Travel

Santa in the Fells: a Kilpisjärvi Family Holiday in Arctic Lapland

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Santa in the Fells: Kilpisjärvi in brief

  • 3 or 4 nights in Kilpisjärvi, with direct flights from 8 UK airports.
  • Full board, transfers, thermal clothing and a private family meeting with Santa included.
  • Find your departure by airport and month, from £1,299 per adult (subject to availability).
  • Finland's most northerly village, under the fells by a frozen lake, with mountains all around.
Parents pulling children on sledges in the snow
Finland's most northerly village, under the fells by a frozen lake, with mountains all around.

Santa in the Fells: Kilpisjärvi is a 3 or 4-night break in the far north-west of Finnish Lapland, well north of the Arctic Circle. Kilpisjärvi sits in the far north-west "arm" of Finland, beside a long frozen lake and under the sacred fell of Saana, just a few kilometres from both Norway and Sweden. You fly direct from the UK, with no change in Helsinki, and everything is included from the moment you land: transfers, full board, thermal clothing and a private visit to Santa.

WhereKilpisjärvi, Finnish Lapland
Nights3 or 4 nights
FlightDirect, about 3 hrs 30
TransferAbout 2 hours
Best forFamilies who love big landscapes
MealsFull board
UK airports8 to choose from
ClothingThermal suit and boots lent

Dates and departure airports

Find your departure

  1. December 2026
  2. Glasgow3 nights · back Sat 5 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  3. London Gatwick3 nights · back Tue 8 Decfrom£1,459per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  4. Bristol3 nights · back Fri 11 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  5. Newcastle3 nights · back Mon 14 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  6. Norwich3 nights · back Thu 17 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  7. Leeds Bradford3 nights · back Sun 20 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  8. Birmingham4 nights · back Thu 24 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  9. Manchester3 nights · back Sun 27 Decfrom£1,659per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  10. Birmingham3 nights · back Wed 30 Decfrom£1,369per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  11. Bristol3 nights · back Sat 2 JanSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  12. December 2027
  13. Glasgow3 nights · back Sat 4 DecLowest pricefrom£1,299per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  14. London Gatwick3 nights · back Tue 7 Decfrom£1,399per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  15. Bristol3 nights · back Fri 10 Decfrom£1,399per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  16. Newcastle3 nights · back Mon 13 Decfrom£1,399per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  17. Norwich3 nights · back Thu 16 Decfrom£1,429per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  18. Leeds Bradford3 nights · back Sun 19 Decfrom£1,429per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  19. Birmingham3 nights · back Wed 22 DecSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
  20. Bristol4 nights · back Sun 26 Decfrom£1,599per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  21. Leeds Bradford3 nights · back Wed 29 Decfrom£1,429per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
  22. London Gatwick3 nights · back Sat 1 Janfrom£1,429per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire

Prices are from, per adult, and subject to availability. Tap Enquire and your trip, airport and date are added to your message for you. Dates disappear once they have left.

What’s included

  • Direct flights from your nearest UK airport to Enontekiö, about 3 hours 30 minutes, with a hot meal on board
  • 18 kg hold luggage and 5 kg hand luggage each
  • Transfers between the airport, your accommodation and every activity
  • Full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Thermal suits and snow boots on loan for your whole stay
  • All the activities listed, with local guides
  • All taxes and air passenger duty
  • A private family meeting with Santa, and a small gift for every child

Your activities

Santa Claus stepping out of a wooden cabin in the snow

A private family meeting with Santa

    Time with Santa in his cabin, just your family. He already knows each child’s name, and every child receives a small gift.

    A snowmobile riding through a snowy forest

    Snowmobile safari

      Adults drive (with a full licence) and children ride as passengers or in a sledge pulled behind the guide.

      A team of reindeer pulling sleighs through the snow

      Reindeer sleigh ride

        A quiet ride through the forest behind a reindeer, the traditional way to travel in Lapland.

        A husky team pulling a sled along a snowy forest trail

        Husky sled safari

          A full-length ride behind an excited team of huskies across frozen lakes and forest trails.

          A family walking hand in hand through a snowy forest

          Tobogganing

            Fast, fun runs down the snowy slopes near the village.

            A group snowshoeing uphill through a snowy forest

            Snow play

              Sledging, snowball fights and snow angels in the deepest, softest snow.

              Where you stay

              Wooden cabins in the snow in Finnish Lapland

              Family rooms, apartments or cosy cabins in a small resort on the edge of the village, where the snow usually lies deep from November.

              Kilpisjärvi sits in the far north-west "arm" of Finland, beside a long frozen lake and under the sacred fell of Saana, just a few kilometres from both Norway and Sweden.

              SWEDENFINLANDNORWAYThree-Country CairnKilpisjärvi2 hr transferKaresuando50 to 60 min transferHetta20 min transferLake Jerisjärvi1 hr 15 transfer✈ Enontekiö airportPallas-Yllästunturi National Park

              Orientation map, not to scale. Every trip flies direct from the UK to Enontekiö, the small airport at the centre of this map, in about 3 hours 30 minutes.

              How the trip works

              WhenWhat happensDetails
              Day 1Fly to LaplandA morning flight takes you straight to Enontekiö. Your guide meets you, and on the way to Kilpisjärvi you collect your thermal suits and boots. Settle in, then a welcome briefing and dinner.
              Days 2 to 3Into the snowYour activities are spread over the stay and timed around the weather and, for the families, around Santa's busy diary. Every day ends with a warm room and a hot dinner.
              Last dayHomeA final morning in the snow, then the transfer back to the airport and your direct flight home the same day.

              Your exact activity timetable is given on arrival, so it can be planned around the weather.

              What to pack

              • Wool or thermal base layers, a fleece and a warm hat for each person
              • Thick socks (several pairs), liner gloves and a neck warmer
              • Lip balm, moisturiser and a phone power bank (the cold drains batteries)
              • A valid passport with at least three months left after your return date
              • Travel insurance

              Frequently asked questions

              Where do the flights go?

              All flights go direct from the UK to Enontekiö airport in the far north-west of Finnish Lapland, in about 3 hours 30 minutes, with no change in Helsinki.

              Which UK airports can I fly from?

              Released departures for this trip fly from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Norwich. Each airport has its own dates, so use the finder on this page.

              What is included?

              Flights with luggage, transfers, full-board meals, the loan of thermal suits and boots, all the listed activities with guides, and a private family meeting with Santa.

              Will the children really meet Santa?

              Yes. Each family has a private meeting with Santa in his cabin, not a queue. Before you travel you can tell Santa's elves your children's names and what they've been up to, and each child receives a small gift.

              Can young children do the activities?

              Yes. Children ride in sledges pulled behind the snowmobile or with an adult on the husky and reindeer rides, and all activities are guided. Ask us about babies and toddlers.

              How cold will it be?

              In December and January temperatures are usually between about -10°C and -20°C, and can drop lower. With the thermal suit and boots on loan, plus your own layers, you'll be warm.

              Do I need a visa?

              No. British visitors can visit Finland for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Your passport needs at least three months' validity after your return date. Check the FCDO Finland advice before you travel.

              How much does it cost?

              Released departures start from £1,299 per adult, subject to availability. The price depends on your airport and date: school holiday and pre-Christmas dates cost more. Every price is shown in the finder on this page.

              How do I book?

              Send us an enquiry with your airport, preferred dates and who is travelling. We'll check live availability and price, hold your places and handle everything in one ATOL-protected booking.

              Keep planning

              Check dates and prices with a Travel Designer

              Tell us your nearest airport, your dates and who's travelling. We'll check live availability and hold your places, all in one ATOL-protected booking.

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