Picture newly fallen snow, curling up by warm fires while gazing at the Northern Lights, sleigh and dog sled rides, and plenty of freshly caught seafood. This is winter in Finland. While known for incredible natural beauty—frosted forests, Northern Lights, and glass igloos tucked away between them—alongside these enchanting adventures are some better-hidden secrets that you can only discover on a tour. Try everything from local saunas to sustainable forays into some of the earth’s most entrancingly scenic spaces.
Exploring Finland through a USTOA tour operator offers you the chance to see the key sights without getting overwhelmed by planning or worrying about the details. Instead, you’ll experience seamlessly thought out and executed adventures and accommodations chosen by the people who know the area best. Rather than being stuck in lines and missing out on once-in-a-lifetime experiences, each of these tours allows you to fully embrace the place and its lifestyle, meeting local people, trying incredible food, and focusing on making memories in one of the most scenic places you could ever visit.
Take in the Northern Lights and go on Lapland adventures
Reindeer Safari
This eight-day tour kicks off in striking capital Helsinki, where you can get your bearings and settle into Finnish hospitality and culture on a city tour that combines must-see stops with lesser-known sights and attractions, all planned by the destination experts at Collette. The tour operator’s mission is to provide extraordinary travel experiences and this trip is no exception. The trek continues into some of the most enchanting winter wonderland you’ll ever see, with several days in northern Lapland, tucked away at the storybook-like Kakslauttanen Resort.
Here you’ll indulge in two nights in a personal Finnish log cabin, enjoying a traditional sauna and cozying up by a fire. By day, guides bring you on unforgettable excursions, setting out to Santa’s own home, taking sleigh rides, meeting reindeer up close, and learning about the local Sami culture, all while seeking out views of the incredible Northern Lights. By the final day in the northern wilds, meet and learn to commandeer sled dog teams, then spend the night in a private glass igloo staring up at the endless sky and watching for glimpses of those brilliantly colorful lights.
Indulge in luxury and excitement across Northern Finland
Santa Claus Village
Start your six-day Finnish exploration very close to the far northeastern peak of Finland and just a few miles from Russia. From here, prepare to experience the most iconic moments across Lapland, all in comfort and luxury, as the guides from SITA World Tours use their expertise and love of the area to make every moment distinct and memorable. As “the gateway to exotic destinations worldwide,” the tour operator focuses on culture, authentic local experiences, and history—like in this tour’s many adventures.
Meet Sami people indigenous to the area and learn about their local farming practices before enjoying a reindeer ride across the crisp, sparkling snow. Explore Santa Claus Village, a wintry experience unlike any other, sure to delight travelers of any age. And of course, no Finnish trip would be complete without a stay in a toasty glass igloo, surrounded by snowy forest and dancing Northern Lights. Throughout the tour, delight in local feasts, freshly prepared seafood, and custom experiences at every turn, made even more special by the local guides. And you’ll experience one of the highlights of your winter adventure when boarding the Sampo Icebreaker and experiencing it break though the ice of the northern Gulf of Bothnia on this unforgettable vessel.
Classic Finnish meals and sights, with a small footprint
A kick sled experience in Lapland, Finland.
Photo by Kakslauttanen Resort
Finland’s tourism and daily life often emphasizes sustainability and minimal impact to the environment, and Alexander + Robert’s eight-day tour, “Finland’s Lapland,” is no exception. The operator is all about deeper, more rewarding journeys and limits tours to16 guests. On this one, focusing on unforgettable experiences, close encounters with nature, and a privately guided experience, you’ll wish by the end that you could stay far longer in the Lapland wilderness.
You’ll spend your days experiencing the key Finnish sites and activities, as well as some hidden gems. Beyond the pinnacle of an Arctic Circle trip—four nights in a private cabin with attached glass-walled igloo—you’ll also see and do so much more in the capable hands of Alexander + Robert’s native guides. Sample local and artisanal foods in Helsinki’s markets. Set out on daily treks and journeys through and wilderness of northern Finland, by dogsled, snowmobile, and reindeer-pulled sleigh. Spend evenings next to your personal stone fireplace, relaxing in your personal sauna, or peering up at the Northern Lights.
For these and many other tours that mean expertly planned trips, access to VIP and off-the-beaten-path experiences, local and knowledgeable guides, around-the-clock service, and more, head to USTOA.
