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Reindeer with children in Levi: which outing suits which child

A pale young reindeer standing on a dry grass field and looking towards the camera

Illustration photo: a young reindeer, not in Levi.

Lapland Handbook Staff How we research this

The short answer

With a toddler or preschooler, book the short sleigh ride at the riverside farm: it is the shortest outing, prints its own fares for babies and small children, and ends indoors with a warm drink. With children who can sit still for half an hour in a sleigh, take the longer ride at the same farm. Keep the private farm visit by sled for families whose youngest is about ten.

How the operators compare

Prices are the operators' own published starting prices as of the date this guide was updated, and they change through the season.

Riverside farm, 1 kmRiverside farm, 3 kmPrivate farm by sled
Child fare From 2 From 2 Priced per group
Under two €35 €35 Not stated
Age advice Young families Not stated From 10
Winter clothing Rent or bring Rent or bring Lent
Length 2 h 2 h 30 min 3 h

Nothing is ranked: the right outing depends on the youngest child. What each costs a family is on the reindeer price page for Levi.

Where these figures come from
  • Riverside farm, 1 km: The shortest sleigh ride, along the river, with calves to feed and a warm drink indoors, aimed at young families.
  • Riverside farm, 3 km: The same farm with a half-hour sleigh ride through the forest, for children who can sit that long.
  • Private farm by sled: A snowmobile sled to a family farm with semi-wild reindeer and a kota meal, for one group, advised from ten.

For a family, what separates Levi’s reindeer outings is how young a child can come and how long they will be out in the cold.

The riverside farm

Ounaskievari, a Sámi family’s farm by the Ounasjoki River near Levi, prints a child fare from two and a small fare for babies. Its short ride covers one kilometre along the river, after which the children feed the calves and warm up indoors; its seller aims it at families with young children.1 The longer ride goes three kilometres through the forest, about half an hour in the sleigh.2

A farm visit for older children

The private farm visit by snowmobile sled is advised from ten, because the reindeer are semi-wild and startle at sudden movement.3

Tours you can book

Priced per person

Priced for the whole party

Questions people ask

Do we need our own winter clothing?

For the riverside farm, yes, or a rented set: its seller says warm winter clothing is not included and can be rented at its shop in the centre of Levi, allowing twenty minutes before departure. Children feel the cold first in a sleigh, so pack a warm snowsuit, mittens rather than gloves and a hat that covers the ears.

What will the children do besides the ride?

At the riverside farm they feed the reindeer calves lichen in the corral, have a hot drink and a homemade pastry, and hear how a Sámi family herds reindeer. That makes the outing more than a sleigh ride for a child who tires of sitting, and the corral is where most children want to be.

When is it light enough for photos?

In midwinter it starts to get dark soon after two in the afternoon, as the same seller notes on its Santa page, so a morning or midday departure gives the best light for photos of the children with the reindeer. For a toddler, an early start also leaves the afternoon for a nap. Ask the seller which departure times run on your dates.

Written by

Lapland Handbook Staff

Lapland Handbook is written by its editorial staff in Rovaniemi. Every price, age limit and group size in a comparison is read from the operator's own page and marked "Not stated" when the operator does not publish it. Each guide names who should not book, and names the operator that suits each kind of group, whichever it is.

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