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Guide · Two towns
Reindeer farm in Rovaniemi or Levi: how they compare
Thinking of a reindeer farm in Rovaniemi but staying in Levi, or the other way round? The two towns are 170 km apart, and their reindeer visits differ in length, price and style.
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Editorial team, reindeerfarmlevi.comUpdated October 22, 2026Read time: 6 min16 sources
Quick answer
- 01Distance
- Rovaniemi is about 170 km from Levi's centre.1
- 03Longer rides
- Rovaniemi has 2-3 km rides; Levi's longest is 3 km.
- 04More reviews
- Rovaniemi listings run to 1,582 reviews; Levi's top is 503.
- 05Same operator
- Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park runs a visit in each town.
Two towns, 170 km apart
If your Lapland trip combines Rovaniemi and Levi, it is natural to wonder where to meet the reindeer. Visit Levi puts Rovaniemi about 170 km from Levi's centre, with Kolari railway station about 80 km away.1 Levi is part of Kittilä, built at the village of Sirkka roughly 170 km inside the Arctic Circle, while Rovaniemi's Santa Claus Village sits on the Arctic Circle.42
Both towns are in the heart of reindeer country. Visit Rovaniemi says numerous reindeer farms in and around the town offer visits, and Visit Levi counts 12,000 reindeer in Kittilä, with many on the farms near Levi.23 A reindeer farm in Rovaniemi and one near Levi are two versions of the same Finnish tradition, not a choice between real and staged.
The practical answer is simple: book the visit in the town where you are staying. A 170 km drive each way turns a short farm visit into a full day on the road, while both towns offer sleigh rides, feeding and herders' stories.1 The differences lie in ride length, review volume and the small details of each listing.
What Rovaniemi's farm visits offer
Rovaniemi's listings carry far more reviews. Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park's Rovaniemi reindeer experience has 1,582 reviews at 4.25; it includes transport from the city centre, a guide, a farm visit, a 500-metre sleigh ride, hot juice and winter clothes, for 2.5 hours from $101. Hotel pickup is not included.
Apukka Resort's sustainable reindeer journey has 1,020 reviews at 4.53. Its sleigh ride covers 2-3 km at a walking pace, with the guide steering by walking alongside the reindeer, and the listing says its reindeer tours meet Nordic animal welfare criteria. It lasts 3.5 hours with transfers available from central Rovaniemi or Santa Claus Village, from $219.
Two smaller operators stand out on score. Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris drives 30 minutes to a private farm for a reindeer sleigh ride of 2 to 2.5 km, about 40 minutes, with feeding, photos and a fire, rated 4.79 from 274 reviews. Arctic Photo Experience includes professional photos and a short 400 m ride if there is enough snow, rated 4.93 from 294.
Ride length in km
How far the sleigh goes in each town
km
Side by side
Reindeer visits in Rovaniemi and Levi
| Visit | Town | Ride | Time | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reindeer experience | Rovaniemi | 500 m | 2.5 hrs | 1,582 |
| Sustainable journey | Rovaniemi | 2-3 km | 3.5 hrs | 1,020 |
| Private farm ride | Rovaniemi | 2-2.5 km | 3 hrs | 274 |
| Farm with photographer | Rovaniemi | 400 m | 3.5 hrs | 294 |
| Herders' visit | Levi | Short | 1.5 hrs | 503 |
| Kermikkä ride | Levi | 1.5 km | 1 hr | 222 |
| Lappish sled ride | Levi | 3 km | 2 hrs | 48 |
From each GetYourGuide listing; this site's visit gives no ride length, and the photographer's ride depends on snow.
One operator, two towns
Rovaniemi classic, Rovaniemi long ride, Levi herders
Most reviewed
Long ride
Herders' storiesDecision helper
Rovaniemi or Levi for your reindeer visit?
Start from where you are staying
In Lapland, local reindeer herders live with their reindeer through the year, and for the most the reindeer provide their livelihood.
What Levi's farm visits offer
Levi's visits are smaller in number and in review counts, but not in variety. The same Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park runs this site's reindeer experience in Levi: local herders and farmers explain herding traditions, followed by a short sleigh ride with hot juice and cookies, for 1.5 hours from $130, rated 4.14 from 503 reviews.
For a longer ride, Polar Star Travel's sled ride covers 3 km at a family-run farm and ends with feeding young reindeer in their corral. For a Sámi herder, Keo Wilderness lists an 800 m ride guided by one at Rautusjärvi. For a half day, small family farms such as Soma Adventures take groups of up to 8 out to a farm on a wilderness lake.
Levi's camps are a short hop from the village. The Lovimainas camp is a 10-minute transfer from the tourist office, the Kermikkä ride 15 minutes by bus from Levi Center. A reindeer visit fits easily between a morning on the slopes and dinner in the village.
Map
Levi, its reindeer farms and the Sámi Homeland to the north
Where Levi sits in Finnish Lapland, the camps and farms its reindeer rides drive to, and the meeting points in the village.
1Rovaniemi2Levi3Kolari4Sodankylä5Raattama6Enontekiö7Inari8Utsjoki
2Levi9Rautusjärvi10Sokkaporantie11Muoniontie
12Samiland13Hissitie 1114Burger King Levi
- 1Rovaniemi
About 170 km from Levi's centre, with numerous reindeer farms in and around the town.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Levi
Levi's home village is Sirkka in Kittilä, some 170 km above the Arctic Circle; the municipality keeps 12,000 reindeer.43
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Kolari
The nearest railway station, about 80 km from Levi.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Sodankylä
Its northern part around Vuotso belongs to the Sámi Homeland; the polar night here lasts four days.67
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Raattama
The wilderness village of the 5.5-hour farm visit with a snowmobile sleigh ride, snowshoes and a soup lunch.
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Enontekiö
One of the municipalities of the Sámi Homeland; Kittilä, where Levi lies, is not among them.6
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Inari
Home of the Sámi Museum Siida, whose pages trace the herding year from the calf month of May.86
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Utsjoki
On the northern border, inside the Sámi Homeland; its polar night lasts almost two months.67
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Rautusjärvi
The camp of the 800 m sleigh rides with a Sámi herder, 10 to 15 minutes by van from Levi.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Sokkaporantie
The farm of the 1.5-hour reindeer safari with lichen feeding, 15 minutes by car.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Muoniontie
The camp of the 3-in-1 day with reindeer, huskies and a snowmobile-towed sleigh.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Samiland
The exhibition at Levi Summit, whose paddock reindeer stay from November to April.910
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Hissitie 11
The Levi Center meeting point of the Polar Lights Tours rides, next to Kotipizza.
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Burger King Levi
Where the black minivan to the Rautusjärvi camp waits.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Comparing two farm visits
01
Read in each listing
- The ride length, if it is given
- Whether winter clothing is lent
- Hotel pickup or a meeting point in town
02
Plan around it
- Book in the town where you sleep
- Leave time for the transfer both ways
Cost calculator
Compare the cost for your group
Choose a visit in either town and the number of people.
People
Total from$201
pp from $101
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals: the lowest GetYourGuide price for each reindeer outing multiplied by your party, converted with today's ECB rate; GetYourGuide confirms the exact sum.
Video
Exploring a reindeer farm in Rovaniemi, Finland
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Reindeer sleigh rides compared
If the ride itself is your priority, compare distances. A reindeer sleigh ride in Rovaniemi on these listings runs from 400 m on the photographer's visit to 2-3 km at Apukka. In Levi the listed rides run from 600 metres at the Lovimainas camp to 3 km with Polar Star Travel.
The pace is the same everywhere: a reindeer walks or trots, and Visit Finland describes speeds that stay moderate and suit all ages.11 Apukka's listing spells out how it works there, with the guide walking beside the reindeer to steer. Do not expect speed from either town; expect quiet.
What differs is what comes with it. Several Rovaniemi visits lend winter clothing: overalls and boots on the Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park and Santa Claus Holiday Village Safaris visits, a full set of thermal wear at Apukka. In Levi, this site's visit lists no clothing; arrive dressed for the cold.
Price and value side by side
The cheapest reindeer visits in both towns sit close together. In Rovaniemi, the 500-metre ride starts from $101; in Levi, the 1.5 km Kermikkä ride starts from $102 and the 600-metre ride from $92.
The longest rides cost more in both places: Apukka's 2-3 km from $219 in Rovaniemi, Polar Star Travel's 3 km from $191 in Levi. Compare what each includes, too; a lent overall and boots spare you a rental, and a fire with hot drinks makes a short ride feel like a proper visit.
Review volume tells you how proven a visit is, not how good it will be for you. A Rovaniemi listing with a four-figure review count and a Levi listing with far fewer can both be well run; read the recent reviews for the season you are travelling in, and check the cancellation terms before you commit.
Winter light and cold in Levi
Levi lies further north, and in midwinter that shows in the light. Levi sees no sunrise around mid-December, and mid-January allows just 3.2 hours of daylight.12 Finland's foreign ministry notes that the polar night is rarely completely dark: blue twilight is typical of it in northern Finland.13 A reindeer ride in that blue light is one of the quiet pleasures of a Levi winter.
The cold is comparable to what you would pack for anywhere in Lapland. January's mean temperatures at the station range from -17 °C to -8.3 °C, and by March the high reaches -2.1 °C with 11.5 hours of daylight.12 Samiland's paddock reindeer are in Levi from November to April, a fair guide to the season for farm visits here.9
If you are choosing a travel month rather than a town, late winter gives you longer days for the drive out to a farm and still plenty of snow for the sleigh. Early winter brings the darkest weeks and the deepest atmosphere. Either way, check each listing's own rules for extreme cold and thin snow before you book.
If you visit both towns
Some travellers stay in Rovaniemi for Santa Claus Village and move on to Levi for skiing. In that case, meet the reindeer twice in different ways. A long sleigh ride in Rovaniemi, such as Apukka's 2-3 km, pairs well with a herders' visit in Levi, where the talk about herding is the centre of the visit.
Or split by style: a photographer's farm visit in Rovaniemi, where professional photos are included, and a half day at a wilderness farm near Levi with snowshoes and a campfire. Seeing two farms shows you how much each herding family shapes its own visit.
Wherever you go, the rules are the same. Reindeer are semi-domesticated animals owned by herders, and Finnish law forbids disturbing or frightening them.1415 Visit Rovaniemi adds that free-roaming reindeer, which you may meet near either town, should not be fed.16
Pick your date
The herders and their reindeer are waiting.
Pickup in Levi, a short sleigh ride, hot juice, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How far is Levi from Rovaniemi?
About 170 km. Visit Levi gives about 170 km from Rovaniemi to Levi's centre.1
Is a reindeer farm in Rovaniemi better than in Levi?
Not better, just bigger in numbers. Rovaniemi listings carry more reviews; Levi's visits are just as varied, from herders' talks to 3 km rides.
Where are the longer sleigh rides?
Both towns have them. Apukka in Rovaniemi rides 2-3 km; Polar Star Travel in Levi rides 3 km.
Do Rovaniemi visits lend warm clothes?
Several do. The Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park and Apukka visits include winter clothing.
Is the same company in both towns?
Yes, Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park. It runs a reindeer visit in Rovaniemi and this site's visit in Levi.
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Visit Levi (the official site of the Levi resort)Arrival at Levi↩
- 2Visit Rovaniemi (the official tourism organisation of Rovaniemi)Reindeer, huskies and other Arctic animals↩
- 3Visit Levi (the official site of the Levi resort)Reindeer farms and rides in Levi↩
- 4Visit Levi (the official site of the Levi resort)Frequently asked questions↩
- 5Visit Rovaniemi (the official tourism organisation of Rovaniemi)Reindeer sleigh rides and farm visits↩
- 6Sámi Parliament in Finland (Responsible Tourism in Sámi Homeland)Knowledge and Skills of Sámi Tourism: visitor guidance↩
- 7thisisFINLAND (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland)When the sun doesn't rise in northern Finland↩
- 8Siida, the Sámi Museum and Nature CentreThe Sámi Homeland's eight seasons: spring↩
- 9Visit Levi (the official site of the Levi resort)Samiland↩
- 10Visit Levi (the official site of the Levi resort)Samiland↩
- 11Visit Finland (Business Finland's national tourism organisation)Where can I see a reindeer? And what do I do when I encounter one?↩
- 12↩
- 13thisisFINLAND (Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland)When the sun doesn't rise in northern Finland↩
- 14Visit Finland (Business Finland's national tourism organisation)Where can I see a reindeer? And what do I do when I encounter one?↩
- 15Visit Finland (Business Finland's national tourism organisation)Where can I see a reindeer? And what do I do when I encounter one?↩
- 16Visit Rovaniemi (the official tourism organisation of Rovaniemi)Reindeer and huskies in summer↩
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