Private Experience
Reindeer & Sámi Experience
A private Sámi host, a working reindeer herd, and a traditional lavvu
Duration
4–5 hours
Group Size
1–8 guests
The Experience
The Sámi have herded reindeer across the Scandinavian plateau for thousands of years. This experience is hosted by a Sámi family with an active herd outside Tromsø, on land that has been in the family for generations.
The afternoon begins at the reindeer enclosure, feeding the animals, watching the herding dogs work, and learning how the herd is managed across seasons. Afterward, you move inside a traditional lavvu: a conical skin tent with a central fire, large enough to seat eight comfortably.
Inside the Lavvu
The host prepares a traditional Sámi meal: reindeer stew, flatbread baked on the fire, and coffee. During the meal, there is time for conversation about Sámi culture, history, and the challenges of maintaining traditional practices in a modern economy. Guests who wish to hear joik, the Sámi form of vocal music, can ask their host directly.
Season
November to March, when snow covers the ground and the reindeer are at lower altitudes. The experience requires good roads to the site; winter tyres are standard on all our vehicles.
- —Private Sámi host and guide
- —Traditional lavvu shelter with open fire
- —Reindeer feeding and herding demonstration
- —Traditional Sámi meal
- —Cultural storytelling and joik