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finland | lapland - kittila winter adventure

family activity holidays / winter adventure / lapland - kittila winter adventure

Lapland - Kittila Winter Adventure        pulse rating 8 stars        nights: 7
adults from £1,385
children from £995

what's included:

  • Return flights direct from Gatwick to Kittila (Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham on request)
  • Return airport transfers
  • 7 nights hotel
  • 7 breakfasts . 6 lunches . 7 dinners
  • Reindeer farm and safari . cross country skiing . snowmobile safari to Lainio Snow Village . husky safari
  • All equipment including thermo-overalls, socks, mittens, boots and warm hat for the duration of your stay
  • Fully qualified wilderness guides and instructors
  • NB.  A full driving license is required to drive a snowmobile in Finland.
 

overview

Kittila is situated 200kms north of the Arctic Circle and surrounded by seemingly limitless winter wilderness. We defy even the most seasoned traveller not to feel a twinge of excitement and anticipation as the plane descends into Kittila Airport.

Add in a snowcastle, cross-country skiing, husky, reindeer and snowmobile safaris and you have all the ingredients for a fabulous winter holiday here in the heart of Lapland.

Our winter adventure in Kittila has become a firm favourite, so much so that one client suggested "it should be made compulsory".

suitable for

Anybody aged 8 years or over

our opinion

Welcome to Fell Lapland - the real Fell Lapland.  Parts of this region have been given over to skiing and, pleasant as they are, the larger centres such as Levi and Yllas are beginning to feel like ski resorts anywhere else in Europe.  The skiing and snow is great but to experience everyday Lapland life then Kittila is the place to be.  It is a working town surrounded by an untamed wilderness which is just waiting to be explored.

agenda

Sunday

Flights, arrival, transfers and introduction

Your Lapland Adventure starts at dinner on Sunday evening when there will be a meeting with your guide who will brief you on the activities ahead.

Monday

Reindeer farm and reindeer safari

You head to a local reindeer farm where you learn about reindeer herding and how to lasso the animals before a safari through the winter landscape. Lunch is served by an open fire and everybody receives a reindeer driving licence.

Tuesday

Cross country skiing

Kittila's cross country skiing trails start close to the hotel. After initial instruction, your excursion will take you through snowy forests before returning for lunch at the hotel. Approximately 2 t o 3 hours. The afternoon is free for shopping in Kittila or why not try your hand (or foot!) at snowshoeing?

Wednesday

Snowmobile safari to Lainio Snow Village

A simply unforgettable day. Your guides will show you how to drive your snowmobile and ensure that you understand all the safety signals before following the trails to Lainio Snow Village. At the village (lovingly created by our good friend Rami - the man with the deepest voice in the known universe) you will find snow sculptures, an ice bar and restaurant and the snow hotel. After lunch you follow the snow covered route back to Kittila completing a circuit of around 80kms. Two people per snowmobile.

Thursday

Free day or optional activities

Today you are free to relax or why not try snowshoeing or downhill skiing at nearby Levi? A shuttle bus runs from the hotel (18kms).

Friday

Husky safari

It's difficult to describe the awesome sense of space as you drive your team through this vast and silent landscape. It is certainly something you will never forget. After a short transfer to the husky farm you will be introduced to the dogs and learn how to handle the sled before leaving on a 5-hour safari. Everybody gets their own team of 4 to 6 huskies who will pull you across frozen rivers, through snowy forests and over expansive winter landscapes.  

Saturday

Free day, optional activities or Lainio Snow Village

It's been a pretty busy few days so you may just want to relax but most people choose to try their favourite activity again. They can be booked and paid for locally, simply ask your guides for advice. You could return to Lainio Snow Village where we've added the possibility of staying overnight in the snow hotel.

Sunday

Departure, transfer and flights

NB: The order of this programme may be subject to change.

accommodation

The Hotel - Kittila

Life is about choice and here in Lapland you have a decision to make. On arrival at Kittila Airport you can jump on one of the large tour operator buses and head for the ski resorts of Yllas and Levi which dubs itself 'The official supplier of Santa Claus'. Yup, even the big guy in red has an 'official supplier' these days.  Alternatively, you can get in our minivan for the 5km transfer to the small Lappish town of Kittila.

The beauty of Kittila is that it retains its identity, it is a typical Lappish town.  It has not been built to attract mass tourism and hordes of skiers. Nor has it sold its soul to Santa.

Here in the heart of North West Lapland you will find yourself immersed in a vast winter landscape. And what better way to explore than in the company of a qualified wilderness guide?

Your week will be spent driving huskies and reindeer, snowmobiling to Lainio's remarkable Snow Village and indulging in the most popular of Nordic winter sports, cross-country skiing.

Our hotel is just five minutes from Kittila Airport so there are no lengthy transfers when you arrive. This is a small family-run establishment with just 37 rooms and offers a warm welcome and a convivial atmosphere.

All the bedrooms are comfortably furnished and have an en-suite shower and toilet room. For relaxation you can take advantage of the small indoor swimming pool and the sauna (particularly popular after a day in sub-zero temperatures) as well as visiting Pilots Bar for pre- (and post) dinner drinks.

The restaurant offers a good range of Lappish and international dishes with a varied salad buffet on offer prior to your main course. On Thursdays it is traditional to have pea and ham soup in Lapland and, whatever you do, make sure you try it here. Delicious, flavoursome and perfect for insulating yourself against the Arctic cold.

Possibly the best thing about this hotel however is the staff. Nothing is too much trouble and they aim to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

prices & availability

To discuss your options with someone who’s been to the destination, or to check availability before you book your flights please contact us on 01670 789 991.

Available     Limited places     Unavailable

tour price (per person)

departreturnadult child (8 - 14) availability
13/12/200920/12/2009£1,385 £995
20/12/200927/12/2009£1,595 £1,165
27/12/200903/01/2010£1,595 £1,165
03/01/201010/01/2010£1,385 £995
10/01/201017/01/2010£1,385 £995
17/01/201024/01/2010£1,385 £995
24/01/201031/01/2010£1,385 £995
31/01/201007/02/2010£1,385 £995
07/02/201014/02/2010£1,385 £995
14/02/201021/02/2010£1,565 £1,145
21/02/201028/02/2010£1,385 £995
28/02/201007/03/2010£1,385 £995
07/03/201014/03/2010£1,385 £995
14/03/201021/03/2010£1,385 £995
21/03/201028/03/2010£1,385 £995
28/03/201004/04/2010£1,385 £995
04/04/201011/04/2010£1,645 £1,145

04 Apr 2010 departure includes scheduled flights with Finnair from Heathrow (via Helsinki) to Kittila.  All other dates include direct charter flights from London Gatwick.

Adult price over 14 based on 2 adults sharing.

Child price (8 to 14) based on sharing a room with 2 adults.

Supplements:

Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham departure
£40
Single Occupancy (sharing a snowmobile)
£170
Single Snowmobile
£80
Departure Date Children (8-14)
Sharing with 1 adult
13 Dec 2009 £1125
20 & 27 Dec 2009 £1335
03 . 10 . 17 . 24 & 31 Jan 2010 £1125
07 Feb 2010 £1125
14 Feb 2010 £1295
21 & 28 Feb 2010 £1125
07 . 14 . 21 & 28 Mar 2010 £1125
04 Apr 2010 £1295

Lainio Snow Village (overnight stay, transfers, dinner in the ice restaurant & cold weather clothing)
Adults based on 2 sharing £185pp Children (10 to 14) sharing with 1 or more adults £110pp
Single supplement £80pp Suite supplement Based on 2 sharing £40pp

responsible travel

Tourism in Finnish Lapland has become the main income source of employment and income replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Development from a period of extractive industry to an industrial society has come about quickly. In 1950 the largest part of Lapland’s inhabitants lived in rural areas and more than half the workforce worked in forestry and agriculture. Today 65 % of the workforce are in the service industry, 22 % in processing and 10 % in primary production.

This huge growth in tourism and service provision has been developed in conjunction with a long-term sustainable tourism plan with one of the primary objectives being to maintain nature in its natural state while guaranteeing the traditional way of life. Much of this has been achieved along with membership of EU development programmes, aimed at diversifying sources of livelihood, effective usage of resources and to increase export.

Approximately a quarter of Lapland's 100 000 strong workforce was unemployed in 1997. Promoting entrepreneurship, ongoing re-education of the workforce and development of the educational system to suit the needs of enterprises is continuing. The target is to diversify the sources of livelihood, increase the value of refinement production and develop new enterprises particularly in the area of tourism. National measures as well as EU-programme measures support this objective.

We embrace this philosophy, employing local activity providers and using only locally owned hotels. In this manner we help to maintain jobs in an area where unemployment was, until recently, very high. Additionally, the use of local suppliers ensures that the tourism spend filters through to local economies via the tourism multiplier effect.