Lapland – Myths & Magic

“In Lapland, swapping the hustle and bustle of ski resorts and cities to the peace and quiet of the wilderness takes mere minutes!”

Ruska or autumn in Finland is the perfect season for outdoor enthusiasts to explore Lapland’s pristine vast wilderness and well-marked trails, and marks the beginning of spotting the elusive northern lights in the northern sky. The Arctic Tundra fells get transformed into spectacular technicolour, with the fiery reds and crimsons of the bilberry and lingonberry shrubs contrasting with the calming gold of the birches below the treeline, and the weather just perfect for all nature adventures and photography.

The autumn season is also the best period for Finland’s natural riches – mushrooms and lingonberries, and sampling some of the gourmet local delicacies made from seasonal flavours. The “Lapland-Myths & Magic” is an intrepid itinerary for adventurous travellers with unadulterated Lappish cultural experiences and outdoor adventures such as hiking and canoeing amidst billion-year-old fells and sacred Sámi sites. The itinerary indulges in rare experiences such as Northern lights expeditions, igloo stay, seasonal Lappish cuisine, traditional sauna, gold mining, and husky and reindeer experiences. This vibrant trail traverses from Helsinki all the way to the northern Lapland, exploring under-the-radar Lappish gems such as the billions-of-years-old Pyhä-Luosto National Park, Tankavaara Gold Village in Sodänkylä and Ivalo wilderness village in Sámi Homeland. Embark on an aurora adventure of a lifetime and embrace the Finnish Ruska in all its glory!

Who is this for?

The whole experience is crafted for eco-conscious discerning travelers to give them a delightful taste of Ruska, the magical autumn galore, in its most authentic form. The trail can be customized to suit specific dietary needs.

Overview

• Destination: Finland (Helsinki, Pyhä-Luosto, Inari-Saariselkä)
• Starting from: 3250 €/person
• When: Autumn (September-October)
• Duration: 13 Days/12 Nights
• Maximum group size: 6 persons
• Themes: Aurora chasing, Culture, History, Adventure, Nature, Outdoors, Wellness
• Trip type: Semi-escorted

Highlights

• Sleeping under the star-lit sky in Northern Lapland in an atmospheric glass igloo, and if luck permits witnessing the dancing northern lights from the coziness of your bed.
• Capturing the magic of the autumn and the spectacular “Ruska” in the ice-age sculpted Fell Lapland painting the land in vivid hues of technicolor.
• Northern light expedition in Inari – Saariselkä region in Northern Lapland, which falls directly under the auroral dome.
• Exploring the incredible two-billion-year-old history of one of the rarest destinations in the world, the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, formed by the merging of Pyhätunturi National Park, the oldest in Finland, with Luosto, making it Finland’s oldest yet at the same time one of the youngest national parks.
• Hiking along the 2.5-billion-year-old Isokuru ravine, Finland’s deepest gorge to the Pyhänkasteenputous Waterfall, a holy place to the indigenous Sámi people, admiring the rugged gorgeous beauty of Pyhä-Luosto National park and bog walking through rare geological formations such as the witch fell ‘Noitatunturi’ and the bear drinking pond ‘Karhunjuomalampi’.
• Hiking expedition to the Fell of gods – ‘Pyhä-Nattanen’, one of the six ‘Nattanen’ Fells, with sculpted gigantic rock tors on the top, considered as the Home of the Gods and ancient sacred sites for the forest Sámi people.
• Aurora midnight paddling adventure in the Pyhäjoki river.
• Explore the wilderness village, Nellim, on the Russian border and its historic and cultural attractions such as the Paatsjoki River boundary bridge, the Historical Rautaportti Trail, and the Orthodox Church of Saint Tryphon of Pechenga.
• Experience the 150-year old history of the Gold Rush in Lapland and trying your hand at gold panning outdoors with a chance to keep the gold you find.
• Visit the local Sami Reindeer farm experience exploring the oldest Northern tradition of reindeer herding.
• Experience the traditional art form of Joik performed by the Sámi people of Sapmi in Northern Europe, a unique cultural expression meant to reflect or evoke a person, animal, or place.
• Experience Lapland’s beauty with a thrilling husky tour mushing a husky wagon in the forest.
• Different sauna experiences including the traditional wood-heated sauna and panoramic
  igloo saunas with outdoor jacuzzi.
• Boutique accommodation options and experiential meals in breathtakingly beautiful
  locations, capturing the real essence of Lappish life and nature

Accommodation

• The given accommodations are a premium Glass Igloo, village B&B inn, wilderness lakeside resort and a five-star city hotel.
• The accommodation options can be finalized only after confirming the group size, the exact date of booking, and availability. The prices are dependent on the exact dates of booking.
• The given images should be used only as standard references.