One Thursday afternoon we randomly booked a trip for the following Wednesday — because why not? o overthinking, no months of planning — just pure, spontaneous travel energy.
Before booking, the afternoon disappeared into initial research mode: lights, accommodation, activities, and car hire. And honestly? Everything just seemed to fall into place. With the stars aligned, we locked in the flights and suddenly had a very exciting six days to plan an entire Arctic adventure.
Since we’re flying into Rovaniemi — aka Santa’s hometown — it felt pretty rude not to stop by and say hi. So naturally, we booked two nights nearby. After that, where we’ll spend five nights surrounded by snowy landscapes, quiet wilderness, and (hopefully) some magical winter moments.
With flights and accommodation sorted, it was time to figure out what we were actually going to do once we landed in the Arctic.
Activities quickly became the main focus — reindeer sledding, snowmobiling, chasing the northern lights, and generally embracing the full winter wonderland experience. At the same time, we started piecing together the road trip side of things. Car hire was locked in and routes were loosely mapped out.
At some point during planning, we had a very important realisation: we owned almost zero actual winter gear. Like, “cute jacket but absolutely useless in the Arctic” level unprepared.
So naturally, we did what any last-minute travellers would do — opened Amazon and went into full panic-shopping mode. Thermals, insulated pants, snow boots, gloves… straight into the cart. Every purchase came with crossed fingers and the same silent hope: please arrive before we leave and fit.
During our Amazon binge, we took a step back and reconsidered. With our budget airline flights and limited luggage, hauling bulky winter gear didn’t seem worth it — especially when those Arctic-level jackets would have little use after the trip. So we decided to rent our outer layers and boots instead.
With winter gear finally sorted (or at least en route), it felt like we’d cleared a major hurdle. The countdown was officially on, and suddenly this spontaneous trip was feeling very real — and very cold.
From meeting the man himself at Santa Claus Village, exploring the fascinating Arktikum museum, and checking out the Wildlife Park, to adrenaline-packed fun like snowmobiling, sledding, and ice karting — it’s a full-on winter wonderland itinerary. We’re also looking forward to the SnowVillage, snow tubing, visiting Samiland, and even a classic reindeer safari. Basically, it’s going to be equal parts magical and action-packed. Of course, we’re also keeping our fingers crossed for a bit of magic in the sky — the Northern Lights. Whether we catch them or not, we know the adventure itself will be unforgettable… but secretly, we’re hoping the Aurora Borealis decides to put on a show for us.