CARBON FOOTPRINT: 62.19kg CO2 eq / person / day*

Aurora Borelis is a natural phenomenon with the highest propability to occur in September-October and again in February-March. However, the northern part of Lapland belongs to the auroral zone. You can see auroras there throughout the winter on three out of four nights, even though you cannot see them if the weather is cloudy. You need a clear and dark night. The best time of the day is plus minus 2 hours from the midnight.

Nellim wilderness hotel is located by the 3rd biggest lake of Finland, lake Inari. The Nellim village is in the south-eastern end of the lake, 45 kilometres east of Ivalo. Nellim has very cozy log cabin suites for families used in this package. There are also a few aurora cabins for 2 adults and 2 children in extra beds +160€/night. 

Polar night takes place from the first week of December to the second week of January. The coldest month is January. After that the days are getting longer fast and the sun shines more and more warming the days and daytime activities. For families we recommend the early season from mid-November to late December and again from mid-February to mid-April.

Family friendly activities included in the package:

Snowmobiling to a reindeer farm (5h) takes you across the frozen lake and through the Arctic forest to a reindeer farm. On the way back you will get a short introduction to winter fishing. Smallest children usually sit in a sleigh pulled by the guide.   

Your tour starts by a snowmobiling lesson. You will get instructions how to handle this powerful vehicle. After you feel comfortable with driving, it is time to go and explore the surroundings. 

You will see the beauty of northern nature and landscape. Your guides will tell you about life in the wilderness and reindeer herding. At the reindeer farm you can feed the reindeer. Soup lunch is included in the tour. Please note that the drivers have a liability up to 900€ in case they would crash the snowmobile. 

A nice alternative for families with very small children is a private safari by an aurora sledge. 

Gentle snowshoe tour (2h) allows you to enter the snowy forest. After a while you will arrive at a campfire and get hot drinks. Snowshoeing is easy but gives you a good deal of exercise. Alternatively you may choose cross-country skiing by easy back-country skies.

Aurora tour is worth taking on one night at least. There are several types of aurora safaris available: by car, snowshoes or pulled by a snowmobile. By car you can get to the famous Paatsjoki bridge and have campfire, by snowshoes you have to work out yourself in order to get to campfire and in third option you are pulled to campfire by snowmobiles and you can look at the sky without having to drive. The campfire version is included in the package.

Husky safari (2-2.5h+transfers, lunch at the hotel) takes you through the snowy landscape. Nothing beats the feeling you get when mushing an eager team of huskies. You will have a lunch break at a Lappish hut. Two adults are sharing one team of huskies. Children sit in sleigh of the guide quite often

To finish the trip in a fun way, we'll take you tobogganing to Saariselkä where we have the longest toboggan slope in Finland, all in all 1,8km.

 * Carbon footprint calculation process is found here.