Lapland Winter Experience

Beautiful way to experience nature in Lapland

Great snowshoe hike. Our guide Dorian was friendly and accommodating matching the tour to our wishes. The scenery was magnificent and the hike very enjoyable. We had some great laughs sinking into deep snow and trying to get up again.

via Tripadvisor

Nothing

It was chaotic. We were informed only 40 minutes in advance of the pick up time. When we got there (whereas it was mentioned the pick up would be done at our hotel), and had rushed the whole time, nobody took care of us, we eventually were given boots by someone who ‘happended”’to be there, and then, after 30minutes, we were taken by a man to a bus and he drove us to a place. I thought we were joining a group of people at a departure point, but I slowly came to the conclusion they had already left for quite some Time and the poor man was trying to find his way through Winter Lapland, on a place near a frozen lake. After having walked for already 20- minutes, he told us we had to go back and we quickly understood he had taken the (opposite) wrong way. We eventually met with the group, an hour later,they were not happy as they had been waiting for an hour in the cold. What was supposed to be a relaxing walk in the wonderful Lapland ended up being stressful and not enjoyable at all. The staff were super nice though, but the whole organisation was chaos. Also, the Trip Advisor add mentioned “campfire with a guide telling us about wilderness survival over a sausage and blueberry juice…”: it never happened and we got confirmed it had never been part of the plan! The guide accidentally had found matches and therefore could lit a fire for the other customers not to freeze while waiting for us… We are extremely disappointed to have paid 117 euros per person for such a poor service, not corresponding to what Trip Advisor had said it was about. We tried discussing the situation with Nordic Travels, but the communication was equally chaotic: they blamed it on us and wouldn’t acknowledge anything they had done was wrong . We would NOT recommend them, go on your own, Ubers are cheap and the hike is extremely easy (except the moment we were accidentally brought in the wrong direction and ended up on a spot “that was not safe”(quoting the man who was with us, doing his best to bring us to the group but evidently not an expert at hiking on frozen lakes).

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify several important points regarding your experience. You made a same-day booking, and an email confirmation with all necessary details was sent to you immediately after the reservation was completed. The meeting time and instructions were clearly stated in that confirmation. You arrived late at the meeting point. According to our policy, late arrival normally results in missing the tour, as delays affect safety and the experience of other guests who arrived on time. Despite this, we showed goodwill and arranged an alternative transfer so you could still join the activity. This delay explains why the rest of the group had already departed and why the experience may have felt chaotic. It is the responsibility of each customer to arrive on time, both to ensure a smooth experience and to respect other participants. Regarding the barbecue or campfire mentioned in your review: this has never been part of this tour. This is clearly stated on our website, and the information has also been verified with TripAdvisor to ensure accuracy. Any misunderstanding appears to come from an external source rather than our official tour description. Your guide acted appropriately and prioritised safety at all times, which is essential in Arctic winter conditions. While we regret that the experience did not meet your expectations, we do not agree that the situation resulted from poor organisation on our part. The difficulties encountered were directly linked to late arrival and incorrect assumptions about the tour content. We remain committed to providing safe and well-organised experiences and appreciate guests who respect the schedule and guidelines that allow tours to run smoothly for everyone.

via Tripadvisor

Great experience

Erik, Jan and Gaia were the most amazing guides, and the experience was absolutely unbelievable 🙌🏻

via Tripadvisor

A great experience!

Of all the trips we did, this was the BEST! Jane was a fantastic guide, the trip was well organised and care was taken to ensure that everyone had the right equipment to engage in the activity. The views were amazing, I would absolutely do it again, and I would feel confident in booking other trips with Nordic Unique Travels on the basis of this experience.

via Tripadvisor

Memory makers

Haneen from Nordic Unique Travels planned my entire trip for me- I was too busy to do research and she set up my 7 day itinerary from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, with something daily to keep me and my sons interested and hotels that were comfortable and affordable. We had the most friendly people at every step of the way. From gear rental, to transports and guides. Every single person we met was helpful, knowledgeable, and fun. Chris from Greece, Ramiro from Spain, Gabriella, Remy, Fotios, Luka, Eduardo, and so so many more people who took us on tours was incredible kind. We did an amazing afternoon with a Lappish handicraft workshop, learning about local culture from two artists who explained sustainability and culture that brought it all to life for my 8 and 11 year old sons. It was our favorite part, by far. I cannot recommend this company enough, they really went above and beyond for my family.

via Tripadvisor