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A winter trip to Lapland in northern Finland provides an opportunity for snowmobiling MILES and miles of dazzling snow all around in winter; a sky that comes alive with the mysterious and beautiful flickering Northern Lights, Lapland, in the far north of Finland, is a fairytale landscape full of magic for kids and adults alike.
It is also the home of not only Finland’s most famous resident but also the world’s most popular and beloved person – Santa Claus. Though Lapland is equally beautiful in night-less summer and colourful autumn but it remains most popular in winters with all its glory. It is the season when the reindeer roams free, the time when the abode of Santa Claus comes alive. Lapland is where the cuddly Huskies pull your sledge over miles of snow. All these childhood impressions piled up when I made a trip to Rovaniemi, capital of Lapland. And the place did not disappoint as all impressions were replicated with real-life experiences, and some more. The flight from Finnish capital Helsinki to Rovaniemi takes hardly one-and-a-half hours, but within that short time it seemed as if one had stepped into a remote, uncluttered world, quite a rarity now-a-days. A crackling fire in the lobby of our wooden-floored lodge, Sky Ounasvaara, is a welcome sight for most visitors, especially when looking at a landscape covered in white under a cloudless starry sky. Lapland is the northernmost province of Finland. During the World War II, Rovaniemi was the headquarters of the German army in Lapland. In 1944 when the Finns moved against the Germans, the retreating army burnt down the town. Only 13 buildings were left standing. So the town that one sees today was built brick by brick with a design representing the reindeer, Lapland’s beloved animal. All this information is available at the Arktikum museum, a wonderful repository of Lappish culture and history. There is even a Northern Lights theatre in the museum where one can lie on comfy beds arranged circularly to experience a virtual Aurora Borealis — a wonderful chiaroscuro of colours in the Arctic circle sky in winter. The ethnic Sami tribe calls it the "fox-fire". It is a matter of luck if you come across this phenomenon. Next on the agenda was the Ranua Wildlife Park, one of the world’s northernmost zoos, opened in 1983. As many as 60 species of wild animals and birds, indigenous to the northern snowy region, reside in the vast grounds of this unique zoo. Special warm suits and snow-boots, are needed for visitors’ rendezvous with polar bears Manasse and his female friends Venus and Valeska, snowy owls and a naughty otter while little foxes eyed us from afar. These are available, courtesy the Lapland Safaris Club. The two-hour walking tour in the heavy suits can be famishing but there is an excellent buffet at the Jussan Pirtti restaurant in the premises. The park is one hour’s drive from Rovaniemi, and regular bus services are available. A bonus, it is open throughout the year and every season shows off a different aspect of the animals. From here to Santa Claus village is just a hop, skip and jump. The sceptics may call it a massive PR exercise, and there have been claims by others as to which is supposed to be the ‘authentic’ Santa Claus abode. But every logic fades when visitors enter the special ‘cave’ — the secret home where Santa meets visitors (photo shoots cost money). With the memorabilia available there and a look at the toyshop, it is easy to see why kids and parents find it a dream visit.
One of the plus points of visiting Lapland in winter is to experience snowmobiling over the frozen landscape, hills, and even over the frozen Ounasjoki river. Definitely, a thumbs-up tour for the adventure sports lover. At the end of a hectic but fruitful day, visitors can sweat it out at a smoky sauna or a conventional wooden heated one, which are another famous speciality of this region. Reindeer farms are another attraction. The life of Lapland natives, from time immemorial, has revolved around this multi-task animal. Visitors are welcomed by a colourfully-attired tribesman, who also performs a ritual by smearing the forehead of each visitor with black ash from a fire to officially initiate them to cross the Arctic line. The tourists are then given warm berry juice. A reindeer ride is mandatory, of course. No visitor can leave Rovaniemi without meeting the famous Huskies. These special dogs are a god-sent to the people living Lapland. In olden times they were the most efficient transport system as they can pull a sledge for hours. Today, in the automobile-age, they are more of tourist interest but even now some locals still use a husky-sledge if need be. Though famous for being Santa’s village, Lapland is much more than Santa Claus and reindeer. It offers endless outdoor and adventure activities. The fells and mountains of the far north are a delight for trekkers. Its river system that marks the border with Sweden is perfect for canoeing and, in places, white water rafting. The lakes and rivers provide fruitful fishing opportunities. In winter, Lapland’s sports resorts, including that of Levi, Saariselkä, Ruka and Olos open their Alpine ski slopes and cross-country ski trails. Snowmobile, reindeer and dog-sled safaris take you into the valley forests and over the fells, and you can even spend the night in an igloo. Lapland’s mind-boggling variety makes it exciting to suit the tastes of all kinds of tourists.
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The
village also has Santa Claus post office where visitors can post
letters to folks back home. Everyday, hundreds of letters are posted
from this post office to reach all corners of the world. The post
office also handles thousands of children’s letters to the Old
Gentleman dispatched from all over the world. Christmas is
understandably the busiest season in Santa Claus village.