Lapland (santa, father christmas etc)
Discussion
Go with a tour operator as it's much cheaper.You only participate at what ever level you want to,ie none in our case.Use them just for flight and hotel/suite.Booking nyour own accommadation is very difficult and costley as nearley all rooms etc are pre-reserved for Tour ops.REnting privateley(kelo log cabin) will cost between 1700 euro -3000 euro/week over Christmas and New year.
Finnish Lapland is my next investment,the returns are pretty good.
Finnish Lapland is my next investment,the returns are pretty good.
DB,
I took my three this past Christmas. My kids are 11,8 and 6. Went with Transun and did the 2 night 3 day trip.
All I can say is be careful who you book with...some companies have group Santa visits, while we got a family meeting in a small log cabin out in the woods covered in snow. Kids and parents loved it.
Can feel you are part of one huge conveyor belt but guess that's just my business head working out how they do the timings and locations to prevent each family seeing/meeting others while on their own 'special' visit.
To be honest, I would do the 3 night trip if we were to do it again. This is due to once landing on day one, you don't get sorted in room/ cabin until later evening and it's an early morning and late night next day. Kids were very excited but by day 3 were getting tetchy due to lack of sleep.
If you need more info mate just PM me.
Kev
I took my three this past Christmas. My kids are 11,8 and 6. Went with Transun and did the 2 night 3 day trip.
All I can say is be careful who you book with...some companies have group Santa visits, while we got a family meeting in a small log cabin out in the woods covered in snow. Kids and parents loved it.
Can feel you are part of one huge conveyor belt but guess that's just my business head working out how they do the timings and locations to prevent each family seeing/meeting others while on their own 'special' visit.
To be honest, I would do the 3 night trip if we were to do it again. This is due to once landing on day one, you don't get sorted in room/ cabin until later evening and it's an early morning and late night next day. Kids were very excited but by day 3 were getting tetchy due to lack of sleep.
If you need more info mate just PM me.
Kev
I took my daughter on the day-trip about 10 years ago (she was 8). Left LGW at 6.30am, flew to Rovianemi and did Santa, reindeer, huskies, snowmobiles, lunch, drinks in a shack thing and visit to Arctic Circle village. Got back to LGW at 11pm. Fantastic day out and very well orchestrated. It was minus 30c so the clothes they lent as part of the deal were life-savers!!
I came across these guys when I was looking at doing a trip to see the Northern Lights http://www.weekendalacarte.co.uk/Santa-holidays-La...
They seem to have good reviews.
Cheers
They seem to have good reviews.
Cheers
It was the Canterbury Travel guys we saw leaving Enontekio Airport by snowmobile drawn sled I think.
We stayed in Karesuvanto at the Davvi Arctic Lodge. This was about an hour by coach and is apparently the furthest North Transun have 'Santa' trips.
As mentioned, it really is a once in a lifetime visit for the kids and mine loved every minute of it. Couldn't get them off the sledges that were around the site.
Davvi Lodge is a very small family run hotel which is on a hill alongside a river.As well as a few rooms within the hotel, they have some superb wooden lodges around the site. If you are going to Davvi lodge, I would choose the Lodges first as we were in The Fell House, which although were tidy, comfortable etc, lacked the feel of the lodges and reminded me of a holiday camp (albeit only 6 chalet type places.
We travelled over a bridge on the first night from the lodge to a small church for carols. Whilst picturesque, there was no official 'service' just the Swedish priest going through the most well known carols.
The fact that it snowed virtually constantly whilst there helped make the trip and the whole experience of snowmobile the reindeer sleigh ride to find Santa was a magical experience. Candles lit along the woodland path leading to the wooden lodge, all decorated with traditional decorations.
This was the base for the day when we went on the Finding Santa trip. We got to go Snowmobiling, sledging etc from here before being taken on the search.
And with the 'Man' himself once we had the family meeting inside in the warm...
The third day, we had an early start 6.30am (4.30 UK time) to be up, fed and ready to leave for the Husky Sleigh ride. To be honest, I was more looking forward to getting behind the handlebars of the snow mobiles (which was great) but controlling 5 huskies, pulling a sledge with my kids in across a frozen river covered in snow with snow covered pine trees was the best experience I have had. It was soo quiet and picturesque it was amazing. Only issue I had was I couldn't let go to take a picture.
Food is good decent stuff. Nothing fancy but good quality. The snow suits and boots were also decent quality stuff and all in very good condition.
This is only my view from what we experienced with Transun. We don't normally do 'package' holidays and to an extent this is what this is, but it certainly never felt like one despite having our 'reps' with us during the activities.
I also thought the lack of daylight would be an issue. With only 3-4 hours of 'dusky' light between 10am and 2pm this made it all that bit more special due to the candles and parafin lamps used throughout the place.
So, from me, I would thoroughly recommend it. I have been thinking of it for a few years and asked the same question as you before. However, with my daughter being 11, I guessed that this year would be last time we could go with all three children actually 'believing' in Santa.
I think from what my research showed me, there are two main companies doing this thing and have been for a long time. That's Canterbury Travel and Transun.
Pick well and the memory will stick with you for a long time...
Kev
selwonk said:
A family we know went. There was no snow. Bummer!
We flew from Birmingham on the Monday morning and found out that a daytrip flight from Norwich (where we are based) had to be cancelled the day before due to ice on the runway..................in Norwich FFS !!!!!!!!!Amazes me how crap Norwich Airport is. Enontekio has 4 foot of snow when we landed and it didn't stop them. When we left, the sprayed hot de-icer on the wings and we were off.
Felt so sorry for the families that weren't able to do the day trip from Norwich that day.
Won't someone think about the children...............................
KevF said:
We flew from Birmingham on the Monday morning and found out that a daytrip flight from Norwich (where we are based) had to be cancelled the day before due to ice on the runway..................in Norwich FFS !!!!!!!!!
Amazes me how crap Norwich Airport is. Enontekio has 4 foot of snow when we landed and it didn't stop them. When we left, the sprayed hot de-icer on the wings and we were off.
Felt so sorry for the families that weren't able to do the day trip from Norwich that day.
Won't someone think about the children...............................
Indeed. The argument "Well, we don't get really cold whether often enough to be prepared for it" really doesn't wash does it!Amazes me how crap Norwich Airport is. Enontekio has 4 foot of snow when we landed and it didn't stop them. When we left, the sprayed hot de-icer on the wings and we were off.
Felt so sorry for the families that weren't able to do the day trip from Norwich that day.
Won't someone think about the children...............................
dirty boy said:
That's some really good stuff thanks Kev.
I've only heard about Canterbury and Transun, looks like i'll have to try and make a decision somehow...
Are there any other suggestions you'd make? i.e. if you were going again, what would you 'ideally' do?
Cheers for your time answering
DB....I would definately stay longer. The 3 night 4 days would be a bit more relaxed I'd imagine with a bit more breathing space. We did the 2 night 3 days which when you take out the travelling was probably only 1 proper day there.I've only heard about Canterbury and Transun, looks like i'll have to try and make a decision somehow...
Are there any other suggestions you'd make? i.e. if you were going again, what would you 'ideally' do?
Cheers for your time answering
They have optional trips like the Northern Lights. I really want to see this but as it costs around £100 per head and they can't guarantee you'll see them (natural phenomenon clause) seemed a bit of a gamble. Also, at Davvi Lodge they say that if the sky is clear, you can see the lights from there.
We did the Husky puppy farm visit which is where the Husky sleigh ride is. We were one of 3 families and luckily there were 3 puppies. Each family had one puppy on a leash and were able to walk them, pet them and generally mess around int he snow with them. My kids love animals so this was a nobrainer.
The other option was a snowmobile session. Personally I would have gone for that by I knew the family would of been pissed off watching me get my rocks off at full chat over a frozen lake...LOL
Depends on budget by if I did it again, it'd be the longer stay, as close to Christmas as possible (we did 19th-21st) with the accomodation being in the new Aurora House if using Transun again.
http://www.transun.co.uk/lapland/hotels/davvi_auro...
Only concern I had was Transun use Strategic Airlines and on googling them, there are a lot of negative comments about the airline and the type of planes they use. All were unfounded in my experience BUT on the return flight, we were delayed due to the Strategic plane breaking down at Gatwick. However, a Thompson plane was redirected and bought us home albeit slightly later than expected.
hope this helps..
K
Yet another vote for Canterbury Travels.
We did a "once in a lifetime" trip with them to Luosto in Finland 4 days 3 nights. Loved it so much we went back for a second time a couple of years later.
We did look at alternative trips but the Canterbury Travels one we decided was best. You end up doing sleigh rides, skidoo rides sledging etc etc but we did 2-3 hours of each per day rather than a full day of each with CT and I think when you are taking children this works out better for them so they don't get bored.
We did a "once in a lifetime" trip with them to Luosto in Finland 4 days 3 nights. Loved it so much we went back for a second time a couple of years later.
We did look at alternative trips but the Canterbury Travels one we decided was best. You end up doing sleigh rides, skidoo rides sledging etc etc but we did 2-3 hours of each per day rather than a full day of each with CT and I think when you are taking children this works out better for them so they don't get bored.
My wife and I took a trip with Transun last January not to see Santa but to see the Northern Lights . Like Kev we also stayed at the Davvi Lodge in one of their wooden lodges.We did the 3 night 4 day trip flying from Gatwick to Tromso with Norwegian Airlines. The transfer time was around 4 hours but the scenary was spectacular.
We found Transun to be excellent with activities well organised but with plenty of relaxation time if required. The midnight "Northern Lights" snowmobile ride into the Swedish Fens was very memorable as was "Mushing" a team of Huskies to Santa's House.Santa had finished for the year but I could imagine how exciting it would be for children to arrive at "his" house.
As mentioned the food is not Michelin standard but it is hot and filling which you definately need.I would highly recommend Transun and the Davvi Artic Lodge.
We found Transun to be excellent with activities well organised but with plenty of relaxation time if required. The midnight "Northern Lights" snowmobile ride into the Swedish Fens was very memorable as was "Mushing" a team of Huskies to Santa's House.Santa had finished for the year but I could imagine how exciting it would be for children to arrive at "his" house.
As mentioned the food is not Michelin standard but it is hot and filling which you definately need.I would highly recommend Transun and the Davvi Artic Lodge.
Edited by Little Dave on Tuesday 24th January 18:03
My parents took my brother and his daughter and my wife and I and our daughter a couple of years ago. We went on the 3 days 2 night version but I cant remember who we went with! Wasn't Transun or Canterbury Travel.
I think that the longer the trip the better, you have more time to do the various things etc, and yes you want an individual audience with Father Christmas who will of course have the letter your child wrote to him!
You need to check flight times to ensure you get as much time as possible there otherwise you'll find your 3 days turns into 1 day and a couple of hours either side.
However its a great experence!
I think that the longer the trip the better, you have more time to do the various things etc, and yes you want an individual audience with Father Christmas who will of course have the letter your child wrote to him!
You need to check flight times to ensure you get as much time as possible there otherwise you'll find your 3 days turns into 1 day and a couple of hours either side.
However its a great experence!
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