TTXperience! #8: Beyond the Arctic Circle

I still remember the first time I read about Finland back in 2010, it was a hot summer day in Vietnam. Living there my whole life, I am so used to only two seasons: the hot, and the hotter one. So I could never imagine how magical winter could be in real life.

In my mind, Finland's like a snow globe covered by snow throughout the year. Three years of high school passed by, and I always knew that I wanted to see, the magical winter of Lapland.

Then autumn 2014 came in the blink of an eye, and my wish came true. I packed my stuff for studying abroad in Finland. Although I was in Kilpisjärvi for my short internship, not until after my graduation, that my real destiny with Lapland started blooming. 

That was when I joined the Timetravels team.

I was welcomed with a cake!!!

I finally got to meet Santa Claus to tell him my wish and saw colorful Northern lights dancing in the arctic night sky.

If you are planning your trip to Lapland someday, perhaps my adventure in Saariselkä - the Finnish Winter Wonderland - could help you imagine how magical it is.

CAUTION! Spoiler alert!

ITINERARY

It was a seven-day tour, particularly two days of traveling time by bus. So I had five days to enjoy Lapland. For me, it was a good amount of time, as I saved a bit more by traveling by bus, whereas the chance to see the Northern lights is higher as I stay relatively long. During these five days, depending on how many activities we choose, it could be either a super busy one or a relaxed one. 

Personally, I joined all the activities so for sure I could talk about each of them, in case you wonder specifically. But first, let’s look at the brief itinerary. The itinerary was changed several times according to the weather.

Day 1: Departure from Helsinki

Day 2: Santa Claus village - Arrival in Saariselkä - Free time

Day 3: Cross country skiing - Aurora Hunting

Day 4: Reindeer Farm - Arctic Ocean tour

Day 5: Husky Safari - Snowmobile safari - Night snowshoe hike

Day 6: Free time for other activities - Departure home

Day 7: Bye Bye Lapland - Back in Helsinki :(

Since I decided to join all the activities, I already expected quite an active schedule!

ACCOMMODATION 

THE PANIMOS - The genuine Lappish cottage

The most common cottages there are known as Panimo Cottages. They usually can accommodate 6-8 people. I personally stayed in one of these Panimo, so I could give a review for it.

First of all, all Panimo cottages are located next to each other. The bus will park close to there within walking distance.

Description:

• A fully-equipped kitchen
• Common area for chilling and a fireplace
• 2 cozy bedrooms with bunk bed (3 persons each room)
• A loft could host approximately 3 persons
• 1 big bathroom + toilet + sauna
• Wifi 
• Heater

 

METSÄKOTI (literal translation: The Forest House)

I also stayed in Metsäkoti on my first trip to Saariselkä. It is ∼200m away from the bus stop so we took a fresh walk every day in the snow.

. Description:

• Big kitchen and fully equipped, with a super nice view of the snow
• A large living room for chilling, playing games and fireplace
• 4 cozy twin bedrooms
• The bathroom is huge, with a washing machine and dryer inside. It also has a heater on the floor so the clothes dry very fast overnight.
• Washing machine, clothes dryer, microwave, oven, and quite a huge fridge.
• Wifi 
• Heater

There were only 4 of us and the driver lived next door to us. So it was a spacious stay. Yes, we did sauna together all of us. We were all strangers from the beginning after one sauna became a family. ;)

How I feel about both cottages:

• Personally, I feel the beds in both cottages were very comfortable. It could also be due to the long day, but that's how I felt.

• The bedrooms might be a bit short of sockets if you have many devices like me (laptop, phone, smartwatch, etc). I would suggest bringing a multiplug/ or multi-source charger.
  
  

ACTIVITIES

Finally, the fun part! All you need to know about the activities if you still could not make up your mind.

Note! All activities were based on my experience seasons ago. Changes might be made.

Santa Claus Village

Difficulty level: easy

There is no cost to enter Santa Claus Village. It's a large open area with a variety of attractions throughout the park.

Of course, you might think about a picture with Mr.Claus. Getting lost? No fret! There will be Elves instructing people where to go. So cute!

Tips: If you want a picture with Santa, expect the line is long. So do line up immediately after getting off the bus as time is limited.

Cross-country skiing

Difficulty level: moderate

The word ski comes from the Old Norse word “skíð” which means stick of wood. Back then, cross-country skiing was used as a means of transport as an aid to hunting at least 5,000 years ago.

Everyone who can run also can ski! I could say that personally, it’s a good start for beginners who have never done it before. I was helped with the skiing gears by an experienced guide, which made a rookie life like me much easier.

We were shown how to attach the ski shoes to the ski and also how to stand up after falling down (yes, you need to know the technique!). The guide was super nice, he led us to start with a smooth surface then proceeding to downhill/uphill. I remember the struggle of going uphill, it did feel like an achievement. Thanks to cross-country skiing, I had more courage to try downhill skiing for the first time in Lapland. They bring totally different feelings, so you should try both!

Tips: This is a fun and quite sweaty activity. So wear breathable clothes! :)

Aurora hunting by bus

Difficulty level: easy

This is an activity that strongly depends on the weather. So usually, it could only be booked at the destination when the forecast is more accurate.

Originally planned on the fourth day in Lapland, it was changed when we reached Saariselkä. The guide had double-checked the weather and apparently, KP was much stronger on day 2, therefore, it was moved for a better experience. So don’t be surprised if it happens!

The hunting area will change from time to time depending on the forecast. Back then, we took a 45mins ride bus to Kuttura (45km) to hunt the Northern lights.

On the bus, our guide started telling stories about the myth of Aurora. There were many myths behind the lights, but I will talk about them in another TTStorytime series! :)

Stay tuned for that!

There was a bridge across the river where there were a lot of stars in the sky. At least the sky was clear. At first, it seemed like a star-gazing tour because there was no sign of aurora. The time passed even slower in this -20 degrees weather.

When we started to lose hope, there appeared green lights dancing in the sky - as it turned KP 4 at that time. Although that was not the first time for me to see the Northern Lights, there were no words to describe how amazing it was. Everyone was cheering and started taking tons of pictures and timelapse, so we stayed longer than the original plan.

The KP was still strong after midnight, so we headed back to Kaunispää (the hill near the accommodation place) to snap more pictures. It was totally a well-spent night. Even though we were back at 2-3am, it was hard to keep all the excitement down to sleep.

This hill could be a second option that you could hike up another night in case the lights on hunting night were not strong enough.

Tips: 

• Wear warm! It’s gonna be a long time waiting outside in the freezing cold. You don’t know when the lights will show up.
• Personally, I feel that the focus of the trip should not be only Northern Lights. Saariselkä is very exotic and it can offer a lot! And of course, if you’re lucky to spot Aurora, take this as a gift from Mother Nature.

Tour to the Arctic Ocean

Difficulty level: easy

At the picturesque Bugøynes village

My favorite activity while in Saariselkä is definitely this trip to Norway!

The main idea was to spend the whole day from early morning until late evening discovering Lappish culture through stories and experience.

When I helped the guide check the passenger list, everyone in my group went to this activity. I would not be surprised how popular it was!

The trip started at 7 am. So it is definitely an early morning wake-up.

The bus took us towards the fjords and end up in a small picturesque village of Bugøynes, which is located at the edge of the world. So it was approximately a 3-4h ride with 280km one way. 

On the scenic route, we quickly stop for photos in Bugøynes. The village was very picturesque, as many places are in Norway.

Back on the road, we then experienced sauna in the Fjords. The sauna was located on the corner of the beach which was a few meters away. If you have never tried sauna before, the guide gave clear instructions on how the sauna and swimming process work, so you will know how to do it in the correct way. 

Safety was something that he was very strict about, to ensure no *Oops* would happen.

“Everyone is created equal, but nowhere more than in a sauna.” 

The sauna area

The sauna and swimming activity could be a whole new experience for someone from a tropical country like me. First, we sit in the sauna for a while, then dipped in the Arctic Ocean in -15 degree weather. Our guide was amazing, he explained the sauna culture and engaged people to sing in the sauna. Outside, we were “attacked” by the snow war. But that was not the best part.

Every time we talked about this event, my friends referred to it as “the bucket throw”. Our guide, without any warning, threw all the water buckets inside the stove at the same time. Obviously, it was very hot, the temperature was around 95 degrees. People were forced to run out and again, ambushed by the snow “storm”.

This was one of the most special experiences since I never dared to do so in a normal sauna.

Sauna, then after a dip in the Arctic Ocean

After all the energy burst, a tasty traditional fish soup bowl was waiting for us. 

We were taken to a local restaurant and were warmly welcomed by the owner. Apparently, he had very clear rules on directing the group to take the soup in order to settle in the fastest way possible. We could see how serious he was as he even counted the time of how fast you could take your soup. LOL.

So it was traditional Norwegian Fish soup served with bread. They even had options for vegans, but needed to inform the guide in advance (at that time, it was tomato soup as vegan option). While enjoying the meal, we listened to the story of King crab, the history of the village, and how life was in the North. One thing I was impressed by the owner was the way he told stories. Very soothing voice.

Very hungry? Feel free to go for multiple bowls. :)

Lapland is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so of course, souvenirs are something that most of us want. The bus then took us to the largest souvenir store in Lapland located in Inari, where you can buy traditional Sami Handicrafts, Kuksa cups and knives. 

;)

There was also a market next to it, so we decided to grab some food/snacks for the ride/dinner as it will be late on the way back.

The arrival back was around 21:00. End of day. It was an active day, but full of experience. My thought: this is a must-do trip that you shouldn’t miss! 

Tips: 

• The trip will start in the early morning, so remember to have early sleep a day before. You wouldn’t want to miss Norwegian’s scenic view by sleeping throughout the ride
• Bring your swimsuit, towel, flip flops, extra socks
• If it gets too hot in the sauna, move to the lower bench.
• Swimming in the Arctic Ocean however depends on waves. Safety should be the top priority!

Reindeer farm visit

Difficulty level: easy

How a reindeer sled looks like

What else would you want to see in Santa land? Of course, it would be his fellow mates - The Reindeers! And there’s nowhere else better than Inari region, where you could interact with a reindeer herder to learn more about Sami culture.

The driving distance from the accommodation to the farm would be around 45 minutes. We met the herder to hear interesting stories about a reindeer’s life. There were free-roaming reindeer everywhere, and for sure you could feed them with proper reindeer food!

Then to our favorite part, we also got the chance to try the lasso throwing! 

Lasso (or in Finnish suopunki), is a traditional tool used in reindeer herding.

They even have a competition for this, but instead of reindeer, wooden sticks on the ground will be replaced. All you need to do is to catch the “fake reindeer antler” with the lasso in different ranges, from the shortest to the longest distance.

Sami reindeer herder showing us how to throw the lasso properly

Tips: 

• Don’t ask a herder how many reindeers they have on their farm. It’s like asking how much money you have in your bank account.
• It is an outdoor activity, so it is best to wear PROPER winter clothes!

Husky Safari

Difficulty level: easy

I was so excited to meet enthusiastic friends!

The drive was about 10 minutes from the accommodation to the farm. We got to hear about the life of huskies who are taken care of there. Since we were the first ones in the morning, the dogs were very energized and welcoming! We got to pet and take photos with them too.

Although the difficulty level is easy, there were several things that we needed to remember when on the sledge. The sledge could contain 2 people and around 6 dogs pulling it. One person controlled, one person sat on the sledge to take pictures. Behind the sledge there would be a brake. Normally, for the controller, you could just let go of the dog to run freely and brake if needed.

There will be a break, so you could change the driver. 

On the way, there will be up and down hills. So be sure to help the dogs with your legs by pushing the sledge when going uphill, and braking when going down.

The instructor explained how to control the sledge. Safety is top priority!

Overall, I really enjoyed the ride (of course as the one who controlled the sledge!). The sledge ran at fast speed with the wind blowing across your face, watching the land blanketed by snow. If I could choose to have a special power, I wished time would stop at this moment!

Tips:

• The husky ride will be run in a straight line, one sledge follows the other. So if you are a speed lover (like me), try to be on the leading sledge.
• Wear proper clothes and cover your face as much as possible. No overalls were provided in this activity.
• Have a full breakfast if it is organized in the early morning!

Snowshoe trek to the wilderness

Difficulty level: moderate

At first, I did not expect this one would be so fun!

What just happened? Am I on the right activity...?

The time of the activity could vary, but during my trip, it was organized at night around 8-9pm. If we were lucky, Northern light might show up too (in our case it didn’t lol).

We got the gears and our guide showed us how to attach them to our feet.

Then we started to be familiarized with the snowshoes. Test-walking distance was around 200m and afterward, straight to the forest. Do you think it was just 2,5 hours snowshoeing in the forest? Haha. Too naive.

It was all peaceful and quiet, until the guide started… a snow war. I am so… “blessed” to have such a travel group of friends, when we started having fun in the snow instead of only just snowshoeing. The snow was very deep and we could even bury someone under it. 

Snow splashing, throwing, fighting, and laughing, were the main things, and I barely realized that I suppose to “snowshoe”. We had a lot of fun!

There was someone who even lost his whole shoes in the snow due to the fight so it took quite some time for the guide to help him.
And I lost my favorite red beanie during the war. RIP beanie. =(
So watch your stuff carefully, because you might never see it again after realizing it’s gone.

Of course, not everyone is joining the fight, so being respectful is a prerequisite!

In the end, we gathered around the fire and had some grilled sausage & marshmallows together. It was definitely cozy and warm!

Tips:

• A big no to jeans or sneakers. Snowproof pants and shoes are a must!! For sure, you could rent the snow overall in Saariselkä. But since it is a sweaty activity, wear breathable layers. I felt it was more hardcore than Cross country skiing since I used more muscles with all those walking and throwing snowballs.
• Again, eat well and get ready to burn some calories!

In general, all activities have different experiences and you could find a few different shades of Lapland in each one.

But if you ask me, here are my top three activities that I would like to do again if I have the chance:

1. Tour to the Arctic Ocean
2. Snowshoe trek to the wilderness
3. Husky Safari

Hopefully, it could help you make your decision :)

Lastly, good to know/remember

(if you are going with us)

• A small K-market in Saariselkä is within the walking distance of the accommodation.
• If you are on a budget, plan your meals with your friends and grab enough snacks with alcohol in the Rovaniemi grocery store.

• We will have time for everyone to rent thermal overalls before activities start.
• Wondering about what to pack? Visit our article here!

Links you may find helpful:

Panimo cottage: here and here
Metsäkoti cottage: here and here
Santa Claus village: here