Can You Take Children on a Reindeer Safari in Rovaniemi?
Children on a reindeer outing near Rovaniemi: the age limits outing by outing, how the sleighs are shared, which include winter clothing, and the outings with something extra for children.
Most reindeer outings near Rovaniemi take children; the only age limits among them are under 5 at one farm and under 3 on one evening ride. For a family, book Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris’ 2km Reindeer Sled Ride Through the Forest, from US$199 a person (checked November 2026): the guides lead the reindeer, everyone sits wrapped in a blanket on a reindeer hide, and thermal overalls and boots are included.
The ride is about 40 minutes, then hot drinks and snacks by the fire and time to feed the reindeer. No age limit is stated; it is not for pregnant women or wheelchair users. Pickup is at Santa Claus Holiday Village, Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus or SantaSport. Free cancellation runs until 24 hours before.
Age limits, outing by outing
| Outing | Children | Clothing included |
|---|---|---|
| 2km Reindeer Sled Ride Through the Forest (Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris) | No age limit stated | Thermal overalls and winter boots |
| Reindeer Farm Visit, Walk-Along and Local Culture (Unari Lake Reindeer Farm) | Not for children under 5; two herding dogs meet you | No; bring warm clothing |
| Apukka Reindeer Sleigh Ride at Night (Apukka Resort Oy) | Not for children under 3 | Thermal overall, boots, socks, mittens |
| 2-3 km Sustainable Reindeer Journey (Apukka Resort Oy) | No age limit stated; families seated together where possible | Thermal overall, boots, socks, mittens |
| Local Reindeer Farm Visit with Sleigh Ride (Beyond Arctic) | No age limit stated; no touching or riding the animals | Warm clothing and winter boots |
| Reindeer Farm Visit with Photographer (Arctic Photo Experience) | No age limit stated | Not mentioned |
| Reindeer, Huskies and Santa Claus Village (Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park) | Children under 150 cm get 10 minutes on a mini snowmobile | Winter clothing |
| Winter Reindeer Safari at Santa Claus Village (Santa Claus Reindeer) | No age limit stated; reindeer hides in the sleigh | No thermal clothing |
| Reindeer Safari and Sled Ride (Arctic GM Experiences OY) | No age limit stated; no baby carriages | Thermal overalls |
From the GetYourGuide listings, November 2026. “No age limit stated” means none is given, not that the operator has none: ask when you book with small children.
Sitting in the sleigh
On most of these rides the reindeer are led or guided, and you sit. Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris’ guides lead the caravan; on Apukka Resort Oy’s rides the guide walks alongside the reindeer at a walking pace and seats people so each sleigh carries an even load, keeping families together whenever possible. Santa Claus Reindeer's sleighs have reindeer hides to keep you warm.
Think about whether a small child will sit still for 40 minutes in the cold. The 400 and 500 m loops on the farm visits are over in minutes.
Check dates for the 40-minute ride
Clothes for children
Of the outings in the table, Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris, Apukka Resort Oy, Beyond Arctic, Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park and Arctic GM Experiences OY include winter clothing. Wonderlapland's 1.5 km ride charges EUR 10 a person for an overall and boots, on request. Santa Claus Reindeer’s village ride and Unari Lake Reindeer Farm include none, and Arctic Photo Experience does not say. A guest on Arctic Photo Experience’s farm visit wrote of -35 °C on a January 2026 morning.
Getting there with children
Most of these pick you up. Beyond Arctic's minivan takes 35 minutes to the farm; a family on it in December 2025 wished there had been child seats. Unari Lake Reindeer Farm is 90 km north of Rovaniemi with no transport included and no bus connection, so it suits a family with its own car on the way north.
Easy Travel's reindeer safari asks infants to sit on an adult’s lap and children to be with an adult, and its reindeer and husky safari lets infants and small children ride in a pram or stroller, with infant seats available (checked November 2026).
Something extra for children
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park's day with reindeer, huskies and Santa Claus Village gives children under 150 cm ten minutes on a mini snowmobile track, after 500 m behind reindeer and 500 m behind huskies. Johanna's reindeer hideaway is designed for small private groups: you hand-feed lichen inside the enclosure and sit by a fire there.
Pick for your family
Rovaniemi: 2km Reindeer Sled Ride Through the Forest
Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris: a 2 to 2.5 km ride of about 40 minutes, thermal overalls and boots, hot drinks by the fire, feeding the reindeer.
Check dates →Rovaniemi: Reindeer Farm Visit with Photographer
Arctic Photo Experience: hotel pickup within 10 km, about two hours at the farm with a photographer, and a 400 m ride when there is enough snow.
See the visit →Private and authentic reindeer experience in homefarm
Johanna's reindeer hideaway: 1.5 hours for your group inside the enclosure at a home farm, hand-feeding lichen, hot drinks by a fire. No sleigh ride.
See the visit →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
More from Rovaniemi
Reindeer and Other Outings with Open Dates
Farm visits, sleigh rides and other outings from Rovaniemi with live availability. Pickup, what is included and the cancellation terms are shown before you book.
Forty Minutes Under a Blanket
Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris' 2 to 2.5 km sled ride through the forest: guides lead the reindeer, you sit wrapped in a blanket on a reindeer hide, then hot drinks by the fire and time to feed the reindeer.
Check dates