Ice cool adventures in the Arctic capital of Lapland

Step on the gas and head to winter trails

Is the speed burning in your veins and you are longing for an adventure on the rally track? You can try driving at Santa’s Motorsport Ice Karting track, where you can drive Italian CRG karts. Kimi Räikkönen and Max Verstappen, among others, have started their career with similar karting cars.

Not enough excitement and graving to be a Flying Finn? Lapland Driving designs and implements experiential rally driving programs for individuals and groups with BMW, Mitsubishi, Porsche or Volkswagen rally cars. The driving instructor is sitting on the co-driver’s bench giving driving tips, and when the rally car is under control of the driver, it’s time to head to the starting line. It is also a possibility for each driver to drive against time and find out who performs the fastest.

Snowmobile safaris are available from short rides for beginners to snowmobile safaris lasting many hours in the wilderness.

If you are tempted by snowy trails, but you are wondering about the pace, you should try winter cycling – you can set the pace yourself. Ounasvaara’s winter cycling routes enable a pleasant experience even for beginners and the beautiful scenery is delightful. Bikes can be rented from Rolloutdoors.

Experience the ice and arctic water around you

If you are a water beast and want to challenge yourself in a healthy way, try ice swimming. Swimming in ice-cold water has been proven to increase the feeling of pleasure in the body. When ice swimming is combined with a sauna, the alternation of cold and hot takes care of your body. Not to worry, many people just dip in to the water for short moment, so no need to swim for ages, as you would at summer time swimming. Easy to try at Roiskelle near the city centre, or by exploring options for group winter swimming activities.

If you want to experience the icy water but prefer wearing a bit more than a swimsuit or shorts, you can put on a floating suit and try ice flotation. It is offered, for example, by Safartica. As you can see in their picture below, pretty relax and incredible moment. Icebreaker cruises are also an unforgettable experience, to which you can add any additional services you want.

Snowy hills and ice walls to be conquered

At Pyhä, you can try ice climbing on the ice wall of Tajukangas and by participating in a full-day excursion to Korouoma, the mecca of Finnish ice climbing. The vast majority of Bliss Adventure’s ice climbers haven’t climbed at all before, but even so, the activity is guaranteed to give everyone an experience of success. The main goal is not to climb up to the top, but to surpass oneself. The youngest ice climbers have been five years old and the oldest closer to 80 years.

Ice climbing can be tried at any time between December and early April. Ice is an interesting element that “lives” all the time due to weather conditions, such as fluctuations in temperature and air humidity. So no matter when you go and how many times you try it, there is always something new to explore and learn.

Are you nervous about ice climbing? If so, warm up indoors by visiting climbing center Väki.

Test your arctic skills

If you have walked enough peaceful nature trails and need to upgrade the experience, Lapland Winter Survival may be worth a try. The arctic weather is unpredictable, you never know whether it’ll be -2°C or -40°C. The sky can be clear one moment and then suddenly change into a snowstorm the next moment. In these extreme conditions it’s easy to find a healthy challenge. Finncredible Rovaniemi organizes safari that challenges hikers in the conditions of the heart of winter. The excursions require perseverance and teach survival skills for the winter. Excursions are tailored according to the entry-level for small groups.

Also with Bliss Adventure’s Arctic Survival Skills workshops are a unique opportunity to challenge oneself safely. One will gain not only once-in-a-lifetime experience but also heaps of knowledge: about clothing, nutrition, hydration, equipment and for example also about the psychology of survival.

Interested of other activities, places to visit, restaurants or shopping?