Yes indeed! You heard that right! Budget-friendly travel to Lapland is possible! We showed you how over the past few months!
When our children chose Lapland as our new destination a month and a half ago, we immediately assumed we'd have to dig deep into our pockets.
Yes! It's easy to spend a lot of money there … but over the past week we also learned that Lapland can be a financially feasible destination for families.
How? Well! Let me explain it to you here.
Lapland on a budget? Choose the right location!
Lapland is enormous! It stretches from Norway across Sweden and Finland all the way to Russia. Yet everyone seems set on going to Alta, Lofoten, Abisko, Jukkasyarvi, Rovaniemi, Levi or Kittila. Of course, you'll find a wide range of traditional activities and plenty of accommodation choices there, but you also pay tourist prices.
We chose to go for the underdog: Lulea … and yes … the underdog, but one with an airport.
The advantage of the lesser-known places is mainly the price. And that carries through into everything … accommodation, restaurants and activities. In Lulea there is a gigantic ice-skating track on the sea ice where we spent a lovely day kick-sledding (free to use), building a campfire and having a BBQ. Firewood, a BBQ, tables and bins are provided.
Lulea also offers everything one of the more popular destinations offers: dog sledding, unique camping, snowmobiling, northern lights safaris, cross-country skiing, skiing, … only at a better price.
So for budget-friendly Lapland, your first step is to choose an off-the-beaten-path destination.
You might feel that a classic destination is better for children, but on the contrary! Our children's favourite was authentic Lulea.
Budget-friendly travel to Lapland, but where do you stay?
In Lulea itself we stayed at Scandic, definitely a recommendation for anyone travelling through Scandinavia with children. They're not the cheapest hotels, but let's say a good mid-range option. Delicious breakfast, good beds and family rooms (2 adults, 2 children and 1 child under 2). Usually around 150 eur per night. Not the very cheapest hotel, but for what they offer I think they certainly deserve an honourable mention when planning your budget-friendly trip to Lapland.
But they are still city hotels.
To have the real Lapland experience… To truly enjoy the wild beauty and cosy communities, you're best off looking for an AirBnb. These are great for budget-friendly travel anyway. Masses of cosy places to stay in unique locations at an average of 100 eur per night for a family.
We found this spacious house by a beautiful lake. A large open-plan kitchen, separate bedrooms for the children and a lovely fire pit in the garden. Ideal for roasting sausages and marshmallows during the long nights full of northern lights.
We made an ice rink on the lake and it was wonderful for snowshoeing at sunset.
And best of all, according to my youngest daughter, was the ski area 15” away. Beautifully lit slopes, a fun park, gentle prices (15 eur for a day pass and 3.5 for a simple hot meal), good snow quality and decent equipment for hire. So a budget-friendly trip to Lapland can also double as a budget ski trip.
When is the best time to travel to Lapland?
Although people traditionally like to go to Lapland in December, this is far from the best time to travel. Budget-friendly travel to Lapland is then a complete utopia. It's dark all day, it's often overcast (so less chance of northern lights), freezing cold (-40 is not unusual) and it's just about the most expensive period for a visit to Lapland.
On the recommendation of a hotel I worked with, we went in March. According to her, the best time to travel. And yes! Indeed! After a bit of googling I saw that March is the month with the highest chance of northern lights (especially around the equinox), mild temperatures and heaps of snow. It's also the typical month when the locals take their holidays.
And because tourists don't consider March a month for Lapland, it's also the month when it's quiet and a good deal cheaper than December.
Another advantage of this travel period is that, clothing-wise, you don't need any special technical gear to stay warm. An ordinary ski suit, thermal underwear and a fleece jumper from Decathlon is more than enough to keep you warm. Also be sure to have a look at the second-hand items you can buy at Decathlon. That saves a bit more on the price.
The best time to see the northern lights
Northern lights safaris, sometimes by snowmobile or dog sled … but often simply by car. Such outings cost 60-90 eur per person and you can actually do them perfectly well on your own.
We used the Aurora app to see where and when you can see the polar lights. Then we went looking for the right spot.
KP index: this describes the strength of the polar lights. Around 6% you'll see a real show, but from 1% you can already be blown away.
The probability percentage. We already saw the polar lights at a 5% chance. The trick is really to find a dark spot that's open.
You rarely see the dancing polar lights; more often it's a faint glow on the horizon. Those aren't street lamps, but actual places where the polar lights can be seen. Try to drive towards them and look for an open spot (e.g. a frozen lake). That's where the shows that are so eagerly shared on social media often unfold.
It takes a bit of searching, but it's oh so worth it.
The locals
When you stay in a small community far from the traditional holiday resorts, the locals are also very happy to see new faces again.
The Swedes are friendly, warm and open people who enjoy a chat and a fika (coffee with something tasty). So say hello, have a beer together, strike up a conversation and get to know the real Sweden.
Not only much cheaper than taking one of the many ‘culture lessons’, but also much more genuine. You learn how tradition and modern life truly go hand in hand here.
They'll also gladly lend you an ice drill (hello ice fishing), give you brilliant tips or lend you a sled. Ideal for keeping that budget down.
Equipment for the whole family
People often fly to Lapland. If you only have a week, that does sound like music to your ears, but when you have three or even just 2 weeks, a road trip can be very rewarding. A stopover in Copenhagen and Stockholm (great cities), for example, is enough to drive to Lulea. If you want to go to Finland, there are also various ferries that can break up your journey.
The advantage of driving is how easily you can bring your equipment along; think cross-country skis, snowshoes, fishing gear, skates, …
Nowadays you can also check in sports equipment at a reasonable price when flying.
By the way, we got everything we needed from Decathlon; you can simply rent everything there too, at very gentle prices.
Sleds can usually just be borrowed on site.
Doing expensive things on your budget-friendly trip to Lapland
Let's not beat about the bush: the ‘specials’ in Lapland are pricey. By playing with your location and travel period you might be able to go dog sledding for 100 instead of 150 eur, but that's still a hefty chunk out of your budget.
That's why, by saving on things like accommodation, eating out and activities where you don't really need a guide, you can afford to go a bit wild and book a dog sled tour, a night in a glass igloo or a camping trip on the ice.
Did you know, by the way, that you can also simply visit special places to stay such as the Treehotel and the ice hotel in Jukkasjarvi? You can walk through the Treehotel with a guide who explains everything, and at the ice hotel you can wander around and have a drink.
That way you can still do special activities on a more limited budget.
Saving on food and drink in Lapland
Eating out, and especially alcoholic drinks, is expensive in Scandinavia. The upside is that tap water (sometimes even with syrup) is free. And so is coffee after the meal.
Still, for the budget traveller it's a hefty chunk out of the budget. For us, budget travel isn't just about spending little but also about having those special experiences. So you'll often see us in beautiful places, but that's because we make choices.
During a budget-friendly trip to Lapland, that was no different.
We very deliberately choose to eat cosily at home and to GO OUT for a really good meal every now and then. Lapland has a delicious cuisine that is often served very creatively. It's also a much nicer experience to go out for one really good meal than several times on a tight budget.
Cooking at home is quite an experience too, by the way, because the supermarkets here are well stocked and have a delightful range of local delicacies.
And admit it … a BBQ by the campfire, there's not much that can beat that!
With a bit of lateral thinking and good research, you really can have a wonderful holiday on a more limited budget.
Because we fell so in love with Lapland ourselves, we decided at the last minute to ‘re-plan’ our entire trip and stay here three weeks longer …
In other words, Lapland on a budget is certainly no less magical.
Still looking for a touch of luxury? Then have a look at my article about our stay at the Treehotel.
