We know...
Jeris encapsulates the Lapland dream: cosy winter cottages, log fires, a beautiful lakeside setting, spa facilities, deep snow and a fantastic range of activities. It's the best place we know for combining comfort and adventure.
Imagine returning to your very own winter cottage after an active day in sub-zero temperatures. Draw the curtains, turn on the sauna, light the log fire and feel the warmth seep back into your bones. Heavenly!
Jeris enjoys an enviable position on the shore of Lake Jerisjarvi and on the very edge of the Pallas-Ounas National Park. It's jaw-droppingly beautiful out there. The only problem is that you have to leave that log fire to experience the great outdoors. It's a tough call folks!
You know...
"The holiday introduced us as a family to Nordic skiing and allowed us to experience new activities as a family. Thank you so much for such a brilliant holiday - it did take our breath away and kept a teenage son away from computers and PS3 so thank you very much." Victoria Elliott - Feb 10
Suitable for
Suitable for anybody aged 6 years or over.
Duration: 6 or 7 nights
Day 1: Flights, arrivals and introduction
You will be greeted on arrival at Kittila Airport and transferred to your accommodation. After settling into your accommodation (you can stay in hotel rooms if you prefer) there will be a welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Day 2: Reindeer farm and Lainio Snow Village
After a welcome meeting with your guide and breakfast you will leave Jeris and head to a traditional Lappish manor house to meet with a local reindeer herder. You will learn about the importance of the reindeer and the lives of the herders before a short reindeer sleigh ride. After lunch you will continue to Lainio Snow Village for a guided tour of the stunning suites and ice restaurant. An incredible first day in Lapland.
Day 3: Snowmobile safari
Your experienced guides will show you how to drive your snowmobile and provide a full safety briefing before you hit the trails. There will be a break for lunch and a chance to try your hand at ice fishing before heading back to Jeris having travelled around 30kms.
Day 4: Cross country skiing, snowshoes and Northern Lights
There's a busy day ahead which starts with an introductory cross country skiing tour. After lunch you switch to snowshoes for a short walk from the hotel. After dinner you depart in a snowmobile pulled sleigh to search for the Northern Lights. Your guides know all the best view points. You can choose to drive your own snowmobile during this safari, see price box for details.
Day 5: Husky safari
A short transfer takes you to the husky farm where you will learn about the life of a sled dog here above the Arctic Circle. You will also be taught how to handle a dog team before taking the reins yourself on a 17km safari lasting approximately 2 hours.
Day 6: Free day
After a busy few days you have tme today in which to relax or try your favourite activities again (payable locally).
Day 7: Free day or departure (6 nights duration)
For those people travelling on dates which are 6 nights in duration it is time to say goodbye to Finland. For those staying 7 nights you can fill your free day with a range of additional activities (payable locally) or perhaps return for an overnight stay at Lainio Snow Village.
Day 8: Departure, transfer and flights (7 nights duration)
Available
Limited places
On request
Pricing Notes
Lainio Snow Village
Opening dates: Thursday 8 December 2011 until Sunday 8 April 2012.
Price includes: Overnight stay, transfers, dinner in the ice restaurant and cold weather clothing.
Pricing:
1st child price based on sharing with 2 adults. 2nd child price based on child sharing with 1 adult.
Getting there
Flights
Flights vary depending on departure date and are based on direct charter flights from Gatwick to Kittila except:
* 7 nights duration with scheduled flights from Heathrow to Kittila (via Helsinki)
** 6 nights duration with scheduled flights from Heathrow to Kittila (via Helsinki)
Please note: Christmas, New Year and February half term dates are 6 nights due to unavailability of direct flights. We have to use more expensive scheduled flights via Helsinki which are unavailable for 7 night options.
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 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.