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Lapland help! Santa, transport, skiing
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Any advice for Ruka, Finland for a family ski / santa / snowy adventure type holiday? Kids will be 4 and 7 but as I'm a teacher, we're stuck with school holidays, so looking at February half term.

I'm thinking huskies, snowmobile and reindeer sleigh ride are a must. Any other gems? I'm guessing we might see northern lights in resort but light pollution would make this difficult. Is a dedicated northern lights trip worth it? I know there is no guarantee that there would be any during our week long trip.

Is it easy enough to do a day trip to Santa's Village in Rovaniemi? I think there is a public bus on some days, or is it better to hire a car? Is driving straight forward (we've driven in snow a little bit as we drive to the alps). Or should we just pay £££ for package day trip, if that is something offered by local tour agencies?

We will likely ski most days but not all day long. I think there is a kids ski park type thing? Any pointers for best ski runs/areas for us, both in terms of gentle blues for the kids and interesting runs for the adults? We're able to tackle most on piste challenges and easier off piste, although my knees don't love the moguls too much. Where is best to do some tree skiing between those little snow covered trees that look so surreal? Also any tips about ski school would be good.
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snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

I'm taking a school ski trip to Finland in 6 weeks time - Vuokatti. Will be doing all of that. It is not as far North as Ruka though.
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ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Skied Ruka several years ago. It’s a different experience to an alpine holiday. Lots of hills and trees rather than rocks and peaks. Family friendly. The Rosy and Ruka kids park was a highlight for us (all adults) along with floodlit runs and toasting marshmallows on a fire pit at the side of the slope. Ski school was excellent. Top tip - huskies poo as they run so don’t sit directly behind them! Have an open mind and you won’t be disappointed.
ski holidays
ski holidays
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Thanks CathyAuLait for the insights. I like that it will be different from the Alps. I'll check out the Rosy kids park. Husky tip very much appreciated!!
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snow conditions
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We did Ruka for new year last year, our kids were 8 and 5 at the time, it was fab.

We didn't do a northern lights trip, and personally I'm glad we didn't. It's cloudy most of the time and I wouldn't think an organised trip would much improve the odds of seeing them. We did get to see them briefly one clear night, just by walking a bit out of the village centre, down the blue run past the ski jump. You don't have to get far from the bright lights of the village.

The main runs for kids are on the valley side of the hill, i.e. the opposite side of the main village, and that's where the ski school meets up. There is a beginners slope with magic carpets, and the more straightforward blue runs. There is a kids park next to it with small scale jumps and boxes etc, and above the beginners area is a tubing track (you know the sort of thing, sliding down on an inner tube). The Rudolf Adventure Route (blue 26) goes through the trees and has various things to stop and look at as you go through.

I haven't been to Santa in Rovaniemi, but on a smaller scale is the local Santa's Secret Cottage - https://www.theparentgameblog.co.uk/2018/12/Santas-secret-cottage-review-kuusamo-lapland.html If you're going with Crystal, they offer it as an excursion.

Huskie and reindeer sledging, and other Lapland stuff is a 10-15 minute taxi ride away at Lammintupa.
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We went 1/2 term 2017 so the kids were 6 & 5. They loved it. Agree with all@Temesvar says. We didn't Santa (think we decided not to bother TBH) or see any northern lights, due to it snowing every night.

They had afternoon lessons, which only lasted 90 minutes, think booked through Crystal. The slope directly in front of the village is essentially red steep so lessons are on the other side of the mountain. There is now an up and over gondola right to the beginner area but TBH the blue to the lesson area from the top of the old chairlift was as easy as ski slopes get so the kids will be up to doing this within a few days of their 1st lesson.

There are lots of trips, of which the best were the skidooing and the Huskys. Both of these were morning trips organised through a TO inside the same building as the supermarket and off licence (and also handily our accommodation) so afternoon lessons worked out really well. We just had time to get to our apartment for a quick lunch after the trips then dash over to lessons area. We visited Lammintupa (its a cafe/outdoor activity centre, there were many Finns there stopping for lunch with XC skis) on the skidoos and did the reindeer sledging. Nice but nothing like the Husky ride. We did what sounded like a really long trip (25kms IIRC) from a local farm and we would all have happily done more! It was superb. Skidooing was mental, if your kids like speed they will love it, they do have to hang on behind you though, so I'm sure some parents would decide against.

It was pretty cold, don't think it got above -4 the whole time we were there. The coldest I saw on the thermometer outside the apartment was -19 and one day it didn't get above -10C. This did mean I didn't get sweaty and snow didn't stick to or melt on your jacket and trousers so you didn't get wet at all! You would literally peel your dry ski gear off and stick it in the airing cupboard, no puddles anywhere.

The piste map is here:
https://www.ruka.fi/en/skiresort/slopes

Slopes are very short, but this is a definite bonus with little kids.
For skiing in the trees with kids, Run 26 is the 1st slope
Easy park is run 15, easy actual tree skiing is 17
Slightly steeper tree skiing is 11C and edging towards really off piste is around run 9
The steepest piste is 4, it's still not very steep, or very long.
The steepest blue is 7. It's cut into the mountain so I guess is there so the map shows a blue back to resort but it is narrow and steeper than the other blues. I wouldn't recommend taking the kids that way unless you know they can do it. Taking the gondola or chairlift up to the top of Saarua and then skiing home on 5 is much easier.
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