About Mia Ahola

Hi, I'm Mia Ahola

I was born and raised near Ranua, about 80 kilometres south of Rovaniemi. You can browse winter tour options on Viator. My father worked as a reindeer herder for a cooperative near Palojärvi, and my mother ran the small guesthouse where I grew up.

After finishing a degree in tourism management at the University of Lapland in 2018, I started working as a seasonal guide for several tour operators in Rovaniemi. Over the next three winters, I led northern lights photography workshops, drove husky sleds through the forests of Ranua, and helped guests navigate the ice roads to SnowHotel. I saw how the industry worked from the inside, which operators cut corners, which guides genuinely cared, and which tours were designed to maximise profit rather than experience.

I started Lapland Adventure Guide in 2021 as a side project. The goal was simple: write honest, detailed reviews of the tours I had experienced, so future visitors could book with confidence. What began as a handful of posts about northern lights tours has grown into a library covering every major winter activity in the region.

I still live in Rovaniemi. Every winter, I book and take 15-20 tours each winter as a regular customer, paying full price, just like you would. My reviews reflect what actually happens on those tours, not what the marketing materials promise.

Why I Started Reviewing Lapland Tours

In 2021, a family from Australia asked me to recommend a northern lights tour. They had three nights in Rovaniemi and a budget of €500 for activities. I recommended the cheapest tour I knew, €79 per person, because I thought I was helping them save money. They saw nothing. The guide drove 15 km north, checked their phone twice, and returned to the hotel by 11 PM. The family went home disappointed and I felt responsible.

That was the moment I realised most Lapland travel advice comes from people who visited once and hired a photographer. They cannot tell you that a certain husky kennel runs the same dogs on 12 trips a day and the animals are exhausted by 2 PM. They do not know which northern lights guide brings a flask of hot chocolate because the temperature drops to -25°C at 2,000 metres. They cannot tell you to skip the famous Santa Claus Village restaurant because the food is cafeteria-grade and the mark-up is 300%.

I can tell you all of that because I live here. I was born eight kilometres south of the Arctic Circle and I have spent eight years testing winter tours across Lapland, not as a journalist on assignment, but as someone who genuinely wanted to separate the authentic experiences from the tourist traps for the people I care about. This site is the result of that work.

My Background

I grew up in a family that runs a small guesthouse near Ranua, about 80 km south of Rovaniemi. My parents hosted tourists from Japan, Germany, Australia, and the UK throughout my childhood. By the time I was 16, I could give directions in four languages and explain why the reindeer make that clicking sound when they walk. I started guiding northern lights photography workshops at 19, led husky safaris at 21, and by 24 I had tested enough tours to know which operators treat their animals well and which ones treat them like equipment.

I hold a wilderness guide certification from the Finnish Outdoor Association and a food handler's permit for the kota grill sessions that many tours include. My first-aid certification is current, I have used it twice, both times for tourists who underestimated the cold. One of them was wearing jeans at -22°C.

Why Trust This Guide

Credentials at a Glance

• Born and raised in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland
• Degree in Tourism Management, University of Lapland (2018)
• 8 years working in and reviewing Lapland's winter tourism industry
• Former seasonal guide for northern lights, husky, and snowmobile tours
• 40+ tours personally tested and reviewed since 2021 (17 this season, 150+ lifetime across all winter activities)
• Finnish native, fluent in English

How This Site Works

Lapland Adventure Guide is an independent review site. I compare winter tours available on Viator, the booking platform, and share my honest assessments based on first-hand experience.

My Review Process

1. I book the tour, I purchase each tour as a regular customer through the same booking process you would use.
2. I take the tour, I participate fully, noting the guide's attitude, the quality of equipment, and the actual experience vs what was promised.
3. I write the review, I cover what worked, what did not, and who should consider booking (or skipping) the tour.
4. I include negative feedback, Every review has a "who it's NOT for" section that identifies which travellers should choose a different option.

How Reviews Stay Independent

I book every tour myself at full price, no exceptions. If a link on this site leads to a booking page and you make a purchase, I may earn a small fee, the price you pay stays the same. I include negative feedback on every tour regardless.