A trip to find festive mooring: Discovering Lapland

Over the course of a week, I swapped my normal year abroad routine for Arctic adventures, freezing temperatures, and enough layers of clothing to double my body size. Here’s a look at what I got up to in the snowy landscapes of Swedish Lapland.

Staying in Cabins

Arriving at the cabins felt like jumping straight into a fairy tale. Picture this…sixty little red cabins lined up in perfect rows, snow blanketing the ground. While admiring our new homes, we still had the impossible task of lugging our suitcases through the snow which proved to be very difficult.

 

Each cabin came with its own sauna, because apparently, Lapland doesn’t mess around when it comes to warmth. Inside, the vibe was pure Christmas: bunk beds, creaky wooden floors, and orange lighting that made everything feel cozy and nostalgic.

A Trip to Narvik

Narvik, a small town in Norway, was our next stop. After spending over 24 hours on a bus to get to Lapland, the one-hour journey to Narvik felt like a casual stroll. Before reaching the town, our tour guide decided to spice things up by stopping at a lake. Cue the classic Nordic dip. I lasted long enough to get photo evidence (priorities) before sprinting back to shore.

 

We spent the rest of the day in Narvik like true tourists: admiring views, snapping photos, drinking overpriced hot chocolate in a cute café, and buying souvenirs we didn’t need but had to have.

Snowshoe Hiking

Snowshoe hiking at night sounds peaceful, right? It was… mostly. There were no headlamps or lights, just our own vision. We wandered into the nearby forest, making our own paths like Arctic explorers (or lost tourists).

 

At one point, we were all instructed to lie on our backs on a hill, staring up at the stars. It was quiet, magical, and for a moment, I forgot how numb my toes were.

Arctic Survival Course

Ice Fishing – We ventured out onto a frozen lake, armed with rods, drills, and questionable confidence. Our instructor demonstrated how to hand-drill holes into the ice, and when the ice made a dramatic “thwack” sound and cracked, we all exchanged panicked glances. The instructor, unfazed, carried on like it was just another Tuesday. We spent 30 minutes holding rods and waiting for fish that never came. Our instructor casually mentioned they’d caught a grand total of three fish all season. Hope? Gone.

 

Fire Building – We split into groups, chopping wood with knives, peeling off bits with frozen fingers, and attempting to create tiny wood feathers. Our group was so bad at starting a flame that the instructor handed us a tampon — “trust me, it’s flammable,” she said. It worked. Eventually, all the groups combined their pitiful fires into one big one. We roasted marshmallows, because survival clearly requires this.

 

Shelter Building – My group’s creation was… fine. But then we turned to see two guys who had built an actual dugout shelter impressive enough to fit all five of us. We abandoned ours and moved in. Adaptability is key in survival.

Reindeer and Sami Culture

We got the chance to learn about Sami culture, which was fascinating and humbling. The Sami people have been reindeer herders for centuries, and we met two of their reindeer up close. While we were genuinely interested, it was also -13 degrees, and I’ll admit, my thoughts were mostly along the lines of “Wow, that’s cool… but can we go inside now?”

 Husky Safari and Puppies

The most anticipated activity of the trip did not disappoint. We arrived at the husky safari company and were immediately greeted by dozens of barking, tail-wagging dogs.

Four of us squeezed onto a sled, bundled up in rental clothes that were three sizes too big. The safari itself was unreal—just us, the dogs, and the snowy landscapes of Lapland flying by. Afterward, we warmed up in a hut with coffee and a fire. The best part? Husky puppies joined us.

Cross Country Skiing 

This was the activity I feared most. I’d never skied before, and my confidence was non-existent. We got a quick lesson on the basics and were let loose on a mini circuit. I was terrible, but I managed to go down a few hills without face-planting. People were tumbling all over the place, which made me feel slightly better every time I fell. It was scary, it was chaotic, but I did it.

Northern Lights

No one wanted to leave Lapland without seeing the Northern Lights, so the hunt was on. There were many false alarms: people running out of cabins, half-dressed, staring desperately at the sky. My cabinmates and I even resorted to checking Instagram to see if anyone else had spotted them.

 

Finally, on the last night, we got lucky. I ran outside in my pyjamas and untied shoes, and there they were — faint streaks dancing across the sky. I managed to snap a picture, and just like that, the trip was complete. It was the perfect cherry on top of an unforgettable adventure.