Saariselkä: Ice Fishing Tour to Lake Inari, reindeers& lunch

Lake Inari is the star here, but the fishing hole is only part of the story. You ride a snowmobile-pulled sleigh across the frozen lake, visit a small island where Tina and Tapio live year-round, and eat a three-course Lappish lunch in a teepee by an open fire.

I like the personal scale of this trip: a small group of no more than 10 and a local guide who can explain the area instead of simply pointing at it. I also like that the reindeer visit and island lunch give you a full taste of northern life, even if the fish refuse to cooperate.

The main catch is literal: you may catch nothing. That is normal for ice fishing, and recent outings have produced no fish for some groups. If catching dinner is your main goal, this is a gamble. If you want winter scenery, a warm meal, and a quiet meeting with local people, the fishing becomes one part of a much better day.

Key points to know before you book

• Snowmobile-pulled sleigh ride: Travel from Koppelo across frozen Lake Inari without driving a snowmobile yourself.
• Small-group setting: The tour is limited to 10 people, which suits anyone who prefers a personal guide and less crowded stops.
• Tina and Tapio’s island home: Visit a family-run island far from the main tourist areas and meet two friendly reindeer.
• Warm teepee lunch: Eat a homemade three-course meal beside an open fire, with reindeer meat or fish, plus a vegetarian choice by request.
• Fishing is not guaranteed: You use a rod with either a worm or maggot, but the pleasure is the setting as much as the catch.
• Cold-weather support: Transport, thermal clothing, shoes, a guide, lunch, and the reindeer visit are included.

Why Lake Inari makes this five-hour trip different

Many Lapland activities are built around a single thrill. This one gives you several smaller moments: a ride over the ice, a quiet fishing session, a family island visit, reindeer, and lunch by fire.

That mix matters because ice fishing itself can be slow. You drill or use an existing fishing hole, sit with your rod, and wait. Some people find that peaceful. Others find it hard to stay interested when nothing bites. Here, the day keeps moving, so a quiet fishing spell does not have to carry the whole tour.

Lake Inari is one of Finland’s best-known northern lakes, and winter changes how you see it. Instead of viewing the water from shore, you travel onto its frozen surface by sleigh. The wide white setting gives you a strong sense of distance and open space, with the snowmobile doing the work while you sit back.

You do not drive the snowmobile yourself on this tour. That is a plus if you want to enjoy the ride without learning a machine in freezing conditions. It also means the pace and route remain in the guide’s hands.

The group size is capped at 10. That is large enough to have company but small enough for the guide to explain the fishing and help with equipment. It should also make the island visit feel more like a family welcome than a procession of buses.

From Saariselkä to Koppelo in borrowed winter gear

The day begins with pickup by minibus from Saariselkä. If you are staying near Holiday Club Saariselkä, provide your hotel or address when arranging the pickup.

The minibus first goes to the company office in Ivalo. There, you receive warm thermal clothing and shoes. This is important. Lapland in winter can be punishing when you are sitting still, and ice fishing involves much less movement than a hike or snowmobile ride.

You should still dress sensibly underneath the supplied gear. The provided clothing is a useful safety net, not a reason to arrive in ordinary indoor clothes. Wear layers and bring anything you normally need for a cold outdoor activity, such as gloves or a hat, unless the operator confirms they are included.

From Ivalo, the group takes a short drive to Koppelo, a small village. Snowmobiles and sledges wait there. You sit in a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile, then head toward the fishing place on Lake Inari.

The transfer from Saariselkä, the equipment stop in Ivalo, and the drive to Koppelo all use part of the five-hour schedule. That is not wasted time, since the transport gets you to a remote part of the lake without arranging winter clothing, vehicles, and directions yourself. Still, anyone expecting five full hours at the fishing hole should adjust those expectations.

Ice fishing with a rod, worm, and patience

At the fishing place, the local guide gives you instructions and your own fishing rod. The bait is either a worm or a maggot, so this is a straightforward fishing setup rather than a polished demonstration aimed only at photographs.

That simplicity is part of the appeal. You are trying a traditional cold-weather activity in the setting where it belongs, not watching somebody else do it from a heated cabin.

The guide’s role is especially useful here. Ice fishing can look simple, but you need to know how to use the rod and where to place your line. The English-language guiding keeps the activity accessible if you have never held an ice-fishing rod before.

Keep your hopes sensible. A fish may not appear. On one recent outing, nobody in the group caught one, while guide Tapio managed to land the only fish. That detail tells you two things: the fishing is genuine, and the local guide knows what he is doing. It also confirms that the tour should not be judged by the size of your catch.

If you enjoy quiet outdoor activities, the waiting can be the point. You have time to look across Lake Inari, take photos, and notice how different the lake feels when you are standing on ice rather than viewing it from a road. If you need constant action, the fishing could feel slow.

This is why I would recommend it even to people who are not serious anglers, but only if they are happy to treat fishing as one activity among several. The tour description itself makes that clear: it is an outdoor trip first, with fishing included rather than fishing alone.

A year-round island home and two reindeer

After the fishing session, you ride to a small island. Tina and Tapio, the owners of the family company, live there throughout the year. That detail gives the stop a human scale that many animal visits lack.

You meet two friendly reindeer and can feed them and take photographs. The animals are not an add-on at a commercial park. They are part of a visit to a family home in a remote setting, which makes the encounter feel more connected to local life.

A friendly dog named Pello is also part of the island experience. For families, that can be a small highlight. Children on one outing became especially fond of Tapio and wanted to see him again, and the dog and reindeer added to the warmth of the visit.

You should keep this stop respectful and simple. The value is not a long animal show. It is the chance to meet reindeer, see an island home, and get a glimpse of how a family lives far from the main tourist areas.

The remote setting is also the trade-off. You are not stopping at a large visitor center with a broad range of facilities. This is a small family operation, and that is exactly why the visit feels personal. If you prefer polished attractions with many displays and services, this may seem modest.

Lunch in a Lappish teepee by the fire

The strongest part of the day for many people may be lunch. A homemade three-course meal is served in a warm Lappish teepee beside an open fire, with hot berry juice to drink.

The menu includes local reindeer meat or fish. A vegetarian meal is available by request, so tell the operator in advance rather than waiting until you sit down. The meal gives you something substantial after time outside, and the fire changes the mood from cold and exposed to warm and social.

This is not just a quick packed lunch. It gives you time to talk with the guide and other people in the group, warm up, and enjoy the setting. The teepee also links the meal to northern traditions without turning the visit into a staged cultural performance.

The food has received especially strong praise. Guests have described the soup as tasty and filling, and the local meal as excellent. Since menus can vary, you should think of the stated options as the guide: reindeer meat or fish, a vegetarian alternative by request, and hot berry juice.

For me, the lunch is what protects the tour from a poor fishing day. Even if the rods stay quiet, you still have a proper meal, a fire, the island visit, and time with the family. That makes the price easier to understand.

Is $222 a fair price?

At $222 per person, this is not a budget outing. The value comes from the number of separate services bundled into five hours.

You receive pickup from Saariselkä, a minibus transfer to Ivalo and Koppelo, thermal clothing and shoes, a local English-speaking guide, the snowmobile-pulled sleigh ride, fishing equipment and instruction, the island and reindeer visit, and a homemade three-course lunch.

You are also paying for a small group, capped at 10 people. A cheaper activity with a much larger group might offer a similar photo stop, but it may not give you the same time with the guide or the family who lives on the island.

The price makes less sense if you only want to try ice fishing. There is no guarantee of a catch, and some of your time is spent getting to and from the lake. But if you would otherwise book separate transport, winter clothing rental, an animal visit, and a meal, the package becomes more reasonable.

The most important value question is this: do you want a fishing trip, or do you want a broad Lapland day with fishing included? For the second choice, $222 is easier to justify.

Who should book this Lake Inari outing?

I would choose this tour if you want to see more than Saariselkä’s immediate surroundings. Lake Inari, the sleigh ride, and the island home provide a stronger sense of place than an activity that stays near a resort.

It suits couples, families with children aged seven and older, and adults who like gentle outdoor activities. Children may especially enjoy the reindeer, dog, sleigh, and personal guide. The long fishing wait could test younger children, but the other parts of the day help keep the outing varied.

You do not need to be an angler. You only need to accept that fishing can be quiet and that the trip is about the full setting. The tour is not suitable for children under seven, pregnant women, wheelchair users, or people above the stated age limits.

The age information needs checking before you reserve. The supplied conditions list both people over 75 and people over 70 as not suitable, which is inconsistent. Ask Ivalo Safaris to confirm the current limit if this affects your group.

This is also not the right choice if you want a fast, active snowmobile tour or a guaranteed wildlife encounter. You ride in a sleigh rather than operating the snowmobile, and the reindeer visit is brief and personal rather than a large attraction.

Practical details that affect your decision

The tour lasts five hours and is conducted in English. Pickup from Saariselkä is included, but pickup from the Kakslauttanen or Kiilopää area costs an extra €20 per person.

The activity offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your northern itinerary depends on weather or changing plans.

Since the tour runs outdoors, check availability and starting times for your chosen date. The supplied information does not give one fixed departure time, so you should confirm it before arranging other activities.

Tell the operator about a vegetarian meal before the day. Also give a clear hotel name or address near Saariselkä so the minibus pickup is straightforward.

The warm clothing and shoes are included at the Ivalo office. Remember that this gear is part of the transport sequence, so allow time for changing before the group continues to Koppelo.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want one well-rounded winter outing built around Lake Inari. The best reasons are the small group, the snowmobile-pulled sleigh, the chance to meet Tina and Tapio at their island home, the two reindeer, and the hot three-course lunch in the teepee.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed fish or nonstop action. Ice fishing is patient by nature, and even the guide may be the only person who catches anything.

For most visitors who want an authentic-feeling day rather than a single adrenaline activity, I think the combination is worth the $222. The lunch and island visit carry real weight here. They turn a possibly fishless morning into a memorable look at local life on and around Lake Inari.

FAQ

How long does the Lake Inari tour last?

The activity lasts five hours, including transport from Saariselkä and the time spent at Lake Inari, the island, and the lunch stop.

Is transport from Saariselkä included?

Yes. Pickup from Saariselkä by minibus is included. You should provide your hotel or address, especially if you are staying near Holiday Club Saariselkä.

Is pickup from Kakslauttanen or Kiilopää included?

Pickup from the Kakslauttanen or Kiilopää area is available for an extra €20 per person.

What clothing is provided?

Warm thermal clothing and shoes are provided at the company office in Ivalo before you continue to Koppelo and Lake Inari.

How do you reach the fishing place?

You travel from Koppelo in a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile. You do not drive the snowmobile yourself.

Is fishing equipment included?

Yes. You receive your own fishing rod and instructions from the local guide. The bait is either a worm or a maggot.

Is catching a fish guaranteed?

No. Fishing success is not guaranteed. Some outings have ended without anyone catching a fish.

What food is served for lunch?

The homemade three-course lunch includes local reindeer meat or fish, with hot berry juice. A vegetarian option is available by request.

Can I meet reindeer during the tour?

Yes. You visit a small island and meet two friendly reindeer. You can feed them and take photographs.

Who should not take this tour?

The activity is not suitable for children under seven, pregnant women, wheelchair users, or people above the stated age restrictions. Because the supplied age limits mention both 70 and 75, confirm the current limit with Ivalo Safaris before booking.