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Private ice fishing in Saariselkä: how to have the lake to yourselves

An angler with a head torch sitting by a lit yellow tent on a frozen lake at dusk

Illustration photo: ice fishing at dusk, not in Saariselkä.

Lapland Handbook Staff How we research this

The short answer

For a party of up to eight, the small-group trip is the simplest route: book every place and pick your own start time. The trip listed for a private group is the one to choose if you want a full day with a barbecue lunch, but confirm that the price per person does not mean you will be joined by others. For two to four, write to the safari house and ask for a departure of your own.

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.

Small group of eightListed as privateMinibus, from two
Route to private Book all eight places Listed as a private group Ask for your group
Group 2–8 Not stated From 2 adults
Length 3 h 4 h (list: 5–6 h) 2 h
Price €99 per adult €175 per person Not stated

Nothing is marked: the trips differ in length and one prints no price. The trip listed for a private group gives two lengths, four hours in its summary and five to six in its list of inclusions.

Where these figures come from
  • Small group of eight: Three hours on a forest lake for two to eight, with the start time set to suit the group.
  • Listed as private: A long day at a secret fishing spot, reached by people carrier, with a barbecue lunch by the fire.
  • Minibus, from two: Two hours on a wilderness lake reached by minibus, running for a minimum of two adults.

Ice fishing groups around Saariselkä are small, so having one to yourselves is mostly a matter of how you book.

Fill the group

Arctic Timetravels takes two to eight people and will move the start time to suit them, so a party of up to eight that books every place fishes alone.1

Booked as private, or asked for

Arctic Tours’ long day at a secret fishing spot is listed for a private group, though its price is per person.2 Lapponia Tours’ minibus trip runs from two adults and says nothing about privacy, so a small party should ask it for a departure of its own.3

The trips themselves are compared on the best ice fishing in Saariselkä.

Tours you can book

Priced per person

Price not stated

Questions people ask

Does a private trip cost more than places on a shared one?

None of the three says. The small-group trip and the one listed for a private group both print a price per person, and the safari house prints none. Ask for a written quote for your whole party, and ask whether it changes if fewer people come on the day than you booked for.

Can children come on a private trip?

The small-group trip has no age limit and a lower fare for children from four to twelve. The safari house's minibus trip is open to all ages but needs two adults. The trip listed for a private group does not state an age limit, so ask before you book it for a family with small children.

Do we need our own winter clothing?

The small-group trip lends winter overalls and the safari house outdoor clothing. The trip listed for a private group asks guests to bring proper winter clothing of their own, and it is a long day outdoors, so pack overalls or thermal layers, boots, a hat and mittens for everyone before you go.

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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