I have always considered myself more of a winter person. When it comes to travel, nothing quite compares to the idea of après ski (I’m not a skier!), cosy bolt-hole hotels with roaring fires, and the Scandinavian concept of hygge. My recent trip to Lapland had been in the making since December 2024 – likely inspired by my social media feeds at the time being flooded with Northern Lights spectacles and excited children in search of Santa.

My small-group tour instead would be purely adult-focussed – for those wanting to enjoy the peaceful, stillness of the Arctic wilderness perhaps disturbed now and then by the excited ‘whoops’ as you navigate a snowmobile for the first time! This 3-night trip would include two snowmobile night safaris and a reindeer encounter with a local Sami herder on his farm.

We arrived not via the well-trodden route of Rovaniemi, but into Enontekiö, deep in the remote north of Finnish Lapland. The views of frozen Swedish landscapes from the plane window as we began our approach was like a scene from Narnia. Having never visited Scandinavia in the depths of winter I was excited to soon be ‘on set’!

Enroute from the airport we stopped off to be kitted out with thermal suits & boots for the duration of the trip.  We would go on to experience a ‘balmy’ -16 degrees during our stay – positively ‘springlike’ for the locals compared to recent dips of -33! The air felt bracing, yet entirely manageable with the right preparation.

Our base for the next three nights was Hotel Rakka, a quietly striking addition to the region, which opened in 2023. Cosy Scandi furnishings, think sheepskin draped chairs, soft candlelight and materials inspired by the surrounding nature. Bedrooms have spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows to admire the snowy landscape, spot new wildlife tracks and if you’re lucky catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights against the majestic backdrop of Saana Fell (more on that later!)

All meals were served buffet-style—fresh, plentiful, and thoughtfully varied. Alongside international dishes were local favourites such as reindeer with lingonberries, Karelian pie (a delicious savoury pastry made from rye dough, stuffed with rice porridge), and dangerously moreish traditional Finnish cinnamon cookies (which I later tracked down in a local supermarket and brought home). Eating well here isn’t indulgence—it’s essential for keeping energy levels up in the Arctic cold.

It was on night 2 of our 3-night trip that we were sitting down for dinner when the room shifted, a quiet urgency as cutlery was put down, people abandoned their plates, coats on and out the door as it soon became clear, the Northern Lights had been spotted. The weather forecast had predicted cloud cover for most of our stay so when we got this surprise directly above our hotel, it was magic. My first sighting was unexpectedly emotional, but oh goodness, there would be more……..

The snowmobiling was, without question, a highlight. Despite having no prior experience (and only questionable balance on a bicycle), I found myself racing across frozen lakes at speeds of up to 60km/h—completely exhilarating.

Our second night safari (the first being to the three borders point joining Norway, Finland & Sweden) took us in convoy up to a plateau just beneath Saana Fell, away from any light pollution. We turned off our engines, cups of warm berry juice were quickly forgotten and we just waited…. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the lights returned— but much stronger this time. Our guide—who also happened to be a talented photographer—later described it as one of the top five displays of the season.

Our final excursion took us to a local reindeer farm, run by the same Sami family for over 30 years. We fed the reindeer bundles of lichen, enjoyed a sleigh ride, and learned about the deep connection between the animals and Sami culture.

All in all, this short break delivered everything you’d hope for from Lapland—wrapped up perfectly in just three days. It exceeded every expectation and stands out as one of the most special travel experiences of my 27-year career – of the rare kind, that stays with you, long after you’ve left the Arctic behind.

I will be running this same small-group tour in February 2027 so if you and your friends or loved ones would like to join me, I would be happy to share more details. Alternatively if you wish to travel in a different month and prefer not to be part of a group, I can also design a tailormade itinerary for you.