Ivalo: A Day in the Life of Reindeer Herders

Overview

Available languages

English

6 hours

Mobile ticket

Spend a day as a real reindeer herder and explore the wilderness by experiencing Finnish winter fishing methods. Join us to feed the large reindeer herd in their natural habitat.

We'll take you into the forest seated in a snowmobile sleigh to feed a large herd of reindeer in their natural habitat. After this, you'll have the chance to try traditional winter fishing methods, such as fishing with nets under the ice and ice fishing!

We'll enjoy a homemade lunch in a traditional Sámi hut. The lunch includes creamy reindeer soup or a vegan wild mushroom soup, served with cold water and homemade hot berry juice.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Creamy reindeer meat soup or vegan wild mushroom soup, served with fresh cold water and homemade hot berry juice.

Air-conditioned vehicle

Guide

Thermal safari suit and warm shoes for additional fee €25 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Hotel Kultahippu

Petsamontie 1, Ivalo Finland

Hotelli Ivalo

Ivalontie 34, Ivalo Finland

What To Expect

Experience the work of a reindeer herder and Finnish winter fishing on the same day! Your day starts early in the morning. We’ll pick you up from Ivalo, such as from your hotel, and drive by car to the starting point of the activity. From there, we continue by snowmobile to the reindeer herd, where you’ll have the chance to take part in feeding the reindeer. After feeding, we head to a nearby lake where you can try traditional fishing methods. This activity includes lunch in the traditional Sámi hut in the wilderness.

Options

A day with reindeer herders

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

4 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Our favourite Lapland activity we did!!
danibP2053HW,
Apr 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did the reindeer herding experience and it was even better than we expected!! It was amazing from start to finish, seeing how Niilo and his friends herds and feeds the reindeer daily. Seeing the real nature of Lapland with no cruelty or tourist traps was so special & unforgettable. The drive over the frozen lake was so cool to see and we tried some of the local river’s fresh water along the way! We then watched as they build a fire (was so cool) and cooked sausages and had coffee and Johanna’s homemade berry juice which was AMAZING! We enjoyed every second of this trip and would recommend this to anyone! They even picked us up from our resort and dropped us back, so thank you guys for letting us see an insight into your world - we loved it so much :)
Incredible authentic experience in the Lapland forest with wild-roaming reindeer
chasingsnowdrops,
Mar 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My day with Ivalo Experiences deep in the Lapland forest with wild-roaming reindeer was one of the most special and authentic experiences I’ve ever had in all my travels. Ivalo Experiences is a small business run by the amazing couple Johanna and Niilo, both natives of Ivalo in Finnish Lapland. Niilo has deep ancestral roots in reindeer husbandry and has been a reindeer herder all his life. If you want to see the real, non-touristy version of Lapland, go spend a day with them as they carry out their real daily tasks in the wild forest! The day started with us flying across the pristine, frozen lakes of northern Lapland in a sleigh, heading into the forest. Once we arrived at the forest, the amazing herders called out to the reindeer to come out of the woods to eat. We rode in the sleigh watching the incredible work of the herders in moving through the forest and feeding hundreds of reindeer. After feeding the reindeer, Johanna and Niilo built a fire and made coffee, homemade berry juice and delicious sausages. We gathered around all cosy and well fed, chatting about reindeer husbandry and learning about their fascinating local life. As a guest, you get to be very up close with the gorgeous reindeer, so there is plenty of opportunity to take photos and marvel at this stunning land. This is the kind of memory that will stay with you for the rest of your life and the kind of sight you only see on National Geographic. I wholeheartedly recommend Ivalo Experiences if you want to experience a truly authentic adventure in Lapland with amazing locals. Apart from reindeer experiences, they can also take you ice-fishing the local way and on immersive hikes during the spring and summer.
What an amazing journey in Ivalo forest.
K5140KTstefand,
Mar 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing journey that Johanna and Niilo offered us. Their thermal cloths kept us warm and comfortable. Mid the forest, we were helping feeding the reindeer that came out of the forest. This was a waauw effect and highly recommendable to do. The journey was also serviced by Finnish local people, Lap dressed-up which is definitely adding to the experience. In the afternoon, Johanna and Niilo prepared and served us the most exceptionally tender and delightful reindeer tenderloin steak in their traditional Kota. Don't hesitate and book your journey with Ivalo experiences, you will not regret.
Unforgettable experience with great food!
Kayrey026,
Jan 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We loved spending the day with Johanna and Niilo and their reindeer. What a special experience in quiet nature with a home-cooked meal from locally and naturally sourced ingredients! Highly recommended for people of all ages. My 71-year-old parents were thrilled with the time spent and said it was the experience of a lifetime.