Book now

Family snowmobile safari in Kemi: what works with children

A small child in a pink snowsuit and hat standing alone on a vast flat expanse of sea ice, seen from behind, under a grey sky

Illustration photo: a child on frozen sea ice, not on a safari from Kemi.

Lapland Handbook Staff How we research this

The short answer

With children under twelve, book the snowmobile park trip, which seats them in a sled and collects the whole family from its hotel. With a child of twelve who is at least 140 centimetres tall, the sea rides from the Kemi safari house let them sit behind a parent. For a child fare in print, book the night ride through the Kemi agency or the sea-ice ride in Tornio.

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.

Kemi sea ridesNight ride, agencySnowmobile parkTornio sea ride
Where children ride In a sleigh; from 12 and 140 cm behind the driver In a sled behind the snowmobile In a sled In a sledge
Ages Not stated Child fare 3 to 11 Not stated Child fare 4 to 14
Child fare Not stated €110 Not stated €75
Getting there Safari house in Kemi Safari house in Kemi Pickup from your hotel Koskitie, Tornio, 21 min by car

Nothing is ranked: the child fares belong to rides of different lengths, and two sellers print none. Adults' prices are on the Kemi snowmobile price page.

Where these figures come from
  • Kemi sea rides: The sunrise, sunset and night rides from the Kemi safari house as the booking platform lists them, outfit and helmet included.
  • Night ride, agency: The same night ride sold by a Kemi travel agency, which prints a child fare for ages three to eleven riding in a sled.
  • Snowmobile park: A lodge's family park near Kemi where children ride in a sled, with a warm cabin afterwards and pickup from hotels in Kemi and Tornio.
  • Tornio sea ride: The Tornio company's two hours on the frozen bay, with children aged four to fourteen in a sledge at their own fare.

On every snowmobile ride around Kemi an adult drives. What changes from seller to seller is where the child goes and whether anyone prints a price for them.

Behind a parent or in a sled

The rides from the Kemi safari house seat small children in a sleigh and let a child sit behind a parent only from twelve years and 140 centimetres.1 A Kemi travel agency that sells the night ride treats everyone under twelve as a child and prints a fare for ages three to eleven, riding in the sled.2

The park for small children

A lodge near Kemi runs a snowmobile park built for families, where children ride in a sled and the trip ends in a warm cabin with hot drinks and sausages. It collects you from any hotel in Kemi or Tornio.3 It prints no age limit, so ask with a baby.

Twenty minutes away

In Tornio, 21 minutes by car, a company runs two hours on the frozen bay with children aged four to fourteen in a sledge at their own fare.4 It is the widest child band near Kemi, though its page mentions no pickup.

The rides themselves are compared on snowmobile safaris in Kemi, and the ice fishing trips families combine with them on ice fishing in Kemi.

Tours you can book

Questions people ask

Will the children get warm clothing?

On the rides from the Kemi safari house the listing includes an overall, shoes, wool socks, gloves and a helmet, and the Kemi agency lists the same outfit with an under-cap, but neither says whether it keeps children's sizes. The park trip does not mention clothing. Ask about sizes when you book, and bring a snowsuit and mittens for a small child in any case.

Can our teenager drive?

No. On the rides from Kemi the driver must be 18 and hold a valid driving licence, and the Tornio company sets the same rule. A teenager of twelve or more who is at least 140 centimetres tall can ride behind a parent on the Kemi sea rides; below that height or age, children ride in a sleigh behind a snowmobile.

How far is the Tornio ride from Kemi?

The Tornio company starts from Koskitie in Tornio, which is 21 minutes by car from Kemi. Its page mentions no pickup, so a family without a car should ask before booking or plan on a taxi. Its terms are also stricter than the Kemi listings: a cancellation inside 48 hours is charged in full, where the Kemi platform listings refund up to a day before.

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.

More about Lapland Handbook →