Nellim - Winter in the Wild (Adult Trip) - Snowmobiling Trip

Accommodation

The Hotel
To get to the Nellim Wilderness Hotel you have to fly to Ivalo, Finland’s most northerly airport. One of the great attractions of the hotel is that it lies well away from any of Finland’s main tourist centres. This far north of the Arctic Circle there is also a very good chance that you will see spectacular displays from the Northern Lights.

Built in traditional Finnish style and beautifully situated near the shores of Lake Inari (the deepest lake in Finland) the hotel is run by a local family who retain a deep sense of tradition and local culture.

As a consequence, Nellim offers an authentic Lappish experience and the opportunity to get to know the Lapp people in their native surroundings.

The Bedrooms
This small family run hotel has just 9 double, 3 single and a few larger bedrooms and apartments suitable for small groups. All the rooms are cosy, clean, comfortable and warm with an en-suite shower room and WC.

The Facilities
All the food in the restaurant is home-cooked. As far as is possible in such a far-flung corner of Lapland, the produce is sourced from local suppliers including meat from the reindeer farms and fish from the surrounding lakes. The menu offers traditional Lappish cuisine as well as international dishes and there is also a good range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available.

The hotel has two saunas providing the perfect way to unwind before or after dinner.

Lying in the heart of “real” Lapland, access to all the activities is excellent. They are provided by genuine Lapps who run the reindeer, snowmobile and husky services. Their knowledge of the activities, the local culture and traditions is probably unsurpassed making your excursions all the more fascinating.

As with much of Lapland, nightlife is not high on the agenda. However, after an active day out in the winter cold, it is lovely to relax in a sauna before settling down with a drink and a good book. You will soon find your eyelids drooping as you fall into a peaceful slumber. A just reward for an adventurous and fulfilling day.

Itineraries

Flights, Arrival and Transfers
Your holiday in this far-flung corner of Lapland starts at Ivalo Airport - the most northerly airport in Finland. You will be transferred to your accommodation for a welcome drink and introduction with your guide before dinner.

Wilderness Snowmobile Safari
You will receive full instruction and a safety briefing before hitting the trails on an exhilarating ride through forests and across wide frozen lakes. This is the moment when you will really begin to understand and appreciate the sheer scale of the surrounding wilderness. Lunch included. Approximately 6 hours.

Nellim Village and Aurora Safari
It’s amazing that anybody could have survived in an area such as this but the Sami have done just that for centuries. In Nellim Village you will learn about the fascinating local cultural traditions and also hear stories about the Sami way of life - past and present.

After lunch at the hotel, the afternoon is free for exploring, relaxing or optional activities.

This evening, you go in search of the Northern Lights. At 68.5° North, Nellim enjoys a fabulous location for viewing the Aurora. Your snowmobile safari takes you into the darkened landscape and with no light pollution you will rarely have a better opportunity of catching nature’s very special light show. Dinner is served around an open fire.

Nordic Activity Day
Today provides the chance to try three different activities. In the morning you will receive cross-country skiing tuition before venturing out on a ski tour. There will also be a chance to try your hand at the most traditional of Scandinavian winter pursuits - ice fishing.
After lunch, you try another popular means of getting around in Lapland as you head into the forest on snowshoes. Despite the sub-zero temperatures there is generally plenty of wildlife in the winter forest and your guide will point out the birds and animals.

Husky Safari
Dog sledding is consistently the most popular activity amongst our clients. The dogs’ excitement will only be matched by your own as the sleds are prepared for the trail. In contrast, the silence is spellbinding as you pass through forests of snow-capped trees and across frozen winter lakes and rivers. It’s everything you dreamed of and more, just you and your team in a vast unspoilt landscape! Lunch is included during your safari.

Snowmobiles to a Reindeer Farm
The snowmobile trails take you on an incredible journey via Finland’s largest lake (Lake Inari) to a remote reindeer farm where you will learn about herding, practise your lasso technique and take a short reindeer-pulled sleigh ride. After a campfire lunch you jump back on your snowmobiles for the return to Nellim where a traditional Finnish dinner awaits.

Departures, Transfers and Flights