FROZEN LAPLAND WINTER ADVENTURE (FINLAND) - NEW!
Experience a true winter wonderland as we explore the unique Finnish Lapland. From snow-covered forests, to frozen lakes and raging rivers, you'll be immersed in some of the worlds finest landscap
Finnish Lapland Photo Tour
This photo tour to the Finnish Lapland is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will take you on a journey through some of the most magical winter landscapes in the world. From snow-covered forests to frozen lakes and raging rivers, you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking scenery that is as made for photographers.
Highlights, and the main focus of this Lapland photo tour, is the unique Riisitunturi National Park, the Oulanka National Park, and the incredible Kuntivaara fell. Whether we have snow, clear skies, wind, or fog, there will be endless opportunities to create images you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Overall, this photo tour to the Finnish Lapland is the perfect opportunity to explore one of the most breathtaking winter destinations in the world. If we’re lucky, we might even photograph the beautiful Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights.
Day 1 – Arrival
Our Finnish Lapland photo tour begins at Rovaniemi airport no later than 12PM. Hotel pickup in Rovaniemi can be arranged.
Once we’ve all met, we’ll begin our 2.5-hour drive towards Ruka, which will be our base for the tour. Here we’ll get settled into our rooms before a presentation and introduction of what you can expect of the coming week.
If the skies are clear and aurora forecast good, we’ll head out for a night photography session.
Day 2 – Riisitunturi National Park
After breakfast at the hotel, we head towards the unique Riisitunturi National Park for our first full day of photography. From the parking lot, we have an approximately 20–30-minute hike up to our photo location. There are lots of amazing opportunities on the way up too, so don’t be surprised if it ends up taking a little longer.
We have just over 4 hours of daylight, with an additional 2 hours of blue hour, that we want to make the most of. As it’s getting dark, we’ll head back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest, and perhaps a sauna session to warm up!
In the evening, we’ll have our first post-processing session.
Day 3 – Oulanka National Park
The day begins with breakfast at the hotel before we head out to the wild and intriguing Oulanka National Park. In this frozen landscape, you’ll find a river that never freeze; which is our subject of the day.
After an easy 15-minute walk on a well-worn trail, we find ourselves at the famous Myllokoski rapids. Our day will be spent photographing the cliffs, watermill, rushing river, and other scenes in the surrounding area. We’ll also cross the suspended bridge and walk an additional 10 minutes to the wild Kitka river.
In the evening, there will be time to warm up with a sauna before post-processing or Northern Lights.
Day 4 – Riisitunturi National Park
After breakfast at the hotel, we head back to the unique Riisitunturi National Park, our main priority of our Lapland photo tour. In today’s session, we’ll focus on an area located slightly higher up than on our first session. Here the snow-covered trees are scattered around, looking like beings visiting from another planet.
In the evening, there’s time for another post-processing or image-review session at the hotel.
Day 5 – Kuntivaara Fell
Today we begin with an early breakfast before we’re transported by snowmobile sleighs to the incredible Kuntivaara Fell. The ride up takes approximately 30 minutes, and is an experience you won’t forget. It’s like being transported through another world.
The surroundings here are similar to Riisitunturi, but denser and wilder.
There’s a small hut for us to warm up between our photography sessions, where we are provided with an included lunch. The possibilities here are endless.
Day 6 – Oulanka National Park
On the last day of photography during our Lapland photo tour, we return to Myllykoski and Kitka in the Oulanka National Park for our final adventure. We will focus on a couple viewpoints that we didn’t get to on our first visit.
In the evening, we’ll have our final post-processing session and farewell dinner.
Day 7 – Departure
After breakfast, we pack up and begin our 2.5-hour drive back to Rovaniemi Airport where our Lapland photo tour comes to an end.
ENQUIRE ABOUT THIS TOUR
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT LEVEL OF PHOTOGRAPHY IS REQUIRED ?
Either you’re a beginner or professional, you’re welcome on this Finland photo tour. Our only criteria is that you have a passion for photography, and that you’re prepared to spend the day outside in cold temperatures.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Good outdoor clothing is essential for this trip. Days are short but we are spending a lot of time outside in at times extreme temperatures. This means you’ll need a good merino wool baselayer, a proper midlayer of high quality fleece or similar, and a super warm down jacket/parka and winter pants. Well insulated boots (like Sorel), a balaclava, water resistant gloves, hats, heat packs etc are also highly recommended. You’ll also need microspikes, especially when visiting the Kitka and Myllykoski rivers. I’m happy to give more specific recommendations if needed.
WHAT KIND OF WEATHER CAN I EXPECT ?
You can expect temperatures down to -35c when photographing the Finnish Lapland during the winter months. However, temperatures between -15c and -25c are more common. Snow is also to be expected this time of year and, if we’re lucky, we are treated with some nice fog, creating a magical atmosphere.
WHAT CAMERA GEAR SHOULD I BRING?
At the very least, bring your own camera, lenses, tripod, and laptop. If you are considering upgrading or investing in new camera gear prior to the trip, feel free to ask us for advice.
CAN I EXPECT SNOW AND ICE?
Yes, the Finnish Lapland is a true winter wonderland in January. Both snow and ice is to be expected.Â
WILL WE SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS?
Though we are located a bit south of the aurora oval, there is a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights when the activity is high.Â
Quick Facts
Dates: January 11th – January 17th, 2024
Location: Lapland, Finland
Available seats: 10/10
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium (Moderate hiking on snow is needed to reach some locations)
Price: 3590 EURO (based on double occupancy – single room supplement is 800 EURO).
Registration deposit: 700 EURO (full payment required 60 days prior to the tour).
Arrival: Rovaniemi Airport (RVN), January 11th – no later than 12:00
Departure: Rovaniemi Airport (RVN), January 17th – no earlier than 12:00
Included: Two professional photo guide, all tuition, post-processing sessions, transportation, accommodation and breakfast.
Not included: Any travel services required arriving and departing at and from the starting location at Rovaniemi Airport. Any private insurance, taxes, levies, immigration, duty, and visa fees where applicable. Meals and personal items including alcoholic beverages, snacks, souvenirs and travel insurance.
Tour Leaders
Christian Hoiberg
Christian Hoiberg is a full-time Norwegian landscape photographer and the founder of CaptureLandscapes. His goal is to help aspiring photographers develop the skills needed to capture beautiful and impactful images.
Giulio Cobianchi
Giulio Cobianchi is a professional landscape photographer, experienced and specialized in night photography with 10 years of experience. His passions are the search for dark skies to better capture the wonder of the night sky and the exploration of new places where wild nature gives the best of itself. These passions have led him to travel to the most beautiful and wild places in the world and Madeira is one of them. His satisfaction is making your dream come true.