How I Planned My £600 Lapland Trip
Dreaming of visiting Lapland but worried it’ll cost a fortune? You’re not alone. This magical region of Finnish Lapland, home to Santa Claus Village, Northern Lights, and husky sledding adventures, is often seen as a luxury destination. But the truth is, you don’t need a five-star budget to experience it.
In this post, I’ll show you how I spent four incredible days in Rovaniemi — the capital of Lapland — for just £600, including flights, accommodation, and tours. From riding the Santa Claus Express overnight train to driving my own husky sled across a frozen lake, this guide covers everything you need to plan an unforgettable Arctic getaway without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re looking for cheap flights to Rovaniemi, the best budget-friendly Lapland activities, or a few insider tips to stretch your money further, this post will help you plan your own affordable Lapland adventure.
Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, is a magical destination where the natural beauty of the Arctic meets a range of activities that make it a must-see for any traveller. Whether you're looking to experience the enchanting Northern Lights, visit Santa Claus Village, or take in the serene landscapes of the Arctic Circle. While Lapland is often associated with luxury travel, it's entirely possible to explore Rovaniemi on a budget. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best ways to enjoy this winter wonderland without breaking the bank and talk about my trip that cost £600 in total!!
I’m excited to share the details of my trip, but first, I want to acknowledge that not everyone is aiming to travel to Lapland on an absolute shoestring budget. Some people might just be looking for a few ways to save a bit of money without sacrificing comfort—and this article is definitely for you! There are, of course, even cheaper ways to explore and experience Lapland, but personally, I’m at a point in life where I prefer not to stay in hostels or take night buses. Instead, I opted for the basic comforts I need to truly enjoy my holiday.
Starting our trip from the UK has the advantage of cheap Ryanair flights. While there are direct flights from London Stansted (which, let’s be honest, should probably be called Essex Stansted) to Rovaniemi, we opted for a more affordable route via Helsinki. Since we were travelling over the New Year, direct flights were way out of our self-imposed budget. However, a quick search on Skyscanner revealed some great deals—flights from Stansted to Rovaniemi for as low as £55 return.
For anyone travelling from outside the UK, direct flights to Rovaniemi can be tricky to find, and you’ll likely need to fly to Helsinki first. But honestly, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The transfer in Helsinki was seamless, and it ended up being a more cost-effective choice for our trip.
My return flights from London Standsted - Helsinki with Ryanair cost (£72).
We arrived in Helsinki on the evening of December 31st, with a few hours to spare between landing at the airport and the departure of the Santa Claus Express sleeper train. This gave us just enough time to get from the airport to the train station, pick up some supplies from a supermarket for the journey, and take a brief stroll around the station’s surroundings. It was a nice way to stretch our legs before boarding the train
The Santa Claus Express departs from Helsinki Central Station in the late evening and travels overnight, arriving in Rovaniemi early the next morning. The train is designed for comfort, with a variety of cabin options to suit different budgets and preferences. We choose a private sleeping compartment, but there is the option of booking the reclining seats if you're travelling on an extreme budget and you don't need sleep to survive. The private sleeping compartment was very comfortable and we woke up refreshed and full of energy for our first full day in Lapland.
Our return tickets with a sleeper Cabin was £189 in total or £94.50 each. The best thing about taking the sleep train is saving on two night of accommodation.
By arriving in Rovaniemi in the morning and departing the following evening, we only needed to pay for one night of accommodation, which helped keep our trip budget-friendly. We stayed at Guesthouse Borealis, a charming spot that we booked through Hotels.com. At the time, prices ranged from £70 to £151 per night, depending on the season and room type. We paid £89 for a comfortable double room with a private bathroom, which offered great value for money considering the cozy atmosphere and convenient location.
After dropping off our bags at the hotel in the morning, we headed straight to the bus station to catch a ride to Santa Claus Village. The bus ticket cost around £3, and entry to the village itself was free, which was a nice surprise. It was such a charming place, filled with reindeer and that authentic Christmas atmosphere. If you have kids, this would definitely be a magical spot to visit.
The biggest expense of our trip was the tours, but even though you can certainly opt for cheaper activities, I felt the experiences we had were well worth the cost. The first adventure we tried was snowmobiling, which was located just across the road from Santa Claus Village and cost £80 each. It wasn’t the cheapest option, but it was a blast and something I don’t regret doing. Riding a snowmobile through a snowy forest was loads of fun. By the time we finished snowmobiling, it was dark, so we took the bus back into Rovaniemi for dinner. We couldn't resist visiting the world’s northernmost McDonald's—it’s kind of an icon! We ended up going twice during our short trip. While it wasn’t the most authentic food, it was a fun stop, and it definitely helped keep our food budget in check.
Later that evening, we joined a tour to see the Northern Lights. We were picked up from our hotel and taken back to Santa Claus Village, where we were given warm coats and then set out on snowmobiles towing sledges. We ended up in the middle of nowhere (it sure felt like it!), where we sipped hot juice, munched on biscuits, and watched the magical Northern Lights dance across the sky. The tour cost £40 per person, which I thought was an amazing value for such a special experience.
On our second day in Rovaniemi, we indulged in the most expensive activity of the trip: a dog sledding adventure with Bearhill Husky Tours, which cost £150 per person. At first glance, this might seem to contradict the idea of visiting Lapland on a budget, but trust me, it was worth every penny. While there are cheaper dog sledding options available, I can’t recommend Bearhill enough.
They pick you up right in the center of Rovaniemi and take you out into the beautiful wilderness. We opted for the self-drive tour, and it ended up being one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. I’ve always had a love for dogs and the outdoors, so steering a husky-drawn sled across a frozen lake was truly unbeatable. The excitement of controlling the sled while surrounded by the stunning, serene landscape made this experience stand out as a real highlight of our trip.
Bearhill Husky Tours Rovaniemi Review: Self-Drive Dog Sledding
Full Review
If you’re planning a winter trip to Lapland, dog sledding in Rovaniemi is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences you shouldn’t miss. During my visit, I joined Bearhill Husky Tours for their self-drive adventure — and it turned out to be the highlight of my time in Finland. Here’s my full review, including what to expect, what to wear, and whether it’s really worth the money.
After returning from the husky tour, we had some time to spare before our train back to Helsinki, so we decided to explore Rovaniemi a bit more. We popped into a local supermarket to pick up supplies for the journey—food for dinner and breakfast that we could enjoy from the comfort of our train cabin.
The next morning, we woke up in Helsinki. With our flight not until the evening, we had the whole day to explore the city.
Price Breakdown – Total Cost: £600 (≈ $770 / €700)
Flights, Train & Accommodation:
£210 per person (≈ $270 / €245)
- Includes return flights from London to Helsinki, overnight sleeper train to Rovaniemi, and one night’s accommodation at Guesthouse Borealis.
Tours & Activities:
- £270 per person (≈ $345 / €315)
- This covered snowmobiling, a Northern Lights tour, and a self-drive husky sledding experience with Bearhill Husky Tours.
Food, Transport & Miscellaneous:
- £120 per person (≈ $155 / €140)
- Average of around £40 per day for meals, local buses, and small expenses.
On average, we spent about £40 each per full day on food, bus tickets, and other miscellaneous expenses, totaling around £120 for the trip. The biggest cost by far was the tours, but they were also the highlight of the experience and really made the trip memorable.
The biggest savings came from opting for more budget-friendly accommodation and avoiding expensive restaurants. If I were to do the trip again (which I definitely would — it was amazing), I would skip the snowmobile tour, as I had already done it in the Alps. Instead, I would use that money to treat myself to a nice meal at a good restaurant.
So, that was my £600 4-day (but really more like 3-day) trip to Finland/Lapland
