One Day in Saariselkä: A Winter Itinerary
If you only had one day in Saariselkä, these are two of the things we would tell you to do: a reindeer safari and the toboggan run on Kaunispää. You’ll still have time for lunch in town and, if the weather cooperates, a chance to look for the Northern Lights that night.
We spent three nights in Saariselkä, so this itinerary is based on the activities we’d tell our friends if they were there for one day.
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Morning: Reindeer Safari
Start the day with a reindeer safari. Before our tour, we were given heavy winter coveralls and had time to get close to the reindeer, feed them and take photos before getting into the sleds.
The best part for us was the ride itself. Once we got going, there were no roads or buildings around us, just snow and forest. It took us somewhere we never would have been able to get to on our own.
After the ride, we went into a small hut for hot berry juice and little ginger cookies. This was our first introduction to hot berry juice in Finland, and we spent the rest of the trip hoping every outdoor activity would end with it.
What we’d do now: Book a reindeer safari early in the day so you still have time for Kaunispää that afternoon.
Midday: Warm Up and Have Lunch
After a couple of hours outside, you’re going to want some time indoors before heading back out. We had lunch at a small place in Saariselkä and found plenty of the foods we kept seeing throughout the trip, including fish, berries and reindeer. This is also where we had one of the desserts we still remember from Finland, frozen berries served with hot caramel.
Give yourself enough time to warm up properly rather than rushing straight from one outdoor activity to another. We learned very quickly that the cold in Saariselkä can catch up with you.
Afternoon: Aurora Tobogganing on Kaunispää
Spend the afternoon on Kaunispää doing one of our favorite things from the entire trip. Aurora Tobogganing is the longest toboggan run in Finland, stretching about 1.8 kilometers down Kaunispää. You take the chairlift up and ride a toboggan back down.
When we visited in 2017, the whole setup was much more informal. Today the run is operated by Saariselkä Ski & Sport Resort, and you’ll need a lift ticket, sled and helmet. Check the resort’s current hours and prices before planning your day. I’m afraid of heights, so the open chairlift was my least favorite part. The ride back down made it worth it.
If you want to do several runs, leave a good portion of your afternoon open for this rather than trying to squeeze it between other activities.
Evening: Dinner and a Chance to See the Northern Lights
Once it gets dark, have dinner and keep an eye on the sky.
We specifically chose the Star Arctic Hotel on top of Kaunispää because we wanted to see the Northern Lights. Our suite had huge windows, and the hotel had an aurora alert system that was supposed to wake us if the lights appeared during the night. Unfortunately, it was cloudy throughout our stay and we never saw them.
That’s also why I wouldn’t build your entire day around seeing the Northern Lights. You can choose a good location and give yourself the best opportunity possible, but the weather still has the final say.
If seeing the aurora is one of the main reasons for your trip, I’d stay in Saariselkä for more than one night.
If You Have More Than One Day in Saariselkä
If you have another day, add a snowmobile tour. I drove my own snowmobile when we went, while Lisa and Dylan rode in a covered sled behind one of the guides.
We’d also leave more time on another trip simply because three nights didn’t give us much flexibility with the weather. We went all the way to Finnish Lapland hoping to see the Northern Lights and had clouds every night.
For everything else we did, where we stayed and what we’d change next time, read our Saariselkä Travel Guide.
Planning your dates? We did this trip just after Christmas, but later winter brings more daylight while still giving you plenty of snow. Our Best Time to Visit Saariselkä guide breaks down the differences.
Hear More About Our Trip to Finnish Lapland
We talk about our Saariselkä trip on the getAwayZ podcast, including how unprepared we were for the cold, the activities we loved and why we’d still go back even though we never saw the Northern Lights.
Planning More Finland Travel
Planning a longer trip to Finland? Our Finland Travel Guide has more ideas and practical information to help you plan your trip.
If you’re combining Finnish Lapland with Helsinki, we spent a day in the capital after flying back from Ivalo. Our One Day in Helsinki guide covers what we were able to see and do with just one day.
