Snowmobiling was one of the Lapland activities I really wanted to try, but on our first trip it wasn't actually an option for me. I travelled alone with my kids and I don't drive, and you need a full driving licence to drive a full-size snowmobile in Lapland.
The kids didn't miss out though. They tried mini snowmobiling at Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park, where they got to drive the snowmobiles themselves. It cost just €20 each and they got 10 laps around a decent-sized circuit through the forest. They absolutely loved it, and I actually think they got more out of doing that than they would have sitting as passengers on a longer snowmobile tour.
On my second trip to Lapland, I went with a friend and finally got to experience a proper snowmobile safari, although I was still very much the passenger! We booked a 15km Northern Lights snowmobile tour with Pure Lapland, starting around 30 minutes outside Rovaniemi.
The whole experience lasted around four hours, with just over two hours spent snowmobiling. We travelled across a frozen lake and through the forest, and once we were out there we didn't see another person. The tour also included our transport and a BBQ, and we paid £119 each.
We didn't see the Northern Lights that night, but I still came away thinking the tour was worth every penny. The snowmobiling was enough of an experience on its own that the lack of Northern Lights didn't really matter.
One thing I would think carefully about before booking again is the temperature. It was around -10°C when we did ours, which was pretty mild by Lapland standards, but you really feel the wind chill once the snowmobile gets moving. I don't think I would have enjoyed being out for more than two hours on a snowmobile if we'd had the -20°C to -25°C temperatures we've experienced on other trips.
So, is snowmobiling in Lapland worth it? For me, yes. I'd definitely do a proper snowmobile tour again, but I'd think about the temperature, how long you're actually going to be out on the snowmobile and whether you want to drive or travel as a passenger before choosing which one to book.
In this guide, I'll go through what our 15km snowmobile tour was actually like, whether you need a driving licence, what I'd recommend for children and what I'd look for if I was booking another one.
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❄️ Is snowmobiling in Lapland worth it? Yes. Our 15km tour was one of our favourite Lapland activities and we'd have enjoyed it even without the Northern Lights.
🛷 How long was our tour? Around four hours in total, with just over two hours spent snowmobiling and roughly 15km covered.
💰 How much did we pay? £119pp, including transport from Rovaniemi, the snowmobile tour and a BBQ.
🌌 Did we see the Northern Lights? No, but it didn't spoil the experience. Travelling across a frozen lake and through the forest at night was worth doing on its own.
🚗 Do you need a driving licence? You need a full driving licence to drive a full-size snowmobile. I don't drive, so I travelled as a passenger.
👧 Can children try snowmobiling? Yes. Our kids have driven mini snowmobiles themselves in Lapland. At Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park they paid €20 each and got 10 laps around a forest circuit.
🥶 Does it get cold? Yes. Ours was at around -10°C and the wind chill was noticeable once we got moving. Personally, I wouldn't choose such a long snowmobile tour in the much colder temperatures we've experienced on other Lapland trips.
💙 Would I do it again? Definitely. I'd happily book another proper snowmobile tour, although I'd check the temperature, actual time spent snowmobiling and what's included before choosing one.
We booked a Northern Lights snowmobile tour with Pure Lapland on our adults-only trip to Rovaniemi. Transport was included, and we travelled around 30 minutes outside the city before starting the tour.
Once we got on the snowmobiles, we covered around 15km over just over two hours. We travelled across a frozen lake and then through the forest, and what I loved most was how remote it felt. Once we'd set off, we didn't see another person.
I travelled as a passenger because I don't have a driving licence, but I still really enjoyed it. You don't need to be the person driving to feel like you're properly part of the experience, and I certainly didn't feel like I'd paid £119 just to sit on the back while someone else had all the fun.
Our tour was sold as a Northern Lights experience, but of course there's never any guarantee you'll see them. We didn't that night, and it really didn't matter. The snowmobile ride itself was good enough that I didn't come away disappointed.
We also stopped for a BBQ during the tour, which gave us a chance to warm up before heading back out. Including the transfers, snowmobiling and food, we were out for around four hours altogether.
For me, this is where a longer snowmobile experience was worth paying for. We had enough time to get properly away from everything, cross the frozen lake and head into the forest, rather than simply doing a few laps close to Rovaniemi.
I'd also check whether the price you're looking at is based on two people sharing one snowmobile or one person driving their own, as this can make quite a difference to the cost.
If you're travelling with children, I'd definitely look at whether your resort has mini snowmobiling before paying for them to join a long adult tour. It's usually a much shorter activity, but for our kids, getting to drive the snowmobiles themselves was the fun part.
I'd also bear the temperature in mind with any longer tour. Children travelling as passengers are sitting still for a long time, and once you're moving, the wind chill can make it feel considerably colder.
This is probably the biggest thing I'd think about if I was booking another long snowmobile tour. You're travelling at speed, so the wind chill can make it feel much colder than the actual temperature.
It was around -10°C when we did our 15km tour, and for me that was manageable. We were properly wrapped up and had thermal clothing, but after more than two hours of snowmobiling I could definitely feel the cold.
We've experienced temperatures of around -25°C on other Lapland trips, and personally, I wouldn't want to do the same length snowmobile tour in those conditions. Even as a passenger at -10°C, I was glad of the stop for the BBQ where we could warm up for a while before heading back.
I'd take the length of the tour into account when looking at the weather too. A short snowmobile experience in very low temperatures is quite different from committing to two or three hours travelling across frozen lakes and through forests.
For a longer tour, I'd make sure my face was properly covered with a snood or balaclava, as well as wearing a warm hat, mittens and good winter boots. I'd also check whether the operator provides thermal suits and any other cold-weather gear as part of the tour.
We've got a full What to Wear in Lapland Guide covering the clothing we've used in temperatures down to around -28°C, so I wouldn't repeat the full packing list here.
Snowmobile tours can be quite expensive compared with some of the shorter activities in Lapland, but this is one where I felt we got a lot for our money.
We paid £119 each for our 15km Northern Lights snowmobile tour. That included return transport from Rovaniemi, just over two hours of snowmobiling and a BBQ, with the whole experience lasting around four hours.
When I compare that with some Lapland activities where you might only get 15 or 20 minutes of the main experience, I thought £119 was pretty reasonable for what we got. We travelled a decent distance and got far enough away from Rovaniemi that we were completely on our own once we were out on the frozen lake and in the forest.
Prices will vary depending on how long the tour lasts, whether you're sharing a snowmobile or driving one yourself, what's included and whether it's combined with something like a Northern Lights hunt.
I'd therefore look at how much actual snowmobiling time you're getting, rather than comparing tours purely by their total advertised length. A four-hour tour could include transfers, getting changed, safety instructions and food, so check how long you'll actually spend out on the snowmobile.
For us, just over two hours and 15km felt like a good amount of time for a proper snowmobile safari and was worth what we paid.
For us, yes. Our 15km snowmobile tour was one of the Lapland activities I felt was genuinely worth paying more for.
We paid £119 each and were out for around four hours, with just over two hours spent snowmobiling. Travelling across a frozen lake and through the forest in the dark, without seeing another person, made it feel like we'd properly got away from Rovaniemi for the evening.
We didn't see the Northern Lights, but that didn't change how I felt about the tour. I'd booked it because I wanted to try snowmobiling as well, and the experience was good enough without the lights appearing.
I'd happily do another snowmobile tour, although I'd be quite careful about the temperature. Around -10°C was manageable for us, but I personally wouldn't book such a long tour if temperatures were forecast to be much lower.
For children, I'd also look at mini snowmobiling before paying for them to join a full safari. Our kids loved getting to drive their own snowmobiles, and at €20 for 10 laps at Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park, we thought it was really good value.
So if snowmobiling is something you're considering for your Lapland trip, I'd recommend it. For adults, I'd choose a tour that gives you a decent amount of actual time on the snowmobile, and for children I'd definitely see whether there's an option for them to have a go themselves.
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