Finland · PRIVATE
Good private tours run out weeks ahead up here and the best ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and how they differ.
Meet a local guide such as Georg, Angela, Karim, or Maria at your accommodation or a central Helsinki landmark. Shape a private 2 to 6 hour walk around your interests, with advice on food, shopping, transport, culture, and sights. Attraction tickets, meals, drinks, and local transport cost extra.
“Jennifer was knowledgeable , and very enthusiastic . She went out of her way and was never clock watching .”
Join Finbar or another English-speaking driver-guide for a 4 to 5 hour small-group tour of Helsinki and Porvoo. See Uspenski Cathedral, Senate Square, the Rock Church, Sibelius Monument, Porvoo’s riverside warehouses, Old Town, and Cathedral. Expect a compact route with limited free time and possible shared transportation.
“It was not a private tour or a private vehicle. There were 3 others (2 and 1 group) in the vehicle. I brought it to the attention of the driver before the tour, but he insisted it was his options.”
Heli and her local Soma Adventures team take you from Levi to a private wilderness lake about 40 minutes away. Expect a small group of up to eight, aurora watching from reindeer hides, a rustic cabin, snowmobile or snowshoe options, homemade cakes, sausages, marshmallows, hot berry juice, and photos delivered soon after the tour.
“Unbelievable nice accommodation and we saw the Northern light very good”
You’ll leave Rovaniemi at 7:00 pm in a private bus with an English-speaking guide and spend up to eight hours searching for the Northern Lights. The tour includes pickup, unlimited mileage, and 24/7 back-office support. Guides such as Tokur, also spelled Tokkur, may use several viewing spots to improve your chances.
“Tokkur was an excellent guide. Due to his knowledge and persistence we were able to witness the Northern Lights in several spots. Highly recommended”
You’ll leave Rovaniemi with an English-speaking guide such as Andreas, Andrei, or Dimitri, then reach a private lakeside sauna in under 30 minutes. Enjoy a wood-heated sauna, outdoor jacuzzi, lake views, towels, robes, drinks, and a traditional salmon dinner in an old Lapland cottage. Vegetarian food is available.
“Hosts were excellent they looked after us well, we would’ve liking a little more time in the sauna and chacuzzi and maybe time for eating food too but overall it was great service and they looked after us well”
Join Kyle for a small-group ski trip near Lake Norvajärvi. Use easy skis over your winter shoes, follow private forest and lake trails, then rest at a laavu fire with drinks, snacks, and stories about Finnish life. The tour lasts about three hours and takes no more than four people.
“My ski adventure with Kyle was the most amazing day out in Rovaniemi. Before the day began, Kyle texted me a few days earlier offering me an alternate day so I’d have my own private tour which I appreciated. We then explored the most amazing scenery and different landscapes throughout Lapland. Kyle is a friendly tour guide with lots of stories and jokes which made the experience even better. He made sure I was comfortable the whole time whilst taking some really great pictures which I especially asked for. We also had some blueberry juice and sausage around the fire to cap it all off. Great day and great adventure.…”
Meet a local guide such as Iness, Eemil, Elena, or Lara for a private Helsinki walk shaped around your interests. See landmarks including Helsinki Cathedral, the Orthodox Church, Old Market, and Oodi Library, or focus on food, culture, and daily life. Hotel pickup, multiple languages, and optional public transport make this a flexible first-day introduction.
“We had great fun during the tour. The tour guide was humorous and that helps a lot to make the walking tour more enjoyable.”
This four-hour small-group tour pairs Helsinki sights with Porvoo’s cobbled old town. Guide Finbaar, also listed as Finnbar or Finba, handles hotel pickup, driving, stories, and photo stops. You’ll see Senate Square, churches, the Sibelius Monument, Porvoo Cathedral, and Brunberg chocolate shop, with free pickup in Helsinki.
“I highly recommend this tour ❤️ Finba was my guide and he was absolutely fantastic, he's so knowledgeable and told me so much out Finland, history, culture, the churches, traditions. He constantly asked me if I understood what he was saying, if I had any questions. Truly wonderful. The whole tour was just amazing. Porvoo an absolute favourite. Thankyou Finba for a truly wonderful tour.”
Travel from Rovaniemi to a private lakeside sauna for one hour of classic Finnish heat, hot drinks, and a possible Aurora Borealis display. An English-speaking guide such as Mara, Maria, or Edgar handles the outing, pickup, and return. Bring swimwear, and remember that the lights depend on weather and solar activity.
“This experience is going to stand out for us as incredibly memorable for years to come! We arrived in the forest complex to the twinkle of fairy lights and floor candles lighting the pathway into the visitor centre, and as if by devine intervention the sky opened up with a fine show of Aurora for us as we were shown to our lakeside Finnish sauna. Our guide Mara gave us a good rundown of what to expect and how to keep the sauna going- though we confess the Northern lights specacle kept us distracted for a good portion of our time! That said, we found this trip a perfect amount…”
Travel from Rovaniemi to Korouoma Canyon with an English-speaking guide such as Michael, Alex, or Elias. Walk about 5 kilometers through snowy forest to frozen waterfalls, then warm up with sausages, hot berry juice, snacks, and a private teepee BBQ. Hotel transfers, drinks, and traction spikes are included.
“Michael was a great guide, he showed us the waterfalls and gave us loads of facts and safety tips. He also took us at the end to a separate tent to eat sausages and drink hot berry juice to warm up by the fire. It was such a beautiful experience, couldn’t recommend it enough.”
Meet a Helsinki local at the Alexander II Statue for a private walk lasting two to six hours. Your host shapes the route around your interests, from architecture and history to markets, libraries, food, parks, and daily Finnish life. Hosts such as Pia, Juliette, Ilari, and Georg have earned especially warm praise for thoughtful, personal guiding.
“Jorge, a Portugese transplant, was quite knowlegeable about Finnish history and the local sites. He also accomodated our interests of art and culture by noting specific sites and areas of intetest in those fields.”
Explore Helsinki for 2.5 hours in a private electric tuk-tuk for up to four people. Your English-speaking guide may be Juho, Olga, Tommi, Peatra, or Maria, depending on the date. Expect central sights, Art Nouveau streets, Sibelius Park, the Rock Church, photo stops, headsets, and blankets in cool weather.
“great tour and the host was very informative and helpful. Pick up was prompt, ride was comfortable, even had blankets to keep us warm”
You’ll be picked up anywhere in Rovaniemi and taken to a remote glass igloo beside a frozen lake. Expect a three-course dinner by the fire, a private guide such as Andrew or Andrei, and a short snow-scooter outing. The igloo is warm and romantic, but Northern Lights sightings depend entirely on the weather.
“Awesome evening ! Good food and a really nice guide ! A experience everyone should take when in Rovaniemi.”
Spend four to five hours aurora hunting around Rovaniemi with a private guide such as Finn, Ilona, or Aurelien. Your group of up to four rides in a 4x4, checks several weather-based locations, borrows warm clothing and boots, and gets camera help, hot drinks, snacks, and edited photos afterward.
“Our guide Finn was exceptional in every way—deeply knowledgeable, passionate, and truly an expert in his field. Despite the cloudy and challenging night, he never stopped hunting for the aurora until we finally witnessed the dream of our lives. He also introduced us to the magical sound of a frozen lake “singing”—an indescribable experience we never knew existed. Thank you, Finn, for being such an inspiring guide. Keep doing the amazing work you’re doing!”
Join Ville and his family business for a private 2.5-hour snowmobile ride around Luosto and Pyhä-Luosto National Park. You’ll receive safety instruction, riding gear, heated equipment, hotel pickup within 30 kilometers, and a fire-side drink break. Routes suit beginners and experienced riders, with evening departures best for northern lights.
“This snowmobile tour was truly amazing. Many thanks to Ville and his family! I highly recommend choosing this tour instead of going with the big providers in huge groups… you get so much more out of it, and it honestly couldn’t be better. A big recommendation!”
Pick a fell, a frozen lake or a harbour.
