Reindeer sleigh rides in Lapland — the slow, real version

What the ride is actually like

You sit in a low wooden sleigh under reindeer hides while a single reindeer, led by a herder or following the sleigh in front, walks a forest track. It is slow — 5 to 8 km/h — and almost silent. Nobody drives their own reindeer; unlike huskies, these are semi-wild herd animals worked by their owner. Twenty minutes is enough for small children; two or three kilometres through the forest is the sweet spot for adults.

• •You are a passenger; the herder handles the animal.
• •Two adults, or one adult and two small children, per sleigh is typical.
• •You sit still the whole time, so dress warmer than you would for a husky safari.
• •Many farms issue a 'reindeer driving licence' certificate — a hit with children.

Why a working farm is worth the extra money

The 30 € car-park loop is a photo, not an experience. On a working reindeer farm you get the ride plus the part that makes it memorable: feeding the herd lichen from your hands, hearing how the herding year and the Sámi and Finnish herding families actually work, and coffee with a bun in a kota by an open fire. That is a two to three hour visit and costs 90–150 €, and it is the version people talk about afterwards.

Reindeer or huskies — or both?

They are opposites. Huskies are loud, fast and physical; you drive and the adrenaline is the point. Reindeer are silent, slow and gentle; you sit and the atmosphere is the point. Families with children under six, or groups with anyone who is nervous about the cold and speed, get more out of the reindeer. Most people with three or more days do both — several operators sell a combined husky-and-reindeer day, which saves a transfer.

Respecting the animals

Reindeer herding is a living livelihood in Lapland, not a theme-park act, and roughly 200 000 reindeer are herded across the north. On a good farm the animals work short shifts, are fed properly and are handled by the family that owns them. Do not touch the antlers, approach from the front so the animal can see you, and feed only the lichen you are handed. If a farm lets crowds crowd the animals with no herder present, book elsewhere.