My Exploratory trip to Finnish Lapland- Winter Wonderland !
February 2018 brought with it some unexpected travel plans. I think this was the quickest trip by far from Thought to Planning and actually heading there that I have experienced in a very long time. I have been wanting to do some true white winter photography for a while now and being situated in India and Singapore you can see how that can be a challenge.
February 2018 brought with it some unexpected travel plans. I think this was the quickest trip by far from thought to planning and actually heading there that I have experienced in a very long time. I have been wanting to do some true white winter photography for a while now and being situated in India and Singapore you can see how that can be a challenge.
But this year all that changed as a chain of events resulted in my ending up in Finnish Lapland near the Arctic Circle. So what follows is a Photo Essay/Travel Tip/Photography Learnings from that trip.
Why Lapland?
Having shot primarily during spring and fall for the past several years I was nagged by a desire capture photographs of a proper white winter.
I had been putting off winter photography for all the usual reasons. Having lived most of my life in the hot tropical conditions of South India and also having experienced the biting cold winters of North Eastern US for a few years I have generally been comfortable planning my Landscape and Travel shoots during the shoulder seasons of Spring and Fall.
And I have hundreds of images from those shoots. But what was starkly missing from my portfolio was winter photos.
Getting There
From Singapore
Finnair has direct connections from Singapore to Helsinki. From Helsinki fly to Rovaniemi which is the main gateway to Finnish Lapland.
From India
Finnair flies from Mumbai and New Delhi to Helsinki from where you can connect to Rovaniemi.
Other Notable Airports in Lapland are Ivalo and Kittila but I strongly suggest heading to Ravaniemi first getting your winter bearings there in the comfort of a relatively larger town with load of facilities and Tour Operators before heading in to the more remote areas.
Watch this Video for more Information on how I planned for my trip.
When to Go to Experience Winter in Lapland
December to March is winter period at Lapland.
Typical Temperatures in winter
December: -20 to -10 degrees Celsius
January: -30 to -15 degrees Celsius
February: -20 to -15 degrees Celsius
March: -15 to -5 degrees Celsius
Clothing
At these low temperatures its very important to stay warm . Wear Layers and Choose good quality lightweight synthetic fibres or wool. Stay away from cotton while choosing clothing for this trip.
During my trip the coldest temperature was -29C and on average it was in the -15C range. I wore 3 layers regularly starting with thermals and then insulated pants and woollen sweaters or fleece and the final layer being a heavy insulated jacket and snow pants.
For footwear I wore sock liners and thick wooden socks and my mid height hiking boots which did a decent job of keeping me warm. And to protect my head and face I had a balaclava over which a I wore thick woolen Beanie and UV goggles to protect my face.
I used photography gloves with openable tips for index finger and thumbs on both hands to keep me warm but also make it easier to operate the camera controls.
My Favourite Outdoor Wear Brands
For Clothing : White Sierra, Patagonia, Arcteryx, Marmot, Mammut
Winter Gear
2. Snow Pants
3. Base Layers
What was in my camera Bags?
As photographers we are ofter conflicted with what to take and what to leave behind just in case and this time was no different. I think I carried a little more than I should have but here is the list of equipment I carried for the trip. I took with me the Canon 5D IV and Canon 5DS-R Camera bodies. These are now available at a discount now and are still very good options. But technology has marched on and there are several great high resolution cameras with better dynamic range available now.
Suggested Cameras Updated for 2021
From Canon
Canon EOS R6 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera with 4K Video
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L is USM Lens
Canon RF 24-105 mm F/4 l is USM Lens
From L Mount Alliance
Panasonic Lumix S DC-S1M, Full Frame Camera with 24-105 Lens kit
Leica SL2 47MP Mirrorless Full-Frame Camera (Body Only)
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH. Lens
From Fujifilm Medium Format
Fujifilm GFX 100S Body - Black
Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR Lens
From Sony
Sony - FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
Sigma 592965 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN for E mount
In hindsight I think the 55mm Otus and the 100mm Macro were overkill and weren't used all that much. The Lens that I enjoyed shooting the most with were the Sigma 20mm f1.4 and the Canon 70-200 f2.8 followed by the Canon wide angle zoom.
Accessories
Mindshift Gear- Backlight 26L Backpack , Think Tank Airport Stroller Bag
Gitzo Mountainer Tripod and Arca Swiss Z1 ball head
Rugged Torchlight
San Disk Extreme and Lexar CF Cards and SD cards
Lacie Rugged External Hard Drive and San Disk SSD Drives for backing up images
Macbook Pro and iPad Pro which were a bit redundant next trip I wil carry just one of these.
(I Lost my B1 Ball head while using the ski lift to to the top of kaunispa and now need to replace that. Hazards of travel photography !)
My Itinerary
My Journey started in Singapore from where I flew on British Airways to Helsinki Via Heathrow . From Helsinki I took a connecting flight to Rovaniemi the gateway town to Finnish Lapland . Rovaniemi has two unique qualities. 1 the Arctic Circle actually runs through it. 2 It is home to Santa’s Village and Santa’s post office.
After landing at Rovaniemi Airport and collecting my baggage I quickly donned enough protective clothing to withstand the short walk from the terminal door to the free bus into the city. I was dropped off at the entrance to my hotel the Cumulus Hotel Pohjanhovi which I had booked through Booking.com and was soon checked in and up in my room with was spacious and warm.
Rovaniemi the gateway to Lapland
Rovaniemi is a nice town for starting your journey into Lapland. If you have never experienced a Nordic winter before its good to get acclimatised here and get your winter bearings. Rovaniemi has a number of good tour and safari operators who can help you with a number of Lapland activities such as trips to Reindeer Sleigh rides and farm visits, husky tours, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and even night safaris to watch the northern lights.
If you are traveling with family and young children a trip to the Santa Claus Village and and Santas post office would be a good place to start.
I was looking forward to spend time photographing the nature winter walks in and around the city.
Having slept well during my long haul flight after a brief rest at the hotel I was into my winter clothing and out with my camera doing a recon of the area around the hotel which was located on the banks of the Kemijoki River. The River was mostly frozen over and a blanket of snow had covered the frozen river. I could spot people river fishing through holes in the ice and I also watched a group of snow mobiles returning from a safari which was quite fascinating to watch as they drove across the frozen river led by an expert .
It was golden hour as I was exploring the river bank and was able to capture a couple of nice images.
I started to feel cold as the sun dipped below the horizon and decided to head back to the hotel and get myself a warm drink and some dinner before retiring for the night. I ensure I had all my batteries charges and memory cards loaded and gear ready for my first full day of shooting at the Arctic Circle.
Day 1-Day 4 Rovaniemi
Where to Stay at Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi Offers a number of hotels and Apartments to stay at but winter is a very busy time specially during Christmas and accommodations can get fully booked a month or more in advance so book early.
I stayed at the Cumulus Hotel Pohjanhovi due to its location close to the river and also the rating and reviews from users. it turned out to be a good choice. The rooms were of a reasonable size and nice and warm which was a welcome relief after walking around in the cold for 5-6 hours a day.
But there area number of cottages and bed and breakfasts also available but can have little or no services and located remotely which will then require your to rent a car.
I managed without renting a car the entire trip as I was hesitant to drive in the icy winter conditions there. But I must mention the roads were all well maintained and clear and traffic was moving along well on the highways.
A few hotels which I found interesting during my search
Hotels at Rovaniemi with good reviews
Mid Range
Luxury
Video about my experiences exploring the Banks for the River Kemijoki
Exploring the Bridges Walk
The 2 Bridges Walk is a picturesque walk along the banks of the Kemijoki River with crossings over the two bridges namely the Jätkänkynttilä, or Lumberjack Candle Bridge and the Old Railway Bridge.
You can also do the 4 Bridges walk is a longer loop covering all 4 bridges which totally about 8 km long. But I decided to just stick to the shorter walk as it was just oo cold to stay out for so long.
The walk offers great views of the Lumberjack candle bridge and frozen kemijoki and ounasjoki rivers.
You can spot people walking across the frozen river and also there area few outdoor saunas along the banks where you can take a dip in the icy waters and then get into a hot water tub.
The light keeps changing continually from sunrise to sunset and you are presented with so many different options of photos.
I specially liked exploring various compositions of the line of frost covered trees along the banks. I also enjoyed capturing small details and contrasts of plants and objects sticking out from the otherwise pure white snow.
Video of my experiences Photographing at Ounasvaara Winter Trail and Ranua Wildlife Park
Image Gallery from Ounasvaara Winter Trail and Ranua Wildlife Park, Lapland, Finland.
Day 5 - Day 9 Saariselka
Where to Stay at Saariselka
I stayed at the Lapland Hotels Reikonlinna in Saariselka Village. Centrally located short walk to ski slopes and winter walking trails and has a bus stop just in front of the property.
Other hotels in Saariselka that looked interesting are
Holiday Club Saariselka
Aparthotel Kuukkeli Aurora
Kakslauttenen Igloo Village deserves special mention.its a popular and expensive resort but is unique.
Day 3 - Ranua Wildlife Park
This is a great way to view Arctic Animals up close.Its a nice day trip from Rovaniemei and sure to be a hit with the kids while you practice your long lens shooting technique here. Birds of Prey, Polar Bears, Wolves, Wolverines, Red Fox, Reindeer and Musk Ox can all be seen here.
Day 4(Travel Day) Ravaniemi to Saariselka by Bus
Day 5 Exploring Saariselka Village and Kaunispaa
One can easily spend a day walking around Saariselka Village enjoying the crisp winter air and stop for a quick lunch and to warm up at the Cafe at the Supermarket. I recommend the PizzaS there. Visit Kaunispaa in the afternoon via the ski lift and take in the play of colours during golden hour all the way up to blue hour. The Ski lift only takes you up so you will have to find your own way down and back to the village either via the ski bus or call for a taxi from the cafe.
Day 6 Kiilopaa Fell Winter Walking Trail
This is a lovely winter activity destination which also offer some rustic accommodations for trekkers.This is also one of the starting points for the larger Urho Kekkonen Nature Park which offers multi day hikes.
The extensive wilderness areas of Urho Kekkonen National Park can be explored on skis in winter and on foot in other times. Hiking outside marked trails requires wilderness and orienteering skills, and in winter the thick snow adds an additional layer of difficulty. A map and compass are necessary, since GPS devices are not always reliable in the remote wilderness. Nights can be spent at any of the many wilderness and reservation huts in the park, which are stocked with firewood. The huts are located about a day's journey apart from each other.
Day 7 Aurorapolku Winter Walking Trail
The Aurorapolku trail is a short 2.1 km trail ideal that ls also the one of the starting points for the Urho Kekkonen Nature park mentioned above.
This takes us you to the Aurora Viewing Platform and Day Hut with a nice warm fire and restroom facilities.
Day 8 Exploring Saariselka
On the last full day at Saariselka I decided to just enjoy walking around the village again with camera in hand. Walked a different route into snow covered cabins and houses but kept to the main road so as not to trespass on the locals residences.
Day 9 Travel Day
Having had my fill of sub zero temperatures and with memory cards full of images it was time to head back to warmer climates.
My journey from -15C to +30 C started with a bus ride from Saariselka to Ivalo airport.
After a short flight to Helsinki I boarded my Finnair flight from Helsinki to New Delhi where the temperature was a moderate 18C.
Next I boarded a flight on good old Air India to Chennai which gave me a warm welcome at 30C.
Home Sweet Home?
And here I am writing this blog as I edit my images from my trip to winter wonderland.
working on my exhibit images now. Please sign up for my newsletter or watch my Facebook page to keep updated about the dates for the Exhibit . If you like this travel adventure please do share it with your friends.Hope it was useful and helps you plan your next winter adventure. Cheers!
Here area few useful links for planning your trip to Lapland
http://www.nationalparks.fi/en/urhokekkonennp/activities
Here are quick links to Amazon.in for gear that I either used for this trip or are on my own Wishlist based on my experience in the cold. Use this to browse and pick gear for your trip.
Summer Road Trip to Kerala
Kerala or God’s Own Country as it popularly called is a south eastern state of India. Malayalam is the official Language of Kerala. I have travelled through Kerala by Train on several occasions and always found the region interesting due to its abundant water bodies, greenery and interesting culture but never actually go tot o spend any time there Finally in the Summer of 2016 i got to go there on a family road trip along with some friends.
Munnar, Kerala, India
Kerala or God’s Own Country as it popularly called is a south eastern state of India. Malayalam is the official Language of Kerala. I have travelled through Kerala by Train on several occasions and always found the region interesting due to its abundant water bodies, greenery and interesting culture but never actually got to spend any time there Finally in the Summer of 2016 I had an opportunity there on a family road trip along with some friends.
We decided to drive down from Chennai and decided to visit Munnar, Kumarakom and Thiruvananthapuram.
Our Route to Kerala and Back
Munnar
The drive from Chennai to Munnar took about 12 hours by road with a few stops for lunch and refreshments on the way. As usual I did the hotel bookings on Booking.com and we were not disappointed. Our accommodations at Munnar were at the Munnar Tea Country Resort . The rooms were spacious and family friendly. The food and drinks were good too.
After a good nights rest at the resort we set off to explore Munnar and the surrounding Tea Plantation region.
Munnar Scenery, Kerala, India
Even though it was summer the temperature at those higher elevations was nice enough for all day excursions.
The countless rows of tea plants with borders of eucalyptus trees are a pleasant sight for eye sore from laptop and mobile phone use. The air was fresh and cool.
We took time to explore the plantations on foot and get a few fun photos with the greenery as a backdrop.
We drove to nearby Lakkam Waterfalls one of several in the area and relaxed for bit there while the kids played in the water.
Where to Stay in Munnar
There are plenty of Hotel options and Home-stays too at Munnar. But the best ones tend to get booked up in advance so make your bookings early to avoid disappointment.
Here are a few accommodations with good reviews.
Luxury
Tea Plantations, Munnar
Kumarakom
From Munnar we set off for Kumarakom the gateway to the extensive backwaters of Kerala. The Drive from Munnar to Kumarakom took about 4 hours. We reached our resort for this leg the well known Vivanta by Taj Kumarakom. After a quick check in we were escorted to our Cottages which were right alongside a manmade waterbody. The cottages were also just a short walk away from the backwaters.
Backwaters and Houseboat, Kumarakom
Taj Kumarakom Resort and Spa Kerala (earlier called Taj Garden Retreat) the first modern tourist resort in Kumarakom was established in the Victorian two storied bungalow built by Alfred George Baker in the year 1881 on huge pieces of Teak wood rafters packed in mud as a base. This house on the lake at Kumarakom was the house of four generations of the Baker family, for over a hundred years. The bird Sanctuary and the two storeyed Bungalow built by Mr.A G Baker on the muddy land are places of interest for tourists from all over the world
Taj Kumarakom Resort and Spa Kerala, Kumarakom
Tourism in Kumarakom largely revolves around the backwaters of the Vembanad Lake. Several luxury and budget resorts lined up on the shores of the lake provide tourists with facilities for boating, yachting and fishing, with panoramic views of the lake. The other major attraction is the Bird Sanctuary, which is open from 6 am to 6 pm and can be visited by canoes arranged by local fishermen at the entrance to the sanctuary. A two-hour rowing canoe trip is quite cheap, and is best undertaken in the evening or early morning to avoid the afternoon sun.
Backwaters and Houseboat, Kumarakom
The Aruvikkuzhi Waterfall and its surrounding rubber plantation are a photographer's delight. There is also the Bay Island Drift Museum near the Kumarakom beach for history lovers, open from 10 am – 5 pm on Tuesdays – Saturdays and from 11.30 am – 5 pm on Sundays.
Where to Stay at Kumarakom
There are a number of Luxury and Budget options and Houseboats to choose from for stay at Kumarakom.
Here are a few popular options
Luxury
Taj Kumarakom Resort and Spa Kerala
The Zuri Kumarakom Kerala Resort & Spa
Budget
Houseboats
Luxurious Interior of a Houseboat
Waterside convenience store.
Thiruvananthapuram
After a relaxing couple of days at Kumarakom we set of for Thiruvananthapuram . The Drive from Kumarakom to Trivandrum takes about 2 hours.
Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) is the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala. It's distinguished by its British colonial architecture and many art galleries. It’s also home to Kuthira Malika (or Puthen Malika) Palace, adorned with carved horses and displaying collections related to the Travancore royal family, whose regional capital was here from the 18th–20th centuries.
We wanted to visit the Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple.The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the indigenous Kerala style and the Tamil style (kovil) of architecture associated with the temples located in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century Gopuram.
The Principal Deity Maha Vishnu-Adi Narayana is enshrined in the "Anantha Shayanam" posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adisheshan. Sree Padmanabhaswamy is the tutelary deity of the royal family of Travancore. The titular Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the trustee of the temple. In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple and devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. The name of the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam translates to "The City of Lord Ananta", referring to the deity of Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
Other Places of Interest at or near Trivandrum are :
The Napier Museum and Zoo - The museum houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic artefacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. It also contains the Sree Chitra Art Gallery, which contains works from Raja Ravi Varma and Nicholas Roerich, as well as examples of Mughal and Tanjore art.
The Museum grounds also hold the famous Trivandrum Zoo, which is one of the oldest zoological gardens in India
Kovalam Beach
Varkala Beach
Kuthira Malika Kuthiramalika is a palace built by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma on the south-eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
Where to Stay at Trivandrum
Luxury/Business Class
Hilton Garden Inn, Trivandrum (well located near city center and close to attractions)
Budget
Due to the short duration of time for the trip we decided to keep other noteworthy places such as Cochin, Thekady, Kovalam and Varkala for another trip.
Camera Gear for Kerala
As this was primarily a family vacation I decided to travel light
Canon 5D IV , Canon 70-200 F2.8 L IS II, Canon 17-40mm F4 l and Zeiss Otus 55mm f1.4 . In hindsight this was just right for most shooting occasions I encountered during this trip. The Wide Angle lens allowed me to shoot landscapes and the the expanses of the backwaters of Kerala. The telephoto zoom allowed me to zoom in interesting portions of the Landscape and and also shoot the occasional portrait. The standard focal length of the Zeiss Otus was ideal for taking tack sharp portraits of family members. Probably overkill for a family vacation but hey as a photographer I always want my best kit with me just in case.
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