Experience · Finnish Lapland

Husky sledding

The moment the anchor lifts and the dogs fall silent and pull, most adults grin as helplessly as their children.

Best forFamilies · Wildlife & nature · Adventure seekers
In October4°C · 15 rainy days
Ideal stayA half-day within a 4–5 night winter trip
Approx. flying time~10h 35m from Los Angeles

Happens around Finnish Lapland — nearest airport Rovaniemi (RVN), about 8km away.

CurrencyEUREuro
LanguageFinnish and Swedish
Local time13:202h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+358

The experience

The appeal is simple and it lands on everyone. Dogs that have been howling with excitement fall utterly silent the moment the anchor comes up, and then there is only the hiss of runners on snow through frozen forest. Longer safaris put children in the sled under reindeer skins while adults take turns driving, with stops for a fire, hot berry juice and the inevitable visit to the puppies afterwards.

This works best as the centrepiece of a winter week rather than a bolted-on hour, and the difference between a half-day trip and a ten-minute loop around a car park is enormous. Around it you can build reindeer sleighs, snowmobiles, ice fishing and aurora watching. The season runs from around December to April; December is dark and Christmassy, while March offers longer daylight and better snow.

Ideal stay: A half-day within a 4–5 night winter trip
The vibe: Silent, snowbound, unexpectedly moving

From our guides

Multi-hour husky safaris through frozen forest are the best single activity in Lapland — far better than the ten-minute taster loops sold as add-ons, which disappoint everyone including the dogs. Book a half-day trip from Levi, Saariselkä or Harriniva where children ride in the sled and adults take turns driving. Kennel visits afterwards seal it.

Featured in Ten winter-magic trips for families who love the cold

Make a trip of it

Half-day forest safari

Two or three hours on the trail with a break beside a fire is long enough for the rhythm to take over and for the novelty to become something better.
Driving your own sled

Adults stand on the runners and work the brake while a guide leads. The learning takes minutes, and it changes the experience completely.
Kennel visit

Most farms end with time among the dogs and, in spring, the puppies. It is also the moment to ask how the teams are trained, fed and rested.
Northern lights

Clear nights between September and March bring aurora to these latitudes. Get away from village lights and give it a couple of hours of patience.
Reindeer sleighs

Slower, quieter and traditionally Sami, a reindeer ride makes a good contrast to the dogs and usually comes with an introduction to herding life.
Rovaniemi and the Arctic Circle

The regional capital sits on the line itself, with a large Arctic science museum and the Christmas attraction that draws most families north in December.

Getting there

Fly to
Rovaniemi (RVN)

Nearest airport to Finnish Lapland, about 8km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Rovaniemi

About 15 minutes by taxi or airport bus from Rovaniemi (RVN) into the town. For the northern kennels, Levi is roughly two hours by road and Saariselka about three, with transfer coaches meeting winter flights.
On the ground
Getting around

Husky farms are out in the forest and every safari includes a minibus transfer from your hotel, typically 20 to 45 minutes each way. Half-day trips let each adult drive a team; the short taster loops are not worth the money.

Public transport: Long-distance coaches connect Rovaniemi with Levi and Saariselka, and trains run to Rovaniemi from Helsinki overnight. Getting to the kennels themselves is by operator transfer.

Flights

Los Angeles Finnish Lapland

Flying from

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Roughly 10h 35m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

Check dates and prices

Pick your departure date, then your return.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about -7°C in January to 20°C in July. Driest March to May; wettest in August, with rain on about 15 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October4° · rain 15 daysCold and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to base yourself

Ski-resort apartments, log cabins, glass igloos and wilderness lodges attached to husky or reindeer farms. City-style hotels exist only in Rovaniemi.

Best base overall
Rovaniemi

The regional capital has the airport, the widest choice of kennels and hotels at every price, plus Santa Claus Village. It is a low-rise town, not a scenic village, and safaris start with a transfer.
Find stays in Rovaniemi
Best with children
Levi

A purpose-built ski resort with ski school, sledging hills, apartments and short transfers to husky farms. Everything is convenient and nothing is especially Finnish or atmospheric.
Find stays in Levi
Best for couples
Saariselka

Further north, smaller and surrounded by fell wilderness, with glass-roofed cabins and reliable aurora skies. Choice of restaurants is limited and prices in peak weeks are steep.
Find stays in Saariselka
Quietest
Muonio and Harriniva

Out by the Swedish border, this is where the serious multi-day sled expeditions leave from, with kennels rather than resorts. You need a hire car or a transfer from Kittila.
Find stays in Muonio and Harriniva

Worth knowing before you book: Christmas week and February half term sell out by late summer at doubled rates. Book the half-day safari when you book the room, not on arrival.

Search everything else in Rovaniemi by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Rovaniemi

Good to know

Book long: Avoid the ten-minute taster loops sold as add-ons. A half or full day costs more and delivers something entirely different for dogs and passengers alike.
Clothing: Operators supply thermal overalls, boots, hats and mittens. Underneath, wear wool or synthetic layers rather than cotton, which holds sweat and then chills you.
With kids: Children generally ride wrapped in the sled rather than driving, and most farms set a minimum age for handling a team. Check when booking.
Cold: Temperatures of minus twenty are routine and minus thirty happens. Keep phones inside your jacket, since batteries die quickly in that air.
Getting there: Rovaniemi, Kittilä and Ivalo airports serve the main bases, with direct seasonal flights from the UK and transfers of under an hour to most resorts.