If you search for the best reindeer farm in Rovaniemi, you will find everything from drive-through attractions with hundreds of visitors an hour to small family farms where the herder knows every animal by name. Both are called “reindeer farms”. They are not the same experience.
We are two families from Muurola, 25 km south of Rovaniemi, and our reindeer are part of every safari we run. This guide explains what a reindeer farm visit in Lapland actually involves, what to look for when choosing one, and how to combine it with a reindeer safari in Rovaniemi that gets you into the forest rather than a queue.
What a reindeer farm in Rovaniemi really is
Reindeer in Finnish Lapland are not wild and not quite domestic. They roam free for much of the year and belong to herders who gather them twice a year. A “reindeer farm” open to visitors is usually a herder’s home yard with a small enclosure, where a few calm animals are kept close during the winter season for feeding and for guests.
A good visit therefore looks modest: a fence, a feeding trough, a handful of reindeer, and someone who can explain how the herding year works. If the farm looks like a theme park, it probably is one.
How to choose the best reindeer farm in Rovaniemi
- Small groups. Reindeer are shy. With eight people and a bucket of lichen, they come to you. With eighty people, they stay at the back of the enclosure and you photograph their antlers from a distance.
- Feeding, not just viewing. The moment that stays with people is a reindeer eating from their hand. Check that feeding is included and that the guide lets the animals approach in their own time.
- A local host. The best farm visits are led by the people who own the animals. They can tell you which reindeer is the oldest, why antlers drop in winter and what the earmarks mean.
- Distance from the crowds. The farms closest to Santa Claus Village are the busiest. A 20–30 minute drive out of the city is usually the difference between a queue and a quiet yard.
- What the visit is combined with. On its own, a farm visit takes 30–45 minutes. The best reindeer safari in Rovaniemi pairs it with the journey there: a husky ride, a snowmobile trail or an electric sled through the forest.
Reindeer sleigh ride or reindeer farm visit?
A reindeer sleigh ride is slow and short: typically a few hundred metres to a kilometre at walking pace, with a herder leading the animal. It is charming for a photo and for small children, but it is not a safari. A farm visit with feeding gives you closer contact with the animals, and you can spend the rest of the afternoon actually travelling through Lapland.
That is why our tours put the reindeer at the destination, not in front of the sleigh. You travel to the farm by husky, snowmobile or Electric Reindeer, warm up by the fire, and then meet and feed the animals without the pressure of a timed sleigh queue.
Our tours that include a reindeer farm visit
Every tour below includes hotel pickup in Rovaniemi, warm winter gear, a fire break with hot drinks and Finnish snacks, and time to meet and feed our reindeer at our safari house in Muurola. Groups are limited to around eight guests.
| Tour | Duration | Price | How you get there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Group Electric Reindeer Safari with Reindeer Farm Visit | 4 h | 139 € | You drive a near-silent electric sled through the forest to a log cabin, then visit the reindeer. No licence needed; drivers 15+, younger children ride in a sleigh. |
| Small Group Snowmobile Safari & Reindeer Farm Visit | 4 h | 149 € | An 8 km snowmobile safari through the wilderness with a cabin stop, then meeting and feeding the reindeer. |
| Husky Safari into the Arctic Wilderness | 4 h | 199 € | A 45–60 minute husky ride with a kota fire break, then the reindeer visit back at the farm. |
| Private Ice Fishing Experience with Snowmobile Sleigh Ride | 4 h | 159 € | A snowmobile-towed sleigh to a frozen lake, ice fishing and a campfire snack, then the reindeer. |
All tours are suitable from age 3. Browse the full list on our Tours page.
Tips for meeting reindeer
- Let them come to you. Stand still, hold the food low and wait. Chasing a reindeer for a selfie guarantees you will not get one.
- Keep dogs and loud children at a distance at first. Once the animals are eating, they relax quickly.
- Ask about the antlers. Males drop theirs in early winter, females keep theirs until spring. That is why most reindeer with antlers in January are female.
- Wear the gear. You will stand still outdoors for 20–30 minutes. Warm overalls and boots are included on all our tours.
- Bring a camera with a zoom. Low winter light and dark animals against white snow are hard for phones. A step back and a longer lens helps.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best reindeer farm near Rovaniemi?
The best farms are small, family-run and 20–30 minutes outside the city, where groups are limited and feeding is part of the visit. Ours is in Muurola, 25 km south of Rovaniemi.
How much does a reindeer farm visit cost in Rovaniemi?
A stand-alone visit at a large farm is typically 30–60 € per adult. Our tours start at 139 € and include the transfer, winter gear, a 4-hour safari by electric sled, snowmobile or husky, a fire break and the reindeer visit.
Can I feed the reindeer?
Yes. Feeding is included on every tour that visits our reindeer, and the guide shows you how to hold the food so the animals approach calmly.
Is a reindeer sleigh ride worth it?
For small children and a photo, yes. If you want to spend time in Lapland’s nature, a farm visit combined with a real safari gives you far more for the same money.
When can I visit a reindeer farm in Rovaniemi?
Our tours run throughout the winter season, roughly December to March. Reindeer are at the farm all winter; the forest is at its best from January onwards.
Are reindeer farm visits ethical?
Reindeer herding is a traditional livelihood in Lapland, and the animals you meet live mostly free-range. Choose a farm with small groups, no forced contact and a herder who talks about the animals as individuals.