Northern lights at the 69th parallel in Russian Lapland (5 days)To see the Northern Lights and get to know Russian Lapland, you should come to the Murmansk region on the Kola Peninsula. Visit the largest world city above the Arctic Circle, Snow Village, Khibiny Mountains by snowmobile, reindeers, sleigh rides with husky dogs, Teriberka village and the Arctic Ocean and much more above the Arctic Circle at the 69th parallel - Kola Travel.

Northern lights at the 69th parallel

Day 1: Welcome in Worlds biggest city above Polar circle: Murmansk
Arrival at Murmansk Airport. Meeting and transfer to the Meridian Hotel**** in the city center. Lunch is recommended in the hotel restaurant. At 4:00 p.m. a guide will come to the hotel for a city tour with sightseeing, making panoramic photos and visiting the Worlds first nuclear icebreaker “Lenin”. Return to the hotel at 7:00 p.m. Dinner is recommended in the hotel restaurant. Overnight stay in the hotel.
Optional: If there is the good broadcasting for Northern Lights an English speaking guide with a mini bus comes to the hotel to collect you for "Aurora hunting".

Day 2: Teriberka and Arctic Ocean
Breakfast. At 9:00 a.m. a tour guide will pick you up for the minibus transfer to the village of Teriberka. We drive through the white, open landscape of the snow-covered tundra to the shores of the Barents Sea. Upon arrival in Teriberka, the guide will show the filming locations of the famous film 'Leviathan'. Then we continue to a wide, sandy beach to observe the ice-free waters of the Barents Sea. Lunch in the restaurant. After lunch we ride by sleigh, pulled by a snowmobile (if there is sufficient snow cover) to the wintry fjords of the Barents Sea. We will observe a beach of round stones (Dragon Eggs Beach), a frozen waterfall and the vastness of the Arctic Ocean. In the evening return to Murmansk. Dinner in a recommended restaurant. Overnight stay in the hotel. (B,L)
Optional: If there is the good broadcasting for Northern Lights an English speaking guide with a mini bus comes to the hotel to collect you for "Aurora hunting".

Day 3: Siberian Husky Park
Breakfast and check-out. At 9:30 a.m. transfer to Husky Park. An English-speaking guide will pick you up and take you to Husky Park on a snowmobile-drawn sleigh. There you will learn the wonderful history of the Siberian Husky breed, communicate with the adorable and sweet dogs. You will visit a replica of a Saami village and learn about the way of life of the Saami people as it was more than a century ago. Meeting reindeers. You then take a dog sled ride through the forest and over frozen lakes. After lunch of traditional Saami dishes (creamy fish soup, reindeer meat or fish, berry cake), you will be brought back to the minibus and taken to the city of Kirovsk. Check-in at Severnaya Hotel around 6:30 p.m. The hotel has a small SPA complex and offers: a swimming pool, a whirlpool, a sauna and Khammam. The complex is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. A stay of 1.5 hours is included. Dinner is recommended in the hotel restaurant. Overnight stay in the hotel. (B,L)
Optional: If there is the good broadcasting for Northern Lights an English speaking guide with a mini bus comes to the hotel to collect you for "Aurora hunting".

Day 4: Snowmobile safari and Snow VIllage
Breakfast starts at 8:00 a.m. Check out at 9:00 am. Your luggage should be stored in the hotel's storage room (free of charge). If necessary, our travel guide will help you. At 9:30 a.m. you board a minibus and drive to the snow village, where we first go on a guided snowmobile safari. After changing and brief introductions, you will drive to the Khibiny Mountains. We drive to the Petrelius Valley – one of the picturesque places of the Khibiny Mountains. The best views are from the East Petrelius Pass of the valleys of the Malaya Belaya and Kuniok rivers. Instead of a snowmobile safari, you can take a snow bus trip to the frozen springs at the foot of the Khibiny Mountains. We have lunch in the dining room of the Tirvas Health Hotel next to the snow village. After lunch we will visit Snow Village. The Snow Village features a labyrinth under the snow with beautiful wall carvings and ice sculptures. Outside you might also enjoy riding down a snow hill on a "pancake" or ride on a "banana" pulled by a snowmobile. At 4:00 p.m. transfer to the Severnaya Hotel to collect your luggage and continue to the city of Murmansk. Arrive at the Meridian Hotel around 7:00 p.m. Check in. Dinner is recommended in the hotel restaurant. Overnight stay in the hotel. (B,L)
Optional: If there is the good broadcasting for Northern Lights an English speaking guide with a mini bus comes to the hotel to collect you for "Aurora hunting".

Day 5: Farewell to Russian Lapland
Breakfast. Transfer to Murmansk airport. (B)

Northern lights at the 69th parallel

This Northern Lights tour can be extended with the following options:

• Kirovsk area:
  • Excursion in Mineralogical Museum in Kirovsk.
  • Excursion in Museum of the North in Kirovsk
  • Excursion in Northern Botanical garden near Kirovsk
  • Alpine skiing on the best slopes of NW Russia in Kirovsk
  • Cross country skiing on lighted tracks near Kirovsk
  • Info about Snow-village near Kirovsk
  • Info about Snow-mobile safaris in Khibiny Tundra
  • See link above for more info