Trip the light fantastic
For the ultimate winter adventure, head north to the subarctic wilderness of Finland’s Lapland and seek out the mesmerising Northern Lights
THE LIGHTS Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are a bucket-list travel experience made even more special as there is no guarantee they will actually appear. A naturally occurring light display, caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere, they only appear in the sky on clear nights when there is plenty of solar activity. If you’re one of the lucky ones, they can come out to play for up to two hours, dancing their way across the sky like a bright ethereal beam of green light (they can also be orange, purple and many shades of red, pink, blue and yellow) that ripples across the horizon, merging and then tearing apart, lighting up the countryside below. It’s an awesome sight.
SNOWMOBILES AND SLEIGHS The Northern Lights aren’t the only attraction of Finnish Lapland – the countryside is incredibly beautiful too, a vast expanse filled with great lakes and frozen forests, covered in a snowy blanket that glistens in the sun like a thousand diamonds. There are lots of ways to see it. For adrenalin-pumping fun, pull on a helmet and roar off through the countryside on a snowmobile, following a guide through the pine forest and across a frozen lake. Or go for a reindeer ride and let these enchanting animals trot you through the forest in a blanket-strewn sleigh – utterly magical.
MUSH! As night falls, it’s time for a husky ride. As you approach, the dogs howl with excitement – they are bred to run and ready to be cut loose. They’re beautiful animals, wolf-like, with piercing blue eyes and soft fur coats. Each sledge is pulled by six dogs. You stand on narrow wooden slats at the back of the sledge and hold tight as you shoot off into the forest. The huskies are fast, reaching speeds up to 20km an hour (the sledge is fitted with a foot break that you tread on when you need to slow down). Small groups of around ten sledges whizz off in a line across the moonlit lake and along a narrow track that twists and turns through the tall pine trees. The exhilarating ride lasts about 40 minutes and, if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the Aurora shining in the sky above you.
WHERE TO STAY Located in the heart of the Finnish wilderness, Torassieppi is a small hotel known for its isolated location on the shores of a frozen lake. There’s little light pollution, giving you a great chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
The hotel is made up of a scattering of wooden cabins nestled into the pine forest that line the shores of the lake. If you make one of the cosy cabins home for a few days, there are loads of activities to keep you busy during the day, before you spend the night watching for the Lights. Each cabin has a small living area to relax in and plenty of space to hang your winter gear.
But also book a night in one of the glamping-style Aurora Domes. Made of insulated canvas, one side of the dome tent faces out over the frozen lake. There’s a wood-burning stove for a lovely fireside glow and a huge double bed strewn with fluffy pillows and chic throws that’s the perfect place from which to take in the snowy scenery.
Complete with rustic restaurant and roaring fire, the main lodge is the hotel’s hub where guests meet to begin all the winter activities and for a glass of wine and dinner in the evening. And of course there’s the sauna where you can unwind after a long day in the wilderness.
A few miles away, the more formal sister hotel, Jeris, has a year-round plunge pool cut into the side of the lake, where intrepid visitors can hop in for a bracing dip before heating up under a hot shower.
EAT Outdoor activities in the cold are hungry work and the hotel’s main restaurant dishes up buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning, feast on creamy porridge, eggs and the famous Finnish Karelian pie, a rather interesting rye pastry, stuffed with rice and cheese; tuck into hearty soups and salads for lunch; and enjoy rich stew and potatoes for dinner. Throughout the day, swing by the lodge for a huge slice of freshly made chocolate cake and a steaming mug of hot blueberry juice ( sekamehu).
For a completely different experience, walk through the forest to a huge wooden wigwam ( known as a kota) for dinner. Take a seat at the shared table while the chefs cook over a huge fire pit that also warms the hut. If you like your cocktails chilled, wrap up and enjoy a drink in the Ice Bar. Built into a huge neon-lit igloo, choose from a vodka martini or the local firewater, Jaloviina – the perfect start to the evening.
THE LOWDOWN The best time to go is January to March, as spring approaches. Still, Lapland is very cold (think -12°C at night; about 5°C in the day), so pack for maximum warmth and do include thermals. For the evening, it’s all about wrapping up as much as possible, although the hotel will provide you with extrainsulated clothing when you go out to watch for the lights. If it’s sunny in the day, you’ll need sunscreen and good sunglasses.
To photograph the lights, the best way is to use a slow exposure on an SLR with a tripod. If you don’t have this, download the Northern Lights Photo Taker app for 99p. It will help you capture a sense of what you see. And for the most up-to-date Aurora spotting info, the free My Aurora Forecast app will let you know the percentage chance of seeing the lights every night.
Artisan Travel’s Torassieppi Tailor Made holiday has departures throughout January to April with prices starting from £955pp (two sharing), including flights (from London), transfers, three nights’ half-board hotel accommodation, and cold weather clothing for the duration. An additional night in an Aurora Dome can be added from £173pp. All guided activities are optional and priced as extra, such as the Panorama Snowmobile Safari from £96pp, Husky Aurora Adventure from £125pp, and Reindeer Aurora Experience from £109pp. For more information and booking, go to artisantravel.co.uk.