Reindeer in Tornio: where the nearest herd is
Illustration photo: a reindeer in winter, not at the farms described here.
The short answer
For the reindeer themselves, book the farm visit out of Kemi: two hours with a winter outfit lent, feeding the herd and a sleigh ride of a kilometre and a half. For a day with small children in which reindeer are one part, drive to the Santa station in Ylitornio, where feeding them is included in the day ticket. Nothing closer is on sale.
Nobody sells a reindeer visit in Tornio or across the river in Haparanda. The twin towns’ own list of winter companies has dogs, snowmobiles, ice fishing and aurora evenings, and no reindeer farm.1
A farm near Kemi
The nearest is a two-hour trip from the safari house in Kemi, 21 minutes from Tornio, that lends a winter outfit and drives you out to a farm. There you meet and feed the herd, try a lasso, ride a sleigh for a kilometre and a half, and warm up in a hut with a hot drink and a pastry.2 It costs 125 euros a head.
A herd at the Santa station
Ylitornio, 49 minutes up the river, has reindeer at its Santa station, and feeding them is part of the 47-euro day ticket along with Santa himself, gingerbread and crafts. It is a day out for a family more than a reindeer visit, which is the right choice if the children are the reason you are going.
Which to choose
The Kemi farm for the animals and the sleigh, Ylitornio for a Christmas day with reindeer in it. The Kemi visit is described in more detail on reindeer farm from Kemi, and the Ylitornio ticket on Santa Station in Ylitornio.
Tours you can book
An entry ticket to the Santa Station, with Santa and reindeer
Run by Santa Station
From €47per person
Book now on GetYourGuide(opens in a new tab)A reindeer farm visit near Kemi with a 1.5 km sleigh ride
Run by Sea Lapland Safaris
From €125per person
Length2 h
Book now on GetYourGuide(opens in a new tab)
Questions people ask
On which days does the farm visit run?
The company's own site gives it as Wednesday to Sunday at three in the afternoon, so Monday and Tuesday are out, and it is an afternoon trip whichever day you pick. The booking platform that sells it shows the same two-hour visit, so check its calendar for the date you want and plan the drive to Kemi, 21 minutes from Tornio, around that fixed start time.
Can we feed the reindeer without a Santa ticket in Ylitornio?
Not on the terms this site has read. The station's listing sells one day ticket for everything inside, and shows no cheaper entry for the reindeer alone. If Santa is of no interest to your party, you would be paying for a programme you will not use; the farm visit out of Kemi is the one built around the animals, and it adds a sleigh ride.
Is there anything on the Swedish side?
Nothing this site could find on sale. The twin towns' tourist site lists husky, snowmobile, ice-fishing and aurora companies on both sides of the river, and no reindeer farm open to visitors. If you are driving further, Rovaniemi, an hour and a half away, is where this site compares reindeer farms side by side.