Best reindeer tour in Kilpisjärvi: one pick for each kind of party
Illustration photo: a reindeer sled in winter, not at the farms in Kilpisjärvi.
The short answer
For a sleigh ride, or with children under eight, book the one-hour visit at the family farm in the village: it is the only one with a sleigh and the farm welcomes children. For the fullest account of herding, take either two-hour visit; choose the farm's if you can walk there from your hotel, and the safari company's if you have no Arctic clothing, because it lends a thermal suit.
The two reindeer outings in Kilpisjärvi suit different people more than they compete.
If you want a sleigh ride, or have small children
Book the one-hour visit at the Sámi family farm in the village: feeding the reindeer, a traditional wooden sleigh ride round the farm and a short talk by the fire.1 It is the only sleigh on offer, and the farm welcomes children of any age.
If you want the stories
The farm’s two-hour visit is built around family storytelling in its Kammi, and it is a walk from the hotels. The safari company’s two-hour evening covers the herding year and Sámi customs with a herder, and adds transport and a full thermal suit.2 Choose by whether you have warm clothes and can walk to the farm.
If you are four or more with a child under eight
The safari company’s evening is out, because it takes nobody under eight. The farm is the answer for a family with young children in either length.
What the safari company’s evening includes is set out on reindeer in Kilpisjärvi.
Questions people ask
Can we add a meal to the farm visit?
The family farm says a traditional reindeer meat soup lunch can be added to a visit, as can a longer private programme, and it asks you to enquire about add-ons. It publishes no price for them. The safari company's evening includes a hot drink, a pastry and what it calls local delicacies, but no meal, so if eating is part of the plan the farm is the one to ask.
Is there anything to see at the farm besides the reindeer?
The farm is opening an open-air Sámi heritage site on its land, which it says will share stories of Sámi life, craftsmanship and reindeer herding, and it invites visitors to ask about including it in a farm visit. That makes it the better choice for a party whose interest is the culture as much as the animals.
When in the season can we go?
The safari company runs its herder evening from 20 November to 31 March, from half past four to half past six. The family farm says visits can be arranged throughout the year by advance booking, with the content changing with the season, the weather and the needs of the herd. Outside that winter window, the farm is the only option.