Experience
the Arctic Freedom
The incredibly
magical atmosphere
of the Kemi
SnowCastle,
Exciting snowmobile safaris
across the snow-covered white ice fields,
The mighty Icebreaker
Sampo
breaking the frozen waters
of the Gulf of Bothnia,
Once in a lifetime experience
of an overnight in the SnowHotel
or in the comforts of the new Olokolo,
Delicious meals and
unforgettable outdoor activities;
All this and more, is waiting for you
in Sea
Lapland!
Snowmobile Safari
to the Icebreaker Sampo
Take a snowmobile safari to the Icebreaker Sampo, and
you will experience the Arctic Freedom to its fullest. You
drive the snowmobile across the vast ice fields of the
Gulf of Bothnia to meet the Icebreaker in the middle of
the sea. After boarding the vessel, the journey through
the frozen sea begins. A full presentation of the ship
and a guided tour from the Captain’s bridge all the
way down to the massive engine rooms, will give
you a good picture of the Icebreaker. A delicious
lunch will be served aboard the ship in the elegantly cosy Arctic
Restaurant.
Before returning to the Port of Ajos in Kemi, the ship will
make a one hour stop in the middle of the sea; each visitor will
have a chance to participate in a swimming/floating event in an
opening (a hole) in the ice, comfortably dressed in an impermeable warm survival suit. After this exciting, truly arctic experience, the snowmobile safari continues. A visit to a Lappish teepee and to a small reindeer village is also included in the safari.
All made
of a pure
white snow
Kemi SnowCastle
a winter wonderland with
a restaurant, hotel and a chapel
Dinner in the SnowRestaurant
Enjoy a delicious hot meal surrounded by the beauty of professional, skilful artwork made of ice and snow; lunch or dinner
– fully served at an ice-table. The temperature in the Restaurant remains at about -5 degrees Celsius, regardless of the
weather outside, and we do recommend you to dress warmly
in layered clothing, in winter caps, mittens, and warm shoes,
to ensure a meal full of pleasurable enjoyment in the unique
atmosphere. A three-course dinner is available in the Snow-
Restaurant. At the IceBar you may enjoy both hot and cold
drinks and little snacks.
Overnight in the SnowHotel/Olokolo
The atmosphere within the SnowHotel rooms, with the snowy
white walls, the temperature remaining at about -5 degrees
Celsius regardless of the weather outside, is rather unique; you
breathe in incredibly fresh air, and you hear absolutely no noise.
First when going to sleep each guest will be given a warm sleep-
ing-bag (with an inner fleece bag) designed specifically for arctic
conditions. The bed (not of snow) is covered with a lambskin for
extra warmth. Recommended clothing for the overnight stay at
the SnowHotel are: a ski (winter) cap, woollen socks, and long
underwear. Toilets are located in the CastleLounge, the logwood
building nearby in the SnowCastle area.
The utterly unique, and the first ones ever Olokolo -nests for
1-2 persons, are located in the SnowCastle area. Each Olokolo is
equipped with soft lambskins and warm sleeping bags to ensure
a comfortable stay. The transparent roof of the Olokolo opens up
a view to the sky – and if you are lucky, during your overnight
stay, you might even see the Northern Lights. All services of
the SnowHotel are available for the Olokolo guests; the price includes an entrance fee to the SnowCastle, accommodation in the
Olokolo, breakfast in the CastleLounge, and morning sauna &
swimming in a nearby Hotel. To sleep in an Olokolo, or in a room
in the SnowCastle – is like resting in the bosom of the nature.
Nature exploration at a
Husky Safari
A car transfer will bring you to a local Husky Farm. You will
be given instructions how to steer a husky-pulled sleigh before starting the husky safari through the beauty of the surrounding winter forest area. Each sleigh will be ridden in
pairs. At the Husky Farm you will also have the possibility to
pet the huskies and to learn about the nature and training
of the dogs.
Activities
Ice Fishing
Ice fishing in the middle of the vastness of the white, frozen sea,
can be both a truly relaxing as well as an utterly exciting experience, and even keen fishermen may get lucky to find good fishing
spots. In the winter, we first remove the possible snow and then
drill a hole in the ice cover, and a special jig or a lure is thus lowered into the water for fishing. In the springtime, ice fishing can
be an ever-more unforgettable experience, as the day-after-day
increasing amount of sunlight reflects back from the glistening
white snow, bathing the fisherman in bright lights.
Nature tour
on snowshoes
Have you ever tried walking on pure white snowdrifts, across vast
snowfields and little snow banks? Snowshoes are a naturefriendly and a quiet way to move about and enjoy the beauty
of a winter forest, with no pre-prepared trails required. Your
guide, during the tour, will give you basic information about
Finnish forests and animals living in the forests. Snacks and
hot beverages are served during the nature tour safari.
Enjoy a luxury Olokolo ride
across the frozen sea
See the world-renowned
Kemi Gemstone Gallery
Enjoy a luxurious ride in the comforts of an Olokolo-nest, pulled
by a snowmobile across the frozen sea! The 1,5 hour safari allows you to merely lay back and relax, while watching the open
sky through the transparent roof of the Olokolo; during the day
you may see some sunny views with fantastically coloured sunsets, in the afternoon you might enjoy the peace of the blue of
the twilight; later in the dark of the evening and the night, if the
skies are clear, you may admire the bright starry skies of Lapland,
or perhaps you even get lucky to see the Northern Lights. Shorter safaris, directly from the SnowCastle area, are also available.
The exhibition of the Kemi Gemstone Gallery, with more than
three thousand gems, is one of the best and largest in all of
Europe. The display also includes the genuine Royal Crown
designed for the would-be King of Finland, as well as a few
exact copies of some of Europe´s most famous crown jewels,
with their historic explanations included. A good variety of the
rarest gemstones from around the world - from Arizona to
Brazil, from China to Finland to Russia, are on view in the
showrooms of the Gemstone Gallery located close to the Kemi
SnowCastle area.
Hotel
Cumulus
hotellikuva
Hotel
Merihovi
Accommondation
Hotel Cumulus, Kemi Comfortable rooms, friendly, unhurried
yet quick service, are trademarks of the Hotel Cumulus located
in the centre of the city of Kemi. In addition of a cosy restaurant
for dining, the Hotel has three different saunas and an indoor
swimming pool for the convenience and enjoyment of guests.
A richly atmospheric town pub, right at the corner of the Hotel,
is popular for local artists, reporters as well as for Hotel guests.
Hotel Merihovi, Kemi The 60-year-old nostalgic, newly renovated Hotel in the centre of the city, offers an accommodation
experience to be remembered! Right upon entering the Hotel
Merihovi, you take a step back in time, to the era and architectural beauty of the 50s. Café & Bar Ankkuri, a popular luncheon
place amongst local people, and the Á la Carte Restaurant on
second floor, provide choices for great dining and pleasurable
enjoyment.
Haparanda Stadshotell, Haparanda, Sweden One of the
most famous turn-of-the-century Hotels, restored to its former
glory, with authentic character according to the city’s number
one establishment; red plush, crystal chandeliers, stucco ornamentation; is located right next to the city of Tornio in Finland,
merely at 20 minutes distance from the Kemi centre by car. The
historic setting of the Hotel offers efficient conference facilities
with all the modern equipment required, as well as several different Restaurants for great dining, of which the Game Cellar
with its cellar-vault provides a perfectly suitable background for
a meal of local specialities.
Kukkolaforsen Tourist and Conference Centre Kukkolaforsen, the Rapids of Kukkola, 15 kilometres north from the city
of Haparanda, are beautifully located by the River Tornio. The
tourist centre, tightly situated on the riverbanks, on the historic
Haparanda
Stadshotell
hotellikuva
Kukkolaforsen
fishing area, provides an interesting tour into the history of the
region. People still fish by the river, using the same type of longhandle nets used in the seventeenth century, catching whitefish,
the delicacy in the area, and in the Restaurant. The cosy, atmospheric cottages offer a pleasurable overnight stay right at
the riverbank – and before going to sleep, you might enjoy a
delightful moment in one of the many saunas by the Kukkola
Rapids.
dle of a natural park. The Kivalo scenery, crowned by steep
tree-covered hills and green primeval forests, provides a truly
arctic experience of adventuring through Finnish winter forests. The cosy, atmospheric cottages of the true Lappish
spirit, the logwood Restaurant and sauna, provide an event
to be remembered.
hotellikuva
Kivalo 42 km from the centre of Kemi is the Kivalo region.
Kivalo is situated in a beautiful natural environment in the mid-
Kivala
How to get
in Kemi?
By airplane:
The Kemi-Tornio Airport is located about 6 km from the centre of the city
of Kemi. Flybe operates daily flights to Kemi. For more information visit:
www.flybe.com
Approximate flight time:
Helsinki - Kemi
Helsinki - Oulu
Helsinki - Rovaniemi
1,5 h
1h
1,5 h
Approximate driving time
from the Airport to Kemi centre
(please note the varying weather
conditions during the winter season)
Kemi-Tornio Airport - Kemi centre 10 min
Oulu Airport - Kemi centre 1,5-2 h
Rovaniemi Airport – Kemi centre 1,5-2 h
Luleå Airport - Kemi centre
2h
KEMI TOURISM LTD.
tel.+358 16 258 878
www.visitkemi.fi
Rovaniemi
LuleŒ
Kemi
Oulu
Helsinki
Experience
the Arctic Freedom