“What’s on my packing list for Lapland and how do I protect myself from the cold?” was something I wondered several times during the preparations of our trip to Lapland in Finland. In this blog, I will tell you exactly what was in my suitcase to this snowy place and I list some indispensable things for your packing list to Lapland!
What to pack for a snowy trip to Lapland?
Whereas we normally always travel as lightly as possible, carrying backpacks instead of a suitcase (this one from Osprey), this was completely different for Lapland. We brought a big suitcase (this one) of 23 kilos (although we still shared it) and we each had a daypack (I use this one from The North Face). So that’s quite a lot, 23 kilos + daypack for just five days!
What type of clothing should be on your Lapland packing list?
With temperatures ranging from -20 during the day and down to -40 during the day, warm clothing is very important. I never before had so many kilos of clothing with me on a trip! Below I describe which clothing you should put on your packing list.
- regular t-shirt
- sweatpants
- sleep t-shirt
- 2x woolen socks
- underwear
- 2 x sports bra
- bikini (for in the sauna)
- regular jeans
- snow boots
- scarf
- fleece under cap
- regular cap
- thick gloves
- headband
What to wear in Lapland during wintertime?
If you click on the links, you will see where I bought this piece of clothing. Because we wanted to stay on budget but we were missing some of the essential gear, I borrowed the ski pants from my friend Fay. Furthermore, I also bought a few things, all from the budget store Decathlon (no, this is not sponsored). This mainly concerned the snow boots, which were really cheap (€12.99), a cap (€1.99), thermal pants (€4.99) and a thermal shirt (€4.99). So in total, I only spent €20.00 on new gear. Not bad right?
I would wear the following clothes in Lapland:
> sports bra – sports shirt – thermal shirt – fleece sweater – hoodie – ski jacket <
> underwear – thermal pants – woolen socks – ski pants <
I also had normal shoes and normal clothes with me, but actually, I only wore them on the plane. The next time I would just wear my snow boots during the flight and leave my other shoes at home.
What are the most special & unique hotels to sleep in Finnish Lapland? Read this blog with the best hotels in Lapland!
How expensive is a trip to Lapland Finland? Read all about prices and a realistic Lapland budget during your trip in this blog!
What else should be in your suitcase to Lapland?
- bed linen (for in the first lodge)
- card games: Uno!
- toilet bag: this one from Decathlon.
- e-reader: I use the Kobo Clara HD.
- bath towels (for in the first lodge)
- instant coffee
- tea
- wine: alcohol is expensive in Lapland.
- nuts
- candy
For the first lodge we were staying, we brought our own bed linen and bath towels. Because both lodges had kitchens and we wanted to have breakfast there in the morning in order to save money, we had already taken a few things from home such as instant coffee, tea and nuts.
Looking for a Lapland itinerary? Read our blog for the ultimate trip to Finnish Lapland!
Which camera gear do you bring to Lapland?
One of the reasons for us to go to Lapland was to see and photograph the northern lights. And so we brought quite a lot of camera gear. We shot the northern lights with the 12-mm Samyang for Fuji Lens with an F-value of 2. Wondering what else was in our camera bag? You can find that below.
Do you want to know what kind of travel camera equipment we use? Click here for a full overview!
Tips: indispensable things for your packing list!
The following should really be in your bag or suitcase to Lapland! If you want to be able to capture the northern lights, then a tripod is really indispensable. You work with a shutter speed of at least 6 seconds, where your camera must be completely still. Read along to check other indispensable things for your Lapland packing list!
- heat packs: our favorite thing in Lapland!
- sunglasses: the sun shines brightly.
- headlamp: especially during the night!
- Tripod: it’s very hard to shoot the northern lights without this.
- hand lotion: your skin will be super dry
- thick face lotion
- thick body lotion
- lip and sunscreen: protect yourself against the sun!
Unfortunately, we didn’t bring a thick hand, face or body lotion. Because of the extreme cold, my skin became immediately dry, which gave a bad feeling especially at night. So take my advice and bring some really thick lotion with you!
Curious on how to spot the Northern Lights in Lapland? Read our blog full of tips!
Click here for all my other blogs on Lapland and Finland!
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