New in Lapland for winter 2013/14
Lapland specialist The Activity Travel Company has a hugely varied programme of winter holidays lined up for 2013/14.
Here’s a selection of the new trips available this winter:
The White Circle – what’s new for adults looking for unique winter experiences? (The White Circle offers Lapland winter experiences for adults)
King crabs, Russian borders and a snow hotel, Norway
Lapland may conjure up images of huskies and reindeer, but king crabs are unlikely to feature! This new trip to Norway combines snowmobiling to the Russian border, a night in a snowhotel, learning to mush huskies, Northern Lights hunting and a king crab safari. Haul up the king crab pots and, whilst the crab is cooking, you’ll travel to the Siberian taiga forest in Pasvik and visit a farm dating back to 1854. Later that evening, sit in a lavvu (traditional Samí tent) around a campfire, whilst sampling the freshly-cooked king crab.
Departing January-March 2014, Northern Lights, King crab and a Snowhotel costs from £1,545 pp (two sharing) including transfers, four nights’ accommodation (including one night in the Snowhotel), breakfast, three other meals, all activities, cold-weather clothing and guides. Flights extra – Flights or Hurtigruten transfers can be arranged by The White Circle. The White Circle (thewhitecircle.com).
Arctic bathing, lighthouses and fjords, Norway
This holiday takes place on the island of Senja, where the base is a hotel in an old fishing village. Picturesque, and also a Northern Lights hotspot, there’s plenty of time to relax – and to explore further afield. Arctic bathing in winter might not be top of your to-do list, but brave the Arctic waters in a floating dry suit and you’ll be surprised. Whilst it may sound cold, you’ll be completely warm and dry as you float effortlessly on the ocean’s surface. Embark on a fjord cruise, keeping a look out for whales, relax in a hot tub in a converted fishing boat or try body-rafting in a maelstrom (swirling water which occurs each time the tide shifts). Each evening, head to a former lighthouse which, north-facing and offering panoramic views, is the perfect place to wait for the Aurora.
Departing December 2013-March 2014, Senja – a Norwegian Island retreat costs from £1,975 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), all transfers and travel, four nights’ full-board accommodation, all activities as detailed, cold-weather clothing and guides. The White Circle (thewhitecircle.com).
Activities Abroad – what’s new for families? (Activities Abroad offers family activity holidays)
Polar bears, reindeer and Father Christmas, Finland
Forget hassle-filled day trips to Lapland and seek out Santa in style, on this new family holiday to Finnish Lapland. Each family enjoys a private meeting with Father Christmas and you’ll spend four nights surrounded by a real-life Christmas card scene – complete with snowy landscapes, polar bears, elves and reindeer sleigh rides. Based next to a wildlife park – to which families handily enjoy unlimited access – join in with the process of feeding polar bears (from a safe distance!) and get close to Arctic fox, lynx, elk, golden eagle and white tail deer. Families will also visit a local husky farm, have husky-sled rides winding through a snow-clad forest, visit a reindeer farm and enjoy a snowmobile ride, too, with adults driving and children tucked up cosily in a sledge behind the guide.
Departing December 2013, the four-night Ranua – Polar Bears and Father Christmas trip costs from £1,495 per adult and from £1,295 per child (5-12) – family of four sharing – including flights (Heathrow), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation, all activities, cold-weather clothing and guides. Activities Abroad (activitiesabroad.com).
Father Christmas comes to Luosto, Finland
Luosto has been popular with families for a while but this is the first winter that Activities Abroad has offered dedicated Father Christmas holidays here. The tiny ski resort is particularly good for families with young children: a menu which includes familiar favourites (as well as Lappish specialities), large family rooms, flood-lit tobogganing tracks on the doorstep and an indoor swimming pool – a rare luxury this far into the Arctic Circle. All the usual Lapland activities feature; from husky-sledding and snowmobiling to cross-country skiing and sledging. And then there’s the Santa visit. Spend the day at Father Christmas’ personal reindeer farm, visiting the elf school and stopping off at the Christmas command centre (where all children’s letters are received), before each family enjoys its own private meeting with the big man in red.
Departing December 2013, the five-night Luosto – Family Christmas Adventure costs from £1,695 pp and from £1,495 per child (5-12) – family of four sharing – including flights (Heathrow), transfers, five nights’ half-board accommodation, all activities, cold-weather clothing and guides. Activities Abroad (activitiesabroad.com).
The Aurora Zone – what’s new for Northern Lights seekers? (The Aurora Zone offers Northern Lights holidays for adults)
New Year and new accommodation at Torassieppi, Finland
See in the New Year in style, staying on the Torassieppi Reindeer Farm in Finnish Lapland. The farm dates back to 1847 but the accommodation consists of newly renovated cabins and rooms. Explore the Arctic during the day with dog-sledding, reindeer sleigh rides and cross-country skiing, and return each evening to the lakeside sauna. For the first time this winter, there will also be a winter village complete with snow rooms and an ice restaurant (lunch included). At night, scour the wilderness for the enchanting Northern Lights on snowshoes, by minibus and snowmobile. The lack of light pollution, combined with the expertise of the local guides, means that sightings here are a regular occurrence.
Departing 27 December 2013, the New Year Northern Lights Quest costs from £1,945 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, six nights’ full-board accommodation, all activities, cold-weather clothing and guides . The Aurora Zone (theaurorazone.com).
Watch the Aurora from a bubble, FinlandI
Another way to admire the night sky (from the warmth of your own bed) Aurora Bubbles are a new form of accommodation this season – available exclusively via the The Aurora Zone in the UK. Combine a night’s stay in one of these heated bubbles – each with a double bed and mini-bathroom – with a mix of activities, including ice fishing, snow-shoe hikes, mushing huskies and a visit to a reindeer farm. Learn about the history of the Samí people and be enthralled by locals who’ll tell of the legends and myths surrounding the Northern Lights. Aurora-hunting takes the form of sleigh rides and (heated) minibus drives – each time, accompanied by a guide with the latest weather forecasts and predictions of solar activity.
Departing December 2013-March 2014, the Muokta Fellside Auroras trip costs from £1,660 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation (including a night in an Aurora Bubble), all activities, Aurora alert, cold-weather clothing and guides. The Aurora Zone (theaurorazone.com).