If you're planning your first trip to Lapland, you're probably wondering what on earth to pack. Before our first visit, I spent hours reading blogs, watching YouTube videos and scrolling through social media trying to work out what we actually needed. Every packing list seemed to recommend expensive Arctic clothing and specialist equipment, leaving me convinced we were going to spend a fortune before we'd even booked our flights.
We've now visited Lapland three times, travelling in both November and January, and I've realised it doesn't need to be quite so complicated. We've experienced temperatures as low as minus 28°C, travelled with children of different ages, bought our own winter clothing, hired it once we arrived and even managed to travel with just hand luggage.
The biggest lesson we've learnt is that staying warm isn't simply about buying the most expensive clothing you can find. It's about wearing suitable layers, keeping everything dry and remembering a few smaller items that can make a big difference when you're out in the snow.
This Lapland packing list covers what worked for us, what we'd do again and what we'd pack differently if we were planning another trip.
Lapland Blogs & Guides
Lapland Hotels
Save 5% on eligible activities in the GetYourGuide app with code BUILDABREAK5
From DIY itineraries and Northern Lights tips to budgeting advice, destination guides and reviews of the places we've visited, you'll find everything together in our Lapland Travel Guide Hub.
Some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products, services and experiences we've used ourselves or believe will help you plan your trip. Thanks for supporting Build a Break.
If you want a quick overview before reading the rest of the guide, these are the things we'd recommend packing.
If you're only visiting for a couple of days, I'd also consider hiring your outer clothing once you arrive. We've done this as well as buying our own, so I'll explain the advantages of both below.
Across our three trips we've travelled in both November and January, and every visit has been different. During our January trip we experienced temperatures of around minus 28°C, which sounds unbelievably cold, but we were more comfortable than I'd expected because we'd dressed for it.
If you're travelling during winter, you need to be prepared for temperatures well below freezing. The forecast matters, but so does what you'll be doing, how long you'll be outside and whether you'll have somewhere warm to go between activities.
Walking around Santa Claus Village or exploring the town feels very different from standing still waiting for the Northern Lights or sitting on a husky sleigh. You might feel lovely and warm while moving, then notice the cold much more once you stop.
Temperatures also vary depending on when you travel. If you're still choosing your dates, our Best Time to Visit Lapland guide covers what to expect throughout winter, including snow, daylight hours and prices.
Before our first trip, I thought we needed specialist Arctic clothing for everyone. Looking back, we already owned quite a few of the things we needed, and the more useful approach was to work out our layers rather than immediately buying the biggest winter coat we could find.
Some activities also include thermal suits and boots. This is common with snowmobiling experiences, although you should check your own booking rather than assuming clothing will be provided. There's little point buying an expensive outfit for one excursion if suitable outerwear is already included.
If you're planning a longer winter holiday or expect to visit snowy destinations again, buying your own clothing can make sense. For a short visit, though, I'd seriously consider hiring the bulky outer layers instead.
Clothing is just one of the costs to factor into your budget. We've broken down what we spent on flights, accommodation, activities, food and clothing in our Is Lapland Expensive? guide.
We've now done Lapland both ways. On our first trip we bought everything before travelling, found some fantastic bargains and have since reused a lot of it on other winter holidays.
For our most recent trip, things were slightly different. It was my husband's first visit to Lapland and we were only spending two days in Rovaniemi, so buying another complete set of winter clothing didn't seem worthwhile. Instead, we hired our outer clothing from Rovaniemi Insider.
It cost around €50 per person for two days and included thermal suits, boots and gloves. That's the approximate cost from our visit rather than a current quote, so check the latest prices for your dates.
One of the biggest advantages was being able to try everything on before leaving the shop. Ordering bulky winter clothing online can be awkward, especially when you need enough room for layers underneath, and hiring meant we knew everything fitted before heading out into the snow.
It also made packing much easier because we weren't trying to squeeze thick suits and snow boots into our luggage. For another short DIY trip, I'd happily do the same again.
If you're travelling for four or five days every year, buying your own clothing may work out cheaper over time. We'd still recommend taking your own thermals either way, as these aren't usually part of an outerwear hire package.
If you've booked a package holiday, check whether thermal clothing hire is already included. It often is, and you may not need to arrange anything separately.
If you find a suitable clothing hire option through GetYourGuide, check whether our code BUILDABREAK5 applies. It gives 5% off eligible bookings made in the GetYourGuide app.
Powered by GetYourGuide
Some of our best bargains came from eBay and Vinted. People often buy ski clothing for one Lapland holiday and sell it afterwards, so you can find items in very good condition for much less than the original price.
This is particularly useful with children, who may have outgrown everything by the following winter. For our youngest child, we managed to buy a quality ski jacket, ski trousers and snow boots for around £15 altogether.
We also keep an eye on Aldi and Lidl during ski season, as they sometimes have useful thermal clothing at reasonable prices. Buying second hand can make a substantial difference when you're getting a whole family ready, and you can sell things on again after your trip if you won't need them.
The advice I'd give anyone planning their first visit is to think about the whole outfit rather than relying on one thick coat. Each layer has a job, and having several suitable layers means you can adjust what you're wearing as you move between outdoor activities and warm buildings.
Your base layer sits next to your skin and helps move moisture away from your body. Merino wool or synthetic thermal clothing is a useful choice, while cotton is less suitable for long periods outdoors because it holds moisture when it becomes damp.
We've worn thermal base layers on all three of our trips and would always include them on our Lapland packing list.
The middle layer helps trap warmth and could be a fleece, wool jumper or another insulating layer. It doesn't necessarily need to be an expensive piece of specialist ski clothing.
One of the money-saving ideas that worked well for our children was wearing Sports Skins as their base layer with ordinary fleece pyjamas over the top, followed by their waterproof ski clothing. They stayed comfortable throughout the trip, and it saved us buying separate specialist middle layers.
It's something we've suggested to friends since, particularly if they already have suitable fleece pyjamas at home. Just make sure everything fits comfortably under the outerwear without becoming tight or restricting movement.
Powered by GetYourGuide
Your outer layer protects you from wind, snow and moisture. A waterproof insulated jacket and waterproof ski trousers are useful if you're buying your own, while a hired thermal suit can take their place.
If you're spending a lot of time outdoors, keeping the wind and snow out matters as much as having warm layers underneath.
Good boots make a huge difference. Look for waterproof, insulated snow boots with a sole suitable for snowy conditions, and make sure there's enough room for your thermal socks without squeezing your feet.
Boots that feel tight once you've put your socks on aren't a good choice. It's worth trying everything together before travelling or before leaving the hire shop, rather than discovering the problem once you're outside.
We've always packed thermal socks, and they're one of the items we've been glad to have on every trip. Thermal or merino wool socks are a useful option, but avoid adding so many pairs that your boots become tight.
One or two suitable pairs, depending on the fit of your boots, are more comfortable than squeezing your feet into lots of thin socks.
We wouldn't travel without a warm hat that covers our ears, waterproof gloves or mittens and at least two snoods each. Snoods can become damp after you've been breathing through them for a while, so it's lovely to have a dry one ready for the afternoon or evening.
If you have room, take spare hats and gloves too. Children spend plenty of time making snowballs and climbing through snow, and putting on a dry pair the following morning is much nicer than finding yesterday's gloves are still damp.
Hand warmers have also become a regular part of our packing. We keep some in our pockets and use them according to the packet instructions, particularly for husky rides, reindeer experiences and Northern Lights outings where we're sitting or standing still for longer.
One thing I learnt quickly was how much faster my phone battery ran down in the cold. When we went out one evening looking for the Northern Lights, taking photos in freezing temperatures used the battery far more quickly than it would at home.
Since then, we've always packed power banks and kept our phones in an inside pocket when we're not using them. I'd rather carry a little extra weight than find my phone has died just when I want to take a photo.
If you're hoping to photograph the Northern Lights, I'd also take a small phone tripod. It doesn't need to be expensive, but keeping your phone still for a longer exposure is much easier with one than trying to hold it steady by hand.
Remember your charging cables and a European plug adaptor too. Pack power banks in your cabin baggage and check your airline's current battery rules before travelling.
A flask is one of the first things I'd add to our packing list now. We fill it with hot chocolate before heading out and take a few extra sachets with us, which is lovely after waiting outside for an activity or spending time looking for the Northern Lights.
It sounds like a small thing, but having a warm drink ready has been one of our favourite little comforts on these trips. Hand warmers are another useful extra, especially for activities where you won't be moving around much.
On our first visit, we packed a few simple things from home, including microwave popcorn, noodles, biscuits, sweets and mini bottles of concentrated squash. We arrived after the supermarket and restaurants had closed, so having something available that evening saved us going to bed hungry.
The microwave popcorn has become a bit of a tradition. After a day in the snow, we'd return to our apartment, put a film on and have popcorn together before bed. It's one of those little memories that still makes me smile.
Choose food that works with the facilities in your accommodation, and check the current rules on bringing food into Finland before deciding what to take.
We use travel vacuum bags on lots of trips because they help compress bulky clothing and make packing easier. They save space rather than weight, so you still need to stay within your airline's luggage allowance.
If you're travelling with hand luggage only, another option is reserving toiletries with Boots for collection after security, where that service is available. We've used this before, but check the arrangements at your departure airport and remember that anything you collect still needs to fit within your airline's baggage rules.
One thing that surprised us on our first trip was how warm the accommodation was. We'd packed fleece pyjamas for everyone because we assumed we'd be cold all the time, but once we were inside, we were soon taking layers off.
The fleece pyjamas that worked well as an outdoor middle layer were far too warm for sleeping in our accommodation. Since then, we've packed lightweight summer pyjamas as well as comfortable clothes for indoors.
It might feel strange putting summer pyjamas in a bag for Lapland, but you'll be glad you have something lighter if your apartment, cabin or hotel room is as warm as ours was.
The same basic layering system worked for most of our trip, but there are a few activities where I'd give extra thought to how long you'll be still and whether additional clothing is included.
For a husky safari or reindeer sleigh ride, remember you may spend quite a while sitting still. Even if you felt warm walking to the activity, you can notice the cold more once you stop moving.
This is when we particularly appreciated our warm layers, dry snoods and hand warmers. Check whether the operator provides extra outerwear or blankets as part of your booking.
Many snowmobiling experiences provide thermal suits and boots, but confirm the inclusions before you travel. We'd still wear our own suitable base layers underneath and take a snood or balaclava, as the wind feels much colder once you're moving.
If you're heading out to look for the Northern Lights, think about how you'll stay warm while waiting rather than just how comfortable you feel when you leave your accommodation. You might be outside for quite a while, so take suitable layers, a warm drink and any extra clothing recommended by your tour provider.
Santa Claus Village involves a mixture of outdoor time and visits to shops, restaurants and attractions. Layers are useful here because you can take something off when you go inside rather than feeling uncomfortable in one very heavy outfit.
December has limited daylight, and both December and January can bring very cold conditions. Pack warm layers and suitable outerwear rather than relying on a particular temperature forecast weeks before your trip.
February brings more daylight, but it's still winter, with snow and freezing conditions to prepare for. March can look warmer in photographs because of the sunshine, although you'll still need proper winter clothing and may simply find yourself removing a layer during the warmer part of the day.
For our first visit, we bought our own winter clothing before travelling. We found some excellent second-hand bargains and have reused much of it on later winter holidays.
The children wore Sports Skins as their base layer, fleece pyjamas as their middle layer and waterproof ski clothing over the top. That combination worked well for them throughout our trip.
For our most recent visit to Rovaniemi, we packed our own thermals, fleeces, hats, snoods and socks, then hired thermal suits, boots and gloves once we arrived.
Both approaches worked for us. I'd base the decision on how long you're staying, what you already own, your luggage allowance and whether you'll use the clothing again afterwards.
Looking back over our trips, these are the things I'd try to avoid when getting ready.
You don't have to buy everything brand new. We've used a mixture of second-hand clothing, things we already owned and hired outerwear, which helped us keep costs down while still dressing properly for the conditions.
Jeans are fine for travelling and spending time indoors, but I wouldn't choose them for long periods outside in winter. Thermal base layers with suitable waterproof, insulated trousers are a much better option for snow activities.
You need clothing suitable for winter conditions, but it doesn't all have to be bought from a specialist ski shop. Thermal base layers, a warm middle layer and appropriate outerwear are the combination we'd start with. Hiring a thermal suit and boots is another option, and some activities include them.
Yes, and I'd consider it for a short visit. We hired ours from Rovaniemi Insider during our January trip and found it easier than buying another full set of outerwear. Check sizes, collection times and exactly what's included before booking.
We used the same basic layering approach as for adults, with thermal base layers, a warm middle layer and waterproof outerwear. Fleece pyjamas worked well as a middle layer for our children, and spare gloves and snoods were useful when things became damp.
I'd prioritise suitable insulated, waterproof snow boots for a winter trip. Good grip is helpful, although no boot makes every icy surface safe, so you'll still need to take care on slippery paths.
We always pack them now. Sunlight reflecting off snow can be surprisingly bright, particularly as the days become longer later in winter.
Before our first visit, I thought packing for Lapland meant spending hundreds of pounds on specialist clothing before we'd even left home. Three trips later, we've found a much more manageable approach by looking at what we already own, buying second hand and hiring bulky items when that makes sense.
The aim is to stay warm, dry and comfortable enough to enjoy the trip. Once you've sorted your layers, boots and a few useful extras, the packing starts to feel much less daunting, and you can get back to planning the things you're actually going to Lapland to do.
Get free destination guides, travel inspiration and helpful tips for planning your next adventure, straight to your inbox.
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media