Northern Lights in Lapland – winter holiday in Lapland

Reception at the airport and transfer (about 45 minutes from Kemi-Tornio, up to 2 hours from other airports) by private minibus to your rustic hotel, located in the picturesque fishermen village of Kukkola, on the Swedish bank of the Torne river, about 15 km from the capital Haparanda. During the tour you will stay in the resort of Kukkolaforsen, managed with love since three generations by the Spolander family.

The structure includes a typical restaurant, with breathtaking views of the longest rapids in the Nordic countries (3500m long, 16m elevation gain). The restaurant has been featured in the White Guide (the Swedish equivalent of the Gambero Rosso guide) for many years. The menu is based on local ingredients and artisanal preparations, centered on recipes created by Mrs. Margit, author of two award-winning recipe books, and carried on by her sons Johannah and Matthias.

You will stay in cottages or double rooms with river view and private WC/shower. In the entrance there is a dryer for thermal clothes and shoes (which we will provide included in the price and you will try on on arrival). Upon arrival, a typical dinner will be served, after which, if the conditions are right, we will try to observe the Northern Lights, easily visible thanks to the low light pollution of this area.

Buffet breakfast is served in the restaurant, which is located a short walk away. Right after, it's time for adrenaline: a snowmobile ride lasting about 2 hours during the Arctic day (optional activity, subject to supplement). Each snowmobile is driven by one of you, with a passenger sitting in the back. Halfway we can stop to take photos, have a hot drink and change driver. For an additional fee, it is possible to drive the entire journey without a passenger.

On the way back, after a short break in a warm room, we will guide you on a visit to the ancient fishing village, perfectly preserved, where we will explain how locals have managed to create a civilization in these weather-ridden regions.

Right after, you will have the opportunity to learn how to make bread in the traditional Lappish way and enjoy it together with a tasty fish salad, sitting around the fire in a unique atmosphere. We will also guide you in the visit of the small but interesting fish museum, where you will learn how locals lived before the advent of technology. You can spend some time on your own in the village, which also has great photo opportunities.

A dinner, based on local ingredients, will be served in the most beautiful sauna that you have ever seen, in a beautiful room with a rustic fireplace. Here, in addition to taking a sauna overlooking the river, you can also relax in the so-called hot tub, with the possibility of observing the aurora directly from the warm pool.

Do not forget your swimsuit, an essential ingredient of any Lapland trip! The sauna will be reserved for you throughout the evening.

If necessary, an aurora chase will be arranged, in case the weather is forecast to be clear elsewhere.

After breakfast, we'll start a tour by private vehicle along the amazing valley of the Tornio River. We will get to know the millenary culture of these areas, see the most beautiful views and learn the story of Giuseppe Acerbi and Pierre Loius Moreau de Maupertuis, two great personalities who visited the Val di Tornio in the eighteenth century.

With a two-hour drive we will reach Pyhäjärvi, a remote hamlet that has only one inhabitant: Sixten, practically a living monument. Sixten is one of the last remaining Sámi (indigenous) reindeer herders in this area. Our man will introduce us to the Sámi culture and explain how breeding is organized between the various geographical areas (paliskunta), how the branding system works and how the reindeer are managed according to the seasons. He will then take us to the area where we can feed delicious lichens to these wonderful animals. Sixten is also an award-winning craftsman, and he will proudly show us the awards he has won with his cutlery and jewelry works, inspired by the tradition of his people.

Afterwards, back in Sweden, we will arrive in Juoksengi (30 minutes), the village that is crossed by the Arctic Circle, where we will be able to take a group photo and learn some basic notions of astronomical geography. Back in Övertorneå (20 minutes), we will visit a local artisan workshop, where you can buy beautiful souvenirs, such as the kuksa (the traditional wooden cup made from a single birch knot) and the puukko (the knife with a wooden handle), which cannot be missing among the indispensable accessories of the Lappish people. We will also have a light lunch in the café upstairs.

In the evening, upon returning to the hotel, a typical dinner will be served in the wonderful riverside restaurant. This can be followed by an aurora chase , if conditions allow.

After a hearty breakfast, we'll set off on a husky sledding safari. The experience is very intense, in contact with these wonderful animals and unspoiled nature. Upon arrival, after a good hour of transfer, we'll meet their breeders, who will welcome us. The dogs will howl and bark when you arrive: it is not a sign of threat, but of a desire to start the safari! After a brief explanation of driving techniques and safety, we'll begin a wonderful journey through the snowy forest, which we'll cross for about 20-30 minutes, varying in duration depending on the conditions.

At the end of the safari, you can sip a hot fruit juice and pet the dogs, which are of a docility that is difficult to imagine, given their appearance similar to that of wolves. A light lunch will be served in the property's restaurant.

After leaving the husky farm we move to Kemi, where we have a very special experience: a short walk on the frozen sea! We will give you safety instructions, although ice thickness is close to annual maximums at this time and never causes concern. The trek will take us to the island of Laitakari, where the first urban settlement that later gave rise to the city of Kemi arose, around a sawmill plant. The industrial vocation of the city remains, with large factories that characterize its profile. On your way back, you will be able to access the Snow Castle, which is built every year in its outdoor part (the ice sculpture gallery, located inside, is open all year round).

At the end we will return to Kukkola, where you can relax before the farewell dinner, which will be served in the wonderful restaurant overlooking the longest rapids in the Nordic countries. As every evening, a possible hunt for the Northern Lights will follow, depending on the conditions.

Breakfast, transfer by private vehicle to the chosen airport, assistance with check-in and end of the trip.