Best Things to Do in Lapland in Winter
The best winter activities in Finnish Lapland — snowbiking, husky safaris, snowmobiling, snowshoe hiking, ice dipping in a frozen lake, and Santa Claus Village, ranked by how much fun they actually were.
A winter trip to Finland is largely about the activities. Personally, I'm far more drawn to unique experiences than to ticking off places, and Lapland is built for exactly that.
On my trip I spent half my time in Levi, Lapland and the other half in the south. This list covers the activities I did up north, roughly in the order I'd recommend them. If you want to see how they fit into a full trip, they all slot into my 10-day Finland winter itinerary.
Snowbiking
This was by far the most fun thing we did in Lapland. You rent an e-bike and ride it along trails through the forest — somewhere between mountain biking and pure snow play. It's much better than it sounds, and you should be prepared to fall a lot. You'll enjoy that part too.
The snow gets thick enough that your tires lose grip in places, so you'll slip if you carry any speed. Falling into snow is painless and genuinely funny. The forest itself looks unreal, like riding through a fantasy film set.
You can usually rent the bike for a full day, so after finishing one trail we went and rode another one out across a frozen lake, which was just as good. Do this one.
Husky Safari
I did a husky safari at a farm near Levi. Any husky farm with decent forest access will do, because the real pleasure is the ride itself and the forest you ride through.
I'd pick this over the reindeer safari every time — the speed is exhilarating and it's a genuine adrenaline hit rather than a gentle plod.
Taking a Dip in a Frozen Lake
Plenty of saunas offer the chance to cut straight from the heat into a hole in a frozen lake and back again. It's a traditional Sami practice and it's supposed to be very good for you.
I tried it and it was extraordinary. The cold is so sharp that I could barely breathe, but you only need about 30 seconds in the water. Afterwards I stood around at the edge of the forest by a frozen lake wearing nothing but a towel, and felt completely fine.
Snowmobile Safari
You can take a snowmobile safari that either climbs through forest to the top of a mountain or runs out across frozen lakes. Both are good, so pick whichever setting appeals more.
It's genuinely specific to this part of the world, and well worth the money.
Snowshoe Hiking
Another one that turned out to be far more fun than I expected. It's easy to pick up, and there's real novelty in walking through deep snow on gear that actually makes it possible.
I'd go with a guided tour. Ours took us further out of town than we'd have managed alone and knew the area and its wildlife well — we spotted wild arctic foxes and rabbits, which are genuinely hard to see.
Visiting Santa Claus Village
If you're travelling with children this is probably non-negotiable, but it's good fun for adults too. There's a lot packed in:
- Cross the Arctic Circle (and collect a certificate for it)
- Meet Santa — note that a photo costs €50
- Reindeer and husky safaris
- Horse rides
- Send a letter from Santa's post office
The site itself is beautiful in winter, so it's worth the visit even if you skip most of the activities. One thing worth planning around: the village closes on 24 December, which is when Finland actually celebrates Christmas. We spent about six hours there on Day 1 of our itinerary, and I've written a full Santa Claus Village guide covering costs, timings and what to skip.
Be aware that the reindeer and husky sledding sold at the village costs noticeably more than the equivalent out of Levi, for a shorter ride.
Reindeer Safari
Worth doing once, but I'd rank it last of the safaris. The farm we visited was lovely, but the ride was short and slow, especially straight after the husky safari.
Conclusion
Those are my favourite activities in Lapland. There are others we didn't get to — cross-country skiing being the obvious one, which I suspect is excellent — and a few, like the reindeer safari, that were merely fine.
If you're planning the whole trip rather than just the activities, my 10-day Finland winter itinerary lays out how we fitted all of this around Rovaniemi, Levi, Helsinki and a day trip to Tallinn.