North Star
Safari

Welcome to Helsinki! 

Following a warm welcome from your tour manager, we’ll step aboard our private transfer and begin our journey towards our first stop - Finland’s second oldest town, Porvoo. Here, we will stroll the cobbled streets of the old wooden town, full of charming cafés, boutiques and red ochre painted riverside warehouses. 

After settling down for a welcome lunch we will enjoy some free time to peruse the dollhouse-like buildings filled with galleries, handcraft and homeware shops before we continue our journey onwards to central Finland.

As we journey towards Finland’s lakeland region, the largest lake district in Europe, you will catch your first glimpse of Finland’s vast and uninterrupted forests and serene landscapes.

As we arrive at our home for the next three nights, a luxurious and private residence which will be reserved exclusively for our group, you will be greeted with a welcome drink before settling into your room. Before our first dinner you will have free time to unwind, relax and explore the vast property which includes multiple saunas, a gym, library and games room.

After a restful sleep and hearty breakfast, our private expedition leaders will be waiting to lead us on a thrilling adventure deep into the heart of the Finnish wilderness. Our guides will plan our day carefully according to the weather conditions, and we will have the opportunity to learn about the incredible biodiversity of this region. 

You will learn how typical Finns spend their free time in the winter, and have an opportunity to try your hand at a new activity. This could include the chance to try snowshoeing through one of the many unspoiled and pristine National Parks, or perhaps ice fishing on top of one of Finland’s largest frozen lakes.

Our guides will prepare us a delicious lunch which we will sample in the silence of the wilderness, gathered around a cosy fire.

After an incredible day out, we will return to our estate and you will have an opportunity to unwind and relax at your leisure before dinner. After dinner, you may even wish to try a hot tub in the snow!

After breakfast, we will convene in the property’s movie theatre to watch a short documentary made in Finland. It is an inspiring and moving personal story which will set the tone for the day.

After a light lunch, we will make our way to the world's largest smoke sauna. Here we will have a private session, reserved exclusively for our group. You will learn why the smoke sauna is the most revered type of sauna in Finland, and have an opportunity to experience this unique type of heat for yourself. We will lather ourselves in peat moss, a natural and mineral rich substance which has incredible benefits for the skin. If you are brave enough, you can try an ice plunge for the first time. Walking outside in the snow, amongst a candlelit path leading to an ice hole surrounded by forest is an experience you won’t soon forget!

Afterwards, we will make our way back to our residence for dinner, before we unwind by the fire and settle in for a cosy night.

This morning we will enjoy a leisurely breakfast, before we begin our journey to the north of Finland. By mid morning, our driver will be waiting to transfer us to Jyväskyla Airport where we will take a flight to Helsinki, before we board another short connecting flight to our next destination in the heart of the Arctic Circle.

Upon arrival, we will be whisked away for a unique dining experience. After rugging up in our winter layers we will be guided on a tour through a functioning Snow and Ice Hotel, taking our time to marvel at the spectacularly detailed ice sculptures and private suites. After our tour, we will be seated at tables and chairs sculpted from ice and savour a three course dinner while we take in our incredible surroundings.

After dinner we will be transferred to our next stay - a quaint countryside hotel in the heart of the wilderness. Here we will sense the days of old inside cosy timber walls and relax in the calm of the wilderness.

Today we will venture out to a local reindeer farm where we will have an authentic opportunity to learn about the indigenous Sami people of this region - their livelihoods and their relationship with these incredibly resilient animals.

You will have an opportunity to meet the reindeer at close quarters before we embark on a magical sleigh ride across glistening lakes and through snow capped forests. You will witness the incredible strength of these animals whilst admiring the quiet beauty and stunning panoramas of the region. 

After pausing for a light refreshment we will resume our journey by road to our penultimate stay - a small and remote boutique hotel in the village of Kilpisjärvi. As we travel further north, right up to Finland’s most northwestern point, we will observe the pine trees vanish and give way to a unique, barren landscape.

Located 400 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, and right near the Arctic Ocean, the village of Kilpisjärvi is a small community of around 100 permanent residents. We will leave the flat terrain of southern and central Finland behind and discover the tallest fells of Finland – distinctive, high and barren hills carved out by Ice Age glaciers.

Late in the evening we will venture out on a post dinner hunt for the magnificent Northern Lights. Kilpisjärvi village and the surrounding wilderness is one of the best places in Finland to see the magnificent Northern Lights. Due to its maritime location, continental climate and the lack of light pollution the sky in this region is often clear and offers the perfect conditions for Aurora spotting. In fact, this area is recognised as the best place to spot the lights in the whole of Finland. Whilst there can never be any guarantees, our knowledgeable guides will monitor the conditions and do their best to direct us to the right locations for a sighting.

After a leisurely breakfast, we will embark on an exhilarating adventure in Norway, just past the Finnish border. Here we will meet a host of husky friends and set off for an electrifying journey by husky pulled sleigh. You will have the opportunity to drive your own sleigh and experience the thrilling speed that these dogs can travel at as we take in our spectacular surroundings. As the sun sets we will hopefully catch a glimpse of the magical colours of the Polar Night before we return to our beautiful hotel to unwind and relax by the fire and settle down to enjoy a gourmet dinner.

On our final full day together, we will gather for breakfast, before we are transported back to Kittila Airport to catch our return flight to Helsinki. We will bid farewell to the pink and purple skies of Northern Finland as we commence our journey back south.

Once in Helsinki, we will check into our rooms and have some free time to relax or to discover some of the local shops and cafes in the surrounding area.

In the evening we will gather once more for a memorable farewell dinner in one of Helsinki’s chic restaurants and have an opportunity to reflect on the incredible adventures we have had over the past seven days.

We have reached the final day of our tour! Today we will enjoy our final breakfast together, before saying our goodbyes and bidding farewell to our fabulous journey through the heart of Finland.

Trip Inclusions

Accomodation

• 7 nights accommodation in four boutique residences or traditional Lappish cottages.

* We’re passionate about taking you off the beaten path, and as such, we carefully select stays that embody the character, heritage, and natural beauty of each destination. Throughout the tour, you’ll enjoy a unique blend of high-end boutique hotels, a private residence reserved exclusively for our group, and traditional Lappish wilderness accommodations in some of the charming small towns we’ll explore. In certain locations, no two rooms are alike - some may vary slightly in size or layout - and we appreciate your understanding as room allocations are made accordingly.

**During our 3 night stay in central Finland, we will be staying in a high end private residence, which is reserved exclusively for our group. During this stay, please note that some bathrooms will be shared.

***All prices are quoted on a twin share basis. Please contact us if you wish to enquire about a private room for the duration of your trip.

Meals

MOST meals:

• Breakfast each day*

• Lunch MOST days (in the wilderness, at our private residences, or in traditional villages)*. On Days 4 and 7 lunch is not included as we will be transiting between destinations via the airport. Please note, there will be plenty of time to select something to enjoy during the transit from a variety of cafés and eateries available.

• Dinner each day (at our private residences, in boutique hotels or in traditional villages)*

*Included meals are those that are organised for our tour. If you choose to dine separately or at other locations this will be at your own expense. On arrival day, lunch and dinner are the only meals included. On departure day, breakfast is the only meal included. For those with pre or post tour arrangements meals are not included unless otherwise stated on your itinerary.

Transfers & Transport

• Pickup from central Helsinki on the first day of the tour

• Transport for all scheduled tours, meals and arrangements

• 3 x airfares (Jyväskylä - Helsinki, Helsinki - Kittila and Kittila - Helsinki)
  

Tours & Activities

• A guided wilderness experience in the Finnish lakeland region

• Exclusive access to a traditional smoke sauna

• A 3 course dinner in an ice restaurant

• A reindeer meet and greet and sleigh safari in the wilderness

• A husky experience over the Norwegian border*

• An Aurora expedition by snowmobile or snowmobile pulled sleigh*

• A guided snowshoeing experience*

• Plus a few additional surprises!

*Most of our tours and organised activities involve a moderate level of fitness. Some activities on this tour require a moderate to high level of physical fitness. This includes the husky experience, snow mobile experience and snow shoe expedition. Please contact us if you have any concerns about your fitness level for these activities prior to booking. If we have advance notice we may be able to accommodate you - ie. for the snowmobile experience we can organise for you to ride with someone, on the back of their snowmobile

Your Host

• Your tour leader will accompany you every step of the way and will assist you with any questions or concerns

Trip Exclusions

• Any pre or post tour arrangements, including flights to and from Helsinki and pre or post tour accommodation

• Transfers after the tour completion

• Alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages other than those specified in the itinerary

• Meals and drinks other than those specified. Lunch is not included on day 4 and day 7

• Any additional private arrangements or activities which you wish to organise whilst on tour

• Travel insurance (compulsory), passport and/or visa costs, or other requirements associated with travelling

• Winter Clothing, unless otherwise specified. We will provide a detailed packing list to you after booking, and can assist you with any queries you may have

* The costings for this trip has been based on a minimum participant number. Should this number not be reached we reserve the right to either apply a surcharge, postpone or cancel the trip

** There may be slight changes in the programme or it's sequence, however any changes or substitutions will be in line with the above and will only be done so to enhance and enrich our experience.

To read our full Terms & Conditions, please click HERE.

Kindly note that the internal flights included in this itinerary permit a maximum checked baggage allowance of 23kg.

Please carefully review the Terms & Conditions specific to this tour in the Inclusions & Exclusions section above.

Payment Policy

Trip Cost: €5750

Deposit: €1150 (non-refundable) due at the time of booking to reserve your spot

Balance Due: 5th November 2025 (60 days prior to the start of the tour)

To confirm your booking, payment is required via bank transfer or direct deposit. Bank details will be provided after registration.

*Traveller/s hereby accept that the tour price is payable in Euros and you are solely responsible for any and all exchange rate fluctuations and/or transaction fees imposed by their financial institution if paying in another currency. You accept that until amounts are paid in full, these amounts are subject to fluctuation in exchange rates.