Finland (March 2018)

FLIGHT:

04/03/18, 11:45 pm: Depart from Singapore via AY 132 (Finnair).
05/03/18: 05:32 am: Arrive at Helsinki Airport (about 11 hr 30 mins).
05/03/18, 08:20 am: Depart from Helsinki Airport via AY 531 (Finnair).
05/03/18, 09:37 am: Arrive at Rovaniemi Airport (about 1 hr 15 mins).

FINLAND:

Area: est. 338,424 square kilometer.
Population: est. 5,509,297 (Wikipedia 2017).
Capital: Helsinki.
Independence: 6th December 1917.

ROVANIEMI:

Area: est. 8,016 square kilometer.
Population: est. 62,000.

REINDEER SLEIGH RIDE:

After we have fully suited up, we embarked on our very first Lapland experience in taking a reindeer sleigh ride. The ride was utterly magical, sailing through the snow covered still forest and for once, you felt like time stood still and all things around you looked beautiful in white.

SANTA’S IGLOOS ARCTIC CIRCLE:

71 luxurious igloos with glass-roofed arctic view rooms offering unique experience to catch Lapland’s ever-changing Northern Lights.
All igloos are equipped with tablets to facilitate in-house guests with Northern Lights alarms.
Santa Claus Village is about 600 meters away.
Rovaniemi Airport ia about 5 minutes drive away.

AURORA BOREALIS CAMP:

Location: Approximately 10 kilometer away from the city lights.
Tour Price: Approximately EUR 83 to EUR 114 between December to March per person from Lapland Safari office in the town centre.

SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE:

Santa Claus Village is located 8 km northeast of Rovaniemi. Travelling by bus takes about 10 minutes.

Santa Claus Village offers many activities to experience such as Husky or Reindeer Safaris, Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park and Snowman World. The visit will not be completed without dropping by at the Santa Claus Main Post Office where many visitors get to choose and send some postcards home.

Rovaniemi was declared as an official hometown of Santa Claus in 1985 with the openning of Santa Claus Office. After queuing for 30 minutes, we got to meet Santa Claus in person for a photo session.

HOTEL SANTA CLAUS:

ARCTIC CIRCLE SNOWMOBILE PARK:

Route: Snowmobling through the frozen wilderness approximately 8 kilometer from Lapland Safaris office to Arctic Circle Husky Park.
Qualification: Rider must possess a valid International Driver’s Licence.
Cost: Approximately EUR 199 per person for a 3 hour 30 minutes ride from Lapland Safaris office to Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park.

ARCTIC CIRCLE HUSKY PARK:

We were assigned two person to a wooden sleigh pulled by five huskies with one passenger seated in front and another taking on the role of a musher standing at the back. The masher controls the speed by stepping on the brakes as the dogs are always itching to get going.

The reindeer sleigh ride was slow and mesmerising but the husky sleigh ride was fast and exciting, both offering the beautiful snowlit forest in a different perspectives.