Lapland beyond 25 December with Activities Abroad

Dec. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- You’ve feasted on turkey and you’re full of mince pies, the Christmas tree is about to come down and there’s a list of thank-you letters to be written. Throughout the post-Christmas lull, chances are that Lapland won’t be on your mind. But it really should be, according to Activities Abroad.

For many, Lapland’s idyllic landscapes will provide a welcome relief to the Christmas frenzy. All Santa-seeking families will be gone for another year, leaving behind a Lapland free from the crowds.  Team up with a handful of huskies on a dog-sledding adventure, and you’ll find yourself getting fit and seeing Lapland at its very best – empty and enticing – as the days get longer and temperatures increase.

Activities Abroad offers a complete range of husky-sledding trips across both Finnish and Norwegian Lapland. The level of intensity differs – from an overnight trip to a hardcore 250km safari – as does the accommodation, ranging from wilderness cabins (with traditional saunas) to an ice-locked schooner.

Here are just a few of the husky-sledding adventures offered by Activities Abroad:

The one-night introduction – from £1,645 pp and £1,235 per child (12-14)*
Whether you’re a dog-sledding novice – or just keen to try out a selection of winter activities – the Harriniva Winter Wilderness Week is ideal for anyone aged 12 or upwards. Harriniva, 230km north of the Arctic Circle, is renowned for its dog-sled centre and so, although this is a ‘taster trip’, you’ll definitely be experiencing the real thing. Other activities include snowmobiling through Fell Lapland, a visit to a reindeer farm and a reindeer safari.
Departs Jan-April. *Price includes flights (London), transfers, seven nights’ full-board accommodation (six nights hotel/one night wilderness cabin), activities above, cold-weather clothing and guides/instructors.

The short safari – from £1,495 pp*
Starting and ending in Särkijärven Majat, the Muonio – three-day husky safari is ideal for those who are short on time but still keen to get stuck in. Mush through snow-covered forests and across frozen lakes, stopping for picnic lunches around a campfire and in wilderness cabins overnight. The first day covers a gentle 25km, while days two and three cover between 30-50km.
Departs Jan-April. *Price includes flights (Heathrow via Helsinki), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation (four nights cabin), a three-day husky safari, cold-weather clothing and guides/instructors.

The Champion-led trip – from £1,675 pp*
If you want to learn to mush huskies properly, Sven Engholm’s your man – he’s won Europe’s longest dog-sled race (Finnmarksløpet) 11 times and finished in the top ten in North America’s 1,800km Iditaro race. His husky farm is the starting point for the Karasjok – three-day husky adventure, which takes guests out into the wilderness of Norwegian Lapland, across frozen lakes and marshland and through the Sámi herders’ winter pastures.
Departs Jan-April. *Price includes flights (Heathrow via Helsinki), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation (two nights log cabin/two nights wilderness cabin), a three-day husky safari, cold-weather clothing, Arctic sleeping bag and guides/instructors.

The trip to the far north– from £1,965 pp*
Mush across the Svalbard Island of Spitsbergen – halfway between Norway and the North Pole – where glaciers make up 60% of the land mass. This three-day husky safari takes you from Longyearbyen to the Noorderlicht – an ice-locked schooner in Tempelfjord that doubles as one of the world’s most unusual hotels. Spitsbergen’s remote location makes it perfect for nature lovers, who may catch a glimpse of Svalbard reindeer, Arctic fox and polar bears.
Departs Feb-May.*Price includes transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation (two nights hotel/two nights on the Noorderlicht), a three-day husky safari, cold-weather clothing, CO2 tax (invested in forestry projects) and guides/instructors. Flights extra.

The real adventure – from £2,745 pp*
This nine-day/11-night Harriniva husky expedition will appeal to those looking for a proper adventure. You’ll cover around 250km in total, from Finland’s Muonio to the village of Kilpisjarvi, on the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian borders. There’s time to get to know your huskies and perfect your technique as you work your way north-west, swapping Finland’s snowy forests for vast uninterrupted snow-covered Sámi plains.
Departs Feb-April. *Price includes flights (Heathrow via Helsinki), transfers, eleven nights’ full-board accommodation (three nights hotel/eight nights wilderness cabin), a nine-day husky safari, cold-weather clothing, Arctic sleeping bag and guides/instructors.

Says Stephanie Eddy, Marketing Manager of Activities Abroad, “All of the safaris require a certain level of fitness, with guests expected to help out with the huskies. You can’t expect luxury living, but you can look forward to unforgettable experiences, spectacular scenery and (hopefully) an appearance from the Northern Lights, as you head away from all light pollution into prime Aurora Borealis-viewing territory.”

Contact Activities Abroad on 01670 789 991 (http://www.activitiesabroad.com).  

ENDS – 28 December 2011

For press enquiries or photography:  please contact Helena Hamlyn or Richard Mellor at Travel PR, tel: 020 8891 4440, email: h.hamlyn@travelpr.co.uk or r.mellor@travelpr.co.uk

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