Rovaniemi: Guided Ice Fishing Experience & Karelian Pastries｜Finland

Begin your adventure in Rovaniemi, where your professional local guide will pick you up and drive you away from the busy city into the quiet landscapes of Lapland. During the short journey, your guide will tell you about life in the north and the importance of frozen lakes and rivers during the long Arctic winter.

After arriving at a carefully selected fishing location, take a short 5–10 minute walk through a beautiful old-growth forest. Snow-covered trees, fresh Arctic air, and the peaceful silence of nature create a magical atmosphere as you make your way toward the lake.

Soon the forest opens to reveal a vast frozen lake, where ice and snow stretch across the landscape as far as the eye can see. Here your guide will introduce you to the traditional techniques used by locals for generations to fish during the winter months.

Learn how people in Lapland fish through the thick ice that can reach up to one meter in depth, and how fishing nets are sometimes placed beneath the frozen surface. Your guide will demonstrate how to use traditional ice fishing equipment and explain the methods that have been passed down through generations.

Then it is your turn to try. Drill your own hole in the ice and experience traditional ice fishing yourself. As you sit beside your fishing hole, surrounded by snow-covered wilderness and the quiet stillness of the Arctic, you will truly feel the calm and simplicity of life close to nature.

During the experience, relax around a small campfire, warm up with hot drinks, and enjoy traditional Finnish snacks, including freshly baked Karelian pasties (karjalanpiirakat), gingerbread cookies, and berry juice. While enjoying your snacks, your guide will share fascinating stories about local culture, Arctic survival, and everyday life in the far north.