When you think of the vast forest, you think of tropical rainforests. But just a three-hour flight away, you’ll find Lapland’s winter alternative: a vast deserted wilderness with reindeer and the occasional lynx or bear. Infinite pristine snow without footprints. We have listed the coolest activities in Lapland for you.

Spot D Labs Big Five

You don’t have to go to Canada or the United States to hunt bears, wolves, wolverines, lynxes, and moose. You can also discover these Big Five in Finnish Lapland. Many tour companies offer bear and wildlife tours, where you hide in the middle of the woods in an observation hut until the animals come out. Among the ancient fir trees hanging by long strands of beard moss, you can spot brown bears on the banks of a lake or near a swamp from mid-April. Finding reindeer is easier than finding the Big Five, which is the biggest reindeer herders in the tundra. Ride a reindeer through vast forests and across the tundra – you’re on a sleigh chasing a mighty reindeer who is soaring through a silent winter wonderland.

Learn from and about the Bedouins of the North: Sami

The northern provinces of Scandinavia were once the lands of the Sami and reindeer. The descendants of the former Sami preserved the traditions, customs and values. That is why in Swedish and Finnish Lapland you can still get to know and learn about the way of life and opinions of these people: a way of life guided by Mother Nature. For example, visit a Sami Museum, such as the Sami Siida Museum in Inari, Finland, or stay in a small lodge where you go out with Sami every day, such as Rajamaa Lodge in Swedish Lapland.

Photo: Pixabay

Learn to race a reindeer

Surprise: Reindeer can run! Its top speed is about sixty kilometers per hour. You’ll drift them away, but that’s exactly the thinking behind reindeer guessing, a sport that has many fans all over Lapland. Riders on skates are pulled at lightning speed by reins and attempt to break records in tournaments such as the World Cup. But you don’t have to be a pro to play the reindeer knight. For example, at Salla Reindeer Park in Finnish Lapland, you can first practice on a slow reindeer before you have to control a bona fide racing specimen.

Be one with the environment on a mile safari with husky

In silence it races through the dense forest. All you hear are eager dogs running sledges in front of you. You pass meters high of trees, frozen lakes, and idyllic hilltops. Everything around you is wrapped in a white coat. During your husky safari, you are guaranteed to become one with the beautiful surroundings. Local guides ensure you don’t lack for anything.

Photo: Pixabay

Embark on adventurous winter sports

And work! According to experts, Finnish Lapland is one of the best winter sports regions in Scandinavia and can rival the Alpine countries in many areas. But when you’re crammed into a ski lift in Austria and Switzerland, you can do the same winter sports in Finnish Lapland without the crowds – you still have nature (almost) to yourself. Moreover, in addition to skiing and snowboarding, you can venture into lesser known but no less adventurous winter activities. For example, go for a snowshoe walk. With snowshoes you can get them just about everywhere. Snow with a depth of virgin meters no longer constituted a barrier. Grab your Tennis Rackets and go on adventure! Ideally in September and October and between February and March, when the aurora borealis or northern lights can be seen in Lapland. Or join the Finns and pack your skis across the country. Cross-country skiing is one of the most popular sports in Finland and there are more places with well-groomed trails than empty ones.

Real hardliners don’t keep it dry and go ice diving. Not into a humble lake, but head straight for the Gulf of Bothnia, the northern part of the Baltic Sea. Snorkeling is the culmination of an amazing trip on the Sambo icebreaker. You ascend to the town of Kemin and then make your way among the ice fields. You’ll stop in the middle of floating ice at sea and get a special waterproof thermal suit to float between the ice floes.

Spot the aurora borealis lying in a reindeer sleigh

The aurora borealis is without a doubt one of the most beautiful displays of nature on earth. In Lapland you have a daily opportunity in winter to witness this spectacle. Sometimes you get lucky and this is done right above your hotel, cottage or house. So it’s just about putting on the jacket and thermal suit and running outside. However, you usually have to put in more effort to see the northern lights. You need at least enough activity from the northern lights, clear skies, and an open area. You can visit this clear sky and open area with reindeer sleigh. As you lie in the wooden car on the reindeer skin, you see the stars and clouds pass you by, and suddenly the sky begins to turn green. Hiding in a sleigh, it’s like having those northern lights on your own.

Photo: Pixabay

An absolute must: Snow safari

The snowmobile for the people of Lapland is the street scooter for the Italians. Locals use it to graze their deer, run errands, deliver mail and go to school. Therefore Lapland has several thousand kilometers of specially prepared scooter trails that lead to all parts of the region. Get behind the wheel of yourself for great treks through the woods and across the vast plains. It’s tough and wonderful. If you thought snowboarding was a lazy activity, you were wrong! If you dare to walk fast and hard through the bends without training, you will develop severe muscle pain and will fall into a deep sleep in the evening after the drink.

Photo: Pixabay

Stay for a week in your own wooden kelo hut

Lapland is not like our familiar homeland. Maybe when it snows a lot, but even then, the color of the sky, the smell of the forest and the place where you spend the night cannot be compared. Because it is good to have your own lumberjack hut, made of thick logs, in the middle of the forest? Bungalows at Finnish Lapland are always equipped with a Finnish sauna and fireplace. This makes it so easy to get back into the great nature for a week with your partner, friends or family; Play a cute pink game with a glass of good wine by the fireplace, or warm up and steam in the sauna after an action-packed day in the snow.

Bron: Columbus Travel

Main image: Pixabay