Like every other dreamer, i also dreamt to take my family on a Finland tour package that became reality in 2024. I am Chinese, studied in Hong Kong and am working in Singapore after marriage. Hi everyone, my name is Ling Zhang, and we had an amazing Finland tour in March 2024. If you have landed on this article of mine, i am assuming that either you are searching for a perfect Finland itinerary or you are looking for a travel company that can offer the best Finland tour package. I know because I did the same research when I was planning the trip with my family.

Because I went through the same phase in the past, I exactly know what information you need to make your Finland tour perfect. Below is the table of content as per which i have structured this article.

1. Category of Finland tour packages as per travelers perspective
   1. Western Finland tour package that includes Helsinki, Porvoo, Turku and some times Oulu
   2. Northern Finland tour package that usually includes Rovaniemi, Ivalo, Inari, Kittila, Kemi etc
   3. Finland tour that includes other countries of Nordic region
   4. Comparison chart of 3 categories of Finland tour package
2. Introduction to Lapland
   1. Must see places in Lapland
   2. Where should one stay in Lapland
3. About Northern lights
   1. Best Places to see Northern lights in Finland
   2. Are igloo stays worth in Lapland?
4. Few Best possible options of Finnish lapland itineraries as per my Understanding
   1. That includes Rovaniemi, Ivalo and Levi
   2. Finland Itinerary that includes Kirkenes King Crab safari (Norway) , Saariselka and Rovaniemi
   3. Itinerary that includes Rovaniemi, Kiruna (Sweden) and Tromso (Norway) by road
5. About my Finland tour package
   1. Planning stage
   2. Booking process
   3. Itinerary of my Finland tour package
   4. My on-ground experience with Finlandtour.fi
6. Finland tour package cost
7. Tips while planning your Finland tour package
8. Pros and Cons of Booking Finland tour package with a travel agency

Before you start planning the perfect Finland tour package, it is very important to understand what you are looking for. Finland as a destination has a lot to offer. Every individual has their own expectations, however, if you have just started your research, you might not know what to expect. As per my understanding, I have categorized the Finland tour package into 3 categories, as below:

The capital, Helsinki, is in western Finland.If you are flying from any international destination, there are more chances that you will land in Helsinki airport only. Helsinki itself is a destination that attracts tourists. The other nearby locations, like Porvoo, Turku, or even Tallinn (Estonia), are regularly visited. The whole country is famous for lakes and you will find amazing Finnish lakes in these regions. So if you are visiting in the summer or autumn, you can consider visiting western Finland.

The Northern Lights tour of Finland is one of the biggest reasons people are travelling to Finland and this is what north is famous for. Yes, northern lights occurs in the northern parts of Finland. The farther north you go, the better your chances of seeing the northern lights.The other famous aspect of the north is Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi. My favourite part of visiting the north was experiencing Sami culture. I had seen movies like “The Last King’ or ‘The other side of ice” and used to think that one day i will visit this place. So yeah, Northern Finland is all about visiting in winters starting from November till 15 th April.

If someone like me is traveling from far, we usually think that we should cover other nearby countries also, and there is no harm. The only thing one should focus is on the itinerary. If you are exploring Scandinavian capitals, then that is a common itinerary in which you visit countries like Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Iceland. This basically includes cities like Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Bergen, etc. However, if you are visiting for Northern Lights, then you have to club other destinations with Finnish Lapland, This depends on your preferences. I have observed that in Singapore people are more keen on visiting Kirkenes for crab safari with Finland tour package. Kirkenes is in Norway and close to Finnish Lapland. People also club Kiruna (Sweden) with Finnish Lapland and sometimes use it to connect Rovaniemi to Tromso via road.

Well, Lapland from the perspective of traveler, especially for someone who is planning to visit, is quite tricky. When I was getting familiar with it through the internet, it took me so much time to understand. Basically, the biggest city of Finnish Lapland is Rovaniemi, which is connected to Helsinki through train and flight. Lapland is the land of Sami people. It is extremely cold, with almost no day light in winters and no night in summers in a few areas. You will find here the frozen sea on which the icebreaker cruise sails in winters for tourists. It becomes extremely expensive in winters due to high tourist footfall. Tourists usually come here to witness the northern lights and meet Santa.Below is the table that i prepared to give you more factual overview of Lapland.

Well, if you have limited time and are wondering the best places to visit in Lapland, let me give you an overview. Please note below are very few places I have mentioned as per my understanding; however, Lapland has a lot to offer.

1. Santa Claus Village: You will see it promoted everywhere. Everyone says we want to visit Finland to visit Santa claus village. This is mainly an amusement park where you can do different activities. You can always meet Santa and visit Santa’s post office. You can do a husky as well as a reindeer sledge ride here. We entered Snowman World because we had kids with us and they enjoyed it a lot. Santa mus restaurant is where we had lunch and it was truly Yummy. Overall, it is a must visit and I know if you are visiting Rovaniemi, you will obviously visit here.
2. Ranua Zoo: Well, usually ignored in many itineraries online, Ranua zoo should be visited. My reason is to see a polar bear. There is only one polar bear in the whole of Finland and that is kept in Ranua Zoo. These are mostly found in Svaalbard and are very rare in other parts of the world.
3. Snowmobile Park in Rovaniemi: If you want to make your tour adventurous, then I will suggest a snowmobile safari. In Rovaniemi, we visited Snowmobile Park for a snowmobile safari. It was perfect and a must do. They’ve been providing tour services since 1999 and have really established a strong reputation in the Finnish tourism market.
4. Saariselka: Kakkslauttanen arctic resort is usually  included in every Finland tour package. But Saariselka is not only famous for Kakkslauttanen; it is also famous for its beautiful lakes. While staying in a resort in Saariselka, you should visit nearby lakes around the area.
5. Kiruna Ice Hotel: Kiruna is one of the most famous cities of Swedish Lapland. Tourists usually come here to explore the ice hotel and meusum. This can also be clubbed with the Finland tour package.
6. Kirkenes Crab Safari: Kirkenes is in Norway and is famous for its King crab safari. Tourists usually club it with their Finland tour package.
7. Kemi: Though not much famous for northern lights, it has a sea. I have seen an option of glass cabins in front of sea, which is quote appealing. Kemi is usually famous for the Icebreaker cruise. These cruises are run by 2 companies, Polar Ice Breaker and Experience 365. This can be a 1-day tour from Rovaniemi.
8. Arktikum Science Museum: Arktikum Science Museum in Rovaniemi offers a fascinating glimpse into the Arctic’s natural history, culture, and environment. It’s a must-visit for learning about Lapland and the indigenous Sámi people.
9. Ounasvaara Ski Oy in Rovaniemi: If you have kids with you and they are interested in Ski, visit this Ski resort at least once. This is around a 30-minute drive from the centre of Rovaniemi and offers exciting skiing activities for kids and adults.

It is very important to plan your stay in Lapland. Especially if you are travelling in the season, you will have to plan it early and wisely. Here are few important places where you can plan your stay in Lapland during your Finland tour package.

1. Rovaniemi: There was nothing to mention about it as it is the hub of Lapland tourism. Anyone traveling to Finnish Lapland will definitely stay in Rovaniemi. However, within Rovaniemi also, there are different locations where you can consider staying. If you have lots of tours aligned in your itinerary, it is always preferable to stay in the centre of the city. You will get restaurants, stores and pickup for your tours from here. There are some resorts like Arctic snow hotel or Apukka resort that are built in out skirts and worth a stay. The stay in Rovaniemi can be a combined one for example, 3 nights in the city and 2 nights in the resort.
2. Saariselka: It is like a Suburb near Ivalo. It is around 3 hours from Rovaniemi. There are few most popular igloo resorts built on this land. One of them is Kakkslauttanen. The first Igloo property of Lapland. Usually travelers experience the igloo stay here. Saariselka is the land of lakes.
3. Levi Skii Resort: It is a landscape that has Skii slopes. Known for its stunning winter landscapes, it offers a wide range of slopes for all skill levels. At least 1 night here is recommended.
4. Kemi: Though not much famous from a stay point of view, however, I really liked the concept of glass cabins in front of the sea. If someone likes this concept, please visit and stay there at least for 1 night.
5. Kirkenes: As already discussed, Kirkenes is in Norway but a 1-night stay in the Snow Hotel Kirkenes is a must. You can enjoy crab safaris or other activities here. Other than the Snow Hotel, one can also stay in the Thon Hotel or Scandic Kirkenes.

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are a mesmerizing natural phenomenon that occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. Visible in high-latitude regions, like Finnish Lapland, they appear as vibrant waves of color across the night sky—often shades of green, pink, and purple. This spectacle is most common during the colder months, typically from September to March, when the nights are long and dark, offering the best chance to witness them.

In Finland, areas like Rovaniemi, Saariselkä, and Ivalo are popular spots to see the lights, with clear skies providing optimal viewing conditions. Many travelers come from around the world to experience this magical display, often combining the experience with activities like staying in glass igloos or enjoying husky and reindeer safaris. The Northern Lights are not just a visual wonder but also a symbol of the Arctic’s untamed beauty.

• Rovaniemi: There are chances of northern lights happening in Finland; however, spotting them from the city centre might be less likely to happen. One has to travel to places where there is no light pollution and more chances of northern lights occurrence. There are tour operators in Rovaniemi who take you to these places far from the city centre.
• Inari: The more you go to the north, the more the chances of seeing the northern lights. Though Inari is not as famous as other destinations in Lapland, however there are actual chances of witnessing northern lights here.
• Kittila: Levi is located in Kittila municipality. There are good chances of northern lights occurrences here. If you are visiting Levi during your Finland tour package, there are chances that you will be passing through Kittila.
• Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park: Known for its stunning landscapes, this national park is also an excellent place to witness the Northern Lights in a peaceful, natural setting.

Well, for someone who has never experienced a glass igloo stay before, it should be an amazing stay. For us, it was a new experience and our whole family was excited. But now if someone asks us to spend a hefty amount for an igloo room, we won’t agree on that.As per my understanding, it is a one-time experience. If we see it from the perspective of northern lights, yeah, there is an extra edge of benefit that you have a chance of witnessing northern lights. If it is your first time and the motive is northern lights watching, you should go for Igloo stay. Usually people stay for 1 or 2 nights, it depends on your Budget and your personal preference.

When I began researching for my Finland tour package, I quickly realized that there were three distinct types of itineraries to choose from, especially if you’re planning a visit during the winter. After gathering all the details, here’s a breakdown of the options that stood out to me:

• Itinerary that includes Rovaniemi, Ivalo and Levi (Basically mains of Finnish Lapland)
• Itinerary that includes Ivalo, Kirkenes, Saariselka and Rovaniemi (a part of Norway & Finnish Lapland)
• Itinerary that includes Rovaniemi, Kiruna and Tromso (Finnish Lapland, Sweden and Norway)

The first and most common option of Finnish Lapland tour package itinerary is exploring the mains of Finnish Lapland. This includes Ivalo, Rovaniemi, Levi and some nearby locations. Mostly this type of itinerary is more popular. It gives you the option of staying in the Igloo resort to witness the northern lights, enjoy snow activities, experience Santa Claus Village, take an icebreaker cruise and hunt the northern lights. Usually 7–9 days for this type of itinerary is enough. Here is an example of this type of itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrival at Ivalo and transfer to Saariselka for an Igloo stay
• Day 2: 2 hours of Snowmobile Activity or other snow activity as per your preference
• Day 3: checkout from Saariselka resort + transfer to Levi + Snow activity + stay in Levi Skii resort hotel
• Day 4: Checkout from Levi Ski resort hotel + transfer to Rovaniemi + checkin and explore the city on own
• Day 5: Santa claus Village tour (Meet Santa, Husky Sledge ride, Snowman World, etc) + northern lights tour by bus
• Day 6: Ice breaker cruise in Kemi and return
• Day 7: Ranua Zoo + Northern lights tour by bus
• Day 8: checkout from hotel + Departure

Please note: if you are landing at Helsinki, you can add Helsinki part in this itinerary on own

• This itinerary includes almost every mail aspect of  Lapland tourism
• There are ample of chances to witness Northern lights
• Gives you an opportunity to visit Santa Claus village and meet Santa
• You get a chance to experience Ice Breaker cruise
• You will always be well connected to Helsinki
• This can prove to be a budgeted option if compared to other 2 options

• You will only be experiencing only 1 country
• Because this is the most common itinerary, you will find everyone doing the same
• You may miss out on opportunities to visit nearby locations even after coming so close to them

This type of itinerary is more common in Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. This itinerary includes the King Crab Safari that is organized in Kirkenes, Norway. The previous itinerary type can be clubbed with this Kirkenes King crab hunt tour.Here is an example of Finland tour package with Kirkenes crab Safari:

• Day 1: Arrival at Ivalo airport (Early morning) + transfer to Kirkenes Hotel + evening King crab safari and meals
• Day 2: checkout from Kirkenes hotel + transfer to Saariselka + check-in to Igloo resort
• Day 3: 2 hours snow mobile safaro or any thing of your preference
• Day 4: checkout from Saarsilka resort + transfer to Rovaniemi + explore on own
• Day 5: Santa Claus Village tour (Meet Santa, cross arctic circle, 500 meters husky sledge, snow man world ticket etc) and Northern lights tour
• Day 6: Ice Breaker cruise to Kemi
• Day 7: Ranua zoo and Norther lights hunt by bus
• Day 8: Checkout from Rovaniemi and departure

• Gives you an opportunity to explore the North eastern Norway which is also very close to Russia
• You can still cover every aspect of  Finnish Lapland
• King Crab Hunt Safari experience is one the type, you wont get this experience anywhere else in the world
• The road from Finland to Norway gives you a glimpse of beautiful landscape of both countries

• Might prove to be a bit more expensive due to distance
• Not actually for Vegan or Vegetarians
• Only allow you to touch and go Norway, not a proper Norway tour

Well, this itinerary lets you experience Lapland in 3 Scandinavian countries. The best part is you can travel from Rovaniemi to Kiruna and from Kiruna to Tromso via road. You will be able to enjoy the beautiful, isolated parts of these countries. At least this appeases me.if some one wants to travel extra mile, they can include Lofoten or Senja in the itinerary.Here is an example of this type of  itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrival at Rovaniemi + Transfer to Rovaniemi Hotel + explore on own
• Day 2: Santa claus village (Meet Santa, Cross Arctic circle, 500 meters husky sledge, snowman World, etc) + northern lights
•  Day 3: Full-day Kemi ice Icebreaker cruise
• Day 4: Checkout from Rovaniemi hotel + Private transfer to Kiruna + checkin to Kiruna hotel + a tour of Ice Hotel + Northern lights tour
• Day 5: Abisco national park tour
• Day 6: Checkout from Kiruna + transfer to Tromso + checkin to Tromso Hotel
• Day 7: Tromso Cable car tour + Northern lights
• Day 8: Whale watching cruise
• Day 9: Checkout and Departure

• You will be exploring 3 major Scandinavian countries Lapland
• You will get to know about Sami culture in depth
• Ample northern lights hunt opportunities
• Road Journey from Finland to Sweden and then to Norway

• Will obviously be expensive than others
• You might not be able to focus on one destination
• You arrive at one destination and depart from other (Might be a positive or negative, depending on Individual case)
• You might to skip igloo stay

Yes, finally, it is about my Finland tour package. So I, my husband Ron and my 3-year-old child Pamela went on the Finland Journey. Our journey started on 22 January 2023, and it was for 8 nights and 9 days. Though it was for a few days, planning took almost a year. I will take you to my journey of planning, preparation and experience of Finland tour package with my Family.

Well, Finland was on the cards. Important was to research the genuine tour company and itinerary. When you are in Singapore, look for options; you wont get many options of tour companies of Finland.There are limited number of agencies like Chan brothers, Eu Holidays, etc. The problem is their rigidity, lack of options and extremely high cost. We tried to contact each and every possible travel agency and tried to get the quote for itinerary as per our requirements. Either they were not ready to move out of the itinerary options they have or they will charge you very high.

We soon realized, we needed a local Finnish travel company that could help us customizing itinerary and give us the best cost. I will tell you one thing: searching for a cooperative local travel agency in Finland is again a daunting task. Either they won’t reply, or if they will reply, it will be a point-to-point answer. So if you are on email, be ready for big chain of emails in inbox. Well, Luckily, we landed on finlandtour.fi one day. Where finally got connected with Tamara and Denny. That was the turnaround for us. They were so cooperative and responsive that we never felt the need to look for any other travel company.

When you decide to book the tour with local destinations vendor, it is obvious to worry about the booking process. In our case, the amount was around a grand and it was not possible to make payment in one go, even via card. Also, we wanted to be sure before initiating the payment. Tamara helped here; she asked for the passports and blocked the hotel rooms even before payment. They also, shared the vouchers for same. They gave us 3 different payments links. Because of our card limit. we could complete the payment in parts within 56 hours. These guys, were quite cooperative.

So the process was :

• Step 1: You finalize the itinerary and confirm the cost
• Step 2: Share your passports on Email and wait for confirmation vouchers
• Step 3: Ask for Invoice
• Step 4: Once You get confirmation voucher, pay via card

We were very precise about our choices. We planned everything as per our requirements and again, a special thanks to Tamara for patiently bearing questions. Here is our itinerary:

• Day 1: We arrived in Heslinki around 13:00 hours. Picked up and transferred from Airport to Radisson blue hotel in Helsinki. It was a free day for us then, and we took rest for the day to charge our batteries for tours ahead.
• Day 2: Had breakfast in the morning at the hotel and then checked out. We were transferred to the airport from the hotel, and then we took a flight from Heslinki to Ivalo. From Ivalo airport, we were picked up and taken to Kirkenes. It took 3-4 hours and then we checked in to Scandic Kirkenes hotel. Around 17:00 we were picked up for Crab Hunt Safari in Kirkenes. Around 23:00, we came back from Crab Hunt Safari.
• Day 3: Had breakfast in the hotel, checked out and transferred to Saariselka for an Igloo stay for 1 night. We reached Saariselka around 14:00. It was Kakkslauttanen arctic resort. We got checked in around 15:30. Our dinner was included in the stay and we enjoyed the rest of the night in resort.
• Day 4: Had breakfast in the morning, checked out of the room, kept our bags at reception and did 2 hours of Snowmobile Safari. After the snowmobile safari, we started for Rovaniemi in a private cab and checked in to our room in Arctic snow hotel. After checkin, we took rest and started our Northern Lights hunt tour by bus in the evening around 19:30. We came back to the hotel around 23:00 after the tour.
• Day 5: Had breakfast in Hotel and picked up for santa claus village around 10:00. We did a husky ride, enjoyed Snowmanworld, met Santa and had lunch. Around 15:00 we returned to hotel and then it was a free day.
• Day 6: After breakfast, we went to pickup point for our Icebreaker cruise tour to Kemi. It took us 2 hours to reach Kemi. After boarding the cruise, we went back to Rovaniemi and reached the hotel around 16:30.
• Day 7: After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and were transferred to Rovaniemi airport. Here we took the flight to Helsinki and were dropped off at our hotel in Heslinki. Here we did 2-hour Helsinki walking city tour.
• Day 8: After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and were taken to Helsinki airport. We took our flight back to Singapore and it was the end of the tour for us.

Well, first of all, let me tell you, Finland was the best destination we have ever been together. As a destination, i will give full marks to the country. Finnish people are also adorable; however, some times you might encounter some rudeness, which obviously can be ignored. Hotel rooms were small and cozy, alike in Singapore. We live in Singapore and we are used to small hotel rooms, so it is not a problem for us.

If you will ask me to review finlandtour.fi, I would give 8 out of 10 points. The sales team was the highlight of their service; they were perfect. Drivers were on time, and the vehicles used were in perfect conditions. The flexibility in designing the itinerary was again perfect. The customer support number was responsive. The only lack we observed is the clarification of timings. We had to connect with them at least 3 times to confirm our timings of pickup.

Well, Finland is expensive; not only the package you book with a travel agency, but also the food and shopping are expensive. The itinerary I mentioned above, with one night Igloo stay, Crab Safari, Icebreaker cruise, snowmobile safari, and Helsinki city tour with all transfers, cost us 11400 euros for 2 adults + 1 child.

This cost is excluding international flights, the cost of which was around 3000 euros. We spent more than 1000 euros on food. So overall we spent around 15 grand in euros for our Finland tour.

When i was planning our Finland tour, i wish some one would have helped me with these tips. Any way, here is your guide:

1. Plan at-least 5 months before your travel to Finnish Lapland, if it is a peak season.
2. Look for a Local Finnish tour company like we did instead of paying lots of money to a travel agent in your country
3. Don’t miss the Kirkenes crab Hunt and Ice breaker cruise
4. Igloo stay is enough for 1 night, as per our experience. Focus on activities instead of igloo stays.
5. Do not plan in groups; instead, the local travel agencies will help you organize and customise your own trip.
6. When you consider cost, it is very important to count the cost of food. Food is expensive in Finnish Lapland
7. Be ready for clothes; it is going to be super chilled in the winter months. If you dont have sufficient, rent it in Rovaniemi.
8. Make sure your husky or reindeer sledge is booked in advance, or you won’t get the availability in peak season.
9. Your hotel in Rovaniemi should be near your pickup points for tour; otherwise,  be ready to walk alot in the winter to reach your pickup point.