How to DIY your trip

How to DIY Your Trip to Lapland

A calm, independent way to experience the North

Lapland doesn’t need to be loud, scheduled or commercial to be unforgettable.
In fact, many travelers discover that the most meaningful experiences come from planning their journey independently - at their own pace, on their own terms.

This guide is for those who want to DIY their Lapland trip: calmly, consciously and without unnecessary intermediaries.

1. Choose the Right Region (Not Just the Famous One)

Many first-time visitors focus on Rovaniemi or Levi. These areas are well-known — and often crowded.

If you prefer space, silence and authenticity, consider regions like:

  • Muonio

  • Kittilä

  • Äkäslompolo

  • Ylläsjärvi

  • Areas near Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park

These regions offer the same nature, often more, without queues, noise or inflated expectations.

2. Book a Home, Not a Package

DIY travel starts with the right base.

Instead of fixed activity packages, choose a holiday home or small lodge:

  • You decide when the day starts.

  • You choose how much (or how little) you do.

  • You can stay in, light a fire and simply watch the snow fall.

Platforms like Airbnb or Booking are perfectly sufficient. Look for:

  • Sauna access

  • A quiet location

  • Good reviews mentioning silence, nature and hosts - not “busy schedules”

  • private or shared Jaccuzzi

A car is essential outside resort centers and worth it.

3. Travel Light on Plans, Heavy on Time

One of the biggest mistakes in Lapland is over-planning.

With kids especially, less structure means more magic:

  • Sledding behind the house

  • Short snowshoe walks

  • Campfires with sausages and hot juice

  • Watching the northern lights from your own garden

Most local providers can be booked on short notice, especially outside peak holiday weeks.

4. Activities you can arrange yourself

You don’t need a tour operator for most experiences.

Common DIY-friendly activities include:

  • Snowshoe rentals (often from local shops - or simply buy yours: a pair of snowshoes are at about 100€)

  • Cross-country skiing on prepared trails

  • Gentle husky or reindeer visits arranged locally

  • Ice fishing with simple gear

  • Forest walks and national park trails

Ask locals. Small providers often don’t advertise loudly - but they deliver the most genuine experiences.

5. Northern Lights: Keep It Simple

You don’t need a chase.

If you stay in a dark, quiet area:

  • Step outside.

  • Look up.

  • Be patient.

Aurora sightings are never guaranteed - and that’s part of their power.
Silence and darkness matter more than GPS trackers.

6. Food: Local, Simple, Enough

Lapland cuisine is not about fine dining every night.

Stock up locally:

  • Salmon

  • Reindeer products

  • Root vegetables

  • Bread, cheese, berries

Cook together. Eat slowly.
Many guests remember these evenings more than any restaurant reservation.

7. Traveling with Children (4–8 Years Old)

Lapland is exceptionally child-friendly - if you let it be.

Children don’t need:

  • Full-day safaris

  • Packed schedules

  • Loud attractions

They need:

  • Snow

  • Time

  • Safety

  • Warm clothes

  • maybe a visit at Santa

Simple routines create lasting memories.

8. When DIY is not about saving money

DIY travel to Lapland is not primarily about cost.

It’s about:

  • Autonomy

  • Calm

  • Presence

  • Authentic encounters

You replace consumption with experience - and often return with more than you planned.

9. A Final Thought

Lapland doesn’t perform.
It doesn’t entertain on command.

It waits.

Those who arrive with patience, curiosity and respect usually leave changed. Quietly.