Looking for winter activities in Rovaniemi? Santa Claus Reindeer offers two very different ways to experience reindeer during the Arctic winter.
In the iconic Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle, reindeer experiences are easy to access, family-friendly and simple to include in a day filled with other Christmas and winter activities. Guests can enjoy reindeer sleigh rides or visit the reindeer fence to meet the animals and learn more about them with our Reindeer Guides.
At Taava Reindeer Farm, winter experiences take place in peaceful Arctic nature, with more time, more space and a stronger connection to the reindeer, the snowy forest and our local Reindeer Guides. The quiet surroundings and winter landscape create a calm setting for guests looking for a more in-depth reindeer experience.
Winter brings Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle into its most iconic season. Christmas lights, snow-covered surroundings and visitors from around the world create a lively winter atmosphere in Rovaniemi.
Reindeer are part of that experience. Guests can meet and feed the reindeer at the reindeer fence, learn about them from our Reindeer Guides and enjoy reindeer sleigh rides through the snowy surroundings of Santa Claus Village. The sound of hooves and sleigh runners on the snow adds something distinctly Lapland to a day already filled with Christmas and winter activities.
Reindeer experiences are easy to include in a visit to Santa Claus Village, whether travelling as a family, visiting for the first time or looking for an easy way to experience reindeer at the Arctic Circle.
From: 35 €
Feed the herd and spend time at the reindeer fence, at your own pace. Available in Santa
Claus Village any time of year.
Meet and feed Santa Claus’s reindeer in the heart of Santa Claus Village while discovering fascinating facts about their life in Lapland. Complete your magical winter encounter with warm glögi and traditional Finnish gingerbread.
From: 30 €
Experience the magic of Christmas on a charming reindeer sleigh ride through Santa Claus Village, where festive memories come to life. Perfect for all ages, this short and enchanting adventure is available with tickets purchased on-site only.
From: 50 €
An 800-metre ride through the forest, right in Santa Claus Village. Tickets bought on-site.
Discover the magic of Christmas on a traditional reindeer sleigh ride in Santa Claus Village. A charming Arctic experience for all ages, with tickets available on-site only.
From: 139 €
A longer sleigh ride starting from Santa Claus Village, ending with warm drinks by the fire.
Pre-booked.
Discover Lapland on a peaceful 30-minute reindeer sleigh ride through snowy Arctic landscapes in Santa Claus Village. Complete your adventure with warm drinks, light snacks, and local reindeer stories by a cozy campfire.
From: 160 €
Escape into Lapland’s snowy wilderness with a peaceful 30-minute reindeer sleigh ride, followed by an unforgettable visit to Taava Reindeer Farm, where you can meet and feed the reindeer.
From: 169 €
An evening safari from Taava Reindeer Farm, with a stop by the fire in the log kota. If
conditions are right, you might see the Northern Lights dance across the sky.
Experience the magic of Lapland on a peaceful reindeer sleigh ride beneath the Arctic sky, with a chance to witness the Northern Lights. Meet and feed the reindeer at Taava Reindeer Farm, then enjoy traditional Finnish treats by a cozy fire.
Reindeer rides begin in Santa Claus Village, right behind the Santa Claus Office. It’s about 15 minutes by car from Rovaniemi city centre, or closer to 30 minutes by local bus 8 with its stops along the way, a good, responsible way to make the trip, check current timetables here.
Taava Reindeer Farm is about 20 minutes from Rovaniemi and every Taava experience includes transfers, so getting there is easy and hassle-free.
For current opening hours, see our Info page.
Rovaniemi winters bring temperatures well below freezing. Warm, layered clothing, boots, a hat and gloves are essential for the reindeer sleigh ride, and reindeer hides in the sleigh do the rest.
In winter, reindeer use their hooves to dig through the snow to reach the lichen underneath, their main source of food through the coldest months. Their thick winter coats trap warm air so well that snow can settle on their backs without melting, a small sign of how well they’re built for the cold.
Respect for the Arctic nature we work in
Our work takes place in an Arctic environment that we want to understand, respect and look after. Santa Claus Reindeer is Biosphere Certified and holds the Sustainable Travel Finland label. Our sustainability work follows the UN 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on practical actions that can be seen in how we operate.
We prefer to show this through practical choices.
We sort waste and make recycling easier for our guests. In Santa Claus Village, sorting points help visitors dispose of waste correctly during the busy winter season.
We reduce unnecessary resource use. We work to use water and energy carefully, and the electricity used across our company comes from renewable energy sources.
We encourage simple, lower-impact choices. Guests can enjoy clean Finnish tap water, and we encourage visitors to use public transport when travelling to Santa Claus Village whenever possible.
We help guests understand the nature around them. At Taava Reindeer Farm, time spent in the Arctic surroundings and conversations with our Reindeer Guides give guests a closer view of the seasons, reindeer and the environment they live in.
For us, We Love Nature means treating the environment around us with care and helping our guests notice, understand and appreciate it too.
Meet Mrs Santa Claus in her Christmas Cottage in Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi. A warm, personal moment with time to talk and share a little Christmas magic. Encounters can be booked in advance.
At our Lapland Restaurant Kotahovi next door, an open fire burns at the centre of the room. Guests can order reindeer stew, salmon soup and homemade blueberry pie by an open fire. No reservations, just take a seat.
Rovaniemi changes with every season. Summer brings the Midnight Sun, green forests and reindeer calves, while autumn colours the landscape in ruska and shows another stage in the reindeer year. Reindeer experiences continue through the seasons, with something different to see and learn each time.
Reindeer sleigh rides run from 1 December to the end of April, weather and snow conditions allowing. Early in the season, before enough snow has settled, rides run on a wheeled cart instead.
Reindeer Path and Forest Path tickets are bought on-site in Santa Claus Village. The Winter Adventure Reindeer Safari, Daytime Reindeer Experience and Northern Lights Reindeer Safari are booked in advance.
The Northern Lights Reindeer Safari runs from Taava Reindeer Farm, away from the village lights where the sky is darkest. The lights are a natural phenomenon and can’t be guaranteed, but the evening by the fire is worth the trip either way.
Yes. Small children can ride with an adult in the sleigh, and Meet Santa Claus Reindeer, Daytime Reindeer Experience and In Search of the Northern Lights all welcome guests of any age.
Warm, layered clothing, with sturdy boots and gloves. This matters especially for children: our Reindeer Guides check that every young rider is warmly dressed before the sleigh sets off. Reindeer hides are provided in the sleigh for extra warmth.
In Santa Claus Village, right behind the Santa Claus Office. For Daytime Reindeer Experience and In Search of the Northern Lights at Taava Reindeer Farm, transfers are included and arranged as part of your booking.
