Hi Gorgona

Glad you had a great time!

If you'd like to post a review, please do so HERE.

Many Thanks.

Pippy

I have just come back from a few days Saariselka in Northern Finnish lapland.................what a fantastic trip !!

The best way to describe it is a 'Winter Wonderland'................when we got there we were met at the airportby Elves and reindeers and then were transported to a place to pick up all our thermals clothing, boots etc and then went to then hotel to check in, afyter dinner we then went straight out into minus 10 temperatures and went snowball fighting and taboganning until 10PM picking up sledges en route anywhere you can find them in the resort !!

Next morning we were picked up after brekkie and taken to a a place which was lit up with candles in the snow and there i drove a huskey dog sleigh (6 dogs per sleigh).......which was excellent and did this for about half and hour through a snow covered forest with the wife and my 2 kids being pulled in the sleigh which i was driving, then we did a reindeer ride, the kids drove a mini-snow mobile, went taboganning, cross country ski-ing (obviously not far !!!) , met the local people, ice sculptures and other bits and pieces................................and then we went to find Santa in his grotto in the forest......................that was excellent and he was the REAL SANTA....looked like him, spoke like him etc...........the kids were amazed as was talking to them as he had their letters in his hand which they had written (and posted) last month..............all cleverly done.........the kids faces were a real picture as they met the great man himself.

Next morning we did a Snow mobile safari where a convoy of us were driving snowmobiles through the forest in the pitch black and then stopped half way for the rangers to create a fire where they boiled berry juice for us to drink and we sat around that to keep warm as the temperature was to be minus 17 degrees !!!!! To be honest the thermal clothes and boots they give you stop the cold and i only felt cold on my face where the balaclava didn't cover................................the views as you are driving these mobiles are unbelieveable...as i said it truly is a Winter Wonderland.

There is no way you cannot enjoy these trips but i would advise for kids under 4 it is not really suitable...............mine are 4 1/2 and 7 and they were fine but a 3 year old with us (and other families) found it really difficult with the cold temperatures.

I don't understand how a 1 day trip can cater for the whole experience as there is so much you can do and appreciate.

Be warned that batteries for camcorders and camera's run down extremly quickly so make sure you have a spare or charger with you etc....

I said to myself it is a once in a lifetime trip....................but i want to go again already...as it is superb !

Enjoy.

Hi Jakecella

So glad you enjoyed your trip- it is far far better than you can ever imagine before you actually go.
Lovely place to isn't it? Did you get your certificate for crossing the artic circle?
We are very interested now in other parts of Finland in the Winter. Defo one of the best trips to be done!
Regards
Sunseeker1

Hi Spadge.............was there myself in Saariselka myself from 2nd - 4th Dec staying at the Holiday Club Saariselka.............was you there the same weekend ??

I wrote a description of my experience titled 'Anybody going to Lapland'

We also didn't tell our kids until we got to the check in desk......kept it secret for 11 months.

have a nose...

hi !!!

sounds fantastic ! I am sooo excited !
we go on Thursday sounds same trip as we are staying at same hotel !
am so pleased to hear that santa is the "real" one !

where did you fly from ? how long was flight ? and how was flight ? any entertainment /singing ?

we haven't told our daughter either will tell her thurs am shes 4.5 too
soooooooooooooooo exciting !!!

Sounds Magical.

The hotel is fine.............it's a bit of a tardis as it happens as is very big, it has a nice pool, sauna, pool bar etc..... to unwind in the afternoon / evening.

Try and get room 101 as is nearest the bar are and shortest walk.........i managed to !!

The Espirit reps i found excellent and nothing was too much trouble.

I didn't see the Northern lights but apparently they were visible on Saturday night but i only found that out the next day and at the time i was sinking Lapin Kuta beer !!!

No singing on the plane but a good atmosphere all the same.......................you will get christmas tunes on the coach to the hotel from the airport .....................and watch out for Elves at the side of the road......seriously.

Flight was 3 hrs 10 mins outbound and 3hrs and 30 mins on the return...............They showed films such as Polar Express and the Fantastic four.

thank you for your advice, I have spoken to a first choice rep who clarifies the "hut" does provide cheaper trips and is to the right of the hotel as you approach it, i hope you have a fab time again, I too have begun shopping for the treats and juices for the kids, as per your recommendation, along with thermal vests for us all, please let me know if there is anything you can receommend on your return.

Thanks again from a very excited mother of 2

dogsblogs,

I am taking my 2 boys aged 12 and 4 and a half on 18th December, as Pippy advised, Eclipse Direct are much cheaper than First Choice (so is their insrance) and Thomas cook, I have had mine booked since january this year for a 3 night 4 day costing £2,400, leaving Sunday 18th from Manchester, hope this is of some help. I am staying at Yllas in the Snow Princess and a girl I work with receommended this when she went last year, although beer isnt cheap, neavsie advised to take your own snacks and drinks for the kids if your baggage allows which is what I am doing. there is also a hut to the right of the hotel where the excursions are far far cheaper that the tour operator and good value for money so I will be booking from there. grab your sleigh when you get there too.

I paid £2,400 with eclipse direct, if you have access to internet, type in wedding in Yllas and my correspondence is on that forum, Eclipse direct is far cheaper than first choice and thomas cook and many of the other operators, make sure you get your clothing included, I travel on 18th December for 4 nights 3 days with a 12 and 4 year old, plus Hubby and me.

no body has complained about the snow pricnecc in Yllas and I am going from personal recommendation of a collegue in work.

hope you get sorted

I am a contact lense user, any help or advise please? I am goinh to Yllas at the snow princess on 18th december with hubby and 2 kids.

Contact lenses are 100% fine..................i saw many people with glasses whose kept getting steam up

Wear lenses.........will be no problem

try booking with eclipse direct on internet, I go 4 nights 3 days on 18th 2005 from manchester 2 adults two kids 12 and 4 at £2,400.00 cheaper after christmas and this was cheaper than thomas cook and first choice.

hope its of some help

try looking for "wedding in yllas" as there is some good advice there

try booking with eclipse direct on internet, cheaper than first choice and thomas cook

I booked a family of 4 for £2,400 3 nights 4 days from manchester to Yllas fro 18th december 2005

thanks for that

We booked 2 years ago literally 12 hours in advance from teletext. Turned out to be a Cosmos holiday and we saved over 2,000 pounds. We are going again this year but paying full price. However on the Cosmos site the price reduces by about 2,000 just before departure. If you can stand it hang on to the last minute to grab a bargain. Just be prepared to rush around getting everything. However Highly recommended. It is superb.

thanks !

really looking forward to it !

Grateful to hear from anybody who felt that their trip to Lapland - Rovaniemi from Bristol ( with Transun) on 10 December was not what it should have been.

We were uinlucky to be on Bus 14 - No thermal boots left at the thermal suit cattle market, so spent the day in our shoes. Did not get to eat lunch until very late in the day, no time therefore to take part in the snowmobiling activity planned for after lunch- which we had paid for. Lots of hanging about between activities as I suspect that we were waiting for other groups to move through.Guide was just overwhelmed by it all.

Went o same trip a few years ago it was great - In my view Transun had far too many flights on this occasion and the activities provided could just not cope with numbers.

Will be complaining to Transun

Thanks

Ed

Hi,

We are wanting to visit Lapland next year, and have been looking at the Inghams ski brochure.
We have been looking at all the organised trips with Cosmos, First Choice etc but am not prepared to pay that sort of money.

Inghams have some good deals, and then you book your excursions separately which to be honest I am more inclined to do.
These log cabins look lovely and am wondering if anyone else has been?
They are located in the village of Yllas.
We would take the half board option and eat in the hotel nearby.
Our kids will be 6 & 8 next year, is this an ok age for a visit to the big fella?
Thanks for your time .