Lapland in a week

💡Do not buy the gear: they nearly always lend it

At minus twenty you need proper thermal clothing, and buying it for one week costs a fortune. Almost every activity — huskies, snowmobiles, icebreaker — includes a thermal suit, boots and mittens, so ask before you spend. What you do need to bring is merino wool base layers, thick socks and thin gloves for handling your phone.

💡The reindeer have owners, and huskies are not a Sámi tradition

Every reindeer in Finland belongs to someone, even loose ones: they carry an ear mark. If you see one on the road, brake, because they move in groups and more are behind. And a distinction worth making: dog sledding arrived with tourism, imported from Alaska; the reindeer is genuinely Sámi. If the culture interests you, look for a farm run by Sámi families rather than a show.

💡December is not the best month for the aurora, though it looks like it

December brings the polar night, the markets and the Christmas feeling, which is why everyone goes then. But for the aurora, September-October and February-March are better: high geomagnetic activity and, above all, clearer skies. Midwinter snows more, and a cloud hides the aurora just as it hides the sun. If the trip is about the lights, go in February.