11 Budget Tours in Rovaniemi (Winter Options Under €100!)

I have traveled extensively throughout the Arctic region and one thing I have to say about Rovaniemi is that it can be a budget-friendly destination compared to others… with some planning.

While it will never compete against the prices of Southern Europe, when you place it against Tromsø, for example, you can definitely find some affordable options for shoestring travelers.

In this guide, I cover some diverse budget tours in Rovaniemi. All of these tours (except one) are under €100. The one outlier is just a few euros over that, but I still included it because I think snowmobiling is fun for those who have never done it.

I have an entire guide dedicated to Rovaniemi budget travel tips that you may want to check out after this guide, but for now, let’s get started with these Rovaniemi budget-friendly tours.

Quick Notes About These Tours

I am by no means saying these are my favorite tours in each of the categories. I have been on some epic snowmobile tours in Rovaniemi, but those longer ones start at a higher price. I have also been on some amazing northern lights tours here… but again, those are at a higher price.

But I have also been on a cheaper northern lights tour here in Rovaniemi, and you know what? I saw the northern lights. While it wasn’t a tour that would take you to Sweden to see the aurora, it still did its best and was worth my money.

While most dog-sledding tours are pretty pricey, you will find a few ones that are cheap. But… most of these affordable dog-sledding tours are unethical. Particularly ones around Santa Claus Village. However, there is one at SCV that is operated by Bearhill Husky (the best husky tour provider in Rovaniemi) that offers short rides for an affordable price. I go into more detail below about why this one is ethical.

Can you see the northern lights in Rovaniemi without a guide? Yes. But if you have never seen the aurora before, I wouldn’t suggest it. If the northern lights are not super powerful and ‘dancing’, you may not realize what you’re seeing is an aurora.

The northern lights can be faint and appear a bit colorless. It is not until you hold your phone up that you can capture the color in them. As a result, I think it is a good idea to always join a northern lights tour on your first trip to the Arctic and then do your best to see them independently in the future to save money.

At the end of this guide, I list a few activities and tickets for those who have a rental car. Renting a car is not cheap during the high season, so I didn’t prioritize those tours and tickets in this guide, but I feel they are worth listing at the end in case you splurged on a car and want some budget-friendly activities to drive yourself to.

Budget Tours in Rovaniemi (Overview)

If you’re like me and don’t want to read through the entire post, here is a quick list of all the budget tours in Rovaniemi I recommend in this guide:

1. Northern lights tour with BBQ (starting at €75/pp)
2. Dog-sledding at Santa Claus Village (starting at €60/pp)
3. Ice karting at Santa Claus Village (starting at €94/pp)
4. Kotatieva Winter Leisure Park (starting at €79/pp)
5. Ice fishing tour (starting at €89/pp)
6. Reindeer farm visit, feeding, and sleigh ride (starting at €100/pp)
7. Snowshoeing in the Lapland forest (starting at €85/pp)
8. Ice floating in a frozen lake (starting at €100/pp)
9. Snowmobiling in Rovaniemi (starting at €103/pp)
10. Finnish sauna and ice swimming (starting at €19.90/pp)
11. Wilderness tour in the forest (starting at €89/pp)

Budget Tours in Rovaniemi (With Details)

1. Go on a northern lights tour that includes a BBQ.

🗓️ Seasonality: August 16, 2025 to April 30, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 3 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Some locations in SCV and the city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €75/pp

It is very rare to see budget northern lights tours with a high rating, but this one is the clear exception. Your 3-hour tour will start with a hotel pick-up and your evening will focus on two main stops.

First, you will go to a lake to see if the northern lights are dancing overhead there. From there, you will venture to another lake where you’ll have a more intimate experience and a BBQ.

In addition to the BBQ (it is usually sausages, so let them know in advance if you’re vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-free), you will also get to enjoy a warm cup of Glögi.

Warm suits are not included on budget northern lights tours, so be sure to dress warmly and have all of your camera equipment (even if just your phone!) ready for the evening adventure.

2. Go dog-sledding at Santa Claus Village.

🗓️ Seasonality: December 1, 2025 to April 4, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 30 minutes
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: No, but it’s located at SCV
➡️ Check prices starting at €60/pp

I will start by saying I don’t condone short dog-sledding tours. The dogs need a lot of exercise and short tours are simply not very ethical. However, this tour is operated by Bearhill Husky, the best husky farm in Rovaniemi… and I discovered more about why they operate a short tour like this at Santa Claus Village.

Bearhill Husky actually brings its older dogs to Santa Claus Village to run these tours (I chatted with them at their farm the other week about this). Those dogs are past their prime but still need exercise in shorter spurts, unlike the younger, race-savvy pups. Their presence at SCV has given another option for tourists and pulled some people from the unethical tours that run there.

Anyway, these slots are only 30 minutes long with merely 2 kilometers of sledding (about 1.2 miles). These are guided trips, and you will not do the mushing (this is great for kids). While the sledding only takes around 10-12 minutes, participants will be able to have a small snack afterward while they meet the dogs.

Clothing and gear are not provided for this, but each sled comes with a warm blanket. This is an excellent budget option for kids or those who have never been dog-sledding before.

3. Go ice karting at Santa Claus Village.

🗓️ Seasonality: November 17, 2025 to March 31, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 1-1.5 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: No (but can walk there from SCV)
➡️ Check prices starting at €94/pp

It took me a while to try ice karting in Rovaniemi, but I finally had the chance to do it and it is now one of my favorite experiences in all of Lapland! And… it is an affordable activity!

There are a few places you can go in Rovaniemi, but I opted to do it with Santa’s Motor Park as it is Finnish-owned and located across the street from Santa Claus Village, meaning you can easily walk there and you don’t lose too much of your day doing so.

Ice karting is only for people 140cm (4 feet, 5 inches) and taller. A helmet and balaclava are included in your ticket and there are 3 timeslots during the high season and 2 outside of it. The timeslots are 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm. I wouldn’t recommend showing up and booking on the spot as there is a pretty good chance they will be sold out.

You can read my guide I wrote dedicated to my experience ice karting in Rovaniemi here.

4. Visit Kotatieva Winter Leisure Park.

🗓️ Seasonality: December 6, 2025 to March 22, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 1 day
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: No, but there are free shuttles from the city and SCV daily
➡️ Check prices starting at €79/pp

I finally had the chance to visit Kotatieva last year (it is a newer place), and I honestly think this is the best experience in all of Rovaniemi. I genuinely mean that.

Kotatieva is a winter leisure park and resort located just outside the city center and one you can drive to yourself, or take one of their free daily shuttles from SCV and the city center. These shuttles are only available to those with advance tickets.

Kotatieva has it all and is growing as a resort. While some of the experiences they offer cost additional money (like the reindeer sledding and northern lights tour), their standard ticket includes ice skating on a 500-meter-long track, snowshoeing, playing ice hockey, kick sledding, a sledge hill, and more.

There is a kota-style cafe on-site and a few reindeer you can take photos of. Ice skates and equipment are included in your ticket price. Food and drinks purchased there are not included.

They are open daily from 10am until 3pm, and it is a fantastic place to enjoy the snow and ice on a budget in Rovaniemi.

5. Head out ice fishing in Rovaniemi.

🗓️ Seasonality: December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 3 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Some locations in SCV and the city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €89/pp

Living up here has made me realize how fun ice fishing is during the winter months. This 3-hour activity takes you (and a small group of no more than 8 people) to a frozen spot after a ten-minute walk through the forest, where you will learn all about ice fishing and how to do it yourself. If you catch something, you will have a chance to grill it on an open fire right after you catch it.

All winter clothing and ice fishing gear and equipment are included in the tour. So is a campfire snack and a professional guide who will show you how to become an expert ice-angler (pretty sure I just made up that word).

6. Do a reindeer farm visit (and a sleigh ride).

🗓️ Seasonality: November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 2.5 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Hotel pick-up at SCV and city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €100/pp

What good is a trip to Rovaniemi without seeing at least one reindeer!? While I am not a fan of reindeer sleigh rides myself, it is a popular activity here in Rovaniemi and this tour offers you the chance to visit an authentic reindeer farm in Rovaniemi, as well as go on a sleigh ride.

The sleigh ride will only be if there is enough snow to do so (our winters have become somewhat erratic in recent years), but you will have a chance to hang out with them and feed them either way.

After the reindeer fun, you will head into a traditional kota and enjoy some cookies and hot berry juice. The reindeer herder will tell you about the traditions and life with the reindeer and you will have a chance to ask questions before the tour concludes.

7. Head out snowshoeing in the Lapland wilderness.

🗓️ Seasonality: December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 3 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Hotel pick-up at SCV and city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €85/pp

I love snowshoeing because I think it is something that everyone can do so I have no qualms in recommending it as a tour here in Rovaniemi.

This 3-hour excursion takes you to the forest outside of Rovaniemi, where you’ll have a chance to throw on some snowshoes and explore the scenery, including frozen swamps and lakes.

You will also have the chance to learn some fire-making skills, as well as some basic Arctic survival skills. This snowshoeing trip includes all the equipment, winter clothing, winter boots, and a snack by the campfire.

8. Enjoy ice floating in a lake (with a survival suit).

🗓️ Seasonality: November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 3 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Hotel pick-up at SCV and city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €100/pp

The first tour I ever did (years ago!) here in Rovaniemi was ice floating. While the specific tour I did has risen in price, this one is a little cheaper and offers essentially the same thing. Ice floating is something that was popularized here in Rovaniemi and has grown to expand to other parts of the Arctic.

Basically, you will put on a survival suit that floats and head to a frozen lake, where some of the ice will be removed for floating. You can relax as you float atop the water and admire the scenery around you. You will get a hot drink and cookies after your tour.

While I enjoyed this tour, I am claustrophobic, so it ended up not being for me. If you are also claustrophobic, I would opt out. But if not, it is a great chance to do something unique (and for a fair price).

9. Go snowmobiling through the Arctic countryside.

🗓️ Seasonality: December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 2 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Hotel pick-up zones at SCV and city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €103/pp

Most snowmobile tours in Rovaniemi are pretty expensive, so while this one just nudges slightly over the €100 limit I set on this guide, I don’t think a few euros over makes it not worth it. This is a beginner-friendly excursion that will take you from the city out into nature, where you’ll learn to snowmobile.

The snowmobile ride will include all gear, as well as a thermal suit, boots, a helmet, and a balaclava. You will need to dress warmly (especially with thick socks), however. Hot drinks are included and only those with a valid driver’s license are permitted to do the driving.

The activity requires a minimum of two people to sign up, so this is the perfect thing to do in Rovaniemi for couples or parents with children (the kids must be the passengers).

10. Head to a local Finnish sauna (and do an ice dip).

🗓️ Seasonality: November 1, 2025 to May 1, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 1 hour
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: No (can find the sauna here) 
➡️ Check prices starting at €19.90/pp

There are quite a few sauna experiences out there and most of them require you to drive yourself there. While I think that is great, I also think you can do a cheaper (and much more local) experience really close to the city.

Roiske is a local sauna here in Rovaniemi, and it is situated across the river from the city center. I have linked its exact location on the map above. You can certainly walk there on foot if you don’t mind strolling across the bridge from the center. But if you are coming from SCV, it will be best to get a bus to the K-City Market and walk from there.

The sauna has a few different packages. The basic one starts at €19.90 per person and is a simple Finnish sauna and ice swimming option. Towel rental is €10 extra (so bring your own or factor that cost in). The saunas are unisex, and you can wear a bathing suit inside. There are additional packages that go up in price but when I did it, I just did the cheapest option.

11. Do a wilderness day in the forest.

🗓️ Seasonality: November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026
⌛ Tour duration: 3.5 hours
🚗 Hotel pick-up included: Hotel pick-up at SCV and city center
➡️ Check prices starting at €89/pp

If you’re looking to get out of the city and into the forest, this is a fantastic tour to do so. It will take you and a small group to a local forest area where you’re going to learn to light fires (without matches), learn about animal footprints in the snow, and see snowy landscapes that will blow your mind (if our winter does its thing!).

The local forest has wolves, lynx, moose, reindeer, weasels, and even wolverines! You will learn new survival skills and have a snack by the campfire in this half-day tour.

While all of these tours offer pick-up from the city center or a hotel near the center (except the sauna one, which you can walk to), there are some additional options if you’re planning to rent a car in Rovaniemi.

Affordable Tours in Rovaniemi (For Those Renting a Car)

While I don’t recommend renting a car here unless you’re a skilled winter driver and have the money to do so (it is expensive in winter), it can give you more options at affordable prices than if you don’t. Here are some additional tours, tickets, and places to visit independently that can save you money.

➡️ Arctic SnowHotel (December 15, 2025 to March 31, 2026): This is an ice hotel that is reconstructed annually. If you have a car, you can visit for much cheaper than if you take a tour from the city center that includes transportation.

Guided tours start at €45/pp, but self-guided tickets start at €35/pp. Honestly, that is all you need to see it. There is no time limit there. Click here to check ticket prices.

➡️ Local Lifestyle Rovaniemi (December to end of March): Pia and her reindeer are one of my favorite experiences in Rovaniemi and quite frankly, it is one of the most affordable and high-value products out there.

You can enjoy a reindeer feeding experience (and a session to learn about them) for €30/pp or do a walk to the forest with them (which is far more expensive). This is a great activity to combine with the Arctic SnowHotel ticket above, as they are next door to each other! Click here to learn more.

➡️ Korouoma Canyon and Riisitunturi (all winter long): These are two excellent day trips from Rovaniemi, but I will say right now that you need to ensure you are skilled to drive in winter conditions. Both locations are east of Rovaniemi by a couple of hours and require driving on some unpleasant roads (I mean… they can be).

Tours out to these spots cost upwards of €200, so being able to head out there for free with a rental car is such a plus. Riisitunturi has the famous ‘popcorn’ trees, and Korouoma Canyon is a gorgeous hike to a frozen waterfall.

If you’re visiting Korouoma Canyon, spikes are a must on your shoes (you can buy them in Rovaniemi city or before your trip). If you don’t have them, you can rent a pair at the coffee and waffle hut before entering the trail.

If visiting Riisitunturi, I would recommend having snowshoes with you. There is no place to rent them there, so I would check with your hotel, or you can rent them from Wild Nordic (at €20/day).

I hope this guide helps you plan some budget-friendly tours in Rovaniemi. If you have any questions about these Rovaniemi budget tours, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

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