Snowmobiles, Reindeer and the Northern Lights - What a fantastic trio!

Snowmobiles, Reindeer & the Northern Lights – What a fantastic trio!

We stepped off the plane just as the sun starting setting, into the crisp Arctic air at Enontekio Airport – a dinky little place where our flight was probably the only action happening all day. No baggage carousels to wrestle with, no frantic crowds – just straight-up Lapland magic waiting to unfold. Basically, expect to feel like you’ve stepped into the middle of a Nordic fairy tale – except this one comes with snowmobiles Our chariot (okay, it was a comfy coach) waited for us all to board, for a two- and half-hour journey to Kilpisjärvi, with a pit stop enroute, to collect our new best friends: thermal suits and snow boots. Trust me, these bad boys were our lifesavers when venturing out braving the Arctic elements.

Our Winter Wonderland

Home sweet home for the next few days was the wonderful Tundrea Resort in the heart of Kilpisjärvi, situated next to the Lake and at the foot of the Saana fell. Accommodation here is either a choice of apartments in varying sizes, charming cabins, or in our case, a glass house, called a Wau! I surprised the hubby and said I had booked a basic hotel room, and somehow managed to keep the secret until the front door was unlocked! It certainly got a Wau reaction!

With no time to spare, or to even unpack, we had to get ourselves to the welcome meeting with the rep, to give us the full timetable and rundown as to how our next few days would unfold. This was held in a wooden hut called a Kota. These are dotted all over, and house a supply of logs with which to light a fire to get warm before carrying on your adventure. Armed with our info, we headed straight into the restaurant for dinner. The trip was full-board because adventure is hungry work! Food here is basic but plentiful, with a soup for starter, salads, bread, and then a mains dish, plus a dish for vegans. Water and berry juice are complimentary, whilst a bar was on site for drinks purchases. As we left the restaurant, we had a first glimpse of the Northern Lights coming out to play..

We headed back to our Wau house to unpack and make ourselves fully at home. Walking into the house, you have a fully fitted kitchen with all the modern amenities, a downstairs shower and bathroom, a lounge area, dining table, and TV. Heading up the slim spiral staircase, brings you to the bedroom area, with twin beds ( pushed together for a double) and convertible sofa bed if required, leading into a bathroom with shower and then a private sauna room. There is also a balcony and 2 chairs upstairs to admire the view or of course the Northern Lights. Everything is digitally controlled by a smart home hub, from the lighting being full on, to then be in romantic and to sleep mode. Equipped with underfloor heating as well as the glass roof being heated also - it was amazing to just watch the recent snowfall just melt away to leave clear glass for aurora viewings.

The next morning, we headed over for breakfast, before having a full day to ourselves before our first excursion later that evening. The rep had mentioned a waterfall being close by, so we layered up and kitted ourselves up in the suits and boots, to find the start of the walk nearby. The walk took us uphill from the base of the Saana fell, and the views were just stunningly beautiful. The sun shone and with the glare of the freshly fallen snow, made for some impressive pictures, with the frozen lake in the background. The waterfall was largely frozen, which was to be expected, but there was still a trickle of water, and you could imagine how different this would be in their summer, with all the hikers. We were soon back at base to have more food at lunchtime. Another hearty meal to top up the energy levels! Before heading back to the house, we decided to pay a visit to the local supermarket across the road. There is only a garage, supermarket and a small restaurant/cafe in the village, for the 100 inhabitants. The supermarket was like a Tardis and offered everything needed, including any household items plus clothing in case you had failed to pack gloves/socks etc! We made full use of the sauna, and sat watching looking at the views across the fells. Soon it was time to gear up and head down to dinner to fuel up ready for our evening excursion - not really sure where the time kept going if honest..

Northern Lights Snowmobile Safari – Lights, Camera, Aurora!

Kilpisjärvi sits on the Northern Lights Route, which is basically the VIP section for Aurora-spotting. Hop on a snowmobile and cruise through the silent, snowy wilderness to a prime Northern Lights viewpoint. If the skies play nice, you’ll be treated to Mother Nature’s very own neon rave ...this is our story

At 7.30 pm our group met in reception and were taken in stages by minibus, a short 5-minute ride to the snowmobile centre. We already had our suits and boots on, so this time we were given extra mittens, balaclava and a helmet, plus an overcoat to go over the suit, if required, to stop the windchill. A quick brief on the snowmobile and how it worked, we were ready. The front guide led the way slowly and surely at first teaching us how to turn left and right, and use body weight to assist, and the distances we were to keep to from each other. This took me back to my biking days as a pillion passenger - something I have not done since our kids were born! Hubby was in his element. ...

We were soon on the frozen lake, which felt surreal at how thick this ice was below us, stopping periodically to regroup and make sure we were all ok before carrying on. After about 1.5 hours we came into a clearing and could see the Kotas in view. Sadly, the cloud cover hid any sightings of the Northern Lights, but the guides were constantly watching for any gaps in the clouds. At one point, there was a very small hole and I could see the notorious green hues, but they soon went. Inside the Kotas we had warm berry juice and a doughnut around the fire that had been lit. With still no sightings, we got back on our snowmobile horses for the return journey

Three Borders Snowmobile Safari – Zoom Across Three Countries!

The next morning after a hearty breakfast, it was time for our next snowmobile trip across the frozen tundra to the 3 Borders, where Finland, Sweden, and Norway meet. The guides insisted we all have the overcoats over our suits, due to the wind across the lake. All geared up we were ready to set off, and I had managed to get prime spot at the front behind the leader. With the sun coming up, you could certainly feel the wind chill and the bitter cold. Around 1.5 hours in, again with various stops for photos against the beautiful backdrop, we arrived at the 3 borders Cairn. This is actually on an artificial island in the middle of Mall Strict Nature Reserve, but you would not be aware of that unless you were to visit in the summer months and access it by boat! Again, plenty of time for individual pictures, group pics and hot berry juice and doughnuts! Plus of course, the ‘must do' of running into 3 countries in 30 seconds!! Heading back on a slightly different route, we came across a group of ice fishers and ice hikers, just in the middle of the vast lake, miles from the land.

Back at camp, it was time for an obligatory snow angel before lunch, and then we moved on to the next excursion...

Sami Reindeer Experience – Rudolph, Is That You?

It was time to meet the locals – and by locals, I mean the reindeer! This was our chance to visit a traditional Sami reindeer farm, where the same family has been herding for generations. A brief 10-minute walk from the hotel, we sat listening to one of the sons explain about their culture and way of life. They even have a different language to the rest of Finland. We then had the opportunity to feed the orphaned reindeer, and go up , close and personal to the working herd. Finished then by an optional sleigh ride around the farm – Santa would be proud. With a little over an hour to our last dinner, we decided to make use of the sauna to warm through, and start the packing for our return. I knew the packing wouldnt take long due to my packing cube system!

After dinner, we went back to spend the last few hours in the Wau house, and was delighted that within 30 minutes of being there, the Northern Lights came out to play in full force, and continued for a good couple of hours - what an absolutely mesmerizing experience! We could only stand out and watch them for a short time without our snowsuits on as it was bitterly cold, so decided to turn on the heated glass windows upstairs to continue the show... truly memorable!

Final Verdict? Snow Much Fun!

From adrenaline-fueled snowmobile safaris to chilled-out reindeer encounters, this Snowmobile Voyager trip is all about maxing out the winter magic. Whether you're chasing the Northern Lights, crossing borders like a pro, or befriending reindeer, it’s guaranteed to be an adventure for the books.

So, what are you waiting for? Pack your warmest socks, hats and gloves and let’s do this!