Wilderness Hotel Nellim – Wilderness Weekend
- Details
Details
Important Information
Itinerary
The order of activities listed in this agenda is provided for guidance only. Your final and detailed itinerary will be provided either with your final travel documents (which will be emailed to you around a week prior to departure), or upon arrival.
Please note: If you are travelling over Christmas or New Year, you will enjoy a festive dinner and celebrations on the 24th or the 31st of December (traditionally in Finland, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve).
Itinerary
Today you will arrive at Ivalo Airport, where you will be met and transferred to Wilderness Hotel Nellim (approximately 45 minutes). On arrival, you will check in and receive your programme schedule. Cold weather clothing will be issued either this evening or the following day, depending on your arrival time.
Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant, after which you may wish to step outside and familiarise yourself with the surroundings and night sky before settling in for the evening. It is just a short walk to the shores of Lake Inari, with exceptional views of the night sky.
Transfers operate as part of a scheduled group shuttle, which may include stops at a few nearby hotels.
If you would prefer a more direct and personalised experience, private taxi transfers are available – please contact our Travel Experts for a quotation.
Included Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, you will prepare for a full snowmobile adventure. Following a safety briefing and driving instruction from your guide, you will head out into the surrounding wilderness, travelling through forests and across frozen terrain. The route will be selected according to conditions, and lunch and warm drinks are included during the excursion. This experience lasts around four hours in total, and you will travel two people per snowmobile. Please note that you must be 18 years and over and hold a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile.
Later in the afternoon, you will attend an Aurora Workshop led by an expert guide. This session provides an introduction to the Northern Lights, covering the science behind the phenomenon as well as practical tips for photographing them. Guests are welcome to bring their own cameras to optimise settings during the workshop. The workshop will last for approximately 1 hour.
This evening, you will take part in a guided visit to an Aurora Camp. Travelling by snowmobile-pulled sleigh, you will reach a remote viewing location away from artificial light. Warm drinks will be served as you watch the sky and wait in hope of an Aurora display. You will be out for approximately 2.5 hours this evening.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today begins with a husky safari through the winter landscape. After meeting the dogs and receiving instruction on handling the sleds, you will set off in pairs, with one guest driving and the other riding in the sled. You will have the chance to swap roles during the safari, which lasts around 2 hours in total, including approximately 1 hour of driving time in total.
Following dinner this evening, you will head out on an Aurora snowshoe excursion. Equipped with snowshoes and poles, you will walk with your guide through the quiet Arctic night to suitable viewing spots. Along the way, your guide will share insights into the local environment while you watch the sky for signs of the Northern Lights. Warm drinks will be enjoyed by the fire during the outing. You will be out for approximately 2.5 hours this evening.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Ivalo Airport for your return journey. It is time to say goodbye to Wilderness Hotel Nellim and Northern Lapland.
Included Meals: Breakfast
What's included?
- Book with confidence – Our flight inclusive packages are fully financially ATOL-protected and backed by a trusted UK operator.
- Flights: Direct return from London to Ivalo (flight routes are subject to change)
- Transfers: Return scheduled group shuttle airport transfers
- Accommodation: 3 nights in a standard twin/double hotel room (upgrades can be arranged subject to availability and supplements)
- Meals: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
- Snowmobile safari
- Aurora workshop
- Aurora camp
- Husky safari
- Aurora snowshoeing
- Cold weather clothing for the duration of your stay
- Fully qualified guides and instructors during activities
- 24/7 assistance from our UK based operations team and in destination support from our local partners
Our Expert Opinion
Time and time again, Nellim is praised by our clients and is a true favourite here at The Aurora Zone. This weekend break allows those short on time to maximise their Aurora hunting over just three nights. Our guests get three nights in prime aurora viewing territory to hopefully see the Northern Lights, utilising the skills of the local guides to maximise viewing potential. There are also two full days which can be totally tailored so you can be as active or as relaxed as you like.
Accommodation
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Wilderness Hotel Nellim is owned by our good friends Jouko and Mari Lappalainen. Nellim was their first hotel (they now also own the delights of Nangu, Muotka, Juutua and Wilderness Hotel Inari) and is now renowned as an Aurora destination. It will always hold a special place in our hearts for being the first place many of us saw the Northern Lights. The hotel has been upgraded over the years and now has a wide range of accommodation options including rooms, suites, log cabins and unforgettable Aurora Cabins which are all within a short walk of the main reception and restaurant building.
A tiny village, Nellim is a remote spot close to the shores of Lake Inari and surrounded by incredible wilderness, providing perfectly dark skies, ideal for Aurora viewing.
Hotel facilities
- The restaurant/reception building is the focal point at Nellim. With locally-made furnishings, the atmosphere is charming. Hearty buffets of local and international favourites are served three times a day. There is usually a soup and salad selection, two choices of main meal and a pudding for evening meals
- Guests can relax next to the roaring fire and enjoy a drink from the bar in the restaurant
- A sauna is available for guests to use and can be reserved at reception in hourly slots
- There is a fully stocked gift shop which offers a range of local produce and souvenirs for you to take home
- Tea and coffee making facilities are available in the main building for guests outside meal times
- Cross-country skis and snowshoes are available to hire from the onsite activity centre
- The small lake behind the hotel is a great spot for some independent Aurora stakeouts
Double/Twin Wilderness Room
Wilderness rooms are situated in three separate buildings within the resort area. Each room features a bathroom stocked with amenities and a hairdryer. Guests can choose between rooms furnished with either double beds or twin beds. The rooms are tastefully decorated with decor inspired by the Arctic nature surrounding them, capturing the refined spirit of Lapland.
Arctic Suites
Many guests like to upgrade to one of the six Arctic Suites at Nellim, all of which are situated in one of the annexe buildings across from the reception and restaurant. The suites offer guests additional room and their own space in which to relax after a day or night of activities.
Each suite varies in size and facilities. Suites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis according to the accommodation which best suits your party.
Cabin
Nellim offers a variety of cabins which offer varying facilities and which are mainly within easy walking distance of the hotel. Cabins are allocated on a first come, first served basis, according to the accommodation which most suits your party and availability. Specific facilities cannot be guaranteed.
Log Suite
Located between 30-70 metres from the main building these charming log suites at Nellim offer approximately 33m² of comfortable space. There are four suites in each of the separate log buildings.
Aurora Cabins
Experience the Northern Lights in comfort from a glass-roofed Aurora Cabin, featuring a double bed, sofa bed, bathroom, shower, and unforgettable views of the Arctic sky. Nellim also offers premium and deluxe cabins.
Other Upgrade Options
Nellim boasts an exceptional range of high-quality accommodations.
For more information please speak to one of our Travel Experts.
Personalise This Tour
This activity lets you experience the thrill of snowmobiling in this wild and remote landscape and also provides an insight into the traditions of Sámi culture, during a visit to a reindeer farm.
After full instruction and a safety briefing, you will travel two people per snowmobile along the local trails, to reach the reindeer herder and their animals. You may also stop along the way to visit the delightful log-built church at Nellim.
At the farm, you will have the chance to feed the animals and learn about their importance to the Sámi people of Lapland and the region as a whole.
Lunch will be cooked over an open fire and warm drinks will be provided before you head back to the hotel.
Please note that you must be 18 years old or over and hold a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile.
Duration: approximately 4 hours
After a full safety briefing and instructions on how to drive and handle the snowmobile, you will head out on an exciting safari, travelling two people per machine (you may choose to upgrade and drive your own snowmobile – please ask our Aurora Travel Experts for a quote).
Travelling along the well-marked trails, you will explore the stunning wilderness which surrounds the hotel, driving over frozen lakes and through beautiful forests.
Please note: You must be 18 years old or over and hold a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile.
Duration: approximately 2 hours
Snowshoeing at night is a wonderful experience, regardless of whether the Northern Lights appear overhead.
The silence of the forests at night is just breathtaking and the landscape takes on a totally different feel at night. Your guide will lead you along the trails to one of the campsites, where you can enjoy hot drinks. If conditions are favourable your efforts will hopefully be rewarded with a spectacular display.
Duration: approximately 2.5 hours
Snowmobiles offer a level of mobility that means that, should there be any localised cloud cover, your guide may be able to lead you to clearer skies.
After full instruction and a safety briefing, you will travel in pairs on the snowmobiles, with one travelling as a passenger and the other in control of the machine (you will get the chance to swap providing you both carry a full driving licence and are over 18). You will be out for around two and a half hours in total and enjoy a hot drink along the way. Please note that the driving distance depends on the weather conditions.
You may choose to upgrade and drive your own snowmobile – please ask our Aurora Travel Experts for a quote.
Duration: approximately 2.5 Hours
This activity is ideal for those who want a day in the wild, trying one of the most favoured local pastimes.
Travelling in a sleigh pulled by your guide’s snowmobile, you will head to a prime fishing spot on one of the lakes around Nellim. You will be provided with the tools you will need, drill your holes and then wait patiently for a fish to nibble on the line.
Lunch will be cooked on an open fire out in the wilderness, and if you’re lucky enough to land a catch, fresh fish may even be on the menu.
Duration: approximately 4 hours
For those who are more confident with the idea of snowmobiling and want to spend longer out on the trails, this is an exceptional activity.
After a full safety briefing and instructions on how to drive and handle the snowmobile, you will head out on your adventure, travelling two people per machine (you may want to upgrade and drive your own snowmobile – please contact our Aurora Travel Experts for a quote). You will have the chance to swap drivers during the activity should you wish.
The route typically takes you along stunning forest trails, before you head towards the vast expanse of Lake Inari, which is ideal for enjoying some thrilling snowmobiling.
Your guide will make a stop for lunch, where they will cook a warming and hearty meal over an open fire. You will then head back to the hotel.
Please note: you must be 18 years old or over and hold a full driving licence to drive a snowmobile.
Duration: approximately 4 hours
A husky safari is effectively a ‘must-do’ activity during your stay in the Arctic.
You will meet your guide at the hotel and will be given full instruction on how to handle the sled and a safety briefing. You will then travel a short distance in a snowmobile-pulled sleigh, to the nearby husky kennels.
You will hear the dogs a long way before you will see them as they will be so excited for the trail. You will be allocated a team between two, with one person driving and the other in the sled (you will have the chance to swap during the activity).
The anchor will be released and then you will set off on your safari. Travelling along trails and then out onto the expanse of Lake Inari on a dog sled is an experience like no other!
Depending on the conditions, you will be out for around 2 hours in total, with approximately 1 hour of driving time. Back at the kennels, you will have the chance to spend some time with your teams and take pictures.
Duration: approximately 2 hours in total
Cross-country skiing is one of the most popular Scandinavian activities and this is your chance to learn the basic skills. You will be taught the basics before exploring the trails which surround the hotel. This peaceful activity lets you appreciate the silence and beauty of this area, beware, however, it can be very addictive!
Duration: approximately 2 hours
Spend around four hours out in the wild with your guide, using snowshoes to help you explore the stunning forests around Nellim and walk over the deep snow with ease.
Your guide will lead the way and will point out local flora and fauna as you go, providing information about the local environment and stopping at the most scenic spots.
You will break for lunch around an open fire and you’ll have the chance to really soak in the silence of this wild place.
Duration: Approximately 4 hours
| Tour Loaction: | Nellim,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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| Tour Loaction: | Inari,Finland |
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Additional Info
Price is based on 2 persons travelling
Tour terms, click here
Booking conditions click here
Payment and Cancellation Terms:
If you are travelling between, and including, the dates of 15.12-03.01, the following cancellation terms apply:
– Prior to 31.08 – Loss of deposit (including the full cost of the flights or other services where paid at the time of booking)
– 01.09 up until departure date – 100%
For all other travel dates, the following cancellation terms apply:
– Up to balance due date (this is normally 16 weeks prior to departure however some holidays differ. If this applies to your holiday you will be advised at the time of booking) – Loss of deposit (including the full cost of flights or other services where paid at the time of booking)
– Between balance due date and 35 days prior to departure – 70%
– 34 or less days – 100%
Snow coverage in early December
If you are travelling early in the winter season and there is not enough snowfall, then some activities may be adapted by the local team, or alternatives provided, to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort. For more information on this, please see section 11 of our booking terms and conditions.
Key Facts
For your best chance to see the Northern Lights, contact the UK’s only Aurora specialists
