Lapland & Finland Trips & Tours

Our group tours in Rovaniemi and Kuhmo are perfect for spotting the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), as they are northern locations in or near the Arctic Circle. Although you won't see the Northern Lights amongst the bright lights of the cities, you can head into the countryside on included or optional excursions to try and catch a glimpse of this natural phenomenon.

Each of our group tours in Finland has a host of included and optional activities. Activities include snowmobiling, ice fishing, tobogganing, husky sleigh rides, and cross-country skiing, with more information available on the tour page for each Finland adventure.

If witnessing the Northern Lights is your main reason for visiting Finland, we recommend our Aurora & Glass Igloo Explorer tour. On this trip you will spend a night in a glass igloo, keeping warm and toasty with your eyes fixed upwards on the night sky - it's the best chance you can get in Finland to spot the Northern Lights, and a unique experience too!

The best time to see the Northern Lights in Finland is between the months of December - March, when our Finland tours operate. Of course, Northern Lights viewing cannot be guaranteed, but you have a great chance of seeing them on our Finland tours!

It's every child's dream to meet Father Christmas in Lapland, and our family tours to Finland can help make these dreams come true, creating unforgettable memories for the whole family!

Travelers on our Lapland Family Explorer, Lapland & the Arctic Circle and Lapland Explorer Finland tours will visit Santa Claus' Village to meet the man himself. And if travelling on our Christmas in Finland festive Finland package, you'll also meet Santa, just a few days before he sets off on Christmas Eve to deliver presents around the world.

The majority of our Finland trips are "semi-independent". This means that while you will enjoy the services of our qualified tour guides for included sightseeing and activities, you will not be fully escorted throughout your Finland package. This gives you more time and flexibility to enjoy relaxing in your hotel or partaking in optional activities as you see fit - shaping your own Finland experiences. You will still enjoy included airport transfers on our Finland tours, for a hassle-free arrival and departure.

The winter months of November - March are the most popular time to visit Finland, especially around Christmas. The countryside is blanketed in snow and the Northern Lights dance across the night sky. The summer months of May - July are a good time to visit Helsinki, with pleasant temperatures, though the short nights of the midnight sun are in full force, so remember to pack an eye mask for sleeping! There's more detail in our guide on when to visit Finland.

Our small group Finland tours depart with a minimum of 2-4 passengers, and the maximum group size is 30 on most trips, though rises to 38 on our Christmas and New Year tours.

On our group tours in Finland, you will stay in well-located 3-4 star hotels. You can find information about the hotels we regularly use on the tour page for each trip.

It is worth noting that on our Aurora & Glass Igloo Explorer Finland tour, you will spend a cozy winter night in a glass igloo, looking out for the Northern Lights.

And on our Lapland Explorer trip, you will stay at the Levi Hotel Spa, with full access to the hotel's spa included. It is also possible on this tour to upgrade your accommodation to the Break Sokos Hotel Levi. Speak to our team for more information!

Finnish Lapland is in and around the Arctic Circle, so things can get chilly! We have a detailed Lapland packing list in our Travel Guide, and you'll find suggestions on what to pack in the Trip Notes for your Finland or Lapland tour.

As a guide, you'll want to bring the following on our Finland tours: snow boots or hiking boots, ski socks (merino is best), thermal layers, ski trousers, waterproofs, lots of layers (avoid cotton - polyester and wool are best), a good quality jacket, hat, gloves, scarf. Bring a swimming costume if you want to try a Finnish sauna too (though if you're anything like the local people you may not need it!).

According to the 2022 LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index, Finland scores a B+ rating for LGBTQ+ traveler safety, ranking 19th out of 203 countries.

Same sex marriage is legal, and there are constitutional and worker protections in place for people of all sexual orientations. Hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ+ community are criminalized and 76 - 100% of consulted citizens consider Finland a good place to live for gay and lesbian people. There are no legal punishments for same sex relations and most trips for LGBTQ+ travelers to Finland are trouble-free.

The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index is designed to provide a good overall picture of attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in each country and may not reflect the experience of foreign travelers to the country.