Arctic Circle Snowmobile park — Local services in Rovaniemi sub-region

The most arrogant and upsetting manager I’ve ever had to talk with!! We went for a 30 minute snow ride in the forest. We payed the day before and let’s just say it’s not the cheapest thing, and we clearly stated we had young children. 3 , 6 and 7. At no point were we told to be early to get prepared, luckily we had finished the elf hat show also provided by them, and nearby, also quite expensive for what it is. The preparation / dressing alone take about 25 minutes prior to the drive, in a very overcrowded room , at no way appropriate or even safe for young children. We were not told this would take place. We thought we could use our clothes. I get that it’s Christmas time and they have a lot of service but honestly, given the price we payed I believed it was a private ride just for my family. Turned out was a group of 15! This made the explanation and preparation super long. For young kids that are notoriously impatient, why was there no better preparation? With that said , then it’s a 400m walk to the bikes, that are not parked out back. Again this was not explained and for young kids is not a good idea. So after Al the commotion of dressing and walking the kids were exhausted and we finally arrived to bikes almost 25 minutes after the hour . All lined up for Saftey talks. Another 6-8 minutes . Then finally we started. I remind you at this hour (2:30 pm) starts to get dark. Also kids go in a sleigh behind the guide. Only a small blanket offered against the cold. It’s insane they believed this was something that should not have been better explained. The drive is quite nice, despite not being able to really leave the track or the line so gets Boring very quick. After 10 minutes kids were freezing and wanted to get back. This was apparently not possible, so had to wait it out. If it was a smaller group and more personalized this never would have happened! We felt trapped. Finally got back and went to speak to manager as this is seriously NOT a ride for young kids. Her way of talking, debating or listening was aggressive and rude. She was aggressive from the get go! I simply asked for a refund for the kids as a symbolic gesture to accept the mistakes made in selling us this ride and putting my kids in risk of hypothermia! I was happy to pay for the 3 adults as a sign of goodwill. The kids truly suffered. She was intransigent and combative and at no point apologized. I usually back off and don’t like confrontation so I left, and my wife returned to talk to her and was even worse. They should be fined for total lack of communication and proper preparation. Too many clients at one go and zero focus on comfort or proper communication that is important for child safety. On days it snows they should have more notion that this is not a kid friendly ride, and be more open to understanding the inherent risks of poor...

Felt like this company is only operating to grab as much cash as possible from tourists during this peak holiday season. They DO NOT consider our experience at all.

The biggest problem was the size of the group, which they don’t seem to be prepared for. Signed up for a 2hr snowmobile tour. It’s also marketed to include about 2 hours of driving time and about 3.5 hours total activity time. The group was BIG with almost 30 people (15 snowmobiles, 3 guides) and due to the large group, most time was spent WAITING. Actual riding time was only about 30mins. Bus pick up was late. Then it was another long wait due to long queue on site, because there’s only ONE counter for people to sign indemnity and get our outfits. Then more waiting in the cold outside, because initially the guides couldn’t get keys to enough snowmobiles for the group, which is bizarre. Shouldn’t they already know how many participants there would be?

There were also many stops during the ride because we had to move in a convoy. Convoy of 15 snowmobiles, mind you that’s a huge group. We basically had to stop every minute or 2 of riding to wait for people behind. Then after maybe 10 mins riding, we were told to turn off the engine as we are taking a break (just stoning in the cold). Sure we managed to take some photos during the stop, but it wasn’t what we signed up for. we want snowmobile riding. Then another break after another 10 mins of riding. This time round they set up a fire in a hut (singular) for 30people. Until it was clearly impossible to fit everyone, the guide finally started another fire. Then there wasn’t enough drinks for everyone. Again, don’t you already know how many participants there would be?

The whole experience also felt very disorganised. First was not preparing enough snowmobiles and drinks for the group. Also, the briefing on how to ride the snowmobile was done by crowding around a single guide. With 30 people around one snowmobile, we could barely see anything the guide was demonstrating. Isn’t this a safety concern? Given there were three guides around, couldn’t the briefing be done in smaller group?

We spent €139 per adult and almost 4 hours on this experience, which definitely don’t feel worth it. Signed up tours with other agencies this holiday and had much better experiences. You probably would want to consider...

Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park - Northern Lights Tour Review

I am extremely disappointed with the Northern Lights Tour offered by Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park. As the name suggests, this tour is marketed as an opportunity to see the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), yet it failed to deliver on its primary promise. Tourists are paying a significant amount of money—over £70 per person—specifically to witness the aurora borealis, and we left without even a glimpse.

The excuse provided was that it was cloudy, and this is Mother Nature. While weather and natural phenomena are unpredictable, this explanation falls flat when considering that a guide, who has spent their entire life in Rovaniemi, should have the expertise to predict the likelihood of seeing the lights. If chances are low, the fair and ethical approach would be to cancel the tour or clearly inform tourists that visibility is minimal, allowing them to make an informed decision. Instead, we were led on with false hope, only to waste both time and money.

The experience felt like an overpriced campfire. We were promised a proper fire for marshmallows, but ended up using a leftover fire, which felt rushed and poorly planned. While the guides themselves were polite and professional, they were clearly limited by the company’s policies. The technology available in 2024 can easily provide accurate aurora forecasts, and I would strongly advise the company to utilize this to avoid disappointing future customers.

For anyone considering this tour, check the aurora forecast beforehand, and if the chances are below 50%, save your money and look for alternative experiences. Unfortunately, this tour felt more like a cash grab than a genuine attempt to showcase the Northern Lights.

I would rate the tour one star for the politeness of the guides—otherwise, it would be zero if possible. This was the most expensive marshmallow I’ve ever eaten, and the entire experience left a bitter taste. The company needs to prioritize honesty and customer satisfaction over profits. Avoid unless you are guaranteed clear skies and a strong...