January 2026 Astronomy Highlights
January 2, 2026
Written by Cadi Finlay, aged 15
Everyone experiences Lapland differently, and we loved Cadi’s honest account of her holiday to Finnish Lapland with The Aurora Zone. Written after her trip, this is a genuine review from a teenager’s perspective, sharing what surprised her most, her favourite activities and why she’d recommend Lapland to other young travellers.
Before We Arrived
Before I went to Finland, I knew almost nothing about it other than the fact that it was cold and had huskies. As an animal lover, the thing I was looking forward to most was seeing the huskies and reindeer. I was also really excited to experience my first proper snow and build snowmen!
Coming from the UK, I didn’t have much snow gear, so I was worried I’d be freezing. Thankfully, we were provided with snowsuits, boots and other thermal clothing, so we didn’t actually get very cold and were able to enjoy everything to the fullest.
First Impressions
My first impression of Lapland was how welcoming it felt. When we checked in, the reception was warm and cosy, with people chatting and creating a really comfortable atmosphere.
I also realised the weather wasn’t nearly as harsh as I had imagined. Even though snow was falling, all I could see was how beautiful it was. With all my thermal clothing on, it honestly didn’t feel that different from being outside at home in winter.
The holiday cabins looked exactly how I’d imagined Lapland would look, with snow piled high on the roofs and trees. It looked like something straight out of a children’s storybook about Father Christmas and his elves.
My Favourite Experience
The best moment of the whole trip for me was definitely the husky sledding.
We all got to have a go at steering our own team of huskies. Unfortunately, within the first five minutes of my turn, I managed to crash into a snowbank!
When we reached the end of the trail, we were introduced to the most adorable husky puppies. They were genuinely the cutest things I have ever seen.
This experience stood out to me not just because of the puppies (although they were incredible!), but because it was such a unique, once-in-a-lifetime thing to do. It felt amazing to imagine that hundreds of years ago, people were travelling through these snowy landscapes in exactly the same way.
Chasing the Northern Lights
One of the things I was most excited about was seeing the Northern Lights.
You always see pictures of them as computer wallpapers or hear stories about them being spotted faintly in Scotland, but I never imagined I’d actually get the chance to look for them myself.
I knew there was no guarantee we’d see them, but even spending midnight around a campfire in the middle of Finland, drinking hot chocolate with my family, sounded incredible.
Although we couldn’t clearly see the Northern Lights with our own eyes that night, our guide’s specialist camera was able to capture them, which was amazing to see. Even without a big display, the sky was full of more stars than I’d ever seen before. It was so clear and beautiful, and staying up late laughing around the campfire with my family made the evening completely worthwhile.
Snowmobiles and Reindeer
My brother and I both loved driving the snowmobiles around a circuit to see who could get the fastest time (my brother, annoyingly!) and who could get the green snowmobile.
Even though I’d never driven anything before, the controls were surprisingly easy to learn.
As much as I enjoyed the snowmobiling, my absolute favourite part of the holiday was the reindeer.
You could visit the reindeer whenever you wanted just to watch them, but you could also go on a sleigh ride pulled by them. It felt magical. Snuggled up in blankets with my family while being pulled through the snowy landscape by reindeer was probably the most Christmassy thing I’ve ever done.
For me, it was the highlight of the trip, and I think anyone of any age who visits Lapland should experience it.
Experiencing Finland
The holiday was also a really interesting cultural experience.
Most of my family tried reindeer, which is a traditional meal in Scandinavia. As a vegetarian, I didn’t try it myself, but everyone else said it was delicious.
The cabins were wonderful too. They were always warm, with a large double bed positioned directly beneath a huge skylight. Every night, my siblings (who normally argue over the single bed!) all wanted the double bed so they could lie looking up at the stars.
Everything about Lapland felt otherworldly. It was so beautiful, peaceful and remote that it felt completely separate from the rest of the world. The snow looked untouched for miles, and it was hard to imagine anything beyond the forests around us.
It’s the most peaceful place I’ve ever visited.
Three Words to Describe Lapland
If I had to describe my holiday in just three words, they would be:
Magical. Otherworldly. Authentic.
When I think back, it almost feels like a dream. The sun sparkling on the snow, the endless white landscapes and everything we experienced hardly feel real now that we’re home.
Lapland completely takes you away from everyday life and gives you the chance to relax, switch off and enjoy something completely different.
I would 100% recommend it to other people my age (and everyone else too!). It was fantastic.
Thank you to Cadi for sharing her Lapland experience with us! Ready to start planning your holiday? Get in touch with our friendly team today, call 01670785012.
