Trip to Lapland

A trip to Lapland means northern lights over snow-covered forests, husky sledding, reindeer farms, and Sámi villages. Filovent organizes 5- and 8-day custom tours of Finnish Lapland from Rovaniemi, in winter and fall, starting at about $2,000 per person, with hotels, a guide, most meals, transfers, and cold-weather gear included. Lapland stretches across the far north of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia; in Finnish Lapland, snow blankets everything from December to March, and the forest turns red in September.

Our Lapland tours

Every Filovent Lapland tour is custom-built around your travel dates, trip length, and interests.

• Northern lights tour: 5 days in winter, focused on aurora viewing and snow activities.
• Rovaniemi vacation: 8 days around the capital of Finnish Lapland and Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle, combining outdoor adventures with local culture.
• Fall foliage tour: 8 days exploring Lapland on foot and along its lakes during ruska, the fall color season, with the first northern lights of the year.

How much does a Lapland trip cost?

Filovent’s Lapland tours start at about $2,000 per person for 5 or 8 days in winter and about $3,200 per person for 8 days in the fall. Your Filovent travel advisor will send you a detailed quote based on your dates and activities.

What’s included in our Lapland tours?

• Double-occupancy rooms in 3- or 4-star hotels
• Most meals throughout the trip (buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner with water, coffee, or tea)
• A tour guide for your entire stay
• Transfers to and from Rovaniemi Airport
• Motorcoach transportation as outlined in the itinerary, so you never have to drive on snow
• Access to the hotel pool and sauna
• Thermal gear for outdoor activities (snowsuits, boots, and gloves)

What’s not included

• Airfare
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
• Beverages other than those listed
• Baggage handling
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

How many days do you need in Lapland?

Plan on 5 days for a first taste of Lapland, with several nights of aurora viewing and the main winter activities. In 8 days, you can travel from Rovaniemi to the northern part of the region, or take your time hiking during ruska in the fall.

When is the best time to visit Lapland?

February and March are the best months for a trip to Lapland: the snow is deep, the nights are long enough for the northern lights, and there is far more daylight for activities than in December. Fall, from late August through October, brings ruska and the first auroras. Filovent’s tours run in both winter and fall.

Lapland’s seasons

• Peak season (December through March): snow covers the whole region, making it the best time for winter activities and aurora viewing. Demand is highest over Christmas and New Year’s. In December, daylight lasts only a few hours, and in northern Lapland the sun doesn’t rise at all for several weeks.
• Shoulder season (late August through October, and April): in the fall, the fells turn red and gold during ruska, and dark nights return for aurora viewing. In April, there’s still snow on the ground, and the days are much longer.
• Low season (May through July, and November): summer brings the midnight sun and mild temperatures, but no northern lights. In November, snow cover is often still patchy.

Average temperatures in Rovaniemi

Source: Finnish Meteorological Institute, Rovaniemi Airport station, 1991-2020 averages

These are averages: during cold snaps, temperatures can drop below -13°F, especially in northern Lapland.

What to see in Lapland

From Rovaniemi, the main stops on a Finnish Lapland tour are Levi (about 2.5 hours by road), Saariselkä (about 3 hours), and Inari (about 4 hours).

Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village

Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland. Santa Claus Village, 5 miles north of downtown, sits right on the Arctic Circle line and is open year-round. The Arktikum museum showcases the nature, history, and peoples of the Arctic. Most husky safaris, snowmobile excursions, and reindeer farm visits depart from Rovaniemi.

Inari and Sámi culture

On the shores of Lake Inari, Finland’s third-largest lake, the village of Inari is the cultural heart of the Sámi people. The Siida museum tells the story of their history and way of life, and the Sajos cultural center is home to the Sámi Parliament of Finland. It’s the place to learn about reindeer herding, Sámi crafts, and joik, the traditional Sámi song.

Saariselkä and Urho Kekkonen National Park

About 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle and far from light pollution, Saariselkä has very dark skies for aurora viewing. The neighboring Urho Kekkonen National Park covers nearly 1,000 square miles of rounded fells, known as tunturi, to explore on snowshoes or cross-country skis in winter and on foot in the fall, during ruska.

Levi and Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park

Levi is Finland’s largest ski resort. Nearby, Pallas-Yllästunturi, Finland’s third-largest national park, mixes bare fells and conifer forests, with long hiking and skiing trails.

Top winter activities and safaris in Lapland

• Husky sledding: the most popular Lapland safari, usually a half-day outing from Rovaniemi, from late fall to April.
• Reindeer sledding: a slower, quieter ride, often combined with a visit to a reindeer farm.
• Snowmobiling: rides across frozen lakes and forests, from mid-December to April; a valid driver’s license is required to drive.
• Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the national parks.
• Finnish sauna, followed, for the brave, by a plunge into a hole cut in the ice.
• Northern lights viewing on clear nights. The aurora depends on solar activity and clear skies, so it can never be guaranteed, but several nights in northern Lapland, away from city lights, greatly improve your chances.

Getting around Lapland in winter

Finnish Lapland’s roads are well maintained and plowed all winter. On tour, you travel by motorcoach between stops that are 2.5 to 4 hours apart, with drivers used to snow and ice, and the itinerary accounts for the short daylight hours in midwinter.

The cold is dry, which makes it more bearable than damp cold, as long as you dress in layers: pack warm base layers, a hat, and thermal underwear, in addition to the snowsuits and boots provided for activities. Sledding and snowmobile outings depend on snow and weather conditions.

What documents do you need to travel to Lapland?

• Passport: U.S. citizens need a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond their planned departure from the Schengen area.
• Visa: no visa is required for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport details and biometrics are recorded under the EU’s Entry/Exit System when you arrive. The EU’s ETIAS travel authorization is scheduled to launch in the last quarter of 2026; check whether it applies to your travel dates.
• Travel insurance: U.S. health plans rarely cover care abroad, so travel insurance covering medical costs and medical evacuation is strongly recommended.

Know before you go

Getting there

The main gateway is Rovaniemi Airport. From the United States, you can fly there year-round with a connection in Helsinki or another major European hub; the Helsinki-to-Rovaniemi flight takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. Kittilä Airport, near Levi, and Ivalo Airport, near Saariselkä and Inari, serve the northern part of the region.

Language

Finnish and Swedish are Finland’s official languages, and several Sámi languages are recognized in Lapland. English is very widely spoken, especially in hotels and tourist areas.

Currency and payment

Finland uses the euro. Credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for small purchases, so you’ll rarely need cash.

Time difference

For most of the year, Finland is 7 hours ahead of New York and 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles.

How to book your Lapland trip

1. Send us your request through the website with your travel dates and what you’d like to do.
2. A Filovent travel advisor reaches out to discuss your plans.
3. They present the tours that fit your plans and customize them for you.
4. You choose the vacation that’s right for you.
5. Your booking is confirmed once the deposit has been paid.

Lapland trip FAQs

Can you visit Lapland at Christmas?

Yes. Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village welcome visitors throughout the holiday season, and Santa can be met at his office in the village year-round. Christmas is the busiest time of year in Lapland, so Filovent recommends booking as early as possible, ideally by summer.

Is a Lapland day trip worth it?

Day trips to Lapland are sold from some European cities, but they leave only a few hours on the ground and no night in the far north, so almost no chance of seeing the northern lights. From the United States, Filovent recommends at least 5 days to make the long journey worthwhile.

Can you take the train from Helsinki to Lapland?

Yes. Overnight trains with sleeper cabins run from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, arriving in the morning. It’s a scenic alternative to the 1 hour 20 minute flight if you have an extra day.