Embark on a magical winter adventure into the heart of Lapland, where the remote, snow-covered landscape is home to the Sami culture. Our Lapland Wilderness Week offers you the opportunity to experience this traditional Arctic culture first-hand, while immersing yourself in a variety of thrilling snow-based activities and soaking up the wonder of this spectacular destination.
Sápmi and the Sami culture
We may know it as Lapland, but the Arctic area that spans parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia is locally referred to as “Sápmi”. It’s within this land of raw natural beauty, where snow-capped mountains flow down into mighty rivers, flanked by mysterious, endless forests, that the indigenous Sami people live. Far away from the modern world, the traditional Sami culture lives on.
Spending time with a local Sami family on our adventure gives us a real insight into their nomadic way of life. For thousands of years, the Sami lifestyle moved from settlement to settlement, following the reindeer on their seasonal migration route and often using a reindeer sledge as their mode of transport across the remote tundra. Living off the land, they would forage for wild plants and berries, hunt and fish. Within the Sami’s rich heritage is their own unique language, flag, traditional costume and even their own parliament.
Today, most Sami people have a permanent home, although many continue to head to the mountains during herding season. The reindeer industry remains a way of life for a number of Sami people, but this is now also supplemented with fishing, other trade and crafts and more recently tourism.
The Annual Jokkmokk Winter Market
Visit Sápmi in February 2020 and you’ll be able to join in the annual Jokkmokk Winter Market. Celebrating its 415th year in 2020, this big event draws Sami people from afar to the local town of Jokkmokk to meet and share their culture. Expect traditional dancing, reindeer racing and Duodji (Sami handicraft and art), alongside some tasty local food and drink; perfect for a belated New Year celebration! Don’t forget to try some traditional Swedish Glogg before you leave.
Adventure in the Snow!
Exploring the wonderful environment of Sápmi on our Lapland Wilderness Week provides the opportunity for you to take part in some exciting snow-based activities.
Feel like a real North Pole adventurer, snowshoeing your way through the dramatic, wintry landscapes. Living out in this habitat may be tough, but its unspoilt environment is perfect for the Arctic wildlife. Eagles, moose, lynx, wolverine and of course reindeer can all be spotted whilst out snowshoeing.
Whizzing through this white wonderland, courtesy of a team of Siberian Husky dogs, has to be one of the most exhilarating ways to explore. Having the chance to be a real musher, in charge of the dogs, as they transport you through the snow-kissed forests and across shimmering icy swamps is a breath-taking experience you’ll never forget.
The pace may slow as we don the forest skis, but this allows you to take in the breath-taking landscape like a local. Taking a two-day expedition into the wilderness, we venture deep into the forest, where only our companions and the Arctic wildlife break the enchanting silence. Our remote cosy cabin, far away from the bright lights of modern Swedish life, provides the perfect base to capture one of the greatest night-time spectacles there is; the Aurora Borealis.
Our trip to Sweden is the ultimate break from everyday reality; its mesmerising environment couldn’t be more far removed from the daily grind. Experience it and you’re bound to be left totally enchanted with memories that will last a lifetime.
