Family snowmobile safari in Enontekiö: where the children ride
Illustration photo: a village in deep snow, not Näkkälä.
The short answer
With children under about ten, book a ride that offers a sleigh behind the guide's snowmobile: the husky kennel's 20-kilometre tour and Näkkälä Eräpalvelut's village trip both do, and Näkkälä calls the village trip suitable for families. From about ten a child can sit behind a parent. Bring children's winter clothing from home, because Näkkälä lends overalls and boots only in adult sizes.
Where a child sits on a snowmobile ride in Hetta depends on how tall they are, and one of the two companies says so plainly.
Behind a parent, or in the sleigh
The husky kennel lets a child ride as a passenger once their feet reach the footrests, normally at about ten. Younger children ride in a sleigh pulled behind the guide’s snowmobile.1 The driver needs a licence.
The trip made for families
Näkkälä Eräpalvelut calls its day out to the Sámi village of Näkkälä suitable for families, and anyone can make it in the sleigh at 145 euros a head rather than on a machine. It lends overalls and boots only in adult sizes,2 so children need their own warm clothing.
A short first outing
Both companies sell a short ride with a sleigh seat, around twenty kilometres, an hour and a half on the kennel’s list and at Näkkälä, which keeps a first outing short. The kennel’s rides are compared on snowmobile safaris in Enontekiö.
Questions people ask
Should a small child go in the sleigh alone?
Not if they cannot sit up on their own. The husky kennel says younger children can ride in a sleigh pulled behind the guide's snowmobile and recommends a parent goes with any child who cannot sit independently. A parent in the sleigh with a toddler pays the sleigh fare as well, which on the short tour is 40 euros at the kennel.
Can a family stay out overnight?
In spring, yes. The husky kennel's two-day tours from the third week of March to mid-May have a child pillion price, 250 euros on the 40-kilometre wilderness tour against 300 for an adult sharing a machine, and a cabin night with meals. They need four people unless you also book a husky trip, which a family of four meets.
What if it is very cold?
Neither company publishes a temperature limit for its snowmobile rides. The kennel says its short tours are generally non-refundable once booked, so a family worried about a cold spell should ask before paying what happens if the guide cancels for the weather, and keep the booking for a day when the forecast is known.