Cool things to do before the winter’s up – with The White Circle and The Aurora Zone

Look outside and it’s clear to see that winter’s not over yet. Rather than wishing it away, make the most of it in Lapland with these cool experiences with The White Circle and The Aurora Zone.

Listen to ice instruments in an igloo concert hall in Luleå, Swedish Lapland. With the cool venue lit by coloured lights, this ice concert guarantees a memorable and captivating evening – it’s a truly one-off experience.

Also on this trip: snowmobile across the frozen sea, sleep in the Treehotel, go husky-sledding and snow-shoe in search of the Northern Lights.

Costs from £1,795 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, three nights’ full-board accommodation, all activities and cold-weather clothing. Departs February & March. The White Circle (01670 785 044, www.thewhitecircle.com).

Swim in Arctic waters in a warm – and floating – dry suit. Weightless in the water, enjoy the unusual sensation of floating effortlessly, watching the stunning Norwegian scenery pass by. Coincide your swim with a maelstrom – a powerful swirling body of water which occurs four times a day when the tide shifts – for some extra fun.

Also on this trip: cruise the fjords looking for whales, keep an eye out for Northern Lights from a lighthouse and relax in an converted boat hot tub.

Costs from £1,975 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation, all activities and cold-weather clothing. Departs February & March. The White Circle (01670 785 044, www.thewhitecircle.com).

Brave some Arctic glamping at the Aurora Safari Camp near Luleå, Sweden, which emulates the owner’s experiences of luxury camps in Kenya. Deep within the Arctic Circle, the camp’s remote location means it’s great for Aurora hunting and each lavvu (traditional Sámi tent) comes with Arctic-grade sleeping bags, comfortable chairs, heating and a shared eco toilet and washroom.

Also on this trip: learn about the Sámi culture, hunt down the Northern Lights and try snow-shoeing, snowmobiling and husky-sledding.

Costs from £2,090 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation including a night at the Aurora Safari Camp, all activities and cold-weather clothing. Departs February & March. The White Circle (01670 785 044, www.thewhitecircle.com).   

Sleep in a snow hotel at the new Torassieppi Winter Village near Harriniva in Finland. Wrap up in an Arctic-grade sleeping bag on a bed lined with reindeer skin and awake to a warming hot juice. Whatever the temperature outside, the interior stays at a balmy minus eight degrees Celsius with the snow insulating the hotel.

Also on this trip: try your hand at snowmobiling and snow-shoeing, buckle down to some serious Aurora hunting and make a visit to a reindeer farm.

Costs from £1,675 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation including a night at the snow hotel, all activities and Northern Lights hunting and cold-weather clothing. Departs February & March. The Aurora Zone (01670 785 012, www.theaurorazone.com).

Bed down in a bubble under the night sky in the depths of Finnish Lapland. Located in a prime Northern Lights hotspot, this unusual form of accommodation allows you to keep an eye on the night sky from the warmth of your bed. Heated and cosy, not far from Muotka Wilderness Lodge, you’ll be surrounded by snow-clad trees and cross-country ski tracks.

Also on this trip: embark on nocturnal excursions tracking down the Northern Lights by snowmobile-pulled sleigh and minibus.

Costs from £1,710 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, four nights’ full-board accommodation (including a night in a bubble), all activities and Northern Lights hunting and cold-weather clothing. Departs February & March. The Aurora Zone (01670 785 012, www.theaurorazone.com).

ENDS – 4 February 2014

Note to editors: The Activity Travel Company has been running for eleven years and consists of three brands: Activities Abroad, The Aurora Zone and The White Circle. Activities Abroad specialises in family holidays in both winter and summer, while The Aurora Zone was created to highlight the innovative concept of Aurora-hunting (actively going out to seek the lights rather than remaining in one location). The White Circle is the latest addition to the portfolio, and offers adult-only winter experiences in Lapland.

For press enquiries, to discuss press trip commissions or for photography: please contact Helena Hamlyn at Travel PR, tel: 020 8891 4440, email: h.hamlyn@travelpr.co.uk.