Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is thermal clothing included in the safari?

Thermal clothing is included in all of our safaris, unless otherwise mentioned. The thermal clothing include warm overalls, boots and woollen socks, gloves, scarves and hats. For snowmobiling we also provide helmets and balaclavas.

2. Can I rent the thermal clothing without taking part on your safaris?

Yes you can. We rent out our thermal clothing for the price of 24€/person for day+night.

3. Will we see the Aurora Borealis for certain?

Since the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and don’t have timetables, we can never guarantee that they will be visible. We always carry on with the safaris regardless of the weather, since it can change very fast here in Lapland. We do not refund the safaris, even if the Northern Lights are not visible.

4. Can children participate on the snowmobile safaris?

Children are welcome to join our snowmobile safaris unless otherwise mentioned. They will be travelling in a sledge pulled by our guides snowmobile. Children over 140cm tall can sit on the back of the snowmobile as passengers, when they pay the adult price for the safari.

5. How will the children travel on the husky safaris? (notice that this applies to ROVANIEMI husky safaris)

This depends on the excursion. Children will mainly travel on one big husky sledge. Due to safety reasons, the staff at the husky farm is entitled to decide whether the child will travel on the big sledge or a small one. During Husky Safari 10km adults drive the sledges in pairs and all the children are together in one big sledge that the guide from the Husky Farm is driving. During Family Safari with Huskies 3km the whole family (max. 2 adults + 2 children) can be in one sledge.

6. Do children get a discount?

Children aged 4-14 years are entitled to a 25% discount during the period of 1st Dec – 7th Jan and 50% during other times. Children under 4 years old participate free of charge. Please note that different prices apply to husky and reindeer safaris.

Even though teenagers 15-17 years old are considered as adults, they are not allowed to drive the snowmobiles or required to sign the commitment form.

7. Do I need a driver’s licence for snowmobiling?

According to Finnish law you are allowed to drive a snowmobile if you have a valid driving licence with a classification of minimum T, A1, A or B. Generally this means that you need to be over 18 years old and have a valid driver’s licence to drive a car or a motorcycle. The information in a foreign driving licence must be written in the Latin alphabet and indicate the right to drive or there must be a translation of the information by a reliable party, such as an authorised translator, into Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, German or French. NOTE! Take the driving license with you on the snowmobile safaris as the Police may check the validity of the license during the safari.

8. How do I make a booking?

You can book safaris directly from our online webstore at www.laplandsafaris.com where you can also make the payment online. You can also book safaris directly at our office upon your arrival, but we cannot guarantee availability for late bookings.

You can read from this link our terms and conditions.

9. What if it’s cold outside?

The winter in Lapland is always cold. We do not cancel our safaris due to weather conditions. If the weather is -20C or below, the children will be transferred to venues by car in our snowmobile safaris. This is purely for safety reasons.

If the weather is very cold, we recommend you to not use any lotions or moisturisers on your face!

More layers of clothing will keep you warm.

10. What if I crash the snowmobile? What is the self-liability waiver?

The driver of the snowmobile is held liable for damages caused to the vehicle. The maximum personal liability is 980€ per person/snowmobile/accident.

The self-liability waiver reduces the amount of maximum self-liability from 980€ to 150€. The self-liability waiver costs 20€ per driver and per safari and can be bought at our webstore for all our snowmobile safaris, or on spot before the safari. The self-liability waiver is personal.

11. Can I join if I’m pregnant?

Our snowmobile and husky safaris are not suitable for pregnant women due to the vibrations of uneven tracks and the exhaust fumes of the snowmobiles.

12. Can I join if I’m in a wheelchair? (notice that this applies to ROVANIEMI safaris)

If you are comfortable sitting on a sledge, you can participate on the following snowmobile safaris:

Snowmobile Safari to Wilderness


Fishing Experience by Snowmobile


Aurora Borealis Safari by Snowmobiles - From December to February


Aurora Borealis Safari by Snowmobiles - March

In Rovaniemi the husky safaris are suitable for clients with wheelchairs, but the reindeer safaris are not.

Please note that participating on these safaris always depends on the condition of the individual.

13. Do I get to drive my own snowmobile for the safari?

The prices of our snowmobile safaris are always per person, when two persons are sharing one snowmobile.

If you wish to drive your own snowmobile on the safari, you can purchase the single driving supplement. The single driving supplement costs 50€/1-4h and 85€/4+ hours. This is personal and added to the price of the safari. You can purchase this supplement when booking any snowmobile safari online.

14. Can I get the single driving supplement for the husky safari?

Depends on the excursion and destination. Please, contact us using the Chat / Help tab of the site and tell us which safari you want to book, when and in which destination and we will contact you as soon as possible.

15. Will it be dark in the evening?

In the middle of winter in Lapland the sun can only be seen a couple of hours during the day. Have a look at the article titled Hours of daylight in Lapland on our website.

Here are some approximate examples about the times for sunrise-sunset in Lapland:

Rovaniemi:


Mid-December 11:00-13:30


Mid-January 10:30-14:30


Mid-February 8:30-16:30


Mid-March 6:30-18:30

Ivalo:
4.12.-8.1. Kaamos time; sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all


Mid-January 11:00-13:30


Mid-February 8:30-16:30


Mid-March 6:30-18:00

We encourage you to take part on our excursions in the dark time of the day too. The wintry forests are mystical in the dusk and dark.

16. How long does the winter season last?

Our winter season starts December the 1st and lasts until the 15th of April. There isn't enough snow on the ground for snowmobiling, husky or reindeer safaris before and after these times.

Our summer safaris in Rovaniemi, Levi and Saariselkä are operated from the 1st of June until the end of August.

In Rovaniemi, we offer some excursions in May, September and November too, but it is a very quiet time for us. More information about these safaris are available on request.

17. Will you pick us up for the safari? (notice that this applies to Rovaniemi safaris)

We offer pick-ups from the following places: Arctic Treehouse, Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle, Santa Claus Village (Snowman World, Santa Claus Holiday Village & Nova Skyland - exact pick up point will be confirmed upon making the reservation), Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara Chalets, Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara and Santasport resort.

For other accommodations, the meeting point for the safaris is Lapland Safaris Office in Koskikatu 1 (Rovaniemi city center). Our office is within a walking distance from all the hotels in the center.

We will send you the pick up and/or meeting time by email after the confirmation.

Have a look of the map below to find your hotel and our office.

18. Can I take my own car to the reindeer and husky farms?

The reindeer and husky farms don’t allow walk-in visits. You can only visit these farms by joining our safaris. On our safaris we will transfer you to the farms as a group due to organisational reasons.

19. What if I’m late?

The meeting time for our safaris is always before the starting time of the safari. The safari starting time is the time when the whole group is clothed and ready to go. We will not keep the whole group waiting for customers arriving late.

20. Can I pay by credit card?

Lapland Safaris accepts the following credit cards: Visa, Visa Electron, American Express, Master Card, Maestro and Diners Club International.