Taking a Lapland holiday has to be one of the most magical, exciting trips you can take with kids. These are not cheap trips but are often once in a lifetime and Lapland holidays really are as wonderful as they sound. Our guide to which is the best of the holidays to Lapland is based on personal experience and thorough research. Our team have take trips to Lapland on a number of occasions and with different operators to give you a thorough and impartial guide.
A Lapland Christmas is one of the greatest gifts you can give but we understand that this comes in at a considerable price. We have rounded up the best of the options for various budgets including a Lapland day trip, an independent trip and going with the major operators. We really hope this helps you narrow down your selection and work out which is the best of the holidays to Lapland for you and your family.
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Table of Contents
Lapland Package holidays – 3 / 4 days
Santa Lapland holidays are organised trips through a single company.
They provide the flights, transfers, hotels and activities including a chance to meet Father Christmas.
There are sometimes additional extras in these Lapland Santa holidays that are included which are worth thinking about such as, for example, all the clothing for the Arctic conditions.
We have tried to include as much as what is on offer below.
The Lapland breaks in this section are all for 3 days or more, if you are looking at day trips to Lapland then they are in the next section.
Tui Lapland
Tui have a great offering to Lapland and probably the most extensive list of Lapland destinations to choose from including Rovaniemi, Levi, Pallas, Ylläs, Kuusamo, Saariselkä, Luosto and Hetta.
Canterbury Travel – 3 & 4 night trips
Canterbury Travel offer a variety of three and four night trips to either Luosto, Pyhä, Pyhä-Asteli, Suomu and Enonteikiö.
Their trips are incredibly magical and very well put together and are regularly seen as being in consideration for the best company for Lapland holidays.
In general with their packages meals are included and there is a festive meal as part of the offering.
They have apartments, hotels & log cabin as accommodation options.
An example of what is included in the Canterbury Travel package is –
☑ Flights
☑ Accommodation
☑ Private meeting with Santa
☑ Husky Sledge experience
☑ Reindeer sleigh ride
☑ Arctic clothing
Find out more here.
Santa’s Lapland trips
Santa’s Lapland are one of the big operators and organise trips to Saariselkä.
They have both 3 day and 4 day Lapland package holidays inclusive of flights, accommodation and transfers.
Their Lapland deals always include a private meeting with Santa which feels very magical, set in a winter wonderland.
There is also a chance to have a taster at husky dog sledding and a reindeer sleigh ride as well as trying out the skidoos and spending time in the winter village.
One of the big benefits of Santa’s Lapland is that they supply all the kit you need to keep warm in the Arctic temperatures including snowsuits, socks and boots which helps keep costs down.
The magic starts from the minute you arrive with cheeky elves jumping around trying to take your luggage and carol singing on the coach to your accommodation.
A great Lapland Christmas holiday all the family will love.
Examples of what is included in the Santa’s Lapland price –
☑ Flights
☑ Accommodation
☑ Private meeting with Santa
☑ Husky Sledge experience
☑ Reindeer sleigh ride
☑ Arctic clothing
Find out more here.
Transun holidays to Lapland
Transun offer lots of different types of Lapland trips from regional airports across the UK.
They are different from the other operators in that their trips take place in Karesuando in Sweden, so less touristy than those taking place in the big resorts of Rovaniemi and Saariselkä (although really all the resorts feel magical and not over commercialised).
Transun offer some great add-on experiences including meet the huskies, taking a night time trip to try and spot the Northern Lights and spending a night in an igloo.
Examples of what is iIncluded in the Transun price –
☑ Flights
☑ Accommodation
☑ Private meeting with Santa
☑ Husky Sledge experience
☑ Reindeer sleigh ride
☑ Arctic clothing
Find out more here.
Inghams Lapland
Inghams offer holiday packages to Lapland to Levi, Ylläs on their three and four night Santa holidays.
While the husky dogs and reindeers aren’t included Inghams have a whole range of added extras, which includes these, which you can pay for.
Inghams have private meetings with Father Christmas Lapland style which is always magical and they provide all the Arctic clothes for the trip which again helps to keep costs down.
☑ Flights
☑ Accommodation
☑ Private meeting with Santa
☒ Husky Sledge experience
☒ Reindeer sleigh ride
☑ Arctic clothing
Find out more here.
Lapland day trip
Day trips to Lapland can be incredibly special and are a magical way to enjoy a trip to the region.
They are naturally over a long day but can be an affordable way to enjoy Santa trips to Lapland and get to see Father Christmas in his real home.
Most trips depart the UK around 7am on chartered flights with the journey taking around 3.5 hours.
The flights are fun with competitions onboard to get everyone in to the Christmas spirit.
On arrival you will be provided with all the clothes you need for the Arctic temperatures and you will then have between three and five hours to enjoy the Lapland world.
There is usually a chance to try out a husky dog sled, see reindeer and of course a private visit to Father Christmas.
Canterbury Travel Day trips – holidays to Lapland
Canterbury offer days trips from a number of regional airports.
They fly in to Enontekiö and offer transport to a magical world for the day.
☑ Flights
☑ Accommodation
☑ Transfer by sled to resort
☑ Husky Sledge experience
☑ Private meeting with Santa
☑ Reindeer sleigh ride
☑ Arctic clothing
Find out more here.
Tui Lapland day trips – holidays to Lapland
For Lapland visits offering a one day trip Tui have some great possibilities. If they are offering them this year they willbe available in the link below.
Lapland 7 night breaks
It’s worth looking into ski trips which can often go to the same destinations as the specialist “holiday to Lapland” deals and can be markedly cheaper.
There will be things not included – usually thermal clothing and trips to see Santa but these are easily added in when you’re in the resort.
Best of all these trips last for a week.
Crystal Ski – holidays to Lapland
Crystal Ski offer week long ski trips to Pyhä, Levi, Salla and Ylläs.
The trips will typically include flights, transfers and accommodation.
Sometimes you can book extras such as visits to Santa or these are ones you can arrange in the resort yourself.
The combined cost of a trip is usually much lower than the Lapland packages from the specialist operators.
While it may not give you the Christmas bubble you get with the shorter trips it will give you longer to immerse yourself in the world of Lapland.
Find out more here.
Check out our guide to the best ski resorts in Europe for families
Inghams – holidays to Lapland
With Inghams you can also take longer 7 night breaks. Build up the package you would like adding elements including husky dog trip and reindeer sleigh ride with those including Sami Museum & Inari Village, snow horseriding and Glass Igloo Overnight Stay.
So this is a chance to really personalise your trip and add in elements that your family would love to experience.
Find out more here.
Independent travel to Lapland
Booking independently can really help you bag a bargain when it comes to organising trips to Lapland.
It can also feel more adventurous.
Take a flight direct to Lapland or why not get some time to explore the capital of Helsinki and then take the Santa Express night train through the Finnish countryside to Rovaniemi.
Here you can organise tickets to the Santa Claus Village as well as excursions including husky dog sledding and nighttime reindeer rides.
Read more: The best hotels in Rovaniemi
Flights to Lapland
If you are booking your own flights to Lapland then book these as far in advance as you can. Typically three months before you plan to leave but more if you can.
You can fly direct to Lapland from the UK with Finnair.
You can also fly to Helsinki on airlines that go via their home countries. These can often add an hour or two to the journey time but the flights are often significantly cheaper. Which are well worth looking in to.
We have found the best prices normally come from KLM and Lufthansa.
If you fly in to Helsinki you can either take a flight on Finnair to one of the Lapland airports (for example Rovaniemi, Kuusamo Airport, Kittila, Ivalo) or take the train.
Find flights with Lufthansa here.
Train to Lapland – holidays to Lapland
One of the most magical trips has to be to take the night train, known as the Santa Claus Express, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.
It’s a way to really travel a huge amount of land across Finland and feels like an adventure by itself.
Last minute Lapland trips
It is always worth leaving trips to the last minute but if you do you have to be prepared to not get what you’re looking for.
Perhaps you have to go from a different airport or leave the next day.
It certainly pays to be as flexible as possible if you’re leaving it to the last minute and to accept that you may not be able to get anything at all.
The big operators to check are –
Which Lapland trip is best? Conclusion on holidays to Lapland
There’s a wide range of choices available and it can certainly seem overwhelming.
Having taken a number of different trips to Lapland we would suggest going for as long as you possibly can, depending on the age of your children.
For very young children a four day trip will be perfect. This is one where all the kit is included so you don’t have to pay to buy clothes you probably won’t wear again.
If you think your family are ready to start skiing holidays then combining a trip to see Father Christmas with a ski trip can work really well. And give you plenty of time to soak up that Finnish atmosphere and really immerse yourself in the region.
This is our preference and works with kids aged six and upwards best. It can also be one of the most affordable ways to see Lapland.
To create more of an adventure with slightly older kids then consider combining it with a city break in Helsinki and travelling up by train to Lapland. For maximum magic though flying in to Lapland and staying in that region can’t be beaten.
Frequently asked questions about taking a Lapland holiday
How can I get a cheap Lapland holiday?
Lapland is never going to be a particularly cheap trip and it’s one to really plan and budget from. In our experience there are very few if any last minute deals from the main operators so cheap Lapland holidays can be tricky. It is possible to get a last minute deal on one of the ski trips – see above for more details.
What age is the best age to visit Lapland?
It will be tricky with under two year olds to visit Lapland (although not impossible) because of how cold it is. Ages six and up are probably ideal and then there is no upper age limit, Lapland is magical however old you are.
Your Lapland Holiday checklist
- ✈️ – Find great flights to Finland with Opodo
- 🏥 – Get the travel insurance we use at CoverForYou
- 🅿️ – Book your airport parking at a fantastic rate here with Holiday Extras
- 🇫🇮 – Pick up your tickets for Finnish attractions here
- 💳 – Get a Currensea Card to easily pay for purchases abroad
- 📚 – Get planning your trip with the Lonely Planet guide to Finland
We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide to finding which is the best of the holidays to Lapland. Do let us know if you have any questions or if you book a stay at any of these hotels and how it goes. Why not sign up for our newsletter to hear more of our holiday suggestions and great hotel deals from around the world.
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