Our next itinerary is going to enjoy the company of arctic animals where we will visit local reindeer farms and husky kennels and take on a fascinating ride on a sleigh.
We had no idea where we were after snowmobiling for one hour. But one thing we knew, we were really deep into the forest.
The coldness was unbearable and we were really glad to take a rest inside the log cottage.
Our guide prepared an open fire for us to warm up, and our group got to enjoy warm refreshments and pastries before meeting the reindeer and husky dogs. Our guide also shared about Lapland with us, describing what we should know about arctic animals and their behaviour.
Fire, the precious commodity during winter season.
Reindeer Farm
Okay, we have read about reindeer in storybooks and seen them on TVs. Our impression of reindeer is that they are very much a part of Santa Claus’ life, transporting him from one place to another.
Reindeer don’t fly, but they do sometimes have red noses. These animals are part of the deer family, which includes deer, elk, moose and wapiti. Like others in their family, reindeers have long legs, hooves and antlers. An interesting fact to know is that male reindeer lose their antlers in November, but females keep theirs much longer. This means that Santa Claus’ reindeer must have all been female, since they are depicted as having horns on December 24.
Reindeer tied to the trees. Watch out for the dungs on the ground when approaching them!
Reindeer are built for the cold. Their noses warm up air before it gets to their lungs and their entire bodies, including their hooves, are covered with fur. These animals can run very fast and some of them up to 80km/h!
Let us pose for a picture before the ride.
How far was the reindeer sleigh ride? Just a mere 500m. Our reindeer was pretty lazy as he stopped halfway and sauntered back to the starting point. However the best part was getting to ‘drive’ the reindeer by ourselves!
The reindeer ride was not impressive. However, the memorable part was getting up close and personal to meet the reindeer, finally.
Husky Safari
We visited the husky safari which was one of our anticipated itinerary. We loved dogs! The energy and joy of the husky dogs, who are born to run, is difficult to describe and petting the animals is also possible.
At the husky safari, we learnt about how the huskies were trained from a young age and the role each of them played in pulling the sleigh.
As you can see, husky bears a close resemblance to the wolf but they are pretty friendly and playful.
After touring the husky farm, we were led to the husky sleigh ride. The huskies were raring to go and greeted us with enthusiatic chorus of barking when we approached them.
The 500m husky ride was delightful as they leapt up and down the air in extreme excitement, pulling us across the snow. While some may see this as animal slavery, we tend to differ. The huskies really looked happy and excited in carrying out their duties.
Posing for a family photo before we bid these friendly animals goodbye!
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park Oy is located in Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle in Finland.
Address:
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
Santa Claus Village
Joulumaantie 5
96930 Arctic Circle
Finland
Email:
Bookings and safari information: info@snowmobilepark.com
Instagram: Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
Facebook page: Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
TripAdvisor: Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
