We've put together a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive about Lapland to help you plan for your upcoming holiday in 2023 and 2024. If you have any other questions you would like to ask about your Lapland trip, please don't hesitate to contact us via our enquiry form, or call us on 0800 270 0150
Before You Book
How can I make a booking?
It's easy to make a booking with one of our Lapland Specialists. Simply call 0800 270 0150 (UK) or 1800 827300 (IRELAND) or 0044 1923 822388 (INTERNATIONAL).
We know how important your holiday is to you, and our experts are happy to answer your questions and guide you through the booking process so that you choose the perfect Lapland holiday for you.
How much is the deposit at the time of booking?
To make a reservation the required deposit is £/€200 per person. If you book via the Canterbury Travel Reservations Office on 0800 270 0150, the balance is then payable 10 weeks prior to departure. (Other terms may apply if you book via a Travel Agent.)
Can I pay for my holiday online?
Yes, you certainly can! You can make a payment towards the balance of your holiday online HERE or call our team on 0800 2700150 or from Ireland 1800 827300. Our Lapland experts will be happy to help.
What is included in the cost of my tour?
Pretty much everything and more! Your flights, transfers, accommodation (short breaks), in-flight catering and all meals in the resort, the loan of thermal clothing and boots to keep you warm while in Lapland, plus an amazing array of activities including husky and reindeer safaris, tobogganing, a mini-drive of a snowmobile, lots of fun and games with Santa's Elves and most important of all, a private meeting with Santa for you and your loved ones only. There are no hidden extras and no need to book extra excursions! Gifts for children aged 2-11 years inclusive on the day tours and a gift allowance for children aged 2-11 years on each of the overnight Santa short breaks. There are no hidden extras!
Is my holiday protected?
We are proud members of ABTA and the government-backed ATOL protection scheme - so your money is 100% protected.
Do I need to buy travel insurance?
We really hope that you will never need to claim on your travel insurance, but it is important to make sure that your family and your belongings are properly covered, just in case the unexpected happens. We recommend taking out travel insurance at the time you book and strongly recommend choosing a policy with specific Covid-19 cover.
What are the flight times?
The flight times displayed on this website are provisional and are subject to change.
Confirmed flight times will be displayed on the itinerary that you will receive 2-3 weeks before your date of departure.
Enchanting Lapland Day Trips
All airports Outbound 07:30 Arriving 13:00 Inbound 20:00 Arriving 21:30
Day trip passengers have a hand luggage allowance only.
Passengers travelling on one of the short breaks have a hold luggage allowance of 22kg per person plus hand luggage. Please note there is no luggage allowance for infants.
Which airport can I fly from?
Our Enchanting Lapland day trip operates from a variety of airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Belfast, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.
The 2-night Christmas Sparkle tour operates from Birmingham, Dublin, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted Airport.
Our short breaks are based in some of the most beautiful resorts in Lapland; Luosto, Pyha, Suomu and Ruka Valley. The Enchanting Lapland day trip is in Enontekio, in a small hamlet on the shores of Lake Ounasjärvi
Is the trip suitable for an infant?
Infants (age less than 2 years at the time if return travel) are permitted to travel on our tours. However, before booking, parents really need to consider the nature of the terrain and the Arctic weather conditions, where temperatures can fluctuate between -5C to -25C in December. You will be required to supply suitable clothing for your infant. The infant admin fee is £/€200 for day trips and £/€150 for the short break trips.
Please note there are no baby changing facilities at any of our activity locations and the terrain is snowy and bumpy, therefore the use of a pushchair is near impossible.
Is the holiday suitable for disabled or severely ill children?
We understand that for many severely ill and disabled children and their parents, a visit to meet Santa is a magnificent dream. Our promise to you is that we care enough to try and ensure that this dream is realised. We have the honour to work with a number of leading children’s charities and we carry many children with conditions including cancer, cystic fibrosis, blindness and paraplegia. We hope to continue to play a part in making such special dreams come true.
If I book the day trip, how much time we will have in Lapland?
When you travel on the Enchanting Lapland day trip, you will arrive in Lapland around 13:00. After changing into the snow suits and boots we provide, you're transferred to the activity location. You will have around 5-6 hours in Lapland, which is plenty of time for you and your family to enjoy all of the traditional activities that we offer, as well as meeting Santa!
You will leave the day trip location between 18:30 - 19:00, ready for your return flight home.
After You Book
Can I pay my balance in instalments?
Yes! You can make payments to reduce your balance throughout the year either online or by speaking to one of our Lapland experts on 0800 270 0150 or 1800 827300 (EIRE).
Will I receive a refund if I decide to cancel my holiday?
If you cancel your holiday and the tour is still operating, then a cancellation charge will apply, as detailed in our booking conditions. We will refund any money you have paid towards the holiday, minus the cancellation charge. Your travel insurance may cover this cancellation charge in some circumstances.
Can I pre-book seats on the aircraft?
Sorry, it's not possible to pre-book seats on our aircraft. We always try to seat families together and the cabin is economy class throughout. If anyone requires an extra legroom seat, please advise our Lapland expert when making your booking. Extra legroom seats are usually Emergency Exit seats and children or adults with mobility or medical needs are not permitted to sit in this section.
Can I dine A La Carte in Lapland?
If you're staying in Luosto or Pyha you can pay a supplement to enhance your dining experience. Both Vaisko in Luosto and Huttuhippu restaurant in Pyha offer a menu that centres around Lappish delicacies and local produce such as salmon, reindeer and succulent lamb. A children's menu with favourites such as pizza, burgers and meatballs is also available. Please speak to one of our Lapland experts for prices.
What are the passport and health requirements?
Entry restrictions to Finland that were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended on June 30, 2022. Border checks have returned to pre-pandemic procedures and 3rd country entrants are no longer required to hold Covid-19 vaccination or test certificates.
For information relating to entry requirements to Finland, passport validity and Visas please visit the UK Government website for guidance at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/finland/entry-requirements. For non-EU citizens, please check with your local Finnish Embassy.
Before You Go
When will I receive my itinerary?
We will contact you or your travel agent to advise when your itinerary will be available to view in the Customer Portal. As a guide, this will ususally be 2-3 weeks before your date of departure.
Why can't I find any information about my flight on the airport website?
Canterbury Travel charters aircraft to operate tours and, these arrangements are different to scheduled airline routes. Flight numbers may not be shown on airport websites until the day of departure.
What happens if there is a lack of snow or if the weather is too cold?
Your activities are subject to local weather conditions which are beyond our control. The Lapland resorts that we operate to, generally have reliable snow records. However, if there is insufficient snow for the planned activities to operate, our suppliers will move activities to where snow is available so that a modified programme can operate. Alternative activities may also be offered that are not reliant on snow or ice. We reserve the right to amend or cancel any part of the tour or safaris if we or our suppliers condisder the conditions are unsafe. See booking condition 16.
At The Airport
Which terminals do your flights operate from?
Flights are chartered with Jet2 and operate from the following airport terminals:
Gatwick flights operate from South Terminal.
Manchester flights will operate from Terminal 2.
Flights from all other airports will operate via the Main Terminal.
On The Plane
Is there any entertainment on the flight to Lapland?
We try to encourage a sing-a-long with the airline, however, this will be entirely up to the cabin crew and pilot on the day. Your magical trip to Lapland with Canterbury Travel begins when you arrive in Santa's homeland.
When I'm In Lapland
Which type of clothing do you provide?
We provide an all-in-one thermal snow suit and boots for every adult and children age 2 and above. You will need to bring your own scarves/snoods and gloves. A few weeks before your date of departure, an information guide will be available to view in the Customer Portal where you manage your booking. Until then, you can view the clothing guide HERE
The snowsuits provided for our customers are unisex and designed to be over-sized and roomy. A snug 'fit' will not keep you as warm. At the time of booking you will have been asked if anyone in your party required a snowsuit larger than Gents size XXXL (equivalent to an EU size 58-60/UK Ladies size 28) or an adult shoe size 12+. And, if you advised us, you will see this noted on your Confirmation Invoice.
If you require a snowsuit or boots larger than the sizes stated above, and nothing has been noted, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0800 270 0150, or from Ireland call 1800 827300.
A note will be added to your booking and we will advise the resort. We need this information no later than 21 days before departure.
Is it like visiting an amusement park with a Santa Grotto?
Absolutely not! Our tours operate to resorts and venues which are typically authentic, idyllic and traditional. Wherever possible, our activity programmes are not held in tourist centres.
Will we find Santa?
Santa being such a wise man, he knows that you have made a very special effort to find him. When you and your family have your private meeting with him, he will have a gift for all children (ages 2-11 years inclusive) and he will fully understand your children and provide appropriate answers to their questions.
How cold will it be in Lapland?
Generally temperatures average between -5c and -25c, although it has been known to drop to -45c. It tends to be warmer late November and early December and you may wish to take this into consideration when booking your tour. However, we do provide a loaned thermal snow suit and boots for the duration of your stay in Lapland.
What is the transfer time from the airport in Lapland to the resort?
The transfer time is as follows:
Rovaniemi to Luosto - 90 mins, by coach.
Rovaniemi to Pyha - 120 mins, by coach.
Kuusamo to Suomu - 75 mins, by coach.
Kuusamo to Ruka Valley - 25 mins by coach.
Enontekio to the Enchanting Lapland day trip location - 25 mins, by a snowmobile-drawn sleigh (weather permitting).
Will it be dark during our stay?
An average day in Lapland provides 4-5 hrs of grey light (usually between 10am and 2:30pm, although this can vary subject to your location. When the sky is clear, it may be blue with the most amazing colours. At other times, the sky will be as though it is night time, although any light is reflected by the snow, making it possible to see where you are walking. Venues in Lapland are generally lit by roaring Fires & Lappish outdoor candles, which provide a very attractive setting for our events.
Can we book a trip to see the Northern Lights?
We don't arrange excursions to search for the Northen Lights. It is possible to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in all of our reosrts, although as a natural phenomenon, there is no guarantee. The lights appear like a storm in the sky with white, red or green lights dancing through the atmosphere.
There is an App you can download that will send you an alert when the Northern Lights are visible in your resort.
Can I drive a snowmobile?
To drive a snowmobile you must be in possession of a valid driving licence with the following exception – where all driving is undertaken on private land, the minimum driving age is 15 unless driving a children’s snowmobile where the minimum age is 4 years (subject to height restrictions). It is important that follow the instructions of your Arctic guides. Please remember that our activities operate in Arctic conditions & in the interests of safety your guide may alter the schedule contents of the tour at any time.
What is the food like in Lapland?
Clients travelling on a short break holiday will begin the day with a buffet breakfast with a selection of hot and cold options including cereals, pastries, ham, cheese, bread, eggs and bacon. Lunch is usually something simple yet warming e.g. pasta. The buffet dinner is more substantial and caters for most tastes, including children’s favourites, for example chicken nuggets and chips. On one evening there is a celebration dinner, which is followed by a children's party. Buffet stations are replenished frequently.
For day trips a 2-course hot lunch will be served throughout the day at the activity location. The menu usually includes soup, baked potatoes and pasta with a meat or vegetarian topping. Plus, pancakes with lashings of cream and jam for dessert!
How long is the visit with Santa?
The length of the visit will depend on how the conversation between Santa and the children flows. Santa will always start the conversation with the children. The meeting is always magical and very special, with plenty of time for a photo opportunity.
How long is the journey time to the activity locations on the short break Lapland holidays?
Your search for Santa will take place in areas just on the outskirts of the resort. Journeys between the locations and the resort are around 10-25 minutes per journey, depending on the resort you choose to stay in.
Useful Information
Will the representatives speak English?
On the short break trips you are accompanied by a personal tour guide, known as an Arctic Star! They will meet and greet you from the moment you arrive in Lapland and they will be on hand if you need them on each day of your tour. The Arctic Stars have expert local knowledge and they will be able to answer most of the questions you may have while in Lapland.
All of our guides and local representstives speak very good English.
Will I need to bring a travel adapter?
Yes, please bring a UK to European 2 pin adapter with you for your electrical appliances.
Is the water safe to drink?
The tap water in Lapland, Finland is pure, delicous and refeshing!
Is WIFI access readily available in the Lapland resorts?
WIFI is usally available in the public areas of the hotels.
If you decide to book an apartment, log cabin or other accommodation, WIFI is rarely available and the reception can be poor as you will be in a remote location.
Then again, who needs WIFI when you can be outside having fun in the snow!
What is the smoking policy?
A no smoking policy operates on all our charter flights and coaches to Lapland. The accommodation and restaurants used in this programme are non-smoking in all areas.
What is the local currency?
The Euro is the currency used in Finland. Please note there are no banking facilities at Enontekio Airport and Rovaniemi Airport. Clients should obtain currency prior to departure.
Website and brochure photography
Photography used for day time images in our brochure and website has been undertaken during the period of "greylight", offering the most suitable conditions with clear skies. Due to the changeable nature of the Arctic weather, such conditions cannot be guaranteed. All photography has been obtained using professional equipment & professional photographers. Reproductions to the same standard may not be possible using normal amateur equipment.