Santa Claus in Sodankylä
Illustration photo: a Santa hat in the snow, not from the Sodankylä visit.
The short answer
Book it if a private, unhurried meeting matters more than the cost, and book it on the company's own site, where the same visit costs far less than on the booking platform. The walk, the elf, the letter writing and a gift for every child are included either way. For a larger group, or a family on a budget, meeting Santa in Rovaniemi is the alternative.
Sodankylä sells one way to meet Santa, and it is a private one.
The lavvu visit
Arctic SISU Experience takes your family, and nobody else, on a guided walk through the snowy forest to a heated lavvu. There Santa’s elf leads festive activities, the children write letters to Santa, and then they meet him in person, each child getting a surprise gift and a certificate. Warm drinks are included, and the visit lasts three to four hours.
The company’s own site sells it at 799 euros for a family of four and gives it three hours; GetYourGuide lists it at 1,099 euros for up to four, at four hours and with pickup available. Either way the price is for the group, whether you are two or four.
If that does not fit
In Rovaniemi you can meet Santa without booking a programme at all, as meeting Santa Claus in Rovaniemi explains. Luosto, in the same municipality, has no Santa programme of its own; the Pyhä-Luosto Santa guide describes a private visit near Pyhä as well as a day in Rovaniemi.
The rest of the village is on the Sodankylä destination page.
Tours you can book
The private lavvu Santa visit, booked on the company's own site
Run by Arctic SISU Experience
From €799per group of up to 4
Length3 h
See it on the operator’s site(opens in a new tab)A private Santa visit in a heated lavvu in the forest
Run by Arctic SISU Experience
From €1,099per group of up to 4
Length4 h
Book now on GetYourGuide(opens in a new tab)
Questions people ask
What is a lavvu?
A lavvu is the traditional Sámi tent, a cone of poles and covers with a fire or stove in the middle. The listing describes a heated one in the forest, reached on a guided walk through the snow, as the setting for a family's meeting with Santa, away from the busier Santa attractions.
Can we bring grandparents or a larger family?
The price shown covers a group of up to four. The listing does not print a price for larger groups, so ask the company before booking. Also ask how long the forest walk is if anyone in the group walks slowly or uses a pushchair, since the listing does not give the distance.
When is it available?
The listing does not state a season or dates. Check the booking calendar for your own dates before building a trip around it, and book early if you are travelling at Christmas, since this is the only Santa programme sold in the village and it takes one family at a time.