September 2015

Activities Abroad have created bucket list holidays that bring families together, so you can share memorable experiences you will recall for many years. Our family activity holidays are fun, extremely safe, and responsibly operated to make planning, travelling, and simply enjoying your family holiday as easy as possible.

From unhurried and intimate Father Christmas experiences to wilderness adventures driving a team of dogs through snowy forests and gazing spellbound at the fabulous Northern Lights, we have holidays in the snow to suit families with children of all ages.

The animals of Lapland

A visit to Lapland will typically offer the chance for your family to catch a glimpse of some of the many animals which inhabit this remote region. Seeing these creatures in their natural habitat is a real delight for adults and children alike.

Whilst reindeer are not strictly wild animals (they are herded) they roam freely in these parts and,  whilst children may have perhaps seen them at local Christmas fairs or wildlife parks, here in Lapland they are in their true home and you will delight in seeing them trot across the snow with their head held high.

Other highlights can include the likes of foxes and Ptarmigan along with other birds. In parts of Sweden, you also have the chance to search for elk in their woodland home.

Norway offers the chance to see the giant of crabs - the king crab. You will travel to the harbour to pick up king crabs from the fishermen’s pots and return after a snowmobile safari around the Siberian forest to enjoy your king crab dinner - a speciality in these parts that has to be tried!

For those who want to see it all then we highly recommend our holidays in Ranua where you can visit the famous wildlife park and witness the likes of wolves and gaze in awe at the polar bears which live here.

A favourite animal encounter with our families is the chance to see the huskies that live and work in Lapland.  They are neither wild animals nor pets, so a visit to a dog sled centre offers the chance for you to learn about the dogs and enjoy their company.

What lies beneath the ice?

Winter in Lapland means frozen lakes and underneath the thick layer of ice are hundreds of rather hardy fish!  Setting yourself the challenge of catching a tiddler here is not only an enjoyable way to spend time in The Great Outdoors but is also used as a means of food gathering in the winter months.

For families, ice fishing together is enjoyable shared experience. For the little ones it will be all about the anticipation of keeping a watch through the ice hole and waiting for the fish to bite.

Whilst the expectation will no doubt be enjoyable for the grownups too, it is also a chance to appreciate the peaceful scenery from a unique perspective whilst also participating in an activity which has been practiced here for centuries.

There is also sure to be a great sense of accomplishment if you do manage to get a fish to bite!

Ice fishing has been a part of winter life for the people of Lapland for centuries and has been a necessary means of catching food in the long cold winters. Whereas fishing back home might be just a simple hobby for some, in Lapland the fish that are caught are almost always used as food and quite often are cooked there and then by your guides, ensuring the freshest lunch possible! This is always quite an experience for families. 

The coolest place to stay

From the original ICEHOTEL® in Swedish Lapland to the smaller more intimate winter villages and snowhotels that have been artfully crafted across Finland, Norway and Sweden, there are some unforgettable ice and snow accommodation options available across Lapland which offers unique overnight experiences for families.

Essentially ice and snow hotels are exactly as described – a place to spend the night that has been completely crafted from ice, snow and ‘snice’ (a combination of the two). Whilst some of these awesome buildings originally started as a simple igloo for guests to sleep in, interest in them has led to them becoming incredibly beautiful and intricate works of art, filled with sculptures, ice art and lovingly crafted ice furniture.

For families with older children (we would not recommend them for children younger than 12), they offer a very special overnight experience to add on to their adventure in Lapland. There’s something particularly cool too about the fact that the room you are staying in is something which is unique to that season – each year, as summer comes ice and snow hotels are left to simply melt back down into the ground.

For those with younger children we do offer tours where possible, as people of all ages find these structures amazing places to visit.

Nature’s greatest light show

When it comes to natural phenomena, it’s safe to say that the Northern Lights are pretty high on the list of the world’s most spectacular, impressive and breathtaking sights.

Caused by particles from the sun’s solar flares reacting with the earth’s magnetic field, the lights are a common feature of dark winter nights in regions of Lapland by the Arctic Circle where the sky often alights with dancing curtains of green and yellow light.

For families, they have a universal appeal. Adults can look up at the billowing swirling lights, knowing that they are looking at a pattern that is completely unique to that moment in time.

For children, the Northern Lights take on an altogether magical slant and your local guide will no doubt fascinate them with some of the legends of the Northern Lights. Tales include the Firefox, whose sweeping tail sparks against the sky, whilst for others, they are a bridge to ancient ancestors or otherworldly warriors.

Whatever your thoughts, it’s a safe bet that should they make an appearance, even the most excitable children will be silenced and this is a shared family experience you will remember for a lifetime.