Adventure in Finland - Lapland Express, Santa Claus Village, Ice Bath and Sauna!

Welcome to Finland. What better way is there to ring in a new year of NickGoesFar than with an adventure to the Nordic country of Finland, and a trip above the arctic circle. In my 2024 wrap up I mentioned that one of my main goals for 2025 was to include more people in my travels, and this trip was a perfect example of what that’s going to look like as my friend Katie joined me for the entire thing.

We started our journey in Helsinki and then took the overnight sleeper train, the Lapland Express to the far northern reaches of the country to the city of Rovaniemi. Once we were in Lapland the first orde of business for us was to get warmed up in a traditional, wood-fired, sauna, mixed together with plunges into the frozen Kemijoki river. From there we set out on snowmobiles in search of the elusive aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. The journey into Lapland culminated with a visit to Santa Claus’s village, where we crossed triumphantly into the arctic circle.

I look forward to sharing so much more of these adventures with you, if you haven’t yet please hit subscribe - I’m glad you’re here.

0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Commuter Train to Helsinki Central Station
1:13 - Checking into the Hilton Helsinki Strand
2:13 - Katie should be here
3:25 - A new life for Katie in Finland
4:21 - Good morning in Helsinki (Meet Katie)
5:31 - Exploring Helsinki a little bit
6:06 - New plan, time for the sauna
6:58 - Some drone footage of Helsinki
7:44 - Operation retrieve Katie’s bag is underway
8:15 - I think FinnAir found her bag
8:50 - The Lapland Express
11:20 - Arriving in Rovaniemi
12:00 - Exploring Rovaniemi
13:47 - Traditional Finnish Sauna and Ice Bath
15:42 - First plunge into the river
17:16 - Commuting back to Rovaniemi on the Lapland Express
17:51 - Gearing up for Snowmobiles with Sunny Tours
18:42 - Chasing the Northern Lights in Lapland
21:40 - Santa Claus Village
22:17 - Crossing the Arctic Circle
23:52 - I’m Glad You’re Here

Episode 29 | Filmed January, 2025 | Finland

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Who is Nick Henderson, and what is NickGoesFar?! Originally from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, I have been traveling the world since I was 3 years old, and have led a fairly uncommon life ever since. Now, I'm a commercial pilot flying in the United States, a full-time nomad and traveler. NickGoesFar was originally "The Roaming Pilot", a travel blog where I would share my adventures, tips on expat life, and photography. As I leapt headfirst into content creation, film making, and wanted to be able to share with more people - a change was needed, and after a few iterations I landed here. I am incredibly grateful that years of hard work allow me to continue doing something I love, seeing the world and immersing myself in it. 😊🎥🌎