New Year's Adventure in Ruka, Finland

Transfer from Kuusamo airport to Rukan Salonki. Free time for relaxing in your cabin: light the fire, make a cup of tea and watch the kids make their first snow angel. Ready to get moving - head out to the huge tobogganing slope, grabbing some free toboggans and snowtubes along the way. You will get your outer winter gear and boots as well this afternoon.

Enjoy your first evening in Lapland. With no light pollution and no noise you can truly feel the beauty of the Arctic night, admire the night sky and hopefully see the Northern Lights. Hear the silence of the wilderness and breathe in the cleanest air in Europe.

Enjoy some time outside before spending the rest of the day with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and the elves (11.45am - 3pm)! Santa’s Cottage is located about 30-minute drive away from Ruka and you will transfer there with your guide and group.

The program begins with tobogganing instructed by Santa’s elves, so remember to dress up warm! After having fun outdoors, we will enjoy grilled sausages, hot soup and hot juice in the kota-hut. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will soon invite you to the house, where Santa tells stories about his life.

All children will be nominated as Santa’s little helpers and their elf skills will be put into a test. We will see how well you master gingerbread and sweet bun baking and Christmas card making. You can enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, glögi or homemade berry juice in the buffet, and eat as many gingerbread cookies and chocolates as you like! Don’t forget to stop by in our small post office where you can buy souvenirs and post cards.

At the end of the program everyone will get together to sing Santa’s favorite Christmas carol to him in Finnish. Santa will reward his hard-working helpers with a small gift. All baked goods will be packed for you to take them with you.

In the late afternoon, visit Ruka village for some shopping before returning for dinner at Restaurant Kultala.

After breakfast, transfer to the husky farm. On your arrival at the lakeside husky camp you are greeted by the enthusiastic barking of the huskies. The small-scale husky camp is located in lovely forest terrain and after the careful instructions on driving and safety you will take off into the landscape with your own husky team. The team carries two persons, one musher and one passenger and you can change places during the safari. After the thrill and speed of the start, you soon start to relax and enjoy the surroundings and the co-operation with these lovely arctic runners.

After lunch it's time to meet the reindeers. A short transfer takes you to a family-owned traditional reindeer farm. One of the reindeer herders will greet you and take you to the corral with hundreds of reindeer, they are waiting for their breakfast. Together with the reindeer herders you get to feed the reindeer and also take pictures of the unique moment when being surrounded by a herd of reindeer. After the reindeer have been fed, it is time for a sleigh-ride in the gorgeous winter wonderland of the reindeer farm. The 1,5km long sleigh-ride follows the riverside to the old farm forest. The sledge seats 2 adults and 1-3 children.

In the evening, enjoy at dinner at restaurant Kultala

After breakfast, experience fresh air, beautiful snow and a real winter feeling. This is what snowshoeing is all about. The snowshoes help you from sinking into the deep snow and lets you go to places in nature that are difficult to reach in wintertime. As you move silently, you might see some arctic animals or birds. Your wilderness guide will tell you about nature, the seasons and flora and fauna as you enjoy the surroundings.

This evening, join the New Year's Eve celebrations with a special dinner and fireworks.

After breakfast, familiarize yourself with snowmobiling, a favourite hobby of the locals. This tour gives you good basic skills for snowmobiling and the guide will give you a full safety briefing and instructions on driving. The safari goes through the stunning snow-covered forests and two persons share a snowmobile where there is an opportunity to switch places halfway through the tour. Children ride in a sledge pulled by the guide's snowmobile.

Later in the afternoon, you will be assigned time to do a 'sauna tour'. Finnish sauna is an institution, something very essential in life and a must-have. But why do the Finns love their sauna baths so much, is it not just sitting in a hot room? Your authorized sauna guide will tell you about the Finnish sauna and its health benefits and traditions. The sauna guide will advise you on how to make the perfect "löyly" happen, that is the steam in the sauna and also advise you to the use of a body scrub made of Lappish wild herbs. Between the heats you can cool off by taking a dip in the refreshing lake, or ice-hole if winter or even rolling in the snow!

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for departure.