kitbag Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Hi guys! I'm looking at booking a trip to Sweden to see the Northern Lights. As well as this, I would be dog sledding, ice fishing, driving a snow mobile and visiting a Sami homestead to meet a reindeer herder and his family and find out all about what they do. (It's an all-inclusive thing!) The coolest part is that I would also get to stay in the Icehotel, in one of the ice rooms! I was wondering if anyone has been on a holiday like this before, and if its worth saving up to go? I'm so excited, as it seems like an amazing trip, but I don't want to go if it's not worth it! Thanks in advance! xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 We have been to Finnish Lapland several times and love it, its so magical Yes its worth it, if you do get to see the Northern Lights you will remember that forever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Don't know about the other stuff but a friend in the office stayed in the Ice Hotel and said it was fabulous!! I'm very as I'm supposed to be doing this too but haven't got anything sorted yet...will you have a hat a la Ms Lumley?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 The ice hotel is wonderful during the day but not very nice to stay in we found, the footprints of everyone who has walked through your room in the day are still there, there is only a curtain between you and the hallways and the bathrooms are some distance away from some rooms, also you cant have your room until the tourists have gone for the day Its an experience but not a particularly incredible one, nice to say you have done it though We sought out a local snow castle made each year by one family, that was all ours for the night and was more private, more special and much cheaper! glass igloos are also dotted around the region and are wonderful to stay in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Ooh! Very jealous. I'd love to do that might save it for my 50th. We've done one of those one day Finnish Lapland trips - its was magical even without much snow. Have a fab time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 One day I will do this trip; the knowledge that people have seen the Northern Lights from St Ives here is not enough to make me stay & see them from here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 My parents took us to Lapland when Rosie was about 6 years old; it was as commercialised as you'd expect but still managed to be magical. Bear in mind that you will need plenty of thermal layers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 My then 17 year old daughter and I did a seven day husky safari starting in Kiruna. Most of the time we slept in teepees and shepherds' huts after we fed our dogs and staked them down for the night. One would start to howl and pretty soon the whole 22 would be howling at the moon. Incredible. Us tourists had a days lesson in mushing and then we were given charge of a small sled to take our belongings and three dogs to pull them. Our leader had seven of the most beautiful blue-eyed dogs you ever saw. The rest of us had a more rag tag bunch but still good working dogs. The coldest it got was -40, but it was hot work balancing on the runners, keeping the sled upright and the dogs under control. On New Years Eve we stopped at a log cabin, had a sauna and the bravest of us ran around in the snow. After dinner and fairy tales round the fire we went out with champagne in hand and watched the Northern lights dance in the sky for an hour. We didn't stay at the Ice Hotel but got pretty drunk there on our last night. There were parties leaving there on big sleds for tours into the countryside and as they were just passengers they were pretty cold so if that is what you are doing wrap up in lots of down. They day we left the whole of Kiruna was celebrating as the sun came up over the horizon for the first time that winter. It was an incredible experience.....one I will never forget. Go for it. PS the best times of the year to see the lights are while it is still dark most of the time so November/December/JanuaryFebruary. It will be an expensive trip so to maximise your chances (I went twice before but didn't see any) aim for those months and check the lunar cycle. You don't want to be out looking when there is a full moon up. Edited for typo and PS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Yes we have done the exact package you mention, but ours included a wedding in the ice hotel chapel. We stayed for 7 nights all in warm accommodation apart from one night in the actual ice hotel. Our room had been slept in by the king before us. We had an amazing trip, well worth every penny. With hindsight we wouldn't stay 7 days though. We will go back when our 7 year old is old enough to appreciate where mummy and daddy got married. We didn't see the northern lights even though we went in January. If your trip is the same as ours you will get all the cold weather gear to wear when you arrive so don't worry. The kit is warm I think we just took gloves and thermals. Thin layers are best. Be prepared to eat reindeer, I swore I wouldn't but its everywhere and the moose goulash was fab but then it was our wedding meal with 16 strangers in a teepee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitbag Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 Thanks for replying! There's a package in Sweden, and there's also one in Finland I'm looking at! I think I will go for the 4 day holiday as I am not usually a 'cold person'. Oooh I'm so excited - it seems like you have all had an amazing time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 The northern lights are definitely worth seeing. We went to Iceland last year on a one week holiday staying in two different places with a 4 x 4 vehicle included so we could drive to see different sights. We went in November, when the northern lights were just starting up, and we saw them on three separate nights. We also walked on a glacier and went on a boat trip on a lake with icebergs, and....best of all we did a helicopter flight over the volcano (Eyafjallajokull) which was still steaming from its earlier eruption. There weren't any ice hotels there, but the hotels were very good, and we had a geothermal jacuzzi on the patio which we could use, even when it was snowing and your hair was freezing. The ice hotel was something we looked at but decided against as I need electricity for my medical treatment. Iceland is an astoundingly beautiful place, and much quieter in the autumn, but some attractions are closed at that time of year. We would definitely go again, and would also like to take in a tour to Greenland as part of that. However we DO love the cold and would prefer an arctic holiday to a hot, sunny one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Wow Kitbag that sounds like an amazing holiday and lovely to do something different. Can you book this through the normal travel agents or a specialist company. We are off to India in feb but am trying to persuade hubby to do something like your trip but he hates the cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitbag Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 India will be amazing! I will book the trip through a company called Aurora Zone which specialises in holidays to see the Northern lights in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. They use local people to be tour guides, as they are passionate and know all about life in the 'wilderness'! It seems like a lovely, genuine company! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Thanks Kitbag, going to google that. Don't know about you but we love travelling now the children have left the nest. I am very lucky too as the breeder has my chicky girls back for their holidays too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 One of our friends on Facebook has just come back from a holiday that sounds exactly like this. We like the idea of it and have asked her for the details Go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Finland is by far the cheapest of the Scandanavian countries in our experience We went to Finland and travelled in to Sweden and Norway from there so were able to expeience the Arctic Tundra and the Ice hotel from a cheaper base! Many towns in Finland have trips to the Ice Hotel We have stayed in several places in Finland but only saw the Northern lights once so you may find you may miss out on that as someone else has mentioned Rovaniemi is the official home of Santa Claus and is the destination for lots of one day Lapland holidays but if you avoid that area then its not at all commercial. Outside the ski resorts there isnt much nightlife, most places are closed by 9pm Our all time favourite holiday destination was Enontekio (Hetta) If not booking a package then I'd recommend these people for cabins, they are extremely helpful. If nothing else the website may give you information on the different places you can go http://www.finnishlakesidecabins.com/ you can also fly from Stanstead to Tampere for very reasonable money though its a good 8 hour drive to the north from there (though the drive is wonderful in itself) or you can fly in further north for more money We were never 'cold holiday' people but are totally converted, we havent had a holiday for a few years but our next one will be in Finland, we love the place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Channel 5 tonight 8pm "Building The Ice Hotel" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
