4 breathtaking activities in winter Lapland

It is said to be the Arctic magic, the midnight sun and the elves that live in the mountains. Lapland is a vast area of ​​dense forests, rugged highlands and untouched coastline that stretches from Tromsø in Norway to Murmansk in western Russia. Here the Sami people live side by side with roaming reindeer and the wilderness with a capital W begins.

Slalom between pine trees on skis, cut through glittering snowfields on a snowmobile or husky sled or watch the aurora borealis from a warm tepee. Those who dare will experience the most blood-curdling adventures here. We recommend four of the most beautiful winter activities in Lapland .

Looking for travel inspiration about Lapland? Download the beautiful Nordic travel magazine for free >

 

1. Cross-country skiing

From the end of November, you will see children walking around the streets of Lapland with skis over their shoulders. Not surprising, considering that the country's largest ski area is located here. Fifty kilometres of trails and 63 pistes lie like a spider's web around the village of Ylläs. You can ski here for a month without having to repeat your tracks once. Forty kilometres of these trails are lit, so you don't have to worry about the night hours. For speed devils, there are plenty of steep slopes, and for the more adventurous, Finland's longest slope lies right in the middle of the web: the Jättipitkä. The villages of Levi and Äkäslompolo are also excellent winter sports destinations.

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2. On safari with huskies

Huskies are majestic animals that have been pulling Siberian nomads across icy landscapes for centuries. The people of Lapland have been largely dependent on these animals for their transportation and warmth over the years – vital in an icy country where people have to move from place to place to survive. Follow in the footsteps of these nomads along frozen lakes and magical forests. You control the sled yourself and glide through this mystical snowy landscape at a speed of around fifteen kilometres per hour. In Finnish Lapland, husky tours are offered from Rovaniemi, Levi or Kuusamo. In Sweden, Sörsjön, located in the middle of the country, is a perfect base for a husky safari, but you can also go on beautiful tours in Höljes in Värmland, a little further south.

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3. Meeting the Sami

The original inhabitants of Lapland are among the last indigenous people in Europe. The Sami are mainly known as a nomadic people, who lived in teepees and followed their reindeer during the summer migration, but many also lived in villages as fishermen. Today, the eighty thousand remaining Sami (half of whom live in Norway) still speak one of the nine Sami languages, make their own tools and jewelry, dress in their 'kofte' (traditional costume) for special occasions and live close to nature. The Sami live mainly in Swedish Lapland, but also in the far north of Finnish Lapland (around Iari, Utsjoki and Enontekiö) and in Northern Norway (in the Finnmark region near Alta and Karsjok) you will find yourself in the center of Sami culture. You can visit them for a barbecue in a teepee or to go ice fishing together.

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4. Northern Lights Trek

You don't know the definition of 'pitch black' until you've set foot in Lapland at night. Here, there's not a speck of light to be seen and you're under a roof of thousands of stars in a winter wonderland. All you hear is the huskies' clatter or the crunch of the snow as your snowshoe lands on your feet. That's just the beginning of the magic. When you stop at a spot where a green-purple light dances above the tops of the pine trees, the world around you falls silent. The Northern Lights are a much-discussed phenomenon that attracts artists from all over the world to Iceland to capture them in all sorts of ways. That turns out to be not so easy, because the light is as mystical as it is elusive. Do you want to photograph the Northern Lights? Then here are some tips .

At Nordic you can choose between a Northern Lights excursion on snowshoes (a kind of tennis racket under your feet), with a snowmobile, or in a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile or huskies.

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Staying in winter Lapland

If you stay in a lodge that is far away from the beaten track (and light pollution), you have the chance to see the Northern Lights from your bed. Nordic offers overnight stays in small-scale lodges, high above the Arctic Circle and deep in the wilderness, far away from any other form of tourism. Because the lodges are located in the middle of the aurora zone, the chance of seeing the Northern Lights is high. View the different lodges where you will stay when you book a trip with Nordic here.

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^{Foto: Nordic}

Best time to travel and travel gear

In winter Lapland, the temperature is around minus thirty degrees. So make sure you bring thermal underwear, thick socks, a woolen sweater or fleece, a buff or scarf, a warm hat and good gloves. Here you can find more information about the equipment you should take on a trip through winter Lapland.

 

About Nordic

Nordic is a travel organization that specializes in Scandinavian travel. Passionate employees will personally help you put together a trip that is fully tailored to your needs, or you can choose from one of the existing trips in the offer. You will be in contact with the same Travel Designer throughout the entire process, who knows the destination like the back of his/her hand. The organization is new in the Netherlands, but has been known for years as the number one Scandinavia provider in Belgium. Good to know: Nordic works with a flexible cancellation policy , which means that you can cancel free of charge up to 35 days before departure. 

Looking for travel inspiration about Lapland? Download the beautiful Nordic travel magazine for free. Want to experience more adventures in the wonderful North? Also read: 5x adventures in the Icelandic wilderness .