Reaching the ice in Levi by snowmobile or by minivan
How you reach the lake shapes the whole day more than the fishing does. Two of the five trips from Levi go by snowmobile and three by road (minivan or car). One is half the fun and twice the cold. The other is cheaper and gives you more time at the hole.
Two sled trips and three road trips
Safartica's five-hour safari and Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park's three-hour trip both ride out on snowmobiles. Beyond Arctic and Keo Wilderness drive you in a minivan, and Safartica's shorter trip goes by warm car.
The road trips cost ~$99 to ~$122; the sled trips cost ~$190 or ~$234. Our price comparison lays out every fare with what it includes.
What the snowmobile ride is like
On Safartica's safari at ~$234, two people share one sled and take turns driving along frozen waters to a wilderness fishing spot. Its listing ties the pace to the weather conditions and to how each pair handles the machine.
Whoever drives needs a valid driver's licence, so bring it from home. A passenger without one can still join and ride behind the whole way.
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park's trip at ~$190 crosses snowy fields and forest to a lake that its listing says you can only reach by snowmobile. It lends a helmet and balaclava, plus an overall with boots and gloves for the ride.
The sled is a big part of the appeal. For many people the ride across a white lake under the fell is the moment they remember, more than any fish.
Ride out on a sled, fish, then eat by the fire
Safartica's five-hour safari pairs a snowmobile ride with ice fishing and a soup lunch cooked on an open fire. Winter clothing is in the fare, and 200+ reviewers give it 4.9.
The cold on a moving sled
A snowmobile adds wind to a temperature that is often well below freezing. At −20 °C (−4 °F), even a gentle ride makes the air feel far colder on any bare skin.
The lent overalls help, but what you wear underneath matters. Our page on dressing for the ice covers the layers, and the guide to deep frost days explains how wind chill works on a sled.
The passenger usually gets colder than the driver, since there is less to do. Swap seats on the way back if your partner is freezing.
What the minivan and car trips offer
Beyond Arctic at ~$117 drives about 20 minutes to the lake, and its listing says the guide moved spots several times on the day. Hotel pickup is offered for guests outside the Levi centre area.
Safartica's trip by car at ~$122 takes you to a frozen lake in the forest in a warm car. Keo Wilderness at ~$99 runs pickup and drop-off and keeps a heated wooden shelter by the lake.
A heated vehicle means you arrive warm rather than already chilled. That makes a long sit by the hole far easier for children and for anyone who feels the cold.
More fishing time for your money
Short drives leave more of the clock for fishing. On a three-hour sled trip a good part of the time goes on getting dressed and briefed. Then comes the ride itself, which leaves less time over the hole.
The road trips also cost less. If the fishing is the point and the vehicle is only a way to get there, a minivan gets you more time with the rod per dollar.
Neither way to the lake changes your odds of a bite. A catch is never guaranteed, whether you arrive by sled or by van, so choose the ride for the day you want.
Who should pick which
- First time on a snowmobile and keen to try one? Choose Safartica's safari (longer, with lunch)
- Short on time but set on a sled? Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park, three hours with no meal
- Families with young children do better on the road trips, since the safari does not take under-12s
- Nobody in the group holds a driver's licence? Take a road trip, or a sled with someone else driving
- Keen on photos? Beyond Arctic, whose guide also takes pictures
Families can read our guide to fishing with children for the trips that suit younger ages. If you have two days, our two-day plan combines a short road trip with the longer snowmobile safari.
A note on safety
Both snowmobile operators brief you before you set off and lead the line from the front. Follow the guide's track exactly, keep a steady distance from the sled ahead and slow down when told.
Never take a sled or walk out onto lake ice on your own without local knowledge. Ice that holds a group with a guide in one spot can be thin a short way off.
Wear the helmet you are lent, even at a slow pace, and keep the visor down against the cold air. Tell the guide early if your hands or face start to go numb, since a short stop costs little.
Getting to the start point
Safartica's safari meets at its office in Levi 20 minutes before the start. Pickup within about 10 km (6 miles) is possible, but only when you ask at least 48 hours ahead.
Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park collects guests from set points in Levi and drives them to its base on Levintie. Beyond Arctic and Keo both meet at Myllyjoentie 2 in the village, with pickup on offer as well.
Check the meeting point on your booking the evening before. In the dark of a Lapland morning, finding an unfamiliar office can take longer than you expect, and late arrivals hold up the whole group.
Either way to the lake suits a first-timer. Pick the sled for the ride and the scenery. Pick the van for comfort and more minutes at the hole, and dress for the cold whichever you choose.