Rovaniemi

Zoos & Aquariums

Be picked up at your accommodation and start the journey to Ranua Wildlife Park. The 1-hour drive will take you through Lapland, where you’ll be able to spot wildlife along the way. It’s not unusual to see reindeer or the gigantic moose along the road. As you head to your destination, your guide will answer any questions that you may have about Finland and Lapland to the best of their knowledge. At the park, follow the 2.5 km long wooden boardwalks through the forest and spot different arctic animals in one place. This is a rare opportunity to meet the local animals that reside in Lapland and other parts of the Arctic. As you walk around the park, your guide will share with you their knowledge of the animals and other aspects of life in Lapland. You’ll spot a variety of animals in the Ranua Wildlife Park. Keep an eye out for polar bears, predatory birds, owls, wild boars, musk oxen, otters, arctic foxes, wolves, wild reindeer, wolverines, and moose. When they’re not hibernating in the wintertime, you might even see brown bears. At the end of the tour, you will enjoy a tasty buffet lunch at the restaurant before returning to Rovaniemi.

After being pickup from your accommodation in Rovaniemi you will be driven to Ranua Wildlife Park. Located approximately an hour’s drive away, Ranua Zoo is home to around 50 species of wild arctic animals and 200 animal specimens. All animals live in an environment that is as natural and arctic as possible, which guarantees that the animals feel at home! The excursion suits for the whole family. Actually Ranua Zoo is Lapland’s leading destination of family traveling. There are also some sleds available for smaller children, in case they get tired of walking. Your expert guide will make your Wildlife Park visit even more rewarding as they tell you detailed information about the animals and their personalities as well as answer your questions about their living habits and about the arctic nature. Polar bears, Arctic Fox's, Wolverines, and Lynx's are some of the most popular animals to see among others!

Benefit from morning pickup at your accommodation in Rovaniemi, and then travel to Ranua Wildlife Park in the Arctic wilderness. Explore the breathtaking winter wonderland with the help of your English-speaking guide, and see polar bears and hundreds of other species of animals in their natural habitat. Relax with a delicious buffet lunch of traditional food in the middle of a forest. Continue your journey to meet friendly Siberian huskies at a husky farm, and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime ride in a sled pulled by the dogs, weather permitting. Talk to traditional reindeer herders at a local reindeer farm in Rovaniemi, and learn the history of reindeer farming in the area. Hear what it's like to live in the Arctic before a short sleigh ride pulled by the reindeer. 

Visit the only zoo in the Arctic, Ranua Zoo, and encounter animals native to the area. Get picked up from any hotel within 10km of Rovaniemi city center. See moose, polar bears, forest reindeer, wolves, Arctic foxes and more among the zoo's 200 animals. Have a chance to spot elusive owls and other birds that are difficult to track down in their natural environments. Enjoy a buffet lunch at a cozy restaurant and visit one of the biggest chocolate shops in Lapland. Get a ride back to your hotel in the Rovaniemi area at the end of your visit.

Visit the only Zoo in the arctic, Ranua Zoo. Here you will be able to encounter animals that are local to this arctic region. The most popular are the moose and the polar bears. The zoo also shows you over 200 famous local animals, such as forest reindeer, wolves and the arctic fox. One of the best ways to appreciate the animals is while they are eating, the zoo display feeding times in their brochure. Watch while the wolves and polar bears enjoy their meals, before you enjoy your own. Don’t forget the many types of owls that are hard to spot in nature will be there. Afterwards you will enjoy a campfire at the zoo forest park and eat a delicious and unique lunch. Lunch with salmon sandwiches and wood fire grilled wild boar sausage and blueberry juice. Then return to your hotel after you have finished to see everything at this wonderful zoo.

Spend an unforgettable half-day at Ranua Wildlife Park, the world's northernmost zoo, located in an Arctic forest a 1-hour drive from Rovaniemi. Benefit from the services of an English-speaking guide as you meet 50 different species of animals, including brown bear, lynx, fox, musk ox, and more. Established in 1983, the park's spacious enclosures are set in the middle of northern conifer forests, the natural habitat of most of the animals. See the only polar bears living in Finland, as well as other Arctic wildlife.  Then, enjoy a buffet lunch in Ranua after your visit to the zoo, and stop at a Fazer sweets factory, if time permits, on the road back to Rovaniemi.

After being picked up from your hotel, head out to Ranua Zoo, the northernmost zoo in the world. See arctic foxes, polar bears (the only ones in Finland), minks, otters, geese, and 50 other northern animal species. Enjoy time to meet the animals and walk approximately 2.5km through magical Lappish forest. Just as you start to get chilly, head to a cozy restaurant to enjoy a delicious lunch. After lunch, a professional local guide will help you get around and show you the best souvenir shops and places to buy authentic Lapland products. Continue your Lappish wilderness experience by going to a traditional wood-burning sauna. Whilst you wait approximately an hour for the sauna to heat, spend some quality time outdoors fishing or playing games. For those who prefer to stay indoors, play a logic game, based on the story of Santa Claus and the history of elves. Enjoy a relaxing experience and take the option to jump into a private Arctic lake to cool down. Then, repeat the whole process again. Interchanging warm and cold intervals has many health benefits. It improves your circulation, stabilizes your heart pressure, and helps you relieve stress and anxiety. Once the hot and cold sauna experience is finished, cuddle up in the cottage and help yourself to some tasty blazed salmon cooked over an open fire.

Immerse yourself in the fabulous world of Arctic animals! This tour is the only one in Lapland that really allows you to see and learn about the main animals that reside in the Arctic. Visit one of the most authentic reindeer farms in the Rovaniemi area as the first stop of the trip. See the herders that have been living just outside of Rovaniemi on the lovely shores of a peaceful lake for more than 200 years. Experience the scenic surroundings as you will learn about the reindeer from the herders. Be shown around the traditional farm with a chance to feed the reindeers lichen, with is their favourite food and like chocolate to them. Warm up with a friendly time around the fire in the company of a herder who will answer all your questions and share their passion. Drive toward the Russian border with your guide after the great time with the reindeer. Take in Auttiköngas National Park and its' waterfalls as an option, where more of the beautiful nature of Lapland can be experienced with a light snack. Enjoy a filling 3-course meal prepared in a remote wilderness lodge before reaching the final destination. Immerse yourself in wonderful Lapland scenery while making your way to the bear-watching hut. Listen to the Call of the Wild just 200 metres from the Russian border, with the nearest Russian village 100 kilometres away. Greeted by a professional bear-watcher silently, receive an understanding of being in the open with wild bears in the forest around you. Hike to the look-out cabin, where some markings and footprints left by the bears may be spotted. Take stunning photographs through the windows inside the hut that includes many bunk beds to rest. Watching for bears is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Learn about the lives of bears from the quiet, calm, and knowledgeable bear guide, while waiting for them to approach the cabin. Listen for the squawk of the white-tailed sea eagles and rooks that gather and let you know that the bears are getting closer. Eat a quick breakfast the next morning, then the guide will drive you back to Rovaniemi. Visiting the Ranua Wildlife Park on the way back may be an option on the journey. Meet additional Arctic animals such as polar bears, Arctic foxes, eagles, owls, moose, musks, otters, and wolves by going on the Ranua Wildlife Park option. Dine at the restaurant of Ranua for lunch with the optional Ranua Wildlife Park opportunity. Sharpen your knowledge of animals that reside in the "Far North" and get a chance to take great pictures of them. Arrive back to Rovaniemi around 11:00 if the Ranua Wildlife Park option is taken, and about 13:00 if the Park is visited.