By Reindeer Through Europe’s Last Wilderness

Two hours north of Helsinki, the DC-9 makes a long, slow banking turn over hundreds of fir trees. Suddenly, the plane straightens out in time to make a landing at the airport in Ivalo. It’s a smooth landing, for the runway is packed with fresh snow.

It is only 3:30 in the afternoon and already dark. The thermometer hovers at 21 degrees, but the cold is bearable, even exhilarating. We are embarking on one of the more unusual tours in the world, and one of the most colorful: a ski trip to Lapland, ending with a journey by reindeer.

With 189,888 lakes, 179,548 islands and three-quarters of its area covered by forest, Finland has been called Europe’s last wilderness. And Lapland, the vast Arctic territory that spans the northern reaches of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Soviet Union, forms an undisturbed winter paradise.

In Finland, you can’t fly further north than Ivalo, a town of 3,000 in the middle of Lapland. It’s a short trip from the airport to the hotel. By 5 p.m. we are eating dinner. By 7 we are asleep, preparing for an early morning ski trek.

Dawn doesn’t break in Lapland. When first light appears, about 9 a.m., it doesn’t precede a brightening sky. Instead, the gentle mystic gray light--the Finns call it kaamos --signals the coming of an early dusk.

“Newcomers think that to enjoy Lapland you must embrace the precious daylight hours,” says our Ivalo guide. “But they don’t understand.”

Our day begins with a snowmobile ride across frozen rivers, then up a gentle mountain trail. This is the starting point for a number of three- to seven-day itineraries that include downhill skiing, travel by snowmobile or in sleds pulled by dogs or reindeer. There’s even a tour by icebreaker at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia.

And, of course, there are cross-country skiing treks for beginners and experts, with instruction and skis provided. Cross-country skiing is a distinctly Finnish product, since the Sami, once known as Lapps, previously used skis as their primary means of transportation. Lapland has eight cross-country ski areas, from upscale Saariselka, 25 miles from Ivalo in Urho Kekkonen National Park, to the primitive Muotkatunturi area further north.

The cross-country trails are extensive, and skiers travel along on routes served by log huts (which can be reserved in advance). The typical hut has a fireplace as well as a sauna (after all, you’re in Finland).

We continued on by snowmobile to the home of Reijo and Eija Jarvinen. The couple runs dog team safaris.

After donning protective cold weather outerwear (including windproof thermal overalls, reindeer skin boots and fur mittens), Reijo gathered the huskies for our ride across the wilderness.

The dogs were anxious to run, and off we sped through the snow, taking turns at high speed. An hour later, we stopped at a kota, a Sami wilderness tepee, where Reijo built a fire and made lunch.

Then it was off to the Inari reindeer farm for the highlight of the trip--a reindeer safari.

In this part of Finland, there are 200,000 people and 300,000 reindeer. The farm, located about nine miles from the village of Inari, is owned by Into and Maarit Paadar. Together with their three children, they specialize in raising racing reindeer--animals trained to pull sleds. Between November and February up to five people at a time may book the tours. From March through May the family can accommodate 10 visitors.

When we arrived, Maarit was getting the reindeer ready with one of the older children. The two younger kids stayed in the living room, playing a Nintendo game.

First, we dressed. Into gave me a nutuka , a pointed-toe boot made of the hide of the reindeer’s leg and decorated with colored cloth. Then he gave me some dry hedge grass. “Stuff it in your boot,” Into told me. “It will be warmer than any other shoe you could have.”

He was right. Now, wearing ski pants, long underwear and gloves, I felt ready for the elements. “Not quite,” he laughed, and handed me a fur-lined bodysuit and an additional pair of gloves. “If you don’t wear these,” he cautioned, “you will freeze to death.” I quickly obliged.

The reindeer were assembled outside by Maarit and the one-person sleds were attached. Actually, pulkkas are not sleds but more like small wooden gondolas. The bottoms are softened with reindeer fur, the backs beautifully carved.

Maarit rode ahead of us on a snowmobile packed high with provisions.

And off we went, single file, through the snow. Each reindeer wore a colorful harness and a bell. Even though the reindeer are trained to follow one another, each of us was given a harness to hold . . . just in case.

Our caravan was virtually noiseless, the only sound being the light hissing caused by the friction between the round-bottom pulkkas and the fresh snow. We glided across Lake Solo and through narrow trails in the forest. As the reindeer accelerated into a moderate gallop, snow from their hoofs sprayed in our faces. Darkness descended. It was a short day’s journey into night.

With no light to guide us, Into maneuvered the lead reindeer perfectly and soon we arrived at a campsite. Maarit had already unloaded the supplies and was waiting. Into quickly built a fire inside the kota and we settled in for an evening of quiet talk and reflection. “We like to call this area a think tank,” says Into. “We have enough darkness, solitude and silence to soothe any soul.”

Maarit made dinner: cheese, bread, coffee and--for those who could stand it--smoked reindeer meat with morels. Dessert: cloudberries, a rare wild fruit that grows only in the bogs of the Arctic.

The Paadars are typical of many of the Sami. Into has been to Helsinki only once. He was born only a few miles from where he now lives.

He’s been raising reindeer for 15 years. (He’s only been operating safaris for four.) The Paadars have more than 200 reindeer on their ranch, but only a few are selected for the safaris.

“I have a special relationship with my reindeer,” says Maarit. At night, with no lights to guide her, she speaks to each animal by name, identifying each by the sound of its breathing. “They are a part of my life, my soul,” she says. “Instinctively, they know this land better than I do. I watch what they do,” she says, “and I try to learn from them.”

In the morning, the sleds were attached and we headed back to Inari. It was 14 degrees. (Important note: If you bring your cameras, make sure the inner workings are coated with graphite by your camera store before you leave the U.S. or they will freeze.)

Back at the ranch, Into put me into a different one-person sled with a reindeer and had me drive the sled around the yard. At the end, he presented me with a reindeer driving license.

GUIDEBOOK

Lapland Reindeer Safaris

Getting there: Finnair offers direct flights to Helsinki on Thursday and Friday from LAX. Unrestricted round-trip coach: $2,286. The airline can arrange a tour package. Be on the lookout for deals. Finnair information: (800) 223-5700.

Making arrangements: The following can arrange reindeer safaris: Kaleva Travel Agency, Postal Box 312, Lonnrotinkatu 5, 00121 Helsinki 011-358-90-602711; Finland Travel Bureau, Kaivokatu 10 A, 0100 Helsinki 011-358-90-18261; Lapland Travel, Maakuntakatu 10, 96100 Rovaniemi 011-358-96-0-16052. Or you can write to the Paadars directly at Inari Reindeer Farm, Kaksamajarvi, 99870 Inari, Finland. Average cost per person for a three-day safari: $400, not including air transportation to Rovaniemi or Ivalo.

When to go: Late February, early March, when winter days are longest.