Customer Review

Brilliant holiday, highly recommend it to anyone.

Husky sledding was everything that the image and mythology of it suggested it would be. And the level of skill/control that we had to contribute was just enough to make it rewarding but not so much that it became daunting. Crucially, the animals were very clearly properly cared for and enjoying themselves. Reindeer safari was also lovely.

The husky ride was the best activity we enjoyed being in control of our own sleigh and the scenery was magical.

The local guides were excellent - they went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. The holiday overall was a fantastic break, and the fact the Northern Lights appeared for two nights made it very special.

The holiday was memorable, the location awesome and 3 nights out of 4 the Aurora was mind-blowing.

We really enjoyed going off-the-beaten-track in the Super Jeep and walking under a glacier was amazing but seeing the Aurora was definitely the best experience of our holiday. All of it was fabulous. We had a fabulous time. Our guide and driver Ingi was very knowledgeable about the geology and geography of Iceland and this really added an extra dimension to the holiday plus his sense of humour gave us all a few really good laughs. A spectacular place and we'll definitely visit again at a different time of year for a fresh view of all the things we saw at their winter best. Fascinating and fun - thank you.

Seeing the Aurora was definitely the best experience of our holiday. We also really enjoyed going off the beaten track in the Super Jeep and walking under a glacier was amazing. All of it was fabulous.We had a fabulous time. Our guide and driver Ingi was very knowledgeable about the geology and geography of Iceland and this really added an extra dimension to the holiday plus his sense of humour gave us all a few really good laughs. A spectacular place and we'll definitely visit again at a different time of year for a fresh view of all the things we saw at their winter best. Fascinating and fun - thank you.

Excellent holiday all round. The staff at Muotka were all brilliant and made us so welcome. We met some really nice people while we were there and enjoyed our adventures together. Difficult to pinpoint a favourite activity. The husky sledding was amazing. Loved being out in the wilderness and it's something we have never experienced before. The only slight negative for us was the transfer from Rovaniemi rather than Ivalo which took a lot longer but didn't spoil the trip in any way. Appreciate on the day we flew the option of flying to Ivalo was not available. All in all though the whole experience was excellent and something neither of us has ever done before.

This was the best trip we have ever been on. We've only ever made up our own itineraries and travel arrangements in the past, but we were nervous about doing something so adventurous and yet so remote, which is the reason we opted to go via Aurora Zone. Everything was perfect. (Most enjoyable activity): Seeing the Northern Lights, because we had resigned ourselves to the fact that we probably wouldn't, given the weather! Other than that, snowmobiling was great fun whizzing across the snowy landscape. It helped that the group size was very small and the guide was knowledgeable and friendly (Jenny). She even took loads of photos with her own camera and WhatsApped them to us afterwards, which really went above and beyond. The reindeer and husky safaris were also great. Absolutely WONDERFUL trip. We desperately want to go back as soon as we can. We couldn't believe how friendly and welcoming the Harriniva staff were and the lengths they went to to make our experience so special. Also, our rep Katrina was great - we had a bit of an accident on our transfer to the igloo when we realised we had left a pair of walking boots in the van. Katrina rang round at nearly midnight and made sure we got them back, which was much appreciated!

Excellent holiday again! All staff were lovely and it was a lovely surprise to receive a gift as returned so many times! Food excellent, No reindeer on menu though. Already talking about going back next yr:-)

Overall Holiday Rating: Excellent. I think you can tell that we enjoyed it! Everything was extremely well organised and we didn't have a single problem. The Aurora photography trip coincided with a fantastic display of the lights so we've come home with some amazing photos.

We enjoyed all the activities and each one was extremely enjoyable in its own right. It was just a perfectly balanced holiday. We are both in our 60's but found all the activities very doable and thought the balance between activity and cultural learning was spot on. Jarno, our guide and mentor for the tour was truly amazing. He made Bear Grylls look like an amateur! Whether it was snowmobiles, snowshoes, reindeers or Aurora hunting, he guided our group with great humour and interest. We all admired and respected his knowledge.

We certainly had an amazing time “dancing with the Northern Lights”, everything went perfectly, thank you again so much. Staff were all awesome, very helpful. Absolutely nothing was ever a problem, very happy. One of the best adventure holidays we have ever had, JUST PREFECT!!! The Northern Lights were just amazing; Jarno was extremely good & just unbelievable at tracking down clear skies and the magical Northern Lights. Awesome information & help on setting up the camera to get that perfect photo.

Everything was brilliant from the minute we arrived to the minute we left! I personally enjoyed all of the activities and especially appreciated that there was always something extra included e.g. when we went snowshoeing we stopped and the guide built a fire and we all had hot drinks and on the final night when we had the sledge pulled by the snowmobile in search of the Aurora Borealis we stopped at a Kota and the guides cooked pancakes over the fire. We did every single activity and really enjoyed them all. I'd like to thank everyone involved in this holiday, Dawn who booked it, Sarah the rep in Luosto and every single one of the guides who helped to make this a wonderful unique experience for us all. Thank you all!

Cheryl and I are having an awesome time in Finland, all is going very well.......Katrina has been amazing, she has been extremely helpful, seems nothing is a problem. I have attached some photos taken last night (Friday 5th February 2016) on our “Northern Lights Minibus Tour”, just magical. Thank you once again.....Cheers from far above the Arctic Circle.

Excellent venues and activities. Reps and guides were all excellent and very helpful especially Sara at Muotka and Ben at Nellim. (Most enjoyable activity): Husky safari due to the interaction with the dogs following the ride. I did not expect to be able to interact with the dogs quite as much as they are working dogs but once the harnesses were odd they were very playful. All activities were enjoyable and worthwhile. Fantastic holiday, well organised and will definitely recommend.

Most enjoyable activity: Seeing the Northern Lights and the husky safari... We are dog lovers, it was exhilarating, wonderful winter wonderland scenery.

We found the whole experience stress free; the guides knowledge and enthusiasm infectious. From the start when we looked at the holiday through to the coach drivers, cooks, hotel manager, reps and guides all were helpful, knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble. Each activity was a good experience with the friendly knowledgeable guides Ben, Mia, Anthony, Matais, Matt and the Finnish guide whose name escapes me. The husky day has to be up there due to the unique experience, the quietness, only hearing crunching snow and breathing of the huskies. Each guide we felt safe with. Enjoyed every moment - thank you all.

Your sales team/admin team were fantastic and extremely helpful especially Amy and Dawn. Thanks for sorting out twin beds in the Kota. Am so pleased we chose the Kota rather than the hotel - well worth the extra - thanks Amy for that advice and "nudge"!! The husky trip was the best - the reindeers would have topped this had the ride been longer. That was my wife's view! I loved the snowmobile trip with Juoko, with the huskies a very close second! All were brilliant and amazing!! All of it was exceptional and enjoyed them all! We have travelled to many places but for such a short trip every day was filled with the most amazing experiences ticking many of our bucket list items!! It completely surpassed all of our expectations. We really had no idea what to expect and strangely the Northern Lights became secondary! However, we loved seeing them even though they weren't that spectacular because of the cloud cover but because of the other trips we weren't as disappointed as we thought we might have been when we first arrived.

All excellent and made for a most enjoyable holiday. Hard to choose a favourite activity as all were enjoyable. Everyone went out of their way to make it a very happy and enjoyable holiday.

Thank you to Barry, Dawn and Carol for your superb service. Thanks also for your help and support when Violet had to cancel. Travelling solo was not a problem as everyone was friendly and inclusive. Pease tell anyone who is considering going on their own that it's OK. Most enjoyable: Husky sledge ride! Just fab. Individual evening (dark) snowmobile ride led by Ben. Well worth the money.

Wow, where do I even begin on this one! I went on a holiday to show my wife the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) which I had been fortunate enough to have seen previously. In the event, we had such a fantastic time that the fabulous light show we eventually witnessed was a total bonus. The obvious emphasis of the holiday is understandably the Aurora, but the truth was that the fabulous activities on offer (and we tried them all) kept us fully occupied from first thing in the morning to last thing at night! This could have been more accurately sold as an 18-60 (a spin-off of the old 18-30 holidays). Due to the nature of the activities, this was an adult only holiday which was a bonus we hadn’t expected. There really was so much to do. In a brief and very packed week we went on snowmobile safaris, dog sledge safaris, (and husky flatulence is something that has to be experienced to be believed), ice fishing, late-night snowshoe walks, cross-country skiing (several times – wow that was hard work), late-night sauna and hot tub, at -15C staring up at the stars, walks into Muonio (twice) and across to Sweden via the river bridge, lunch in the “Ice Palace” and an unbelievable evening in the Aurora Dome down on the river – but a fantastic venue, then someone turned on the Northern Lights for 3 ½ hours! You should change the name from Aurora Zone to Aurora Euphoria!!! Despite what you might hear about Scandinavia, Finland IS NOT expensive. Beer and food is the same as the UK, fuel was the same price as in England, and the two supermarkets in Muonio (only a short walk away) sold everything that the tourist needed. The staff in the hotel were fabulous and without exception, it is the best holiday I have ever had! I really can’t suggest anything to better what was on offer at Harriniva.

Brilliant holiday thanks, and one that we will be recommending to all of our friends.

I had such an awesome time I am still buzzing even after a month! The package was a fair detail and Mountain Lodge was the best place to stay and food was yummy! I was luck enough to see Northern Lights three nights out of which last night was a very grand display! I loved the Husky safari and another importanat point - I also saw the best sunset of my life! Thank you for arranging everything so flawlessly!

10 out of 10. Can’t fault it. Loved it all.

The staff at Muotka Lodge were cheerful, helpful and attentive. The flights and transfers were seamless. The accommodation was warm and comfortable. Most enjoyable activity: For me it was the dog sledding. It was exhilarating and something I didn't think I would achieve at age 76! I travelled alone and therefore had dogs and sled to myself. Least enjoyable activity: There wasn't one. Improvements: If there is I don't know what it is. Additional comments: This was probably the last item on my bucket list. I couldn't be more delighted with the result. I loved all the activities, the guides were attentive and helpful as were the managers and staff at the lodge.

The whole process from initial ideas shared with you to the holiday itself represented excellence so there are no individual or specific issues requiring further comment. Most enjoyable: Very difficult. Whilst we had always hoped to see the Northern Lights we enjoyed all the activities we were able to undertake bearing in mind Kay's limited mobility but being lucky to see the lights on three occasions, it must be the Aurora safaris/camps. However the Husky safari was a wonderful experience. I had no idea that I would "drive" a dog sled team. Least enjoyable: We enjoyed all the activities we chose . Nothing could remotely be classed as not enjoyable. For us everything was perfection and far exceeded our expectations. Although we were prepared we did underestimate the extreme cold weather. Just a point. This holiday was a wonderful experience which we enjoyed immensely . The hotel, staff, food, activities, guides especially Ben, and all the ancillary items were first class. Lammu and Meeka were the most welcoming and charming hosts and left us with memories to cherish.

Thank you for a fabulous trip - great staff, great service and great food make up for otherwise basic accommodation. Organised trips were fun, expertly guided and memorable. I would recommend a visit to the Abisko Sky Station, and the dog sledding experience is not to be missed. Overall a very enjoyable trip... not affected by the cloudy skies and poor visibility for Aurora viewing. We did see them once...

Snowmobile safari - we went into total wilderness and it felt like a proper Arctic experience. Dinner at the Icehotel was excellent. Also really enjoyed the reindeer sledging and getting insights into the life of Sámi.