Luxury Lapland Family Adventures with Santa

Arrive in Finnish Lapland to a snowy welcome at Rovaniemi Airport, where your private transfer awaits. You’ll be driven through the wintry forest to the Arctic Treehouse Hotel, where a stylish Arctic Glasshouse awaits your family. These private cabins offer the perfect blend of luxury and warmth, with a private sauna, fireplace, kitchenette and floor-to-ceiling views across the treetops. After settling in, head to reception to collect your full winter clothing package, ensuring you’ll be warm and well-equipped for the week ahead.

Enjoy your first evening with a hearty dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, which offers contemporary takes on traditional Lappish cuisine. Children can try familiar dishes alongside local favourites while parents enjoy an introduction to Nordic flavours. With minimal light pollution and clear skies, you may even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights above the trees. Tonight is all about arriving, unwinding and easing into the rhythm of Arctic life, surrounded by snow, silence and the magic of Lapland at Christmas.

After breakfast, get ready for a full day of festive wonder. Begin with entrance to Santa Park, an atmospheric underground world filled with elves, crafts, gingerbread decorating and storytelling. This magical attraction is one of the most loved festive experiences in Lapland and is especially enchanting for children under ten.

In the afternoon, your driver will escort you to a hidden Toy Factory in the forest for a truly private family experience. You’ll be greeted by playful elves who guide you through their snow-covered workshop before leading you to meet Father Christmas himself. With no crowds or queues, the children will enjoy uninterrupted time with Santa, who will already know their names and favourite things. Each child receives a small gift, and photographs are included to capture the moment.

Return to your Glasshouse in time to relax before dinner. Perhaps unwind in your sauna or enjoy a hot chocolate by the fire as the snow falls outside. This day is pure Christmas magic brought to life.

Wrap up warm and head out after breakfast for a true Arctic highlight: husky sledding through the forest. After meeting your team of enthusiastic dogs and learning how to handle the sled, you’ll set off in pairs with one adult driving and the other riding. The trail winds through snowy landscapes, past frozen trees and across wide-open stretches of wilderness. The energy of the dogs, the silence of the snow, and the thrill of gliding through Lapland makes this a memory you’ll treasure.

Lunch is included during the excursion, usually served around a fire with hot drinks and warm dishes. Return to the hotel in the early afternoon and relax as the light begins to fade.

After dinner, your Northern Lights adventure begins. You’ll travel by private sled with a local guide, heading deep into the forest in search of clear skies and Aurora activity. Stop at a traditional Kota or campfire for warm drinks and stories about the lights. Whether or not the Aurora appears, the experience of travelling through the dark, quiet forest by sled is nothing short of magical.

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll check out of your Finnish base and begin a scenic cross-border journey into Swedish Lapland. Your private transfer takes you through vast winter landscapes as you head north-west to Arctic Retreat, an exclusive riverside lodge tucked away in the forest near the Råne River.

Your new home is a traditional timber cabin with a private sauna, outdoor hot tub and roaring fire. Each cabin is beautifully furnished with rustic Scandi charm and offers sweeping views across the frozen river. Upon arrival, you’ll meet your local host, settle into your cabin, and enjoy a hot drink or perhaps a snowball fight just outside the door.

Dinner is served in the main lodge, where meals are lovingly prepared using regional ingredients like smoked fish, cloudberries, or reindeer. Evenings at Arctic Retreat are calm and cosy. After dinner, unwind in the sauna or soak under the stars in your private hot tub. With minimal light and wide horizons, this is another excellent location for spotting the Northern Lights.

Fuel up with breakfast before heading out on a thrilling snowmobile safari. Guided and completely private, this family-friendly experience begins with a full safety briefing. Adults will drive while children ride in a heated sled pulled behind. You’ll travel through forests, across frozen lakes and into valleys blanketed in untouched snow. Along the way, your guide may stop for a warm drink and stories about local wildlife and culture.

Return to the lodge for a warming lunch before a more homely afternoon experience. You’ll join your local host in the kitchen for a traditional Swedish baking session. Learn how to make cinnamon buns or other Nordic treats, with the scent of spices and warm dough filling the air. Children are welcome to take part at their own pace, with floury fingers and plenty of smiles guaranteed.

Spend the late afternoon as you choose—sledding, reading by the fire or enjoying a hot tub soak before dinner is served again in the main lodge. This day blends adventure with cosiness and gives you a real taste of Swedish hospitality and life in the north.

Your final full day in Lapland begins with a very special visit to a local Sami family. Travel to their remote homestead and be welcomed with warmth and kindness into a world where tradition still shapes daily life. You will meet the family’s reindeer, learn about the vital relationship between the Sami people and these gentle animals, and hear first-hand about the challenges and beauty of living in the Arctic. Children can feed the reindeer and listen to Sámi stories while gathered around a fire.

This intimate cultural exchange offers valuable insight and a deeper connection to the land you’ve been exploring. After returning to Arctic Retreat, enjoy your final afternoon at leisure. You might wish to go snowshoeing, try cross-country skiing or simply relax indoors.

Your farewell dinner this evening is a celebration of the week you’ve shared—warm, unhurried and full of flavour. Raise a glass, share your favourite memories, and step outside one last time to look for the Aurora.

After breakfast, your hosts will assist with your private transfer to Luleå Airport for your onward travel. This peaceful journey through the snow-covered forests is a final reminder of the beauty and stillness you’ve experienced. Whether your highlights were meeting Santa in his secret Toy Factory, racing across frozen lakes on snowmobiles, or baking together in a cabin kitchen, this has been a Christmas your family will talk about for years to come. Return home with full hearts, rosy cheeks and treasured moments from a week of connection, nature and Nordic magic.