Santa on the Border: Karesuando in brief
- 2, 3 or 4 nights in Karesuando, with direct flights from 11 UK airports.
- Full board, transfers, thermal clothing and a private family meeting with Santa included.
- Find your departure by airport and month, from £1,279 per adult (subject to availability).
- A village split between Finland and Sweden, with two time zones and one river.
Santa on the Border: Karesuando is a 2, 3 or 4-night break in the far north-west of Finnish Lapland, well north of the Arctic Circle. Karesuando straddles the Muonio river: the Finnish side is Karesuvanto and the Swedish side Karesuando, and the clocks change by an hour when you cross the bridge. 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.
Dates and departure airports
Find your departure
- November 2026
- Manchesterfrom£1,289per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- London Gatwickfrom£1,289per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- BristolSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- BelfastSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- December 2026
- BirminghamSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- Leeds BradfordSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- London Gatwickfrom£1,389per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Glasgowfrom£1,699per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Liverpoolfrom£1,389per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- BristolSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- London GatwickSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- Birminghamfrom£1,599per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Bristolfrom£1,399per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- BirminghamSold outAsk us for a similar dateAsk us
- November 2027
- London Gatwickfrom£1,319per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- ManchesterLowest pricefrom£1,279per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- BelfastLowest pricefrom£1,279per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- December 2027
- Leeds Bradfordfrom£1,349per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Aberdeenfrom£1,349per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Exeterfrom£1,349per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- London Gatwickfrom£1,349per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Liverpoolfrom£1,349per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Teesside Internationalfrom£1,419per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Bristolfrom£1,529per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Birminghamfrom£1,599per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- London Gatwickfrom£1,449per adult · Subject to availabilityEnquire
- Birminghamfrom£1,449per 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
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.
Snowmobile safari
Adults drive (with a full licence) and children ride as passengers or in a sledge pulled behind the guide.
Reindeer sleigh ride
A quiet ride through the forest behind a reindeer, the traditional way to travel in Lapland.
Husky sled safari
A full-length ride behind an excited team of huskies across frozen lakes and forest trails.
Optional: a night in an igloo
Add a night sleeping in a snow igloo or glass igloo under the stars.
Where you stay
A hillside lodge above the village with hotel rooms, timber family cabins and apartment-style houses for larger families or groups.
Karesuando straddles the Muonio river: the Finnish side is Karesuvanto and the Swedish side Karesuando, and the clocks change by an hour when you cross the bridge.
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
| When | What happens | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fly to Lapland | A morning flight takes you straight to Enontekiö. Your guide meets you, and on the way to Karesuando you collect your thermal suits and boots. Settle in, then a welcome briefing and dinner. |
| Days 2 to 3 | Into the snow | Your 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 day | Home | A 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 Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Manchester and Teesside International. 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 £1,279 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
- All Santa holidays in Lapland
- Finnish Lapland holidays
- Northern lights holidays
- Lapland tours compared
- Swedish Lapland guide
- Escorted tours of Finland
- Finland holidays
- Tailor-made holidays
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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