Moi! Welcome to Arctic Circle. Our tour commences in Rovaniemi at either Rovaniemi Airport or Hostel Café Koti. Grab a morning
coffee with your guides before we load you and your luggage into our 4WD van.

Our first stop of the tour is a visit to our friends at the Ilahu Snowsurf Workshop. Here you'll have a tour and talk about snow surfing and you'll learn how their boards are made. https://ilahuboards.com Ilahu boards are designed and made in Finnish Lapland with natural materials and all boards are carefully finished by hand to ensure the highest quality. Ilahu is a Lappish word meaning REJOICE, which you will surely do, once you get hooked on the pure experience of snowsurfing. If you'd like to buy an Ilahu Snowsurf board that you can use during the tour, just let us know and we can put you in touch with Jan. He will handcraft a custom board for you and have it ready to pick up at the workshop when you arrive.

Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland and has a small local ski hill – Ounasvaara, so naturally this is the first resort we'll ride during the tour. It’s neither the biggest nor the highest hill in Lapland but it’s definitely the most beloved amongst Rovaniemi locals. It’s also a great place to warm up if you haven’t been on snow for a while. Here we will spend a few hours exploring the pistes and small tree-ride areas before we finish with some snacks at the resort. We will then commence our journey north across wide open wilderness, frozen lakes and Arctic fells to visit the most northern ski resorts in Europe.

Our next stop is Pyhä Ski Resort, located within the remote Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Pyhä is our base for the next 4 nights and we stay at Hotel Pyhätunturi, a comfortable ski-in/ski-out hotel, just steps from the main chairlift and with incredible views across the Arctic fells.

On arrival to the hotel, we encourage you to settle in to your room and get set up so you’re ready for the adventure ahead. At 6:00pm, meet your guide Antti in the hotel bar for an information session. He will answer any questions and let you know what's in store for the next day, the current weather, run through equipment and answer any questions you have. Then join your guide for dinner and drinks at the hotel bar.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and join your guide for your first day riding at Pyhä Ski Resort. The lifts are just steps from the hotel, and the wilderness is truly on our doorstep. Today you'll explore every inch of the resort with your local guide Antti. Being his home resort, he’ll always have a few surprises and adventures up his sleeve.

This afternoon we will drive to Lake Pyhäjärvi to experience a traditional Lappish smoke sauna and take a dip in an Arctic lake. To start, we'll tell you about Finnish sauna culture and how to enjoy the Finnish style smoke sauna. The classic Lappish way is to spend 5-10 minutes in the sauna and then jump into the ice cold lake water. Switching back and forth between the hot and cold is a ritual with its own raw appeal. Our sauna is located on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi and we have a hole cut in the ice and you can take a dip in the freezing cold water. A cold plunge after a steamy session increases your blood flow, relieves stress and boosts your endorphin levels.

Join us for a night at our lake-side cabin for a traditional 3 course Lappish dinner. Surrounded by your new friends you can relax by the fire in our cozy log cabin. Our local guides will prepare a delicious dinner made with the freshest local ingredients. A typical Lappish meals consists of Lappish bread, cheese and cloudberry jam, Lake Pyhä fish soup or creamy sweet potato soup, sautéed reindeer stew with smashed potatoes, lingonberries and cucumber, followed by berry pie and vanilla sauce.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and meet your guide. Today we will drive to one of the nearby fells located within the Pyhä-
Luosto National Park. We'll spend a half day enjoying one of the favorite local pastimes of snow-surfing in powder on hand crafted binding-less snow-surf boards. Snow-surfing represents a return to the timeless pleasure of gliding, propelled only by gravity. The experience is simple yet infinitely enjoyable. We will choose the spot according to the current weather and snow conditions and try to find untouched powder. We will reach the backcountry with snowmobiles, and then use snowshoes for short ascents after each run. Included is guiding and instruction, Ilahu snow-surf boards, backpack and snowshoes. If snow-surfing isn't your thing, you can always bring your regular snowboard and get some short powder laps in.

This afternoon we will visit a local husky farm where you will get the chance to be a musher in control of your own team of dogs.
Experience the excitement of the dogs as they eagerly wait to pull you at a speedy pace through the breath-taking Lappish
scenery. You'll be instructed how to control the sleds, which you get to ride in pairs. When sharing the husky sleigh on the safari
one person is standing behind the sleigh as a controller and one is sitting on the sleigh as a passenger. Once you return to the
farm, relax by having a chat with the head musher about these amazing northern animals.

After returning to the hotel you have free time. Either join your guides for dinner at one of the local restaurants, or enjoy a quiet
evening relaxing. Keep in mind that seeing the Northern Lights is a common occurrence at this time of year, so keep in touch with your guide for the latest Aurora forecast.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and join your guide for your first day riding in Pyhä. Here the wilderness is truly on our
doorstep. Today you'll explore the best powder-filled freeriding zones within the Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Whether it’s your first time venturing into the backcountry or you’ve done it all before, riding the Pyhä backcountry is an unforgettable experience. We’ll start the day using the main chairlift to gain some elevation then exit the resort. Hikes are short and snow can be deep, which makes for a fun day skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry. When it’s lunch time out here, it’s time to get out of the elements and escape the cold in a ‘kota' which is a traditional Finnish timber hut in the woods where visitors can cook food over the fire. We’ll break for lunch in a kota (lunch not included, guests will need to bring lunch). After lunch, we’ll ride some more and eventually make our way back into the resort. This adventure is suitable for snowboarders and skiers who can comfortably ride off-piste and in the trees and who have a sense of adventure. Included is a single run lift ticket, professional guiding, snowshoes, poles and pack, transceiver, shovel and probe. If you're not confident to participate in the backcountry day, you can explore the slopes of Pyhä Ski Resort.

It's your final night in Pyhä after a massive 3 days of arctic adventures. Your guide will plan a dinner out at one of the nearby
restaurants.

After breakfast at the pack your bags and check out. We'll load the van and take a short drive to the Pyhä Fell where you'll get to
drive your own snowmobile in the forests of Lapland. Our journey takes us through frozen landscapes and arctic forests and on
our way we stop for a quiet break in the nature.

At midday, we drive north. Our second stop for the tour is Saariselkä which is the most northern ski resort in Europe sitting 250km
north of the Arctic Circle. Being so far north, Saariselkä is a prime location for Aurora activity. Our guides will keep a sharp eye on
the Aurora forecast during our stay. On arrival to Saariselkä, we check in to our hotel. Our base for the next 2 nights is Hotel
Riekonlinna, situated next to the Urho Kekkonen National Park, a magnificent Arctic fell that extends to the Russian border. It’s an
amazing slice of Finland, home to bears, wolverines and golden eagles, plus thousands of free-grazing reindeer. On arrival to the
hotel, we encourage you to settle in to your room, unpack and set-up your equipment for the following day.

Tonight, if the forecast looks good, we will chase the Northern Lights (weather and Aurora forecast permitting). Once it’s dark, our guide will take you away from the village glow to the fells of Saariselkä. If nature and weather is on our side, you will get to witness the incredible Northern Lights. We will go to the best spots in the area to view for the Aurora Borealis. You are welcome to bring your own camera and tripod on this trip.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and join your guide for a day riding at Saariselkä Ski Resort – the most Northern resort in Europe. The ski area spans across two incredible Arctic fells. Today we’ll show you the best terrain within the resort boundaries.

In the afternoon will visit with local Sami reindeer herder. In Finland’s northern Arctic landscape, the Indigenous Inari Sámi
community practice a unique form of reindeer herding and fishing based on traditional knowledge of the region’s climate, winds, ecosystem structure and species behavior. Reindeer herding communities here, called siidas, were originally nomadic, but the Sámi began domesticating and herding reindeer.

Join your guide for a 3 course dinner at the hotel (dinner included). After dinner, enjoy a quiet evening relaxing or stay up for Aurora watch! Saariselkä is one of the best places in Finland to view the Northern Lights so clear your diary between 9pm and 1am.

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and depart Saariselkä. This morning, you get to partake in the traditional Finnish past
time of ice fishing on Lake Inari. Your guide Antti will drill a hole through the thick ice with an auger, and you can bait the hook and
wait for a bite and catch a perch or a whitefish. Ice fishing is a quick adventure, due to the cold temperatures outdoors.

After ice fishing we start our drive to Finlands largest resort, Levi. The rode to Levi takes us through the village of Inari which is a
remote northern outpost and the traditional homelands of the Sámi, Europe’s only recognised indigenous people. The village of
Inari is the heart of the Sámi culture in Finland. The Sámi Museum, Sámi Cultural centre and Sámi parliament are all located in
Inari. The Sámi have their own languages and culture, which differ from those of ethnic Finns. In Inari, we visit the Sámi Museum
and stop for lunch before we continue our drive to Levi.

On arrival to Levi Ski Resort, check-in and get set up for the days ahead. Our base for the next 3 nights is the Break Sokos Hotel
Levi, located in the main village and just a short walk to the chairlift. Your hotel room in Levi is uniquely Finnish, having a private
sauna in each room! Making it perfect for recovery and relaxation. Levi is one of the largest ski resorts in Finland and its known for
its world-class slopes, restaurants and the mother of all après ski. Levi offers something for everyone, and the exceptional quality
of the in-bound runs and park makes Levi one of the best resorts in Finland. Tonight you can either join your guides for dinner at
one of the local restaurants, or enjoy a quiet evening relaxing.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and join your guide for your first day riding at Levi Ski Resort. We’ll spend a full day riding the
slopes and off-piste routes at Levi and show you the best terrain within the resort boundaries.

Legendary after ski! The V'inkkari bar is the most famous apres party in all of Finland and is definitely worth dropping into for a shot of Minttu or three. Even if you're not into drinking, the DJ alone is absolutely worth checking out.

After breakfast at the hotel, gear up and join your guide. Today we make the 40-minute drive to Ylläs, the largest resort in Lapland
and Finland. Ylläs is a free-riders dream with plenty of access to off-piste areas. Plus, there is four different terrain parks, wide and
well-groomed runs, and an incredible backdrop for making those perfect turns. We’ll spend a full day riding the slopes and offpiste
routes at Ylläs and show you the best terrain within the resort boundaries. After a long day riding at Ylläs, we drive back to
Levi.

For our final night in Levi, you will enjoy an evening of authentic Lappish food at an underground restaurant that serves traditional
delicacies besides an open fire (dinner is included, drinks are extra. Allergies and special diets can be catered for). In the
background, you can enjoy the yoik music and Lapland stories.
March

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and depart for Rovaniemi. Our tour concludes in Rovaniemi. We say goodbye and
transfer you to your hotel or Rovaniemi Airport.