The Northern lights in Finland

with
Surrey Students’ Union

6 days/5 nights • Departing 24th of January 2026 • From £650

What awaits you

Adventure starts the moment you land. From chasing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi to racing through the snow on a husky sled, this trip takes you deeper into Finland’s winter wonderland than you ever imagined. Explore the cool capital of Helsinki, meet Santa Claus himself at the iconic Santa Claus Village, and warm up with new friends after days packed with optional adventures like snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, and ice floating.

With Yes-Trips x Surrey Students’ Union, you’re not ticking off sights, you’re making stories you’ll be telling long after graduation.

PS: Flights not included ✈️
Return flights from the UK to Finland are not included in the package price. No stress, though. We’ve got tips on how to book your flights to Finland in the FAQ below.

PPS: Visa info 🛂
If you’re an international student in the UK, you may need a Schengen visa to join this trip. Click here to find out how to apply so you’re ready to go.

What you’ll
Love 🫶

In Finland, fairy tales come to life. Discover the festive charm of Santa Claus Village, bond with huskies as they pull you across glittering snow, and stand in silence as the Northern Lights dance across the Arctic sky.

Santa’s Village

Step into the world’s most festive village, where Christmas never ends. Meet Santa, cross the Arctic Circle, and soak up the magic IRL.

Husky Sledding

Feel the excitement as a team of huskies pulls you across glittering landscapes. It’s part adrenaline rush, part pure wildreness connection.

Northern Lights

Watch the sky explode in color as the Aurora Borealis sweeps overhead. A once-in-a-lifetime experience you truly won’t forget.

TRIP Highlights

We’ll kick things off in Helsinki, exploring the city’s iconic sights and buzzing atmosphere. Then it’s time to board the Arctic Night Train north — an adventure in itself — as we head to Levi in the heart of Lapland. Here, you’ll step into the magic of the Santa Claus Village, cross the Arctic Circle, and send a postcard straight from Santa’s Post Office.

As night falls, we’ll go chasing the legendary Northern Lights, with the chance to see the sky erupt in colors you’ll never forget. The adventure continues with a classic husky sledding ride, racing through frozen forests like a true explorer. Between adventures, you’ll have time to relax, unwind in a Finnish sauna, and soak up the charm of Levi before rolling back to Helsinki with memories that will stay for life.

Itinerary
What’s Included
Optional Activities
Frequently Asked Questions

Day 1 – Helsinki

Arrival Day

Meet Your Guide

Overnight Helsinki

Your journey begins in Helsinki, where you’ll meet your fellow travelers and the Yes-Trips team. After settling in, you’ll have the evening to relax or explore the city before resting up for the adventure ahead.

Day 2 – Arctic train!

City tour

Free time

Overnight Arctic train

Spend the morning exploring Helsinki’s iconic sights with a guided city tour. After some free time, board the Arctic Night Train — a journey through snowy landscapes that carries you north into Finnish Lapland.

Day 3 – Rovaniemi

Visit Santa Claus Village

Cross the Arctic Circle

Evening Northern Lights hunting

Arrive in Rovaniemi and head straight to the magical Santa Claus Village, where you can meet Santa, send postcards from his Post Office, and cross the Arctic Circle. After dinner, it’s time for an unforgettable adventure: chasing the Northern Lights across the Arctic sky.

Day 4 – Husky Sled

Husky sledding adventure

Optional activities

Overnight in Rovaniemi

Nothing says Lapland like a husky sledding ride — an exhilarating journey across snow-covered trails pulled by your own team of huskies. The day is rounded off with free time for optional adventures like snowmobiling or reindeer sledding, and a cozy overnight stay in Rovaniemi.

Day 5 – Helsinki

Free time

Night train back to Helsinki

Spend your last morning in Rovaniemi soaking up the cozy atmosphere, shopping for souvenirs, or just relaxing after a whirlwind of adventure. In the evening, board the Arctic Night Train back to Helsinki, sharing stories and laughs with your new travel friends.

Day 6 –
Departure

Morning arrival in Helsinki

Free time

Fly home

Arrive back in Helsinki in the morning with free time to enjoy the capital one last time. Grab a coffee, explore, or just relax before heading to the airport.

We recommend booking your flight after 15:00 to allow enough time for a smooth journey home.

Itinerary is flexible to make sure you have the best experience, there may be small changes. Your full itinerary will be sent 2 weeks before your trip!

Accommodations in Helsinki
Walking Tour of Helsinki
Overnight train to Rovaniemi
Accommodations in Rovaniemi
Husky Dog Sledding with Winter Clothes included
Roundtrip Transfer to Santa Claus Village
Visit with Santa Claus
Visiting Santa Claus’s Post Office
Visiting Reindeer Village
Overnight Santa Claus Express train to Helsinki
Yes-Trips Guide onsite for the duration of the trip

International flights to/from Finland
Airport transfers for arrival/departure into Helsinki to the accomodations
Personal travel insurance (recommended)
Meals when not specified (lunches and dinners)
Visas if required
Anything not mentioned in the inclusions

1 hour Snowmobile Tour: 90£ (2 on 1 snowmobile)
1.5 hour Reindeer Farm Visit with short Reindeer Sleigh Ride: 80£
6 hour Snowshoe Hike and Ice Fishing Tour: 95£
3 hour Arctic Water Ice Floating Tour: 95£

Limited tickets for optional activities!

Northern Lights in Finland with
Surrey Students’ Union

6 days / 5 nights from £650
🗓️ 24th to the 29th of January, 2026

If you’re planning your trip to Finland, here’s some useful info!

Travel insurance is not required for our trips, but we do recommend having it for your own peace of mind and extra protection.

Our groups are always made of people from all over the world and we want to give the chance to everyone to join us, no matter what airport they depart from!

When buying a flight, make sure to pick the best time range you can get. On Day 6 (departure day), your flight from Helsinki should be booked after 15:00 PM, as the night train arrives in the morning and you’ll need enough time to get to the airport.

Closest airports to Surrey:
London Heathrow (LHR) – ~40 min by train/coach
London Gatwick (LGW) – ~40 min by train/coach
Other options: London Stansted (STN), London Luton (LTN), London City (LCY) (slightly further, but sometimes cheaper)

Budget airlines flying to Helsinki:
Ryanair
EasyJet
Norwegian
Wizz Air

Scheduled / national carriers:
Finnair (direct, from Heathrow)
British Airways

Websites to find cheap tickets:
Skyscanner
Google Flights
Kayak

We suggest to use these platforms to compare prices and then book directly on the airline website (ex: Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, etc)

Arrival (Day 1)
Helsinki Airport (HEL) is around 30 minutes from the city center. Easy options:

Train 🚆 – I & P commuter trains run every 10–15 minutes to Helsinki Central Station. Journey ~30 min, tickets ~€4.60. Cheapest + easiest.
Bus 600 🚌 – Direct to the central station, ~30–40 min. Similar price to the train.
Taxi 🚖 – Around €40–50 to downtown.
Bolt & Uber 📱 – Available and often cheaper than taxis.

Departure (Day 6)
You’ll arrive in Helsinki by train in the morning. Make sure your flight is booked for 15:00 or later to allow enough time to get from the train station to the airport.

Trains run back to the airport every 10–15 minutes from Helsinki Central Station.
Same options apply: bus, taxi, Bolt/Uber if you prefer.

👉 Pro tip: Download the HSL app for easy ticket purchases on trains and buses.

If you’re an international student studying in the UK, you may need a Schengen visa to travel to Finland. Requirements depend on your nationality — EU/EEA students usually don’t need one, but many other international passports do.

How it works:
A Schengen visa lets you travel in 29 European countries, including Finland 🇫🇮.
Apply at the Finnish Embassy or Consulate in the UK.
Apply early — processing can take a few weeks.
You’ll need documents like your passport, proof of enrollment in the UK, travel insurance, and trip details (we’ll provide confirmations to support your application). 👉 Click here for official information on how to apply.

Pro tip: Don’t leave it last minute — sort your visa as soon as you book to keep things stress-free.

Arriving a day early/ Leaving a day late? Don’t worry, at Yes-trips we help you manage the booking of extra nights. All you have to do is send us an email to info@yes-trips.com with the subject: Extra night Helsinki and the date and we will take care of it for you.

Yes, of course! Everyone can join our trips.

Yes-Trips cannot be held responsible for any delays or cancellations that are caused by events that are beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, acts of civil authority (strikes), acts of terrorism, civil commotion, demonstrations, eruptions etc.

In case you need to cancel your ticket, you can do it and get a full refund until 15th of October 2025 by sending an email to info@yes-trips.com with “cancellation Iceland trip” as the subject.

After this date, cancellation with refund is not possible, but you can always resell your ticket, and of course, we can help you out with that.