From Rovaniemi: Snowshoeing and Ice Fishing Tour

The best part of this Rovaniemi outing is that you do not simply look at the Arctic. You move through it, first on snowshoes through deep snow, then onto a frozen lake to drill your own fishing hole. I like the practical side of the trip, especially learning to start a fire without matches. I also like the small-group size, limited to eight people, which gives the guide time to help with boots, snowshoes, fishing gear, and clothing.

The main drawback is the cold. This tour runs in all weather, and some people have found their feet chilly even in the supplied boots. Ice fishing is also slow by nature, so you should treat catching a fish as a bonus, not the purpose of the afternoon.

Key points to know before you go

• A real winter outing: You walk about 2 kilometers across snowy ground and a frozen lake after driving north from Rovaniemi.
• Hands-on ice fishing: You prepare your own spot, drill through the ice, and try one of Finland’s best-known winter pastimes.
• Fire-making without matches: Your guide demonstrates basic survival skills, including starting a fire with a magnesium rod.
• Small groups help: With no more than eight participants, guides such as Jeremy, Archie, Luka, and Matilda can offer plenty of practical help.
• Warm-up time is built in: Expect camp snacks, hot drinks, and time inside a fire-warmed shelter or tipi, with sausage and vegetarian options reported.
• Plan carefully for cold: Bring thermal layers and warm clothing, and take the footwear warning seriously.

From Rovaniemi to a frozen Arctic lake

The outing begins with a drive about 20 kilometers north of Rovaniemi, roughly 35 minutes according to one account. Pickup and drop-off are included for accommodations outside the city center, while some participants have met at a central Rovaniemi office.

That short drive matters. You leave the town behind and reach a quieter stretch of Finnish nature, where the white ground and open sky become the main event. This is not a quick photo stop beside a road. You need to walk across the snow to reach the fishing area, so the trip feels more like a small winter expedition than a standard sightseeing excursion.

The group size is capped at eight. I consider that one of the tour’s strongest practical features. Snowshoes can be awkward at first, and fishing through thick ice takes instruction. A guide can adjust your equipment or help you get moving without turning the activity into a classroom exercise.

Guides named in the feedback include Jeremy, Archie, Matilda, Klara, Fran, Gabor, Michael, Duncan, Ruben, Luka, Theo, and others. The repeated praise focuses on guides who explain clearly, keep the mood light, and help when the snowshoes or fishing tools prove difficult. If your guide is Jeremy, you can expect a particularly lively presence. Archie has been praised for explaining Finnish trees and local traditions during the walk, while Matilda was singled out for giving steady help throughout the outing.

Snowshoeing through fresh snow

Snowshoeing is the first major activity, and it is likely to be the most active part of the day. You put on the supplied snowshoes and walk through snowy woodland toward the frozen lake.

Snowshoes spread your weight over the snow, allowing you to walk across soft ground that would be tiring or impossible in ordinary boots. You still need to lift your feet higher than normal, and the movement can feel clumsy for the first few minutes. The supplied accounts suggest the route is manageable rather than extreme. One description calls the trail easy and not very long, while another says snowshoeing was tiring but fun.

That makes this a good introduction to the activity, not a serious backcountry trek. You will get a taste of walking in deep snow without committing to a full-day hike. Still, you should be comfortable standing and walking outdoors for several hours. Wheelchair users cannot take this tour.

The woodland walk also gives the guide time to explain the local setting. Archie, for example, used the route to talk about Finnish trees and related traditions. Another group spotted Arctic hare tracks. You may not see an animal directly, but tracks can be just as interesting, especially when your guide explains what left them and how animals manage the winter.

Bring your camera if you enjoy winter photography. The combination of clean snow, dark forest, open ice, and low Arctic light gives you plenty to photograph. Just remember that batteries lose power quickly in severe cold, so keep your camera protected when you are not using it.

Walking across the frozen lake

After the woodland section, you walk about 2 kilometers across the frozen lake to reach a suitable fishing area. This is the point where the tour feels most unusual. The lake opens into a wide field of snow and ice, with little noise beyond the group and the winter air.

The walk is scenic, but it can also be the coldest portion. You are exposed rather than sheltered by trees, and you may spend time standing still once you begin fishing. Thermal underwear, a warm middle layer, a windproof outer layer, thick gloves, and a hat are not optional comforts here. They are the difference between enjoying the activity and counting the minutes until the return.

The tour provides professional winter clothing and boots, but do not assume supplied gear will solve every cold-weather problem. One person found the waterproof boots insufficiently insulated and ended up with very cold toes. That is useful advice: bring your warmest socks, and ask about the available footwear before setting out. You should still bring your own warm clothing even though a winter suit and boots are available.

The tour operates in extremely cold weather as well as ordinary winter conditions. That is appealing if you want a genuine Arctic outing, but it also means you need to judge your own tolerance honestly.

Drilling your own fishing hole

At the fishing area, you prepare an individual spot and learn how to drill through the ice. Your guide demonstrates the process, then helps you make your own hole.

This is more satisfying than simply being handed a fishing rod. You take part in the preparation, learn how the equipment works, and gain a small understanding of how ice fishing fits into Finnish winter life. The activity is simple, but it has a pleasant rhythm: clear the snow, drill through the ice, set up your gear, and wait.

The waiting is the point. Ice fishing is quiet and patient rather than fast and exciting. Several groups caught nothing, and the fish can be inactive in cold conditions. One participant did catch a fish, but you should not book this tour expecting a guaranteed meal or a busy fishing session.

I would describe the fishing as a peaceful outdoor lesson. You get time to look across the lake, take photographs, and talk with the guide and the other people in your group. If you need constant action, this part may feel slow. If you enjoy unusual local activities and quiet scenery, the slowness is part of its appeal.

Making a fire without matches

While you fish, the guide prepares wood and shows you how to make a fire without matches. Participants have described using a magnesium rod, then building their own fire with guidance.

This survival-skills element gives the tour more substance. You learn something practical, and the lesson connects naturally to the cold surroundings. A fire is not just a demonstration here. It becomes the center of the warm-up stop, where you can gather, eat, and talk.

Some groups have warmed themselves in a tipi or kota, a traditional Finnish-style camp shelter. The exact setup may vary, but the purpose is the same: get out of the wind, warm your hands, and enjoy a hot drink after standing on the ice.

The fire lesson also suits families and first-time winter visitors. Children have especially enjoyed guides who make the process entertaining, though adults will need to keep expectations sensible. The guide handles the instruction and supervision, while you take part under direction.

Snacks, hot drinks, and a proper warm-up

A campfire snack is included, but lunch is not. Expect a light outdoor bite rather than a full meal. Past groups have been served sausages, bread, hot chocolate, tea, and Finnish chocolate, with a vegetarian option available on at least one outing.

This food is valuable because of the setting. A sausage cooked over a fire tastes better after a cold walk, and the hot drink gives you a reason to slow down before returning. Do not arrive expecting a broad buffet or a restaurant-style lunch. If you need a substantial meal, eat beforehand or plan one afterward.

The warm shelter is also a social part of the trip. You have time to chat with the guide and the group rather than rushing from one activity to the next. Some guides, including Alyssa, Duncan, and Gabor, were praised for creating a friendly atmosphere and making people feel comfortable.

Alcoholic drinks are not included. Bring only what the operator allows and remember that the priority is staying warm and steady on snowshoes and ice.

How much value do you get for $135?

At $135 per person, this is not a budget walk, but it combines transport, equipment, winter clothing, a professional English-speaking guide, snowshoeing, ice fishing, fire-making, snacks, and hot drinks in a four-hour package.

You are paying for more than a rod and a frozen lake. The operator supplies the specialist gear, takes you outside Rovaniemi, provides instruction, and creates a warm-up camp. Renting equipment separately and arranging transport would take time and may not save much money.

The price makes the most sense if you are visiting Rovaniemi for a short stay and want several Arctic activities in one outing. It is also useful if you do not own winter clothing or have never used snowshoes and an ice auger.

The value is weaker if your main goal is catching fish. There is no promise of a catch, and the fishing may be quiet. It is also less appealing if you already have your own equipment and easy access to a frozen lake. In that case, you are mainly paying for guidance, transport, and the prepared camp.

The tour has an overall rating of 4.7 from 190 ratings, and transport received a perfect score from 91 percent of people who assessed it. That fits the practical picture: the day depends heavily on smooth transfers and a helpful guide, and the available feedback gives both areas strong marks.

What to wear and what to bring

The operator supplies professional winter clothing and boots, but you should still arrive prepared. The most useful approach is several warm layers rather than one bulky coat.

Bring:

• Thermal underwear and warm mid-layers
• A weatherproof outer layer
• Thick socks, with a spare pair if possible
• Warm gloves or mittens
• A hat that covers your ears
• Camera or phone for photographs
• Weather-appropriate clothing for severe cold

Footwear deserves special attention. Waterproof boots are useful in snow, but waterproof does not always mean well insulated. If you are prone to cold feet, ask about the supplied boots and wear warm socks that are not so tight they restrict circulation.

For an afternoon departure, daylight may be limited, especially in the darkest part of the Finnish winter. One person specifically recommended a head torch for afternoon departures. Since the tour operates in all weather, you should also be ready for wind, falling snow, and very low temperatures.

Who should book this four-hour outing?

I would recommend it to you if you want a hands-on Arctic activity without committing to a demanding full-day excursion. It works well for couples, families with older children, and small groups who enjoy learning by doing.

It is especially suitable if you want:

• A gentle introduction to snowshoeing
• A calm alternative to faster winter activities
• A chance to try ice fishing without buying equipment
• A short lesson in fire-making and outdoor skills
• Strong photo opportunities in snowy woodland and on open ice

You should think twice if you dislike cold, standing still, or uncertain results. The route is not described as difficult, but snowshoeing takes effort, and the fishing may produce nothing. You also need to accept that the trip continues in bad weather.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want to experience Finnish winter culture through simple, physical activities rather than a quick scenic stop. The strongest combination is the snowshoe walk, the unusual process of drilling through the ice, and the warm shelter afterward. The fire lesson gives the outing a useful purpose beyond taking photographs.

I would not choose it for guaranteed fishing or a long wilderness trek. I would choose it for the chance to walk across a frozen lake, learn from a capable small-group guide, and spend part of the day in a quiet Arctic setting.

Bring serious cold-weather layers, protect your feet, and keep your expectations realistic about the fish. Do that, and $135 is a fair price for a well-supported four-hour introduction to snow, ice, fire, and Finnish outdoor life.

FAQ

How long does the snowshoeing and ice fishing tour last?

The tour lasts four hours.

Where does the tour take place?

It takes place about 20 kilometers north of Rovaniemi, within the Arctic Circle area, at a snowy natural site with a frozen lake.

How far do you walk?

You walk about 2 kilometers across a frozen lake after making your way through the snow to the fishing area.

Is ice-fishing equipment included?

Yes. The equipment needed for ice fishing and snowshoeing is included.

Are winter clothes and boots provided?

Yes. Professional winter clothing and boots are included, though you should still bring warm thermal and weather-appropriate clothing.

Will I definitely catch a fish?

No. Catching a fish is not guaranteed. The fishing can be slow because fish may be inactive in cold conditions.

Is food included?

A campfire snack is included. Past groups have had items such as sausage, bread, hot drinks, and Finnish chocolate. Lunch and alcoholic drinks are not included.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now-and-pay-later option is also available.