Book Early the Activities for Winter 2026–2027 – Save 10% with code EARLY27 01.11.2026–31.03.2027 (Excludes husky & reindeer tours)

Oct 24, 2026

StayLapland ice fishing tours 2026–2027: our three Kuoksa lake trips

Every winter the same question reaches our booking inbox: which of your ice fishing trips should we take? We run three of them for the 2026–2027 season, and all three end up in the same quiet place – a frozen lake in the forest, a hole drilled through the ice, a short rod in your mittened hand and a campfire waiting when your fingers ask for a break.

This page is our own explanation of those trips: what happens from pick-up to drop-off, what we give you, what the small print on each product page says, and how to pick the one that fits your group. Everything here comes from the product pages themselves, so if something is not mentioned, ask us before you book rather than assume.

Our classic trip is Ice Fishing at Private Kuoksa lake: from 89 €, 3,5 hours, rated easy, with warm winter clothing, ice fishing equipment, instructions, local snacks and drinks, and pick-up and drop-off within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre included. If you want more than fishing, the same idea comes as Ice Fishing with Reindeer (from 159 €, 3,5 hours) or Ice Fishing with Snowmobiles (from 149 €, 5 hours). All three are listed together on our ice fishing page.

At a glance

• From: 89 €
• Experience type: Ice Fishing tour
• Duration: 3,5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Book in Advance: Cut off: 12 hours before start time
• Included: To give you the best possible experience we will provide you with thermal winter overalls, winter boots, as well as cozy beanies and mittens, which all come in both adult and children’s sizes.; A Guide in English (other languages available on request: Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, French, Italian, German & Finnish. PLEASE NOTE LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER LANGUAGES). If another language is required. Please send us email or WhatsApp after booking; Ice fishing equipment; Detailed instructions on how to use the Ice fishing equipment; Pick -ups and Drop -offs are included in the price in 10 km radius from Rovaniemi city centre; Air conditioned car; Photos taken with your own device; Local Snacks & Drinks
• Cancellation: Free cancellation 24 hours before the activity. We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before the activity.
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; Not stroller accessible

Three ways to fish through the ice with us

All three trips share the core of the experience: a guide who dresses you warmly, prepares the gear, shows you how to use it and stays with you on the ice. What changes is how you get to the fishing spot and what else fills the day.

• Ice Fishing at Private Kuoksa lake – from 89 €, 3,5 hours, easy. The pure version: the car takes you out of town, and the time is spent fishing and warming up by the fire.
• Ice Fishing with Reindeer – from 159 €, 3,5 hours, easy. A 2–3 km reindeer safari in the forest takes you to the fishing spot and back, with fireside stories, warm juice and cookies.
• Ice Fishing with Snowmobiles – from 149 €, 5 hours, easy. About one hour of snowmobile driving in total, ice fishing, and local food and drinks by the campfire in a teepee.

If you are simply curious about ice fishing and want the calmest, most affordable morning, the Kuoksa lake trip is the one. The other two are combinations for people who also want reindeer or a snowmobile in the same outing.

How the Kuoksa lake trip runs, step by step

The day starts at your accommodation or at our meeting point at Postikatu 1, 96100 Rovaniemi. Pick-up and drop-off are included within a 10 km radius of Rovaniemi city centre, and the product page lists the regular pick-up places – among them Postmaster Hotel, Aurora Hill Resort, Rovaniemi Airport, the bus station, Santa Claus Holiday Village and several city hotels – with custom pick-up possible on request. We ask you to be ready in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before your pick-up time.

At the lake your guide dresses you head to toe in thermal overalls, winter boots, beanies and mittens, in both adult and children’s sizes. Then comes the part people remember: drilling through the ice, learning how to hold the short rod, and waiting for the small tug on the line. The guide gives detailed instructions on the equipment and shares what they know about this old Finnish tradition.

Our FAQ describes the fishing itself as lasting typically 2–2,5 hours, with the chance to warm up by the campfire with a hot traditional drink. Local snacks and drinks are part of the trip. The departure times for each day are shown in the booking calendar; our FAQ also asks you to keep 15–30 minutes free before and after the activity for transfers.

What you might catch – and what happens to it

We cannot promise a catch; the lake decides. What our FAQ says is that you can primarily expect perch, with a chance of hooking a pike or a whitefish depending on the area and conditions.

What you do with a fish is up to you. You can keep it and grill it on the spot, take it home with you, or release it back into the water. Many guests are just as happy with the silence of the lake, the fire and the photos – taken with your own device, as the product page notes – as with the fish itself.

Exactly what is included, and what is not

For the Kuoksa lake trip the product page lists:

• Thermal winter overalls, winter boots, beanies and mittens in adult and children’s sizes
• A guide in English – other languages on request (Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Finnish), with limited availability, so message us after booking if you need one
• Ice fishing equipment and detailed instructions on how to use it
• Pick-up and drop-off within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre, in an air-conditioned car
• Local snacks and drinks
• Photos taken with your own device

Not listed, so not included: a professional photographer, meals beyond the snacks, and transfers from further than 10 km from the city centre – for those, contact us and we will see what we can arrange. The trip is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Who this trip suits, and when to choose another

The Kuoksa lake trip is rated easy, and our FAQ gives a recommended minimum age of 3 years, because winter conditions can be too harsh for infants. There is no maximum age. Children under 13 must be accompanied by adults paying the full price.

Book the Kuoksa lake trip if you want a slow, quiet few hours outdoors, you are travelling with children who can manage the cold, or you want an easy first taste of Lapland winter at the lowest price of the three. Choose Ice Fishing with Reindeer instead if a reindeer sleigh ride is on your list anyway – combining the two saves a second trip out of town. Choose Ice Fishing with Snowmobiles if you want some speed in the day; note that drivers must be 18 or older with a driving licence, and children shorter than 140 cm ride in the sled pulled by the guide’s snowmobile.

The small print, quoted from our product pages

These rules apply to the Kuoksa lake trip and are worth reading before you book:

• At least 2 people are required on weekdays and Saturdays, and at least 4 on Sundays and public holidays; the trip may be cancelled or rescheduled if the group is smaller than 2
• The trip may be cancelled or rescheduled in extreme weather conditions
• Booking cut-off is 12 hours before the start time
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity; cancelling less than 24 hours before is charged at 100%

The combinations have their own details. On the reindeer trip, if the weather does not allow a sleigh ride it becomes a reindeer walk, and infants must not sit on laps. On the snowmobile trip, the maximum self-liability for the snowmobile is 900 €, reduced to 250 € with a 25 € waiver; the temperature limit is -35 °C, and -25 °C for small children; it is not recommended for children under 3.

Timing your ice fishing this 2026–2027 season

Ice fishing depends on lake ice, so the season follows nature rather than a fixed calendar. The honest answer to “which dates?” is the booking calendar on each product page: open dates are the ones we run. If a departure is already closed or sold out, or you are a larger group, our product page invites you to contact us so we can look at a custom departure.

If you are booking early for the winter, the site-wide offer shown on our pages at the moment is the EARLY27 code, which gives 10% off activities for 01.11.2026–31.03.2027 and excludes husky and reindeer tours – so it applies to the Kuoksa lake and snowmobile ice fishing trips but not to the one with reindeer. Check the banner on the product page for the current terms when you book.

Combining ice fishing with your stay in Rovaniemi

Because we pick up from Postmaster Hotel and Aurora Hill Resort as well as the other listed places, ice fishing fits easily into a day: back in town with the rest of the day free, or combined with an evening tour. The 3,5-hour trips leave room for an afternoon activity; the 5-hour snowmobile version is more of a half-day in itself.

Many guests pair a quiet ice fishing morning with one of our evening Northern Lights tours, or with a reindeer or husky visit on another day – our articles on the reindeer safari and on snowmobile tours explain those in the same detail. You can gift the trips too – our services are also available as gift cards.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Kuoksa lake ice fishing trip?

The product page lists 3,5 hours. Our FAQ says the ice fishing itself typically lasts 2–2,5 hours, with time to warm up by the campfire. Keep 15–30 minutes before and after for transfers.

What fish can we catch?

Mainly perch, with a chance of pike or whitefish depending on the area and conditions. A catch is never guaranteed.

Can we keep the fish?

Yes. You can grill it on site, take it home, or release it back into the water – the choice is yours.

Do we need our own winter clothes?

No. We provide thermal overalls, winter boots, beanies and mittens in adult and children’s sizes. Wear warm layers underneath.

Is pick-up included?

Yes, pick-up and drop-off are included within a 10 km radius of Rovaniemi city centre. Please wait in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before the pick-up time.

What is the minimum age?

Our recommended minimum age is 3 years. Children under 13 must be accompanied by adults paying the full price.

What is the cancellation policy?

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity; cancellations less than 24 hours before are charged at 100%.

Ready to book?

You may also like

• Ice Fishing with Reindeer — from 159 €, 3,5 hours
• Ice Fishing with Snowmobiles — from 149 €, 5 hours