ 0
•Free trip change
•0% interest installments