We've put together a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive about Lapland and what to expect, but we've also included some answers to questions we receive about your upcoming trip to Lapland in 2023. If you have any other questions you would like to ask us please don't hesitate to contact us via our enquiry form, or call us on 0800 270 0150
It's easy to make a booking with one of our Lapland Specialists. Simply call 0800 270 0150 (UK) or 1800 827300 (EIRE) 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.
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.)
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.
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).
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!
We are proud members of ABTA and the government-backed ATOL protection scheme - so your money is 100% protected.
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.
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.
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.
Our day trips and short breaks operate from a variety of airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Belfast, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Flights are chartered with Jet 2 Airlines 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.
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.
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.
The transfer time is as follows:
Rovaniemi to Luosto - 90 mins, by coach.
Rovaniemi to Pyha - 120 mins, by coach.
Kuusamo to Suomu - 60 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).
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
Not at all, our tours operate to resorts and venues which are typically idyllic and traditional. Where possible, our activity programmes are not held in tourist centres.
Santa is 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.
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. The guide includes a clothing chart to help you.
If you wear a size larger than the equivalent to a men's XXXL or an adult shoe size 12+, please contact our team so that a note can be made and we will then advise the resort.
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, with children’s favourites available including 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!
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.
On the overnight tours, you will be accompanied by a personal tour guide. They will meet and greet you at the airport and will be on hand throughout each day of your tour. Your guide has expert local knowledge and will be able to answer most of the questions you may have while in Lapland. Our tour guides and our local representatives all speak very good English.
Generally, temperatures average between -5°C and -25°C, although it has been known to drop to -45°C! It tends to be warmer in 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 snowsuit and boots for the duration of your stay in Lapland.
An average day in Lapland provides 4-5 hrs of grey light (usually between 10.00 and 14.30 Finnish time, although this can vary subject to 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 nighttime, 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.
It is possible to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), though 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.
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’s perfectly safe as long as you 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.
Infants (age leass 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.
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.
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.
The Euro is the currency used in Finland. Please note there are no banking facilities at Enontekio Airport and only limited facilities at Rovaniemi Airport. Clients should obtain currency prior to departure.
Photography used for daytime images on the website has been undertaken during the period of ‘grey light’, 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.
Your activities are subject to local weather conditions which are out of our control. The resorts we use 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 of activities 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 our tours or safaris if we or our suppliers consider that conditions are unsafe. See booking condition no. 16.
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