Lapland Christmas Tour
Tour overview
Date of departure: December 20th
Number of days and nights: 9/8
Price: 680 Euro
Departure: We meet at Best Hostel Old Town/ Skeppsbron (Skeppsbron 22) in Central Stockholm 6 PM
If you live near Stockholm or Helsinki you can skip first or last day of the tour and save 25 Euros! contact our office for more info
Discounts: SUPERSTUDENT discount 15 %, STUDENT 10%, read about the discount here and how to get them
Itinerary
Day 1 Stockholm December 20th
We meet at the hostel 6 PM. After checking in we have an information meeting and later we go out for some food and get to know echother.
Day 2 Stockholm December 21st
At 10 AM those who like can join a small walk around the historical center of Stockholm and after that its free time. At 1:30 we meet at the hostel and start travel North. (B)
Day 3 Kiruna December 22nd
In the morning you wake up in Kiruna a town in Lapland north of the Arctic Circle. We have breakfast at our hostel and after that there is free time all day. There are loads of options, for example dog sledge and snow mobiling. You can also try cross-country skiing or snow shoeing. Kiruna also has some gems and the church shouldn't be missed (read more under Optional activities). (B)
Day 4 Kiruna December 23rd
Today we will visit a reindeer farm owned by a Sami family and later we visit the world famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, a small village just outside Kiruna. Check out the rooms and hang out in the bar - a memory of a lifetime.(L)
Day 5 Kiruna-Inari December 24th
On Christmas Eve we leave Kiruna in the morning and we will travel until we reach the holiday centre outside the small town Inari in Northern Finland. The surroundings are beautiful, deep forests and a frozen lake next to the hostel. Later it’s time for a sauna and an arctic swim - a must do activity when visiting Finland. (D)
Day 6 Inari December 25th
On Christmas Day After breakfast free time is available, why not go cross-country skiing, try ice fishing or maybe a game of arctic cricket. In the afternoon we have a typical Christmas dinner and who knows maybe you get a glimpse of Santa Claus. (B)
Day 7 Inari-Rovaniemi-Tampere December 26th
After breakfast we depart and make our first stop in Rovaniemi the biggest city in Finnish Lapland. Just North of the city on the arctic circle we visit Santa and later you have free time in the city. This night we sleep on the bus. (B)
Day 8 Tampere December 27th
We wake up in Tampere the most attractive city in Finland according to many travellers. After breakfast you can join a guided walk or explore the city on your own. Tampere has a scenic location and several interesting places to visit. Among the museums The Spy Museum and The Lenin Museum should be mentioned. The later one is located where Lenin first met Stalin in 1905. This will be the last evening with the group so no excuses, lets have a great evening together. (B)
Day 9 Tampere-Helsinki December 28th
After breakfast we continue to Helsinki the capital of Finland and after arrival at lunch time the tour is over. Note that many low cost airlines fly to Tampere so if you dont want to visit Helsinki you can fly out from Tampere. (B) There is a new years tour starting from Helsinki this day check it out!
Accommodation
On this tour all the accommodation is included in the price. We sleep two nights in our bus and for six nights we stay in hostels on a shared-room basis. Some nights we might be able to arrange private rooms to an extra cost. If interested please inform us.
Included
Transport in a modern bus
Hostel standard accommodation on a shared-room basis for 6 nights
Guiding
Visit to the Ice Hotel
Sauna and an arctic swim
Visit to a Sami family who have reindeer
Ice fishing and cross country skiing in Inari
Christmas dinner with local specialties, + 1 dinner and 6 breakfasts (breakfast=B, lunch=L, Dinner=D)
Excluded
Most meals except the ones listed above
Some optional entrance fees and activities
Optional activities
Snow mobiling and dog sledging need to be booked before departure. Changes in your booking can be made up to 3 weeks before departure. There is enough time to do both activities. You pay cash directly to the activity companies. You will get warm clothes for these activities.
Snow mobiling 3 hours; cost 800 SEK per person, 1-2 persons sharing.
Sledge dog tours 3 hours; cost 800 SEK per person paid in Kiruna, 2-4 persons sharing.
Combi Tour 3 hours cost; 800 SEK. This is a combination of the two activities above, half time of each.
Sleep on Ice
Sleeping on Ice is something many passengers ask about. The following links take you to the Ice Hotel and Camp Ripan. No matter what you choose you need to book early because they are both very busy. Ice hotel is best if you book day 3 because we can drop you off in the afternoon and pick you up the following day on the way to Finland. Camp Ripan only has a few basic Ice Igloos and is located in walking distance from the hostel in Kiruna. You can easily check availability and book rooms in the Ice Hotel online. Read mor about Ice Hotel or Camp Ripan
Highlights
The chance to see the Aurora Borealis in the arctic night during the right circumstances
Cross the Arctic Circle
Drink a cold beer in a sauna and roll around in the snow
Experience the Sami culture
Visit the world famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi
Go snow mobiling or dog sledging
Go cross country skiing in a deep forest
Party with new friends
