Saariselka Holidays

This compact village in northern Lapland sits inside the Urho Kekkonen national park. The scenery around here is unlike any other – a true wilderness, home to fells and a lake district. It’s some 250 kilometres above the Arctic Circle – you can’t get much further north than that. But, though it’s remote, you’ve still got restaurants, bars and an indoor pool complex.

Being so far north, you’re in one of the best spots to see the famous Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, a natural light show that sees the sky glow fluorescent green, red and yellow. The best time to see them is from December to March, between 8pm and 11pm, though there are no guarantees – sometimes the clouds get in the way.

Saariselka might be small, but it's got a big claim to fame. It's the home of Father Christmas. You can meet him at Santa's Creek, a traditional log cabin stashed away in a snow-capped forest. There are plenty of festive, fun activities in store for those who stop by for a visit.

Fly To Ivalo – Stay In Saariselka

Day 1

After landing at Ivalo Airport, you’ll be given some thermal clothing and all the information needed for your Lapland experience, and then it's off to your Saariselka hotel. You can spend the rest of the day settling in and getting to know the area.

Day 2

A Taste Of Lapland – you can try a taster session of snowmobiling and husky or reindeer sleigh rides today. Afterwards, your elf guide can give you a tour of the traditional Sami homes. There’s plenty of free time, too, so you can book yourself on to an excursion and experience your favourite taster from earlier. Alternatively, keep warm in the café, where little ones can pen their letters to Santa.

Day 3

It’s time to meet the big man in red. You’ll head to a secluded spot in the woods – one of the most beautiful places in Lapland. As you make your way down to Santa’s Creek, you’ll bump into reindeers, elves and a Lappish shaman, before sitting down with Father Christmas himself. Come evening, you can tuck into a gala buffet accompanied by festive-themed fireworks.

Day 4

Those of you on 4-night trips will enjoy Day 3’s activities today. On Day 3, you’ll have some free time to play in the snow, or book onto an excursion.

Santa’s Wonderland can be teamed with any of our accommodation in Saariselka. The order of events may change slightly from trip to trip, but all the activities will be included at some point during your holiday.

If you want to celebrate Christmas Day in Saariselka, book our 4-night trip. Flights leave on the 22nd of December and the gala dinner will be held on Day 3.