Experience Overview
Celebrate Christmas beyond Kiruna at Sáivvu Camp near Jukkasjärvi, where local Sámi guides welcome guests into a winter setting shaped by reindeer traditions and regional food. The journey from town combines a road transfer with a passenger sleigh ride into the forest.
Instead of arranging separate activities and a Christmas meal, enjoy them as one guided small-group experience, with time at the camp and a festive gathering around the fire.
Reindeer, place and Sámi hospitality
Reindeer are central to the traditions explored on this tour. Your local Sámi guides explain their connection to reindeer herding while helping guests interact with the animals respectfully. The connection between reindeer, culture and daily life is a central part of the visit, rather than just a chance to see the animals.
The food adds another connection to northern traditions: suovas refers to smoked reindeer, while gahkku is traditional Sámi flatbread. These regional flavours give the Christmas meal a particular sense of place.
Experience Itinerary
10:00 – Pickup in Kiruna
Your Christmas adventure begins with pickup in central Kiruna. Meet your group and enjoy a scenic transfer to Jukkasjärvi, where your journey into the Arctic wilderness begins.
Snowmobile Sleigh Journey to Sáivvu Camp
Travel approximately 6 km through snow-covered forests in a passenger sleigh pulled by a guide-driven snowmobile. Enjoy the peaceful Arctic scenery as you make your way to secluded Sáivvu Camp.
Meet and Feed the Reindeer
Meet the reindeer, help feed them under the guidance of your hosts and discover their important role in Sámi culture and traditional reindeer herding.
Traditional Reindeer Sleigh Ride
Enjoy a traditional reindeer-pulled sleigh ride across a frozen lake. Experience the Arctic landscape at a relaxed pace, surrounded by snowy wilderness. This activity is subject to safe ice and weather conditions.
Four-Course Sámi Christmas Feast
Gather around the fire inside a traditional Sámi lavvu and enjoy a festive four-course meal featuring reindeer soup, Sámi meatballs, Christmas ham, smoked reindeer (suovas), Arctic char and cloudberries with cream. Coffee, tea and warm drinks are included.
14:00 – Return to Kiruna
After your Christmas experience, travel back through the snowy wilderness to Jukkasjärvi and continue by vehicle to central Kiruna, with arrival planned for approximately 14:00.
🎒 What's included
- Pickup and return transfer from Kiruna city centre
- Transportation to Jukkasjärvi
- Guided snowmobile-pulled sleigh journey to Sáivvu Camp
- Meet and feed the reindeer
- Traditional reindeer-pulled sleigh ride, weather and ice conditions permitting
- Visit to a traditional Sámi lavvu
- Four-course Sámi Christmas feast with local flavours
- Traditional reindeer soup, Sámi meatballs and Christmas ham
- Smoked reindeer, Arctic char and traditional accompaniments
- Cloudberries with cream for dessert
- Coffee, tea and warm drinks
- Small-group experience with 4–6 guests
📌 Good to know
- Departure time: 10:00 from Kiruna city centre.
- Return to Kiruna at approximately 14:00.
- Duration: approximately 4 hours, including transfers.
- Adult price: 5,900 SEK.
- Child price: 3,200 SEK for ages 7–15.
- Small-group experience with 4–6 guests.
- No snowmobile driving licence is required. Guests travel in a passenger sleigh pulled by a guide-driven snowmobile.
- Dress warmly for Arctic winter conditions, including insulated layers, warm boots, gloves and a winter hat.
- Reindeer sleigh riding depends on suitable weather, ice conditions and animal welfare.
- The outdoor programme may be adjusted for safety reasons.
- Please contact us before booking if you have food allergies or special dietary requirements.
- Advance booking is required. Available departure dates are shown in the booking calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do guests drive the snowmobile on this Christmas tour?
No. A guide drives the snowmobile while guests ride in the passenger sleigh, so no snowmobile driving licence is required.
Is the reindeer sleigh ride guaranteed?
The reindeer-pulled sleigh ride is part of the planned experience, but it takes place only when weather, ice safety and animal-welfare conditions permit. The guides may adjust outdoor activities.
What age range does the child ticket cover?
The child fare of 3,200 SEK applies to ages 7–15. The adult fare is 5,900 SEK.
What if I have a food allergy or dietary requirement?
Contact Kiruna Tours before booking to discuss allergies or dietary requirements. Any alternative meal needs to be confirmed in advance.
Who operates the experience and who handles the booking?
Arctic Sáivvu Adventure AB operates the experience with local Sámi guides. Kiruna Tours handles the booking.
Discover the Full Arctic Experience
Into the winter forest at Sáivvu Camp
After the transfer to Jukkasjärvi, the last part of the journey is approximately 6 km through snow-covered forest in a sleigh pulled by a guide-driven snowmobile. You ride as a passenger, so this is about experiencing the Arctic scenery rather than operating a snowmobile yourself.
Meet the reindeer and learn from your hosts
At Sáivvu Camp, spend time with the reindeer and feed them under the guidance of your Sámi hosts. The encounter offers a chance to hear about the animals’ place in traditional reindeer herding and the culture of this part of Swedish Lapland.
The programme also includes a traditional reindeer-pulled sleigh ride planned across a frozen lake. This part can take place only when the ice, weather and animal-welfare conditions are suitable; the guides may adapt outdoor activities when necessary.
Four courses around the fire
The Christmas feast is served inside a traditional Sámi lavvu. The menu moves through four festive courses, each with a distinct taste of the North:
- Reindeer soup (renkok): a warming first course.
- Sámi meatballs and Christmas ham: served with classic festive accompaniments.
- Smoked reindeer (suovas) and Arctic char: accompanied by potatoes, lingonberries, seasonal vegetables and traditional gahkku flatbread.
- Cloudberries with cream: a dessert made with a characteristic northern berry.
Coffee, tea and warm drinks are served as part of the celebration.
A Christmas experience focused on culture, not speed
This is a guided, shared outing for travellers who want to combine reindeer encounters with a festive meal in the winter landscape near Kiruna. Its character comes from the local hosts, the animals and the meal rather than a fast-paced snowmobile adventure.