- -Walking tour of Stockholm with Trip Leader
- -Overnight train to Lulea
- -Walking tour of Lulea with Trip Leader
- -Walking tour of Gammelstad with Trip Leader
- -Northern Lights hunting on the Topdeck coach with Trip Leader (weather dependent)
- -Visit the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi
- -Stay in a glass igloo in Rovaniemi
- -Visit to Ranua Arctic Wildlife Park
- -Train to Helsinki
- -Walking tour of Helsinki with Trip Leader
Your dream trip starts here
Delve Deep: Lapland (Winter)
Trip overview
TRIP VIBE = in-depth adventures and real af moments with a Trip Leader. Wanna enter a real-life winter wonderland? This magical 9 day adventure through the frozen landscapes of Sweden and Finland is gonna blow your MIND. We’re talking miles of I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E snow-blanketed scenery, unforgettable evenings spent hunting the Northern Lights, plus a lil’ trip to Lapland to meet Santa Claus himself. Childhood dreams = made. Ready for alllll the feels?
Worth noting…
On Day 2, we’ll be hopping on a scenic overnight train from Stockholm to Lulea. You’ll get cosy with a few of your trip mates in a six-person cabin – however, the rest of your accommodation will be double or twin share.
Booking our 30 December 2025 departure? We’ll be skipping out Stockholm and catching the overnight train to Lulea as soon as you arrive on Day 1 instead. Why? So you can spend New Year’s Eve in Swedish Lapland. Skål!
Tales from Topdeckers
Trip itinerary
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Stockholm – Lulea
2Dust off those brekkie crumbs and pull on some warm and comfy shoes – today, we’re kicking things off with a morning walking tour with our Trip Leader. Check off Gamla Stan, Parliament House, Riddarholmen Church and The Royal Palace – then, the rest of the day is up to you. Ready for your next feed? Seek out some authentic Swedish meatballs – ‘nuff said. Later, we’ll get cosy in our bunks on the overnight train. Our destination? The BEAUT coastal city of Lulea – aka the getaway to Swedish Lapland...
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Activities
- Walking tour of Stockholm with Trip Leader
- Overnight train to Lulea
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Lulea
3Rise and shine! You’ll have a few hours to gaze out the train window at some seriously eye-popping views before we roll into Lulea around midday. Then, stash your luggage at the hotel and grab a snack at a local bakery (cinnamon bun, anyone?) before we hit up the city’s best bits on a walking tour with our Trip Leader. Fun fact: Lulea is built on an archipelago made up of over 1000 tiny islands just below the Arctic Circle. Plans for this arvo? You’ve got options. Check out the city’s 6-kilometer-long ice track for ice skating and sledding. Or pull on some snowshoes and head out into the snowy wilderness. There’s also an optional icebreaker cruise with some insane highlights. Think: walking on the frozen sea and swimming in an ice-free patch of water that’s been cleared by the ship’s path (don’t worry, you’ll be wearing an insulated floatation suit). Tonight, you’ll have your first opportunity to see the Northern Lights on an optional snowmobile tour. Prepare to be WOWED.
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Activities
- Walking tour of Lulea with Trip Leader
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Your Options
- Snowshoeing in Lulea: prices available locally
- Icebreaker cruise with swimming experience: prices available locally
- Northern Lights hunting on a snowmobile with a local guide: prices available locally
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Activities
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Lulea – Gammelstad – Lulea
4Wrap up warm, we’ve got another day of outdoor discovery. First up is screen-saver worthy Gammelstad – a UNESCO World Heritage church town packed with quaint 16th century buildings. We’ll soak it all in on a walking tour with our Trip Leader, including a stop at Nederluleå Church to check out its beaut medieval interiors. And later? There’s an optional visit to an authentic Sami village on the cards where you can meet the indigenous community (and their reindeer herds) and tuck into some traditional snacks. Tonight, if the skies are clear, we’ll hop on the coach and go hunting – for the Northern Lights, that is! Keep your eyes peeled for those dazzling colours (and don’t worry if they''re feeling a lil shy – there’ll be more chances to spot them later in the week).
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Activities
- Walking tour of Gammelstad with Trip Leader
- Northern Lights hunting on the Topdeck coach with Trip Leader (weather dependent)
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Your Options
- Visit to traditional Sami village, including local snacks: prices available locally
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Activities
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Lulea – Rovaniemi (Finland)
5Today’s an early start – but we promise it’ll be 100% worth it. Shotgun a window seat and watch out-of-this-world scenery whizz past as we cross the border into Finland. Our destination? Rovaniemi – aka the official home of Santa Claus (yep, really!). Your inner child will be crying tears of joy cos we’ve got an entire afternoon in the town’s storybook Santa Claus Village. Meet the man himself in Santa’s Office. Step over the official latitude line into the Arctic Circle. Or shop for handmade (sorry, elf-made) souvenirs at Santa’s Gift House. Got an appetite after all that excitement? We don’t blame you. Luckily, there’s an included dinner on the agenda at a local restaurant. Then, you’ll probably wanna hit the hay early. Why? Cos we''re snoozing in I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E glass igloos. Enjoy a relaxing sesh in your own private sauna and then keep your eyes peeled for the Northern Lights (or just the stars) while snuggled up in bed. Fact: it’ll be a true pinch-yourself experience either way.
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Activities
- Visit the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi
- Stay in a glass igloo
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Activities
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Rovaniemi – Oulu
6Still vibing from the dreamiest night of your LIFE? Laze around in your glass igloo a little bit longer and soak up views of the enchanting snowcapped forest. Can’t get enough of Santa Claus Village? It’s only a five minute walk from the hotel if you still need to grab some souvenirs for the fam back home. Then, it’s nearly time to move on to the next stop on our wintery adventure. But first: a chance to meet some of the awesome locals at the Ranua Arctic Wildlife Park. We’re talking arctic foxes, grey wolves, snowy owls and polar bears. Next, it’s onwards to Oulu: Finland’s cultural capital that’s perched right on the mouth of the Oulujoki River. Gather your trip mates and seek out a bowl of rössypottu – a heart-warming Finnish stew flavoured with smokey bacon. Yum! And tonight? There’s yet another Northern Lights hunt with your Tour Leader on the agenda.
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Activities
- Visit to Ranua Arctic Wildlife Park
- Northern Lights hunting on the Topdeck coach with Trip Leader (weather dependent)
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Activities
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Oulu
7What’s that? A free day to delve deeper in Oulu? And you’ve got plenty of options. Keep your eyes peeled for Rudolph at a local reindeer farm where you’ll have a chance to feed these majestic creatures. You could also hop on a snowmobile and explore more of Finland’s wild beauty. Expect views your mates back home won’t believe. Later, there''s an optional dinner and sauna sesh on the cards at Maikkula Mansion. You’ll tuck into some delish local grub – think fresh salmon and steak. After, pull on your bathers and prepare for total bliss in a relaxing wood-fired sauna just steps from the frosty Oulu River. Moments like these? Next level. Tonight, it’s our last opportunity to see the Northern Lights. Huddle together in the winter air as the skies *fingers and toes crossed* transform. Magic.
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Activities
- Northern Lights hunting on the Topdeck coach with Trip Leader (weather dependent)
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Your Options
- Visit a local reindeer farm in Oulu: prices available locally
- Wilderness snowmobile excursion around Oulu: prices available locally
- Hideaway dinner and sauna experience at Maikkula Mansion: prices available locally
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Activities
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Oulu – Helsinki
8After another included brekkie, we’ll wave goodbye to Oulu and board the train for Helsinki – Finland''s quirky capital city. This is your chance to catch up with the rents and swap tales with your trip mates. When we arrive this afternoon, we’ll get our bearings on a city walking tour. Tick off the A-list sights with your Trip Leader, including the historic Senate Square, the eye-popping Uspenski Cathedral and the space-age Oodi Library. Tonight, we have one final dinner together. Cheers (soz, kippis) to a road trip none of us will ever forget!
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Activities
- Train to Helsinki
- Walking tour of Helsinki with Trip Leader
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Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
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Activities
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Helsinki
99 unbelievable days. Two magical countries. Endless wintery vibes. And just like that, it''s time to say goodbye. Get down to breakfast and swap those socials – you’re gonna need them for next year’s reunion trip. Not ready for the adventure to end? Western Europe is just a stone’s throw away...
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Meals
- Breakfast
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Meals
Your Inclusions
Activities
Accommodation
-6 nights in hotel-style accommodation (twin or double), 1 night in a glass igloo (twin or double), 1 night on an overnight train (multi-share)
Transport
Air-conditioned minicoach
Your Options
FYI: these are optional activities available locally. Things might change – prices are here to give you a rough idea.
-Snowshoeing in Lulea: prices available locally
-Icebreaker cruise with swimming experience: prices available locally
-Northern Lights hunting on a snowmobile with a local guide: prices available locally
-Visit to traditional Sami village, including local snacks: prices available locally
-Visit a local reindeer farm in Oulu: prices available locally
-Wilderness snowmobile excursion around Oulu: prices available locally
-Hideaway dinner and sauna experience at Maikkula Mansion: prices available locally
Other information
Northern Lights
The Aurora Borealis (aka Northern Lights) are a beaut kaleidoscope of colourful lights which appear in the night sky of the northern hemisphere. This magical occurrence is very weather dependent, and not guaranteed. If the cosmos is on your side, you’ll be able to see them from various remote locations during your trip.
Weather
Fact: Sweden and Finland are mind-blowing in the winter. But they’re also freezing cold (think low temperatures of –16°C!), so make sure you pack the right stuff. Occasionally, the itinerary may change due to the snowy conditions. Dw, though, as this trip’s still gonna give you allll the travel tingles. No matter what.
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